64 a-arm baja bug build

[MQ Unlimited Media]

Damn, 1/8-inch plate for the bulkhead??? That shocked me.
What is the reason for having such heavy plate for the bulkhead on a full-tube chassis, with the engine in the rear?

-Brad

Thats mainly due to the steering rack and the extreme side loads this car will experience while off-roading. Heres a short video of what Im talking about.

 

[MQ Unlimited Media]

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[MQ Unlimited Media]

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[willymakeit]

Nice work. That should be a thrill ride!

 

[NASTYZEN]

I am really liking where this is going.
It's gonna be a beast!

 

[bad_idea]

That is insane! Beautiful work.

 

[Garage5.9]

what size motor you putting in ? If you haven't decided yet you might want to look in to this

 

[jdcompman]

what size motor you putting in ? If you haven't decided yet you might want to look in to this

Its getting a 300HP, Cadillac shortstar aluminum V6.

 

[MQ Unlimited Media]

what size motor you putting in ? If you haven't decided yet you might want to look in to this

WHat JD said. 300HP, Cadillac shortstar aluminum V6.

Almost there. final welding started.

 

[TheNerd]

Any more pics of the blonde with the grinder??? Fab work looks fantastic, keep us posted.

 

[MQ Unlimited Media]

Thx and yep, her she is putting her race-spec YFZ450 quad back together after she blew the engine up.

 

[MQ Unlimited Media]

Shocks are mounted!!!

 

[Herb]

Do you have any idea of the weight of the frame/ suspension as it sits?

 

[MQ Unlimited Media]

Ihave no idea but if I were to guess, around 750-900 lbs. Im hoping to be under 2700 lbs when completed.

 

[NASTYZEN]

Looking great MQ! Thats a difficult part of a build right there behind you.
How did you figure the suspension geometry? Have you bump steered it yet?
I find it hard to get close to 0 bump steer in a long travel like that.I know you need a max travel for your type of racing. Just wondering.

 

[MQ Unlimited Media]

Nastyzen, I actually hired my friend whom builds off-road race vehicles to tackle the geometry involved with the steering and suspension. I did it once and it's too much work and time for me with my limited experience and time since I deployed. I'd chose to have it dialed by someone who can to it in 1/4 time it would have taken me that I spent with my family instead. I fabricated the rest of the car which took me 2-3 months.

Suspension numbers are 18" of wheel travel, 3* of camber change, with about 1* bump steer and 5" of chassis clearance at full bump (full suspension Compression).

 

[krivasgarage]

Interesting. Is this the engine that you've described as a 300hp Cadillac V-6 Shortstar?

It is a Oldsmobile engine, RPO Code LX5. A very nice engine, but it is 3.5l, never went in a Cadillac, but was in the Aurora and Intrigue from '98ish to 2002ish. 215 hp stock. Twin overhead chain driven cams, all aluminum construction, distributorless and coil on plug ignition. Very smooth, very good economy, but rather large. Weighed a couple hundred pounds less than the 3.8, and in many ways the granddaddy of the LY7. Make sure the cooling system is properly bled, and it will stay happy for a long time.

http://wardsauto.com/print/news-amp-analysis/general-motors-corp

 

[krivasgarage]

what size motor you putting in ? If you haven't decided yet you might want to look in to this

Subaru 6 cylinder conversions are very popular with the Vanagon boyz.

 

[krivasgarage]

Whoops, wonder where the engine pic went.

 

[MQ Unlimited Media]

It has been modded and tuned. NOt a stock motor by any means. Engine cover says "Cadillac" so IDK whats going on there.


http://cbmmotorsports.com/Pages/shortstar.html

 

[krivasgarage]

It has been modded and tuned. NOt a stock motor by any means. Engine cover says "Cadillac" so IDK whats going on there.


http://cbmmotorsports.com/Pages/shortstar.html

Yeah, I've seen that page. Weird, 'cuz they correctly quote the wikipedia article language that has the 215hp spec, then list "Stock 260hp GM engine." The L47 Aurora V-8 put out 250hp, 260 ft-lb torque.

Did cbm work on your engine? Not to hijack your thread, but I would be very interested to learn what mods they made, since very few LX5s have them.

 

[MQ Unlimited Media]

No, I didnt buy it from them...I do have parts from CBM (reprogrammedECU/harness). I had the heads pulled and reworked as well as the throttle. I am interested now as to where the hp rating came from. I'm going to have it dyno-tuned when I complete the car but still doesnt explain why there is Cadillac badging on it.

 

[krivasgarage]

Got pix of the Cadillac badging? Someone on here might be able to ID it.

 

[FastKat]

That 3.6L Cadillac engine is great - I've been wanting to put it in something for a while. It's similar to the 3.6L in my Saturn (which is +250 HP) except the Cadillac got direct injection and about 50 more HP. They're both the same design, DOHC, and pull great all the way to the redline.

No, I didnt buy it from them...I do have parts from CBM (reprogrammedECU/harness). I had the heads pulled and reworked as well as the throttle. I am interested now as to where the hp rating came from. I'm going to have it dyno-tuned when I complete the car but still doesnt explain why there is Cadillac badging on it.

