Not another Class 11 (style)...

AZ-BUG · Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 4:42 pm Post subject:

Too cool! I had never seen an "extractor" pre-heat tube... nice Exclamation

sxuxrxf · Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 3:00 pm Post subject:

Here's the latest...

Finished the exhaust, got it all tucked up. The front travel is a whopping 5-1/4"! Gotta love ball joints. As it sits in these pics, I measured 16" (rear) and 16-1/2" (front) from the chrome strip on the running board to the ground. That's about 2" of down travel in front and 4-1/2" in the rear.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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Pierre G · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:19 am Post subject:

Pierre G · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:23 am Post subject:

Sxuxrxf, that class 11 look alike you're building is badass. AZ-Bug, I like your too. I want to build one for me from a '71 std I have with Thing/181 components : front beam and rear swingaxle with RGBs to match raised front. I have all the used parts : bug and donor 181. I "just" need to restore the body of the bug... Evil or Very Mad

Sxuxrxf, don't you miss your bus...?

Pierre
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1976 181/Thing, 1967 fastback, 1973 squareback, 1964 microbus, 1967 Double Cab, 1969 westfalia (currently under resto), 1972 LM1C dune buggy, 1974 jean's bug, 1974 1303 (super beetle, currently under reassembly after new paint).

shred625 · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 8:15 am Post subject:

Looks like a nice looking car.

One thing that jumps out to me as a potential problem is your exhaust choice. I think it would be better to bring it out the back and up. That thing looks like it is going to get hammered where it is.
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“It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man.”
~ Jack Handey

sxuxrxf · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:53 pm Post subject:

Thanks guys. It's coming along slowly. The engine is being dynoed this week. I can't wait to pick it up Saturday. Getting the auxiliary cooler/fan to fit is another story. It doesn't fit so easily with heater tubes.
As far as the exhaust goes...for this type of car with a larger than stock engine (2L), the choices are about none. With the bumper and skid plate on I would have to drop down on a rock just right to do any damage. This is a street car that will be used on trails - not all-out in the desert.
Either way, it's not going to get pulled off like a standard header with quiet pack hanging down. I managed to get my busses with dual QP's through some crazy stuff, so I'm not worried.

I got Bilstein shocks for the front - the ones for a cut/turn beam and ordered FOA's for the rear. They were actually the only shock I could find that would fit. 18"+ extended and 12" compressed, about the same as the front.

Mouthy · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 1:33 pm Post subject:

Pretty clean looking ride man. Haven't seen many guys go for the street class 11 look. Almost seems like a shame to cover that motor up!

That bay that you posted is probably the first bus I've seen that I've liked. What did you do to get it to sit like that?

blitzschnell racing · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 10:39 am Post subject:

I like the color of the bus! Heres my class 11 at the Battle at Primm race two weeks ago.

sxuxrxf · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:21 pm Post subject:

It's been a while...

I got the engine dyno-tuned. It made 115 HP and 128 torque at about 5k RPM! Very happy with the engine's new configuration. It starts right up, no flat spots, and just wants to GO. It pulls HARD from just cracking the throttle 'til it tops out.

The brakes work great, but the front end has issues. It's super stiff, even though the adjusters are currently in the "stock" location, with NO shocks even. (maybe the leaves are in backwards from the direction they used to twist?) With the Bilsteins it's not too bad on the street, but because the FOA's on the rear are WAY undervalved, I can't really hit any big dips (any dips, for that matter) without bottoming out the rear. It likes to wander too. I tightened the steering box all the way, full tight and then backed of a bit and it still does. Everything is brand new, including a stock dampener. I measured the caster as best as I could and it seems to be about 7°. I put in caster shims, but didn't measure after. It drives straighter, but the turning now feels wierd. I'll pull them out and get a Bilstein dampener and maybe a new steering box.

The rear looks like a swing-axle baja, unfortunately. It wasn't too bad until I had it aligned. IF I hold a level to the side of the tire, the top sticks out 1.5" farther than the bottom, or about 4-5°. Totally unacceptable. I sent BCR an email and pics inquiring about new arms and have yet to hear from them. Sooo, I cut mine and adjusted them myself. Saved $400 and I don't think they will be a problem for anything I will do to the car.

