TheSamba.com :: View topic - Baja for beginners, a step by step guide???

Fri Oct 31, 2008 4:27 am

Hey all, first time post in this section. Posted this in the wrong section...buggys etc!

Basically, I know very little about VW's full stop, best to be upfront and honest about these things!

Anyway, I bought my wife a 69 Karmann Ghia as it was her dream car. It can be seen at www.pamsghia.co.uk
It will soon be undergoing a full resto by myself and my 11 year old daughter. I have 4 kids and she is the only one that has shown any interest in the car and is more than willing to help.

Because of this I have told her that once Pams car is done, I will buy a Beetle for her and we will restore or modify it for when she comes of driving age. This is a long way off but I thought I might as well get some info now and start getting parts etc.

Caitlin ( my daughter ) has expressed an interest in this car...
http://www.volkszone.co.uk/VZi/showthread.php?t=501888

So my questions are...

If I start with a Beetle, where do I go from there to get a look like that?
Like I said Im new to the VW scene but a Baja looks fun!
It will be 99% road use so dont really need all the really expensive suspension mods that I have seen some of the cars here running....

Are there any good books to read on converting to a Baja Bug?

Again, I know this is a real n00b question and it may have been asked a 1000 times before so please excuse my ignorance. This is all just pipe dreams at the mo as we have to start and finish Pam's car first but hopefully it will give us some idea of whats involved.

TIA :D

Fri Oct 31, 2008 5:22 am

Just get Hibbards book "Baja Bugs and Buggies"

Fri Oct 31, 2008 7:47 am

thats a good looking bug but it looks like its already been restored and modified?? so if you want a resto and midify project this one probably isnt it. and 4,000 seems a bit steep to me for a bug, but then again i dont know what they go for over there.

Fri Oct 31, 2008 1:07 pm

that bug is what he is what he wants his bug to look like when it is done.

I am a noob too but I do have a 69 baja.

Hibbards book is good. Looks like that one is a baja kit, some shiny bits & off road tires w/the suspension set up to just get the body off the tires. Looks like it is 100% street do to the stance.

Actually - there looks to be some custom body work done around the fenders/side skirt - but again - I am new too & just haven't seen those fenders/side skirts before.

I like it.

Fri Oct 31, 2008 1:15 pm

jotto wrote: If I start with a Beetle, where do I go from there to get a look like that?
whoops skipped over that sentance :oops:

Fri Oct 31, 2008 1:49 pm

so your looking to build a street baja? as in lowered street car right?

then all you need to do is to buy a baja kit, and install it on the car. that's it. the car you posted dosent look like it has any mods done to it at all besides the baja kit and that god awful paint job.
you could more than likely find a stocker baja like that for sale already cut with the baja kit on it for pretty cheap. and then just lower it when the time comes.

Mon Nov 03, 2008 5:48 am

what they said!

I have seen that car in person several times, and although not to my taste, it seems well built.

The only place producing new baja kits in the UK is east coast manx, i have used one of their kits to build my car. The 7 piece kit is £250 plus delivery. The kit will produce a bug-eyed baja (like mine) NOT a wide-eyed baja like the one above.

I picked up a full set of monster wheels & tyres for £150 from darren at billy bobs buggy shop (Taunton).

You will also need an exhaust (approx £100) to replace the stock one.

That would be about everything for a street baja 8)

BTW, my bja cost me £1500 to build, including purchasing the donor car :lol:

Also, have a look over on bajaclub.co.uk, we have several active members in Cornwall (including me!). Our next meet up is an offroad day in the Halden forest (exeter) on the 16th.