 

[krivasgarage]

That 3.6L Cadillac engine is great - I've been wanting to put it in something for a while. It's similar to the 3.6L in my Saturn (which is +250 HP) except the Cadillac got direct injection and about 50 more HP. They're both the same design, DOHC, and pull great all the way to the redline.

You are referring to the LLT (DI) and the LY7 (non-DI). Your LY7 must be in an XR or Redline, 08 or 09. It's a nice motor as long as you are crazy about the oil and air filter. Otherwise you will stretch the primary timing chain at anywhere from 40K miles on up, and drop $2K+ on having the dealer change them out of warranty. But it is a nice running engine. Unfortunately, that's not the motor in the picture that was posted.

GM refers to that motor as its global V6. They build them all over and put them in everything.

Here is the LY7:

And here is the LX5:

 

[greasemonkey44]

man that is a badass bug
wife isnt bad either
congrats on both

 

[chris fresh]

thx and yep, her she is putting her race-spec yfz450 quad back together after she blew the engine up.

damn!

 

[FastKat]

Actually, mine is an '07 XR. It is a 3.6L. My prior Aura had the 3.5L and it was good, but the DOHC 3.6 is better! I have 80k on it and it still runs great.

Which 3.6L 300hp Cadillac engine is the OP referring to? I'm thinking it's the same architecture as mine, less the DI and maybe heads, intake, etc.

You are referring to the LLT (DI) and the LY7 (non-DI). Your LY7 must be in an XR or Redline, 08 or 09. It's a nice motor as long as you are crazy about the oil and air filter. Otherwise you will stretch the primary timing chain at anywhere from 40K miles on up, and drop $2K+ on having the dealer change them out of warranty. But it is a nice running engine. Unfortunately, that's not the motor in the picture that was posted.

 

[MQ Unlimited Media]

I'll get pics of the badging later...Thx on the wifey, I know Im lucky! LOL. got more progress.

 

[road]

Absolutely awsome !

oh and kool baja build !

 

[krivasgarage]

My prior Aura had the 3.5L and it was good, but the DOHC 3.6 is better!

That's unrelated to the LX5, and is RPO Code LZ4. Unlike the LX5, it used variable valve timing. It had a few more ponies, but less torque, than the LX5. Like they say, you buy horsepower, but you drive torque.

Which 3.6L 300hp Cadillac engine is the OP referring to? I'm thinking it's the same architecture as mine, less the DI and maybe heads, intake, etc.

Well, that's the million dollar question. For a while a picture of an LX5 was posted, and he referred to it as "Shortstar," which is a nickname for the LX5. I am very interested to see what mods would get 300 hp out of that motor. I doubt seriously that tuning alone will do it. GM showed a concept 442 Intrigue with a supercharger, but I haven't seen anyone running a similar engine.

 

[MQ Unlimited Media]

More work completed. Its a roller and it feels faneffingtastic! The bar seen on the spindles is there solely for moving the car about. Im waiting on some steering components which should arrive later this week.

 

[carnochanm]

sweet...

 

[kbs2244]

If Dr Porsche saw that he would die all over again.

Those big tires don’t do much for the aerodynamics he worked so hard on for his “Folks Car.”
And I am sure the MPG is nowhere near his goal.

But, oh well, we won!
Enjoy it!

 

[krivasgarage]

Sooooo. . . any progress?

 

[MQ Unlimited Media]

Long over due pictures. I came back in Dec on R&R and was home briefly to get some work done.
My standard hanger pedals werent going to work so I bought and installed reverse hangers.

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I needed to relocate my shifter so I fabbed a mount that I hand cut out and bent from of 3/16" sheet.

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Next, I installed the Ballistic battery box to house an Optima battery.

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Then the toughy...positioning and mounting the transmission. I originally "eye balled" in place to have an idea of where stuff was going to go knowing I would eventually have to double check it and upon further measuring, I was only off by 1/4" and a little tilted to one side...AND, math is hard. Can't believe I once aced Geometry, trig and pre-cal.

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[MQ Unlimited Media]

I used consruction art paper so I could easily fabricate mounts, tabs, etc first and then transfer onto metal.

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Received my Summit Racing radiator and began finding a home for it. Had wifey help out with it...I told her to change but she declined. I may relocate the fuel cell and radiator to possibly fit a baby PRP racing seat for my 5yr old....we'll see what I can do there.

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[MQ Unlimited Media]

Next, my favorite part..installing the engine and fabbing the cage. I wasted about 10' of 4130 just to achieve the correct angles and look I wanted but, ultimately Im very happy with the final product I made. In the pictures it looks longer than it really is and I made it that way for the main reason, the cage isnt removeable. Its fixated so to acheive proper engine removal clearance, it sticks out a tad like Coco's asstastic asset but will also facilitate tucking in the mufflers. I still need to add a few more tubes but overall, its as it will look.

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As it sits now. Had to roll her outside to get the full feel of what it's turning out to be. I still need to save more funds, have time at home to finish the rear suspension and misc bits before I assemble for shake down runs and tear about for paint and final prep/assembly.

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[Boost Creep]

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that shock/limit strap combo will never work good

 

[MQ Unlimited Media]

^LOL they are specialty valved tubing.

The rear shocks I bought are 14" 2.5 coilovers/external resevoir with dual rate hardware and 16" 2.5 tripple by-passes.