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Outatime Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2015 Posts: 88 Location: MI
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Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2015 2:45 pm Post subject: 68 Baja build |
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Just picked up this 68. kingpin, 3 rib irs conversion, 1644sp.
Goal is to upgrade the interior (rough) exterior (not much better) and some more hp this winter.
Started on the interior first. I was surprised to find a "deck" under the backseat. That would explain why the stock rear seat was sitting so high. This is all getting pulled out, started with the front first.
Many sawzall and cutoff wheels later.
found three different sets of brackets, some cutoff some not.
floor boards were replaced by po, but never painted and the multiple brackets added for different seats.
now that the front seats and brackets have been removed, I can get to removing the deck/backseat.
More to come... |
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Multi69s Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2006 Posts: 5360 Location: Lefty, CA
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Outatime Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2015 Posts: 88 Location: MI
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Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2015 5:16 pm Post subject: Re: 68 Baja build |
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Good point on the fire protection, I hadn't thought of that.
Got the backseat out.
I can add wiring to the upgrade/repair list this winter.
If you good folks have any tips, or see me heading down the wrong road, please don't hesitate to let me know. I've worked on many other cars, but not a Bug. |
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smileyman3000 Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2010 Posts: 238 Location: Yeppoon, Australia
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Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 1:25 am Post subject: Re: 68 Baja build |
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HEy mate. Nice find.
Looks like a solid car and you are making a great start on sorting it out.
With regards to the batteries, if you take out the timber support frame you can always just put a rubber cover over the battery terminals to prevent it shorting out.
Having the timber shelf in there can actually be very handy. You can pull the seat base out and put camping/etc gear in there of trips when you don't have to fit extra people. And then just drop the seat base back in when you need it. I'm actually doing sometimes like this in mine but a bit neater looking. You could always pull it out and cover it in marine carpet to tidy it up. This is what I am going to put on mine.
Smiley |
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Multi69s Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2006 Posts: 5360 Location: Lefty, CA
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Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 10:52 am Post subject: Re: 68 Baja build |
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Burning question,
What is your intended end product for your Baja? Street driving, with an occasional fire road? Or are you looking for a more off road oriented car? Just asking because those white KYBs on the front will beat you to death unless you are really pushing it. On my street/off road Baja, I went with just one heavy leaf set, and one stock and the KYB GR2s (now continentals) shocks. Now I have the best of both worlds. I don't get jarred by a candy wrapper in the road, but I can take the big hit pretty well. _________________ 69 road Bug 2110
73 Squareback - 2L, T4, Automatic W/ AC
Gone, but many fond memories 69 Baja Bug 2010 - 5 Rib Bus Transaxle
Gone but not forgotten 72 Baja Bug 2010
My builds
T4 into Squareback http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=458944&highlight=
Auto Trans Rebuild http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=516066&highlight=
AC in Squareback https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...highlight= |
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B Ramsey Samba Member
Joined: February 05, 2006 Posts: 477 Location: Ramona ca.
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Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 11:23 am Post subject: Re: 68 Baja build |
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Seat was raised up to clear shift rod. It is on top of the tunnel. |
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Outatime Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2015 Posts: 88 Location: MI
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Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 11:33 am Post subject: Re: 68 Baja build |
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Car will spend most of it's time on the Sand Dunes here in MI. With an occasional trip to the ice cream shop in the Summer. I figure the 1644sp will struggle on the dunes, was looking at maybe a 1915 to get started. Yes the car was very stiff both front and rear.
I've driven the car a few times before we started taking it apart. It was like riding in a tin can full of rocks. I suppose the lack of carpet, headliner or any insulation would explain the sounds in addition to the stiffness. |
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Outatime Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2015 Posts: 88 Location: MI
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Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2015 5:54 pm Post subject: Re: 68 Baja build |
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Made some progress today. My son and I have been sanding for a solid week. We were able to get some primer down today.
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Outatime Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2015 Posts: 88 Location: MI
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Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 7:01 pm Post subject: Re: 68 Baja build |
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Got into the wiring tonight, in the process of cleaning everything off the dash.
Does anybody know if this was an aftermarket gauge panel with the gauges built in ? The Amp gauge is either a precise fit/press or it was made this way. I can get the gauge out of the panel.
We figured out why the speedo doesn't work.
this was all old wire, not hooked up laying under the dash.
How do I get the wiper & headlight switch come out ?
Sweet cassette radio. My son said Dad what is that and how did it work ?
