The Baja - Progress Thread
- Thread starter Hawk Tuah
- Start date
I'm not paying hundreds of pounds for them!Think I'll wait form some to come up cheap on the bay, vzi or the baja club forums.
Spent the weekend working on the Baja. Managed to cut the rear arches and move them away from the wheels a bit. Got an extra inch or so of clearance and now they dont rub. 
In doing so I had to remove the rear seat. Thought this would be a good time to give the rear of the car a good thick layer of hammerit to prevent it rusting any more than it already has. I did the underside last weekend, so now it should be totally encased.
Looks pretty messy, but you wont see it when the seats and carpet are back in and will hopefully protect it for many years to come. Plus gave me a chance to get the carpets out and give them a good hosing down.
Next weekend I'll have a go at doing to the the front insides.
In doing so I had to remove the rear seat. Thought this would be a good time to give the rear of the car a good thick layer of hammerit to prevent it rusting any more than it already has. I did the underside last weekend, so now it should be totally encased.
Looks pretty messy, but you wont see it when the seats and carpet are back in and will hopefully protect it for many years to come. Plus gave me a chance to get the carpets out and give them a good hosing down.
Next weekend I'll have a go at doing to the the front insides.
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Got all the seats and carpet back in pronto this evening as I wanted to take it out for a spin. To the sand dunes!
Can't beleive the darn cibie came loose and out of place to spoil the photos! That'll teach me for lubricating a nut. :lol:
Can't beleive the darn cibie came loose and out of place to spoil the photos! That'll teach me for lubricating a nut. :lol:
That looks awesome... Wouldn't have picked beige myself, im a Purple/Pink man tbh, but for the money that looks like a great project.
Beige! Dammit, you're as bad as the DVLA. Its NATO spec light sand.
I've been at it all day today.
Finally managed to get the rear window done. Plus I got my welder through the post. First job was to 'enhance' the coil over C spanner. Meant I could lift the rear a little more, plus with a bit more additional grinding today it now doesn't rub at all. Not even over bumps.
I fitted a cage over the fan belt. I was quite miffed with the design of it. There were supposed to be two screws to hold the bracket. However havnig the screws there meant the fan bet would rub against the sharp edge of the screw.
So I thought I'd get more practice in with the welder. Welded the bracket on instead of screwing it, then grinded it down so it was nice and flat, and now it fits a treat.
Oh and I found a way to stop fuel coming out of the breather pipe whenever I pull a hard right hander. I bought a one way air valve to attach to the breather hose. Works a treat.
All in all, a good day for the baja.
Finally managed to get the rear window done. Plus I got my welder through the post. First job was to 'enhance' the coil over C spanner. Meant I could lift the rear a little more, plus with a bit more additional grinding today it now doesn't rub at all. Not even over bumps.
I fitted a cage over the fan belt. I was quite miffed with the design of it. There were supposed to be two screws to hold the bracket. However havnig the screws there meant the fan bet would rub against the sharp edge of the screw.
So I thought I'd get more practice in with the welder. Welded the bracket on instead of screwing it, then grinded it down so it was nice and flat, and now it fits a treat. Oh and I found a way to stop fuel coming out of the breather pipe whenever I pull a hard right hander. I bought a one way air valve to attach to the breather hose. Works a treat.
All in all, a good day for the baja.
Here's a video from the other night.
I warn you, it is the lamest bit of 'off roading' ever. My mate jumped out to film a bit just as I came up to a completely flat peice of ground.
But either way, it shows how it sounds now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jlds5HxtlWo
I warn you, it is the lamest bit of 'off roading' ever. My mate jumped out to film a bit just as I came up to a completely flat peice of ground.
But either way, it shows how it sounds now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jlds5HxtlWo
Wow, I didn't expect it to look so clean and tidy inside. Well done
You should have seen it before. Its was quite shocking, eveything was falling apart, there were holes everywhere, covered with stickers. Half the dash was coloured in by felt tip. There was a centre console covered wtih fur.
