So I want to buy a baja bug for a cheap desert beater that I

Swap a ford 302 or a 350 shebby you madman

>>16964728
Just find one of those Hans & Franz garages and you'll be fine; you can tell them by the old Mercedes and BMWs for sale out front...

>>16964737
Sounds about right. I have a few of those around town.
>>16964732
Nigga if anything I'm putting a corvair flat six back there.

>>16964728
Yeah.
Carry a fire extinguisher within close reach.

>>16964728
Baja bugs are a tricky proposition

VW designed the engine bay with all the stock tin and rubber to maintain a barrier between the cool air on top and hot air blown out the bottom, as well as maintain a vacuum up top to suck on more cold air from the vents. When you tear away the entire engine bay it might seem like the engine would run cooler because it's open air, but this is far from true. You completely disrupt the airflow intended and this makes cooling VERY hard. Especially in the desert under duress.

Also the larger diameter tires raise the final drive ratio by a lot. This makes a very slow car slower, and stresses the already overheating engine further. Plus they will start to eat half shafts and CV joints for every meal. And wash it down with it's favorite drink, oil.

Baja bugs done by someone else is never correct. I have never once seen a Baja bug that isn't a sham job for a reasonable price, or close. A "cheap beater" will be a horror show.

1/2

>>16965377
To the people saying "just swap it LOL" then you clearly aren't adhering to the cheap or beater part. Any engine swap in these cars is expensive, and difficult. It will almost always ruin the balance and having to place a radiator for a water cooled engine is harder than you might think (plumbing especially). Almost every Baja bug just keeps the stock engine or mods it to sand rail status for a reason. When you can get 300 na hp out of an aircooled flat four, there's no reason to swap (in off road settings).

Open diff. This is a transaxle as well so you aren't gonna throw some generic rear end in there. If you want an lsd or locker you're getting a custom transaxle. Which will cost more than the car. Not very cheap.

This is just some of the stuff off the top of my head, if you have any more questions ask.

If you're set on a Baja bug, make sure it's a super for those front struts and ride height. Make sure it's a 1600 dual port with the doghouse oil cooler. And just know that Ina cheap price range any Baja bug will need saving from the hack job you bought it from

t. Bug owner and air-cooled VW fanboy

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>>16965382
Great advice here.
I too am fascinated by the baja bug but I have more money.
How much will a well sorted one set me back?
Are you a samba guy?
I have a presence on the vanagon forum but venturing over to the air cooled side is scary for us water cooled guys.

>>16964728
What's the story on that Bug? Looks to be well done (not cheap) even down to that beautiful airbox.

>>16965377
I own a bug i drive on the mud from time to time, this is a really overlooked advice. Mine has the entire bug body, just lifted a bit and thrown 15" wheels with 195/65 rear and 165 front.

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bajump

>>16964728
I would opt for a rail over a bug because the body is going to get trashed but if you don't give a fuck get the bug. Don't go bigger than an 1845 because of cooling problems. Use the oil air filter instead of the paper ones so you don't suck up a shit load of dirt. Get ready for electrical and carb gremlins. Upgrade to disc breaks. Other than that EMPI parts are abundant and cheap and VW desert toys are fun as fuck

>>16965527
I go on the samba sometimes but I do a lot more reading of books. Also I pray to our Lord and savior John Muir. Some of the cooling knowledge especially is just something you have to absorb over time. There's a lot of superstition over it but the cream rises

>>16964728
>I would opt for a rail over a bug because the body is going to get trashed but if you don't give a fuck get the bug.
Meh

>Don't go bigger than an 1845 because of cooling problems.
That isn't even a round displacement. But also false. Once you make the step to non-slip in barrels with machines seats it's all the same. When you get slip ins the thin cylinder wall is what does you in

>Use the oil air filter instead of the paper ones so you don't suck up a shit load of dirt.
The stock oil bath air filter is aids and terrible for the desert. Also incompatible with the dual carb setup you should be running on a baja

>Get ready for electrical and carb gremlins.
Meh

>Upgrade to disc breaks.
You will only be able to do the front without a lot of trouble. That's enough anyways

>Other than that EMPI parts are abundant and cheap and VW desert toys are fun as fuck
Empi is Chinese crap stay away

>>16967944
>Empi is Chinese crap stay away
The halfshafts they make out of sculpey

>>16967944
>mfw empi parts are expensive as hell in Huezil
Also, the standard Bug and Kombi parts are just way better made, some folks over here even machine out their own parts.

bumbing

>>16965382

Good advice except the "make sure its a super" super beetles have fragile front ends that are shit for offroad.

If you rescue a baja that has its ass end ripped off you will need external oil cooling for inna desert romps. Leaded Avgas works amazing for aircooled vws as well, but you have to truck it off property, you cant just fill up at the pump on airports anymore (thanks 911 faggots)

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>>16964728
offroad vw parts are still super easy to get. there are tons of people racing class 11, 5/1600, class 9, and 1/2-1600 that use vw parts. check out kartek, mooreparts, cip1, cbperformance, and thesamba.