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dustymojave Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2007 Posts: 5802 Location: Lake LA, Mojave Desert, SoCal
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Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 9:26 pm Post subject: Re: 68 Baja build |
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The headlight and wiper switches have screw-on knobs. Unscrew them 1st. Then the switch is held into the dash by an aluminum ring that screws into the switch. The ring has slots on either side of the shaft. There is a special tool, like a 2-prong fork crossed with a screwdriver, but you can generally get it out and back together using a pair of needle nose pliers by putting the 2 tips into the slots and rotating the ring. The threads on the ring are on the outside, it screws into the switch body.
On the amp gauge, it MIGHT have a screw-on front trim ring that holds it to the dash. _________________ 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$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet. |
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Outatime Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2015 Posts: 88 Location: MI
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Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2015 4:45 pm Post subject: Re: 68 Baja build |
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Got back to work on the Baja.
Still stripping and sanding.
This was a job scraping off 30+ years of silicone, caulk and what seemed like liquid nails.
Side shot, I think I want to cut back the fenders around both front and rear. The front is cut much more at the front, then mid wheel it gets less and less.
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dustymojave Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2007 Posts: 5802 Location: Lake LA, Mojave Desert, SoCal
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Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2015 12:06 am Post subject: Re: 68 Baja build |
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[EDIT]Double post...
Somehow this one didn't show up after posting it. So I re-wrote it. It came out different. Then the 2nd wouldn't show up either. So I went on to other things. Coming back, I find them both here.
Ain't the internet entertaining? _________________ Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.
Last edited by dustymojave on Tue Dec 29, 2015 11:43 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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dustymojave Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2007 Posts: 5802 Location: Lake LA, Mojave Desert, SoCal
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Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2015 12:07 am Post subject: Re: 68 Baja build |
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Those fenders on your car front and rear are standard edge as the factory trimmed them. Unless you increase your wheel travel substantially, there should be no need to cut them back. The rear tires will hit the inner fender well before they touch the glass. I have the same fenders all around. Mine has the fronts trimmed to clear 7.00-15 tires on 10-1/4" of travel. My rears are not trimmed.
I have the impression that your state is one of those which fusses about tire coverage. So wouldn't it make sense to leave the fenders alone, especially also considering how expensive fiberglass is in your part of the country? _________________ 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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Outatime Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2015 Posts: 88 Location: MI
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Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2015 2:30 pm Post subject: Re: 68 Baja build |
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Thank you for the info Dusty. I was trying to decide what to do. The front looks like it was trimmed more in the front than the rear.
I finished sanding and priming on the interior today. This is my first attempt at using a spray gun for anything. Prior to this it was rattle can or brush.
I used rustoleum paint, first batch mixed at 8 parts paint, 4 parts thinner and 1 part hardener. It was running pretty good, even trying to put it on lightly. Second batch I went to 3 parts thinner and continued to play with the HF spray gun. Starting laying down pretty good.
My son and I will get good at sanding runs out, but overall pretty happy with my first attempt with a gun.
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Outatime Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2015 Posts: 88 Location: MI
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Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 7:52 pm Post subject: Re: 68 Baja build |
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Is this a shock extender on the lower mount ?
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dustymojave Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2007 Posts: 5802 Location: Lake LA, Mojave Desert, SoCal
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Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 9:31 pm Post subject: Re: 68 Baja build |
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Yes those are extended shock mounts. They, with 8" shock towers provide 8" of wheel travel with an 8" travel shock. If you put the same shock on the stock mount stud, you can get 10" of wheel travel. _________________ 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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oldcrow Samba Member
Joined: July 29, 2015 Posts: 156 Location: middle Georgia
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 11:05 am Post subject: Re: 68 Baja build |
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good looking build so far. just a note of caution.
DO NOT use news paper for making over painted surfaces (like if you where to paint a stripe) the newspaper will allow bleed through. _________________ 73 super/ Baja'd |
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Outatime Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2015 Posts: 88 Location: MI
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 12:28 pm Post subject: Re: 68 Baja build |
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Thank you for the tip oldcrow. It would've been just my luck to have the Sunday funnies bled through onto my paint job.
I haven't been able to convince the Mrs. that I can paint the outside of the car yet. She wants me to take it to somebody who knows what they are doing. |
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Outatime Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2015 Posts: 88 Location: MI
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 6:33 pm Post subject: Re: 68 Baja build |
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Fedex freight showed up today with seats and cage. Cage fits like a cage made in China, so someone with ocd will be driven crazy. The bends are different right from left side in the front hoop. The roof bars are welded in different spots. Car is getting dropped off next week at welder/fabricators to try and straighten the bar out and weld it in. In the end it is what it is.
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wyattsdad Samba Member
Joined: March 14, 2014 Posts: 79 Location: Coventry CT
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 3:04 am Post subject: Re: 68 Baja build |
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don't forget about window crank interference. I have same cage and got it far forward as possible. |
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