Ricko's New Ride-'71 Baja

rickosuave1987 · Post by **rickosuave1987** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 10:06 pm

mike@crosbys wrote:so you ready for ocotillo?

Im ready

...the cars not

. Front end is still torn apart and still have to the fuel cell mounted.

Im planning a trip in April that is my deadline to finish up the upgrades.

CopperBaja · Post by **CopperBaja** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 3:34 pm

With putting on the one-piece front end, why are you mounting the fuel cell in the passenger compartment?

Just curious as to how you decided to go that route.

rickosuave1987 · Post by **rickosuave1987** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 3:40 pm

CopperBaja wrote:With putting on the one-piece front end, why are you mounting the fuel cell in the passenger compartment?

Just curious as to how you decided to go that route.

With that big of a fuel cell (22 gallon) It will cause a major change in handling when the fuel gets low. 1 gallon of gasoline weighs ~ 6.5 lbs. Thats 143 lbs of fuel full and will get less as i drive more.

I figure keeping it towards the center of the car will make the change in handling far less noticable and it will keep the weight towards (what should be) the center of gravity.

CopperBaja · Post by **CopperBaja** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:10 pm

Ok...thanks. That definitely makes sense. Usually when you see a fuel cell on a baja with a one-piece front end, they usually mount them underneath.

Do you have shielding gas on your welder? Makes it alot easier for us that are new at welding.

rickosuave1987 · Post by **rickosuave1987** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:13 pm

CopperBaja wrote:Ok...thanks. That definitely makes sense. Usually when you see a fuel cell on a baja with a one-piece front end, they usually mount them underneath.

Do you have shielding gas on your welder? Makes it alot easier for us that are new at welding.

No, its a flux wire mig. Once I get some cash it will get upgraded for a full cage build. Someday

Also, when that "someday" rolls around, it will be easier not to have to chop out the mounts to re-do them.

mike@crosbys · Post by **mike@crosbys** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:17 am

i just get a little uneasy about fuel right behind me like that. I know chevy trucks among other things had the tank right behind the seat, but i dont jump and beat the poop outta those. I see a buncha people mount the cells in the car but it just makes me uneasy.

rickosuave1987 · Post by **rickosuave1987** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:41 am

mike@crosbys wrote:i just get a little uneasy about fuel right behind me like that. I know chevy trucks among other things had the tank right behind the seat, but i dont jump and beat the poop outta those. I see a buncha people mount the cells in the car but it just makes me uneasy.

I get what youre saying. But there are a few "rules" that go along with the fuel cell in the car. Obviously this is not a racer, most likely never will be. I dont plan on catching much air or doing anything extreme, but there is still a chance of a roll over. So this is how we remedy it.

First, the fuel cell itself has a flapper on the fill plate so in the event of a roll over, minimal spillage will occur through the fill hole. Next, the fill hose will be routed outside of the car, so any spillage out of the fill hole will go directly outside. Also, there will a hose off of the vent in the fill plate that will basically make a loop around the inside of the car. it will be routed right behind the roll bar and go around the roof and back down through the floor on the other side. What this does, is make it so no matter where the car goes there is always at least one spot on this hose higher than the cell, keeping the gas inside of it.

mike@crosbys · Post by **mike@crosbys** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 3:41 pm

everyone says they arent going to do extreme stuff. lol. I remember when we cut and turned the beam, turned the rear and said "well, looks like a baja to us, lets go to the desert!!" Next thing you know we are jumpin it down devils slide, no cage, no harnesses no nothing. Lot of fun, not so smart. Its your car your deal, lots of race cars run that so im sure its safe, but maybe its just my paranoia i dunno.

rickosuave1987 · Post by **rickosuave1987** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 11:31 pm

mike@crosbys wrote:everyone says they arent going to do extreme stuff. lol. I remember when we cut and turned the beam, turned the rear and said "well, looks like a baja to us, lets go to the desert!!" Next thing you know we are jumpin it down devils slide, no cage, no harnesses no nothing. Lot of fun, not so smart. Its your car your deal, lots of race cars run that so im sure its safe, but maybe its just my paranoia i dunno.

Oh I know, it might get a little extreme, but I know if i break stuff that is big, it wont be replaced any time soon...

And you know, sometimes I think it is a bad idea with the gas in the cabin, but in the end I think it is relatively safe.

If I wreck ill be sure to let you know what happened to the gas...

mike@crosbys · Post by **mike@crosbys** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 1:21 am

i have a lead acid battery not in a box, so if i roll im in for poop anyway. Stock bugs take a lot of abuse before something breaks

rickosuave1987 · Post by **rickosuave1987** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 3:28 pm

OK! I got my beam cut and turned today. I went 1/4". I didn't get it re-assembled yet. That will happen next weekend.

Dont mind the ugly welds

...they will get ground down a bit

rickosuave1987 · Post by **rickosuave1987** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 4:18 pm

Oh yea, another thing accomplished, I got the engine running today. It is a turnkey motor after all

Right after I installed it I tried to crank it over..this is how it went: Whir Whir Whiiiir...POP

So I knew the timing was off. I pulled dizzy and it was 180* off

Set the motor at TDC, its nice and easy with a degree pully that has TDC right on it, reinstalled the distributor and it fired the first crank!

Post by **Leatherneck** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 5:57 pm

rickosuave1987 wrote:OK! I got my beam cut and turned today. I went 1/4". I didn't get it re-assembled yet. That will happen next weekend.

Dont mind the ugly welds ...they will get ground down a bit

Don't sweat the ugly welds (not that bad) but if you grind them you are taking metal away, so if you can weld another bead over them. Looks good though. Can't wait to hear that running sound coming from mine.

rickosuave1987 · Post by **rickosuave1987** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 6:03 pm

Got some stuff done today. Not as much as I was hoping, but some.

Hey! Someone stole my beam!

Oh. There it is.

I installed the cut and turned beam, but first, I welded up the seams on the framehead.

Check out my bling bling tie rods

They were generously donated to me by my uncle (he forgot them here

)

Side shot of the drum and arms

This should show you how much lift is obtained with such a little turn.
When I took the wheels off, they were completely off the ground. And I didnt move the jack stands while I was working on the car.

Put the front bumper back on. Along with some differnt wheels

And then I got the fuel cell mount in the car

A shot of my welding. I have much better control now. Before I was getting penetration but it was ugly, now its looking a little better.

Thats all for today. Be ready for another bunch or pictures tomorrow!

rickosuave1987 · Post by **rickosuave1987** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 11:39 pm

Well didnt get everything done that I wanted.

But I did get the driver seat mounted.

And I put some instant horsepower on. I heard its good for 15 RWHP, but thats just a rumor...