Ed's Baja Bug build.

[no1clyde]

I guess it is time to start a thread, I was going to wait till I had a roller but the thread on lifts got me posting pics so here we go. First off I have not build a Baja before, the only VW based car I have built is my yellow buggy. It is a Berrion kit that I changed a little but this Baja is just some of my ideas. I worked for 32 years as a equipment mechanic for the Nevada DOT and worked with a great machinist/welder that showed me you can make most anything if you want to. Well now I am retired and this is one of my hobbies. I have some kinda different ideas that if they don't work will get changed but I plan to try to work thru things if I can.

First my buggy.

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Now the bug I started with.

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Putting on the Baja kit, my first ever like many things in this thread

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[TimS]

Looking forward to this. I know you build from what you have and make it work. Your work, though, is thought-out and complete... finish product is impressive and innovative. You are not afraid to try something new, but also are not afraid to scrap it and start over. I look forward to seeing this progress.

[no1clyde]

Having trouble putting the pics in the order I want but I guess I will be a old pro by the time this project is done

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Now I decided to build a 3" lift and tie the beam to the torsion when done. As with most things I do it has evolved into what it is today.

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Now I thought about what to do next to get tie rod clearance so I came up with this set up and ran with it.

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So at some point getting to this point I built the beam too. I used 2 1/4" 1/4" wall dom, a little heavy but I figured if I was going to weld it in it better be over built.

[no1clyde]

Thanks Tim I know you have been wanting me to show it and it will help me with the input from others. BTW this is going to be a dual sport prerunner type car that I hope some day to take on rides like Tims coming up.

Ed

[no1clyde]

In go SACO bushings and then reamed out to fit 1 1/2" 1/4" wall dom that I will build arms from.

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Had to cut out quite abit to get the 1 1'2" to fit nice but they feel sweet.

On to arm building, I built a jig and made my link pin ends and arm parts. I used 1 1/4" by 1/4"wall for the arms and 1 1/4" by 3/8" wall to build the link pin holders out of. This is the setup but not with the real link pin holders.

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Starting to make the link pin holders on my old Craftsman lathe.

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[Ol'fogasaurus]

Your doing fine in the build, documenting it and the pictures and Yup, Tim does need company at times.

Lee

[JUSSUMGUY]

Glad to see you posting this Ed. Keep up the good work.

[no1clyde]

Welded the arms together but they are not done yet, I need to add 1/4" gussets on the out side and to the inside/ On the bottom arms I will add another 1/4" gusset to the inside to both space it out 6.5mm to get the king pin inclination and to build my shock mounts from. Here is a test fit though. I spaced the beam to be a parallel beam and I can rotate the arms completely in a circle by toggling the spindle at the top and bottom.

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One of my odd ideas is to use some spare dirt bike rear shocks on the front of this car and this is just a mock up for my thoughts. These shock have about 4 1/2" of travel and on my bike they give 13" of wheel travel and between me and the bike we put about 350 lbs on 1 of them so I am thinking I can make one on each side work on this car. I know how to work on them and have all the parts and tools to change the valving as needed. One of those ides that may get tossed Also the outer beam spacers are not welded yet and longer one will be made to make part of the shock mounts.

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Body is now bolted back on and doing some thinking and shock mount testing.

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With the car at this height is how it may end up with 12 -13" travel and around 4" of sag. I will cage the car out and it is getting 2 1/2" coilovers SAWs on the back and wider arms. I also have a ej22 and a 091 for it when the time comes. This is just the start of a long range build like many others here, just I don't know what I am doing other than making things for it to entertaining myself Looking at all the cool cars people build on here has been my inspiration and I have checked out most of them and taking ideas from all of them. I appreciate all input and do know this is some what different than most and some of my ideas just plane may not work but I will give it a go.

Ed

[no1clyde]

Thanks Richard and Lee. There will be times when nothing is getting done and other times it is all I will be doing. I took last week off to go to Idaho dirt bike riding and now I am recovering from that

Ed

[BAJA-IT]

It's looking good Ed. Should be a fun ride when you get it finished.

Just curious, how many degrees did you angle the beam back? (castor)

[no1clyde]

Thanks BAJA-IT, Cameron I think

Went for 7* but it came out 8.25*. The back is not raised either yet so it looks like more than that too. Not on any time limits on this project but I do hope it comes close to my ideas

Ed

[CentralWAbaja]

Looks good thanks for sharing

[no1clyde]

Thanks CWA, your car is amazing for sure.

Ed

[CentralWAbaja]

Thanks CWA, your car is amazing for sure.

Ed

Well, thank you. I am just an example of somebody that had no clue when I started either. Also a good example of what happens when you get a little caught up in building the "ultimate toy" for yourself....ok getting a lot caught up in it.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

It is also and example of asking too many questions of too many people. Opinions are fun to get but can cause/drive one to expand their built a lot too. Actually there is a lot of information not from just here but from a lot of other sites there too so it is worth looking hard at.

Lee