Not another Class 11 (style)...

[sxuxrxf]

Thanks for posting! It sure has changed over the years.
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(ignore the X's )

[MI-Bug]

New sighting of this car over on FB. Still looking good.

[sxuxrxf]

I saw that too. The beam just lost its support.
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(ignore the X's )

[AZ-BUG]

Interesting the cage was removed somewhere along the way...

[sidehill]

The car described in this build thread is for sale again in Classifieds.

[dustymojave]

That trip turned out to happen in late July. We didn't get to use my friend's flat fender Jeep as he got sick with shingles and was NOT feeling well the whole time. Still a great trip.

Weather was exactly the same as here at home in SoCal. Same temp to the precise degree.
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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.

[stevebaz]

[shakinjoe]

stupid good thread
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Shakin Joe
St Pete Florida

[Double-Double]

Any news on this build? I too am running the Atomwerk lift plates and wondering how you are enjoying them?

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“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”
—Matthew 16:24–25

[dustymojave]

I plan to go with my friend who has a Jeep to Moab early July. Won't be far from you.
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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.

[sidehill]

Dusty

We get very little snow here in Grand Junction. However at our camp at 10,000 feet near Silverton they get plenty. Too much to drive around in except on plowed roads.

I had a Thing that I bought new in 73, and looking back and from what I've read it was a very capable rig. The gearing just wasn't low enough. I don't have much better now; 4.37 vs 4.12 on the Thing, but have a much bigger motor. 2017 vs 1600. I hope to have lower gears in the future.

The summer roads that I want to drive around on near Silverton would be considered easy jeep trails. I doubt that a carefully driver would ever touch the front beam on these roads. There are a few rougher trails; Poughkeepsie for one, but only a very built VW could manage it.

I will measure my beam height and sump height and post it. It may be a few days since I'm traveling.

[dustymojave]

The 1st Baja I owned, bought it shortly after I turned 18, which is the minimum age to own a car in California, was a '65 Bug, still stock when I bought it from the original owner. It had a big ding in the bottom of the spare tire well and in the front of the beam from a time that the PO was at Big Bear in the snow. He hit a hidden large rock at the edge of a parking lot at a business in town.

My son's Jetta got the oil pan broken hitting a driveway that was steep. (He'll NEVER let that friend borrow anything again!)

Skid plates are NOT just for racing. Nor even just for going fast.

And a front skidplate SHOULD extend down below and beyond the beam. If it doesn't, it's a wannabe, but is NOT a "skid" plate.

I DO believe your part of Colorado gets a fair amount of snow, doesn't it?
_________________
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.

[sidehill]

Thanks for all the ideas on skid plates. I don't think I'll need one on the front since I will be running slow on mountain trails instead of racing. My rig is not a Class 11, just a raised bug.. I have watched the Class 11 races on youtube and can see why they would need a front skid plate.

I do need one on the rear however. I have good clearance even with the thin-line 1.5 qt sump, but it won't survive even a slight kiss of a rock while the front beam would.

I like joemamas technique for bending plate. I do a lot of stuff like that.
I've got anvils, big vises and hammers, and have been to blacksmith school so can flog iron with the best of them. I'll probably use aluminum over steel tube for the rear skidplate though.

[joemama]

In my thread about an offroad bug, you can see front and rear skid plate ideas.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=664627

[MI-Bug]

First off... looking good Sidehill!

As for skid plates, my favorite ones are how AZ-BUG did his originally. This thread has a couple of good pics of both the front and rear:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=629767&highlight=class+11

Cheers,

[dustymojave]

[sidehill]

Thanks Dusty. Good advice.

I'm not sure how to attach the rear without attaching to the bumper or bumper brackets. Page two of this thread shows a Class 11 style with large holes for cooling in the rear of the skid plate.

[dustymojave]

[sidehill]

I found a photo of Mr. Bills skid plate or at least the frame for the skid plate so I have an idea of what dustymojave was describing. Thanks Dusty.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/1012070.jpg
It's more work than what I envisioned but I agree about keeping the skid plate off of the sump and other engine parts for protection and to maintain air circulation.

Yes, it's coming along, but slower than I'd like. I still need to take it in for a valve adjustment and rejetting. I have no idea how long it has been. The previous owner never had the valves adjusted but I don't think he put very many miles on the car.
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[oh6a]

Looks like you are moving along pretty quickly.