Building a new Baja bug?

[Wicky]

I was on the search and found this one on craigslist and had to click on the video and was glad that I did. lmao.

 

[sailtexas186548]

I am Builing a SCORE spec 5/1600 right now. They are fun but bugs are becoming more and more rare to see anymore

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

Been looking for the right one for awhile now as well. So much more fun then getting a rzr like everyone else

 

[Willie B]

...The originator of the Baja Bug ...Gary Emory...is seated in the lower right-hand corner of this pic...I am in the upper left hand corner...Our high school car club...The Pagans...You guys probably have never seen high schoolers with gray hair???..
...The first Baja bug pictured above is still in Gary’s family...

 

[4Waters]

View attachment 611490 ...The originator of the Baja Bug ...Gary Emory...is seated in the lower right-hand corner of this pic...I am in the upper left hand corner...Our high school car club...The Pagans...You guys probably have never seen high schoolers with gray hair???..
...The first Baja bug pictured above is still in Gary’s family... View attachment 611488

You guys are all to old to be in high school, quit playing with the cars and study. LOL

 

[Willie B]

You guys are all to old to be in high school, quit playing with the cars and study. LOL

Lol...No...really it’s true...largest assembly of guys...who couldn’t pass their finals even 55 years after the fact...part of it has to do with many reprimands from the principal for trying to date the cheerleaders over the years...he said there was some sort of law about things like that???...Dunno???...

...Truthfully... couldn’t have asked for a better bunch of guys to run with in the early ‘60’s...Some very accomplished people in the bunch...

 

[TPC]

The Baja Bugs are picking up
Popularity again a bit.
Lots of them out there wasting away in yards and garages and a good restoration project.
Saw several in Spangler last week.

 

[coolchange]

My brother has a very good condition Baja cut body for sale. Early 60s. Shell and doors.

 

[OutCole'd]

I like mine.

 

[RitcheyRch]

Very nice. Please post more details.

View attachment 611498 I like mine.

 

[Mandelon]

I am getting tempted, I have to say. RV, then a buggy... so I can be like Bill and Chip.

 

[OutCole'd]

I am getting tempted, I have to say. RV, then a buggy... so I can be like Bill and Chip.

Let’s do dis!

 

[Wicky]

I have a nice mid engine 2 seater fibertech rail looking to sell or to trade for baja.

 

[OutCole'd]

Very nice. Please post more details.

69 Bug, slightly modified. Still Air Cooled, which is important to me being an old school VW racer.

 

[DLC]

We raced a 5/1600 score and a few mexican races back in the late 80’s early 90’s fun little car! They just need more power than the 1600.

I also got to ride in a class 5 unlimited in 92 Baja 500! That is a fun car, big suspension and lotta power, light weight!

You have to love Baja bugs ! I’m just not a big fan of the VW motor- I always had to tinker with it, jets were always getting clogged and needed to adjust the dual carb linkage....

 

[Andy01]

OutCole'd's is one of my favorites. Having almost finished my rzr build, it sure serves it's purpose but I would love to build a baja and still look regularly for the right one.

 

[Andy01]

69 Bug, slightly modified. Still Air Cooled, which is important to me being an old school VW racer.

What is it? 3x3 or ? front arms? Love the car.

 

[OutCole'd]

What is it? 3x3 or ? front arms? Love the car.

5x5 in the rear, 10" over front beam with 4" arms.

And Thanks!!

 

[TPC]

Where is this at?

 

[OutCole'd]

Where is this at?

Dump station leaving Cal City

 

[TPC]

Thanks.

 

[Mandelon]

Been checking Craigslist, not entirely sure what to look for... LOL

 

[Wayn-o]

I love my roundtop!!!

 

[wsuwrhr]

Been checking Craigslist, not entirely sure what to look for... LOL

I'll post a reply tomorrow AM from a PC

 

[nameisbond]

Cool thread.... I know of Emory via his sons company that does some very cool old Porsches called Emory outlaws. Mostly 356's.

his sons company: https://www.emorymotorsports.com/outlaws

 

[Willie B]

Cool thread.... I know of Emory via his sons company that does some very cool old Porsches called Emory outlaws. Mostly 356's.

his sons company: https://www.emorymotorsports.com/outlaws

...I think one of the original outlaw badges sold on E Bay for $3500 or $5000 or something like that a few years ago ...they have now finally patented their configuration of the outlaw name...
...I think they learned their lesson after Volkswagen Of America had billboards and advertisements all over the US...possibly the world???...with a big picture of Gary’s Baja...Someone suggested that he should be getting paid...When VW was approached on the matter...they simply took down all the billboards instead of throwing a couple of bucks Garys way???...Dunno???...

 

[DLC]

Here is a pic from the 5 car I rode in with Mike, we started the race in Frt of Evan Evans, we ended up breaking the Frt end and drove over the edge /cliff after passing Mikes Sky Ranch!

Luckily the brush /sage was so heavy /thick it held up the car and a jeep ended up winching us out, we hit a bump and the Frt end lifted hit the ground and went straight instead of turning to the left and following the switch back around the corner we drove almost straight off the side of a mountain!

Bill ended up selling the car and it went overseas to the sand lot!

 

[Willie B]

Cool thread.... I know of Emory via his sons company that does some very cool old Porsches called Emory outlaws. Mostly 356's.

his sons company: https://www.emorymotorsports.com/outlaws

...This is a Rod Emory work in progress that I think was shown at Sema this year in this exact configuration...I can’t remember what Porsche race car bellypan and running gear this is but it will end as a little larger than normal 356 from the outward appearance...

