I just wanted to post up where VTcruiser60 and I are at on our 5/1600 bug build. We are building this with a friend of ours (another cruiserhead) and hope to race the baja 250 or 500 by next year. Possibly this one if we get our act together.
Racing the Baja was a bucket list item we were talking about over a few beers. My wife bought me "from dust to glory"- a film about the baja race which is a must see. That fueled the build, and here we are.
Specs are a 1976 VW Bug, IRS rear and ball joint front. Originally an autostick with a blown motor.
when we got it.
Chassis is at VTcruiser60's house getting some welding done to it. It was blasted at the local toyota dealer, thanks to Dave at Heritage Toyota for letting us do it there cheap.
We cut off the ball joint clip and welded up a link pin front, much more travel and much stronger parts.
The rot was a bit worse than we had thought, so we cut it all out. A bit sad right now, but we have all the parts to get her back to rights.
When we bought it, I thought the 7 piece front end would work fine. After talking to some race guys, they said it might last the first half mile, then I would be picking up pieces of it all over the desert.
Cutting the nose off after pulling the fiberglass.
Most recent pics mocking up the race hood.
We are looking for some sponsors, and have been lucky so far to have a local tech shop offer to do the paint and some body work for us when chassis fab is done.
A friend with a local junkyard is getting us super cheap prices on parts for a sponsor tag on the finished car. Thanks to Jeffs Auto Salvage in Milton. We got our bus transmission and roller wheels from jeff, as well as a Link Pin front clip. IF you need vintage (50's-current) parts, he has a great selection.
Poor Wally's and another VT fab shop friend of his are doing up all the cage work for us. That is going to be extensive. Needs a stinger, rear engine guard and full SCORE legal cage, all Chromo.
and yes, I will proudly toss a YT sticker on the car when it is done.
Racing the Baja was a bucket list item we were talking about over a few beers. My wife bought me "from dust to glory"- a film about the baja race which is a must see. That fueled the build, and here we are.
Specs are a 1976 VW Bug, IRS rear and ball joint front. Originally an autostick with a blown motor.
when we got it.
Chassis is at VTcruiser60's house getting some welding done to it. It was blasted at the local toyota dealer, thanks to Dave at Heritage Toyota for letting us do it there cheap.
We cut off the ball joint clip and welded up a link pin front, much more travel and much stronger parts.
The rot was a bit worse than we had thought, so we cut it all out. A bit sad right now, but we have all the parts to get her back to rights.
When we bought it, I thought the 7 piece front end would work fine. After talking to some race guys, they said it might last the first half mile, then I would be picking up pieces of it all over the desert.
Cutting the nose off after pulling the fiberglass.
Most recent pics mocking up the race hood.
We are looking for some sponsors, and have been lucky so far to have a local tech shop offer to do the paint and some body work for us when chassis fab is done.
A friend with a local junkyard is getting us super cheap prices on parts for a sponsor tag on the finished car. Thanks to Jeffs Auto Salvage in Milton. We got our bus transmission and roller wheels from jeff, as well as a Link Pin front clip. IF you need vintage (50's-current) parts, he has a great selection.
Poor Wally's and another VT fab shop friend of his are doing up all the cage work for us. That is going to be extensive. Needs a stinger, rear engine guard and full SCORE legal cage, all Chromo.
and yes, I will proudly toss a YT sticker on the car when it is done.
Last edited:
