I didn’t get round to taking any pictures of the Baja’s interior when I finished putting it in a few weeks back so here it is in all its glory.




First adult beverage for Myrtle at the pump, and a successful drive out to the bakers arms for pizza.

This thing is damn nippy!

Out for the first test drive in the baja today! A few further bits to sort before I take it on the road.

The gear shifter needs some further adjustment as 2nd 4th and reverse are a bit tricky. I think this is due to the bus gearbox sitting slightly further into the car so I’ll need to open up the holes in the base plates to give me a bit more adjustment room.

And the brakes are a bit soft so need a bit more tinkering.

Carpets for the baja’s foot well and tunnel all fitted today, and drivers seat installed. Aiming to take this for its first test drive next week!

3 out of the 4 wheels fitted, and engine installed. The remaining stock wheel gives you a good idea of how much extra lift the bigger tyres give it. 😁

Just picked up the baja wheels back from the tyre fitters. Suffice to say they’re friggin huge, 175/80/15s on the front and 235/75/15s on the rear. Bus in the background for scale, even the fronts are bigger than the stock tyres on the bus. 😳

Rear bench all installed today and making good progress assembling the engine.

Alternator, starter motor and a few other bits cleaned up and painted for the baja.

 

The first of the carpets all made up and fitted into the bug. I’ve added some felt insulation underneath them to try and dampen the engine noise a little too.

 

And fitted the back rest of the rear bench. I upholstered the interior for this nearly 2.5 years ago so it’s nice to see it starting to come together.

 

 

Lots of jobs on the bug over the last two days.

Porsche 924 driveshafts all built up.

Gearbox and wheel arches given a few coats of clear underbody wax and gearbox all fitted (it’s a snug fit under there now!).

My plan for the next couple of weeks is to get the engine all built up. I’m not rebuilding this engine, more of a clean and tidy up. First up, heads off for some new pushrod tubes as the old ones are knackered.

Baja mountney steering wheel attached, bonnet straps riveted on and gearbox all cleaned up (or cleaned up enough for a Baja).

Next up is getting some underseal wax onto the wheel arches, the gearbox and the rear boot area for some added protection.