 

[Willie B]

View attachment 611941 Here is a pic from the 5 car I rode in with Mike, we started the race in Frt of Evan Evans, we ended up breaking the Frt end and drove over the edge /cliff after passing Mikes Sky Ranch!

Luckily the brush /sage was so heavy /thick it held up the car and a jeep ended up winching us out, we hit a bump and the Frt end lifted hit the ground and went straight instead of turning to the left and following the switch back around the corner we drove almost straight off the side of a mountain!

Bill ended up selling the car and it went overseas to the sand lot!

...Preran half of The Parker 400 sometime around ‘75 or 76 with a friend in his Baja Convert..If I remember correctly we had the top up and the windows closed???...Spent the night sleeping on some cement picnic benches at the river...Maybe Big Bend???...Cement tables are really hard when all you have is a sleeping bag and no pillow...

 

[Old Texan]

Wow, brings back the memories.....Several guys I worked with back in the early '70's got into VW's and built a number pf Gaja Bugs. A couple had Porsche 914 transaxles and motors as I recall.

Googled some classifieds and BB's are not selling on the cheap these days.

 

[SCV2RVR]

I had a 1970 Baja Bug that my dad and I built when I was in high school. Wish I never sold it.

 

[OutCole'd]

Been checking Craigslist, not entirely sure what to look for... LOL

It's tough, takes patience. Most the cars I see on CL are either beaters or stock bugs with their fenders cut. As you know from experience, it's WAY cheaper to find a car built nice, or close to completion and just deal with the details, rather than try to build a car from scratch.

Finding a car that has the cage and suspension work done right, are few and far between. If you don't mind the cold and dust, get a razor, turn key and be done. Baja's are WAY cool and I like the sealed cabin, but they are a expensive hobby.

 

[Kailuaboy89]

I lived with the Emorys for while when I moved from Hawaii in late 1989, Gary was cool, but his son Rod was a little spoiled prick to me....too bad, because we could have been good friends if he hadn't treated me like shit...
but yea Gary had some cool porsches and Baja Bugs..

 

[coolchange]

I saw a picture of a Type 3 Fastback made into a Baja. Look pretty good actually.

 

[Old Texan]

It's tough, takes patience. Most the cars I see on CL are either beaters or stock bugs with their fenders cut. As you know from experience, it's WAY cheaper to find a car built nice, or close to completion and just deal with the details, rather than try to build a car from scratch.

Finding a car that has the cage and suspension work done right, are few and far between. If you don't mind the cold and dust, get a razor, turn key and be done. Baja's are WAY cool and I like the sealed cabin, but they are a expensive hobby.

Cool thing about VW Bugs is how structurally sound they were/are. I remember several instances of guys in HS rolling them in accidents, getting out and a group of guys rolling them back to wheels down, firing them up and driving away with minor dents and dings.

Not claiming them to not require roll bars and bracing, but solid stock vehicles were pretty damned solid and safe.

 

[nameisbond]

...I think one of the original outlaw badges sold on E Bay for $3500 or $5000 or something like that a few years ago ...they have now finally patented their configuration of the outlaw name...
...I think they learned their lesson after Volkswagen Of America had billboards and advertisements all over the US...possibly the world???...with a big picture of Gary’s Baja...Someone suggested that he should be getting paid...When VW was approached on the matter...they simply took down all the billboards instead of throwing a couple of bucks Garys way???...Dunno???...

A dealer was advertising his 356 coupe as an Emory Outlaw but it turned out it was built by someone else. They just put the outlaw badges on. So the badges do sell for a small fortune.

 

[Meaney77]

Been checking Craigslist, not entirely sure what to look for... LOL

Figure out your budget!! and what you want to do with the car. Do you want something that works in the dirt or just your typical run of the mill Baja...For an entry level descent car you will probably start around $15K.

When you search CL try searching "street legal" you will be surprised what comes up.

Also dont forget about searching the other sites- Race Desert and The Samba- there are always cars that pop up on there.

 

[Willie B]

Cool thing about VW Bugs is how structurally sound they were/are. I remember several instances of guys in HS rolling them in accidents, getting out and a group of guys rolling them back to wheels down, firing them up and driving away with minor dents and dings.

Not claiming them to not require roll bars and bracing, but solid stock vehicles were pretty damned solid and safe.

...Gary Emory’s son in law rolled the original Baja...Gary had given the car to his oldest daughter...After decades of the car being somewhat dented...They have finally gotten around to a resto...I’m not sure if that is completed yet...Haven’t seen the car... It must be in Oregon with Gary’s Hot Rod stuff, as it for sure isn’t at Rods North Hollywood shop???...

 

[Willie B]

Cool thread.... I know of Emory via his sons company that does some very cool old Porsches called Emory outlaws. Mostly 356's.

his sons company: https://www.emorymotorsports.com/outlaws

In amongst all of the Porsche’s at Rods shop is a ‘39 Deluxe custom,...originally built by Gary’s dad and uncle...Valley Custom...It was originally built sometime in the late ‘50’s...the car was found decades later in a driveway in some place like Inglewood...Full of beer cans and trash...
...Gary’s brother Don did a masterful job of getting it back up to this point...

 

[OutCole'd]

Wrap Superstar

 

[BUDMAN]

View attachment 613585 View attachment 613582 View attachment 613581 View attachment 613586 View attachment 613583 View attachment 613584 Wrap Superstar

Turned out really nice Bill.

 

[Andy01]

Wow, looks great!! I look at that and love it, I look at my rzr project in my garage and hate the rzr lol.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

The bug looks killer!!

 

[Willie B]

...So Gary Emory came by today...
...A cartoonist friend of his had drawn this image of Gary’s Baja decades ago ...His wife finally relented and let him get a tattoo...