Camo BAJA in the Making

[Tony Z]

why not wrap it?

[MarshallGTi]

+1
buy a couple sheets of 3M vinyl in various camo colours and do it DIY

[retrovan]

The nice thing about a Camo job, is that you can do it your self, and no one will ever know.

No two spots are the same, and you just keep buying rattle cans till you like the result......

The way we did it in the past, was park your car under sparsely leaved tree, on a sunny day, and pencil in the bright spots, then just go mad with matt paint of all shades.

Herman

[VW0007]

Ok .. Been sanding and filling and replaced the steering column bearing and spacer (sleeve) just under the steering wheel..
Have still not installed the motor .. Cos I need a second pair of hands but she's ready to go in ..
My old man ~ who's also my mecanical advisor (retired mec engineer) is helping me on Thurs..
I bought a set of billet side mirrors which will replace these plastic el cheapo ones on her doors
As for colour .. Paint or wrap..
Still undecided .. But I'm sanding and flatting and fixing cracks in bad cracked fiberglass ...this sanding flatting and
Fixing will keep me blistered until Jan ..and I will then have a nice base to either wrap ..rattlecan or spray (proff)
Here is motor ready to go in ...

[VW0007]

That exhaust was a bitch to fit ...
Seems when they bake the black enamel she twists ... And fitting requires a serious sense of patience
And ~ mac guver skills with 8 studs and 4 twisty exhaust pipes .. But she's in ..
Only crap is after the trip home on the bakkie the motor is leaking from tapet covers..
Ill need to refit and properly seal her covers once I've fitted the motor ..
Oh and getting the clutch aligned without a proper spigot shaft "thing' ~= also a bitch
For those wondering the airfilter is BMC ..I can't use cheap filters on her ... Need the lungs clean...

[VW0007]

Merry Christmass everyone

[Tony Z]

if you have a trolley jack and 4 bricks, you dont need a second pair of hands to put the engine in.
Tilt the engine to one side, and slide a brick under the head that you lifted. Then tilt it to the other side and slide a brick under that head. Now the engine is already 1 brick off the ground. Do this again to make it 2 bricks high.
Slide trolly jack under and lift engine on sump cover. Insert engine into gearbox and bolt down.

I have done this about 15 times, alone.

[retrovan]

Tony is right, this is a one man job.

Done it a good couple of times with the type 4 and that is twice the weight of the beetle motor

Just make sure you find the balance point of the motor, this will be on the centre line of the casing, but forward or back on the drain plate/plug depending what you all have fitted at the time.

Place a piece of rubber mat or a damp cloth on the jack so that it will not slip, balance motor with your spare hand, and work/slide the jack with your work hand

When you get to the point of entering the spigot shaft, slide blocks either side under the "J" pipes just to hold the motor from tilting over or falling off the jack.

You will only battle the 1st time, after that you will be slipping the motor in and out just for fun.

Herman

[VW0007]

So engine is in ..
Rear brakes sorted .. Front ones being a tad irritable..
Wiring to be done and then flush engine and sort carb..and timimg..
But this will only happen on 3rd as going away new year ..
The black "undercoat " is a filler coat ..
I've got tons of sanding to do ..
Already replaced. BOnnet rubber back to original next I need to fit the new
Door rubbers and billet chromed rearview mirrors...

[VW0007]

While bleeding the brakes today .. The main pipe from the master cyl to rear split burst ..
So I've now fitted a new pipe..
I also had to fabricate new studs for the new billet sump cover which has a drain plug..
I then decided to replace the old black head light covers with Chrome ones ..
I think Sat we will be running a test drive ... Not ...much else can break now ..
I'm 50% thru doing the matt black undercoat ...
This will be her skin until I save enough for a decent spray job..
So Rat ... Will ride sat all things being equal ..

[VW0007]

Ok ..
Today engine ran ... Sweet.... Sounds gentle but rough.... Not like a trumpet system more subdued ..
Runs sweetly ...
But ..
I found the "moron previois owner" had cut the clutch pedal hook groove for the cable to maybe 3mm thin ..
So I'm replacing the pedal with one ill scrounge from Volkspares ..
As she was idling I noticed a oil drip from the coil .. So I will need to replace her coil..
Brakes are done and~ wheels on ...
So once we replace the pedal and return spring .. Next weekend we will test drive her ..

[VW0007]

anyone know where i can find a decent COIL --- 12v- - - - - - - ???

[retrovan]

anyone know where i can find a decent COIL --- 12v- - - - - - - ???

IF i was you, I would go to Diesel Electric and get a Bosch Coil

There is a Thread that covers this topic fully, just use the Search block top right corner of all pages.

Herman

[VW0007]

Ok..
Done the Bosch - super Coil now has a home on my Super Rat Baja..
Ooooch-- was a tad expensive tho... hope it lasts -- I have read good stuff up on it the blue super coil is the way to go -- Brazillian , Spanish or German - are all 100% with certain markings and 3 - way male couplings are the way to go -- read up that we should avoid the imitations -- I checked my new Blue Bosch - Made in Brazil, has no sloshing oil when shaken , all markings good, and terminals have the 3 pin male couplings -- came from Bosch distributor in the box - with correct part no's..

It turns out the pedal cluster in this Baja is out of a 59 - 63 Beetle - with the curved pedal shafts.. I was forced to take a whole pedal cluster second hand this was also a tad expensive, along with a new return spring and clutch cable and acelerator pedal service set - so at the end of the week the whole pedal cluster will be overalled..
Now i will need to sell my soul to pay the credit card, and get her seats and a good paint job...

SAT WE RIDE -- NO QUESTIONS

[VW0007]

This evening I fitted the rear cage ..
I have only 4 ~ 5 mm between exhaust and cage ..
I'm sure this is ok.. The engine / exhaust and cage all move together if at all
The original beetles had no spaces in the engine bay and exhaust so I'm hoping it is ok..
If I'm wrong let me know .... PLEASE...
Does the cage need to be more than 4 or 5 mm from the exhaust ???