I got everything lined up just right, welded the armin it's new position - spring plates not binding - and bent some plate to match the arms. I used 1/8" plate on each side. They will be just fine until I cage the car and make new arms. You can also see how I rolled the shock mount with my 3 lb sledge to clear the new shocks. Nothing is ever easy, right??

I need to send the rear shocks back to be revalved next week. I can push on the bumper and really get the thing bouncing to the point that it continues when I let go. Not so good.

Next will be a long, low-profile roof rack, painted gloss black. I'm going to mount the oil cooler up there since there is NO room under the car (heater boxes still in use).

When the cooler is mounted, shocks fixed, steering issues figured out, then I'll hit the freeway for Mr. Toad's Wild Ride! Shocked

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GhiaBateman · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 3:27 am Post subject:

don't want to get you down BUT the wandering might just be the tires... after seeing that you bought them I started reading reviews on them and a lot of guys werre having problems with loss of steering "under steer" and wandering at different speeds like 30-40mph they wandered then started wandering again at 60-70mph
I hope it's some small issue with your front end, cause I like the Tires. and I cant wait to see your roof rack, the rest of the car looks great.
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(o=|=o) Life before play... Damn! it's gonna be awhile.

sxuxrxf · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:49 am Post subject:

Thanks for the heads up. I'll keep that in mind if it still wanders after fixing the other stuff.
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sxuxrxf · Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 11:10 am Post subject:

It's been a while. The wandering was caused by the rear shocks being way too soft. The rear is still soft, but will hopefully be fixed with the next valving. It drives pretty good now. No freeway time yet, gotta get the oil cooler hooked up first. It goes in the rear corner of the rack.
I just finished the rack and picked it up from powder coat Saturday morning. Mirrors too. 1.25" tubing for the main bars and .75" and 1" for the rest. Weighs just 34 lbs without lights and cooler.

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GhiaBateman · Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:00 pm Post subject:

NICE!! that rack looks great! Still not sure how I'll do mine yet but your rack is in my idea folder now. I'm glad you got the wandering thing working out, let us know how those tires do over time.
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(o=|=o) Life before play... Damn! it's gonna be awhile.

HamburgerBrad · Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:09 pm Post subject:

are those mirrors something you bought or made?
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OGST | CU05 | OGJHC
1970 baja|1953 oval

Wanted: two beat up, ugly, curb rashed 6" phone dial wheels

sxuxrxf · Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 1:07 pm Post subject:

The mirrors started out as the standard cad plated hoops from any of the off-road shops. I cut the ends of (for clamping to cage), extended to top length to make them level and added the plate and extra pieces.
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dirtkeeper · Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 8:22 pm Post subject:

That rack is cool. reverse light and all. did you make the brackets that attach it to the drip rail or are they from another rack?

sxuxrxf · Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 2:04 pm Post subject:

kyle_pc_75 · Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 5:14 pm Post subject:

sxuxrxf · Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 7:28 pm Post subject:

Here's a couple pics of the hold-down pieces.

I used 5/16" stainless steel bolts and 14g sheet metal. There's a SS washer on top with a nut and then a nylock. I think the the sheet metal is about 1-3/4" wide. I just bent it to fit snugly around the rail while going into the door jamb as far as possible. The stock VW racks with the single center hold-down don't really grab the rail that well, which is why it could fly off the roof during off-road use. The front 2 on this rack really get a bite on the rail, the back can only do so much due to the shape of the rail. It will at least keep the back from vibrating in the channel.
I used some tubing I had laying around for the sleeves welded to the rack, don't know the dimensions. There is also some flat stock between the rack leg and the sleeve to allow room for the hardware on top. I welded the flat stock to the sleeve and then welded that piece to the leg.

Hope this helps. I'll post a picture of building the rack using the stock VW rack as a base tomorrow. (Those pics are at work)
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dustymojave · Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 12:36 am Post subject:

Are those made from high-carbon steel? If not, they're likely to straighten out under load. The fab work looks good though.
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Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.


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