I filled the dash, sanded it flat, repainted it, removed the centre console, fitted a gauge holder.
Looks much better now. Just need to do the same behind the drivers seat.
Its actually on the brake.
The brake return spring on the pedal has snapped. I've got a new one, but its a right b*****d of a job to replace as you have to dismantle the whole pedal assembly.
The bungee is just a crude, yet effective replacement for that spring until I get round to replacing it.
The brake return spring on the pedal has snapped. I've got a new one, but its a right b*****d of a job to replace as you have to dismantle the whole pedal assembly.
The bungee is just a crude, yet effective replacement for that spring until I get round to replacing it.
Well, seeing as I havent got it tied around either my head or my balls, I guess I'll be safe.What if it sprinmgs off and gets you in the eye or sack
My foot might get in the way, but thats a risk I'll just have to life with.
Been at it all day again. But the show's tomorrow, so needed it up to scratch. So.....
Interior rear is done. Not perfection, but tidy enough. You should have seen it before.
And I've fitted the roof rack, now she's ready for the show!
Its amazing how far the old girl has come along since I got her.
But the show's tomorrow, so needed it up to scratch. So.....Interior rear is done. Not perfection, but tidy enough. You should have seen it before.
And I've fitted the roof rack, now she's ready for the show!
Its amazing how far the old girl has come along since I got her.
http://www.bajaclub.co.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=3622&hilit=What's with the clamp and the rear screen slats?
I haven't tried refitting the rear slats. Last time I did it the rear window went pop.
Well, I attende VW Action Off Road event last weekend..... And I Won! Fastest Baja round the track. 
Anyway, while I was there I realised that I really need to invest more into the car. I need to replace the rear suspension with an IRS setup. Plus I want to customise my front beam to add extended shock mounts.
Anyhow, in the mean time, I needed more clearance at the rear for my tyres, so today I took the plunge and set on raising it up.
To do this (for those not in the know) involves disassembling the rear suspension so you can remove the spring plates from the torsion barand put it back on under higher load.
So to cut a long arduous day of work short. Here are the results.
Oldschool negative camber. May look a bit daft, but now the wheels dont rub. Oh and it is completely level.
Anyway, while I was there I realised that I really need to invest more into the car. I need to replace the rear suspension with an IRS setup. Plus I want to customise my front beam to add extended shock mounts.
Anyhow, in the mean time, I needed more clearance at the rear for my tyres, so today I took the plunge and set on raising it up.
To do this (for those not in the know) involves disassembling the rear suspension so you can remove the spring plates from the torsion barand put it back on under higher load.
So to cut a long arduous day of work short. Here are the results.
Oldschool negative camber. May look a bit daft, but now the wheels dont rub. Oh and it is completely level.
A lot.
New gearbox
drive shafts
IRS conversion (welding hinges onto beam)
CV Joints
New spring plates
Basically, its not a 1 day job. I'll get there eventually, but I've got to wait for the bits to do it to come up for sale.
For now, it'll have to handle like a bag of crap.
I have added spacers to the rear to widen the track which should hopefully help a bit, plus I put the tyre pressures up to 25psi.Its a 40 year old car, with an 80 year old design, jacked up running on balloons.
How do you think it drives.
Its still fun though, and it will go places and take abuse like you wouldn't beleive. I had all 4 wheels off the ground last weekend over the jumps.
You tease.
This is what I was doing last weekend.
Its only got a short clip of me going round slowly. I was taking a kid round. But I was jumping it at other times.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=q8ppY_XqdC0
Its difficult to compare it to modern 'normal' cars. Its got a 1584cc engine which produces around 40bhp.Crazy looking thing
What engine has it got? Specs? Out of interest
However off road, its got plenty of torque to get by and since you've never really out of 1st and 2nd gear, the power is fine.
On road, its rubbish. But its because its so bad that its fun to drive.