Rachiesbigadventure - the build

[Rach*]

I bought my Baja on Fleabay for £500, he initially had a T4 engine and hadn't been run for a few months, but I stubbornly decided to drive home anyway. Manchester to Yorkshire isn't far anyway!

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/Jellebabe/bajaback.jpg

19 miles from home the bugger broke down on the M62! I was only wearing a cardi and the rain started! :( Pwig told me not to sit in the car and stay out of the way until the RAC arrived. The RAC arranged a flat bed home, spelt Beetle wrong :confused: and laughed at me, alot!

Once home and a few stressful posts on www.bajaclub.co.uk they talked me into getting a T1 engine and the lovely Baz offered to sell me his and bring it to Yorkshire and fit it with me, its ace being a girl!

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/Jellebabe/Rachies029.jpg

The interior had been carpeted but we have a leak somewhere, so it was all damp and soggy - not nice, so I ripped out all the carpets for a good look round.... mainly surface rust...

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/Jellebabe/Rachies022.jpg

So... seats out, lots of brushing, sanding and skinned knuckles later.... I painted with 2 types of Hammerite for a speckly grey finish

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/Jellebabe/Rachies036.jpg

After the snow etc...... the exhaust had gone rusty and the engine wasn't running properly.
So I spent the day taking the exhaust to bits, removing rust and painting!

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/Jellebabe/Baja210209002.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/Jellebabe/Baja210209005.jpg

I then noticed an oil leak in the gearbox region... ordered new rear axel gaiters, and they're waiting to be fitted.
A nice chap donated some more steelies so they have just been to the blasters and come back rust free and smooooooth. Tonight, instead of being out partying with the girlies I was home priming them!

I have big nobbly tyres on order and a lovely place fitting them for free.

The engine still isn't running properly, gets warm then splutters to a stop. Possibly too much air going in the mix??

I have a garage full of parts that need tinkering with and fitting so if you can help at all please give me a shout....

More to follow.....

[Dan H]

Good work - looks like a good challenge but you seem to be on top of it all :)

[chevy-stu]

Loving the rear wing....!

I'm the wrong end of the country or I'd come and spanner for a day if I were free. Good luck with the (re) build...

Stu..

[Harsh]

WOW!

thats about all i can say for the moment.
it must be really satisfying to be rebuilding the car that's going to take you half way around the world.

i wish i had the knowledge and time to do this.....
i bet i wouldn't get as many freebies as you though ;)

[Rach*]

Lol, I don't have the knowledge either, I take photos of it, look confused and hope someone points me in the right direction!
Day off work tomorrow, have loads to do....
Organised deposit for China guide, hair cut, change axel gaiters, re-check timing, spray wheels some more, then fake-tan myself for my best friends wedding on Friday!


Pffft London isn't far for a day out Chevy-Stu :D

[Rach*]

Got started this morning about 11, after a haircut :lol:

Noticed some oil leaking and a few people suggested changing the rear axel gaiters.

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/Jellebabe/baja040309002.jpg

I wasn't sure I had any but ah yes there they are!

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/Jellebabe/baja040309001.jpg

First prob, I could get the bloody lug out to drain it! Dad had gone to York, WD40 didn't help.... did I learn anything useful from all my nights trying to pull (the now ex) in the MT yard... levers levers levers! The longer the better, fnnnarr!

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/Jellebabe/baja040309003.jpg

Old one off....

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/Jellebabe/baja040309004.jpg

New one on...how the hell do these work??? Messaged Baz - Brute force luv! Bugger! So I got the other side to the same state and bought some proper jubilee clips (wont get them on til Sat now)

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/Jellebabe/help.jpg

Started hailing on me! So painted my wheels for a bit

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/Jellebabe/baja040309008.jpg

Took the spoiler off, the more I see it the more it annoys me!

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/Jellebabe/baja040309009.jpg

However I think it was the spoiler holding everything together!

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/Jellebabe/baja040309010.jpg

Then did some tinkering with black paint, got most of the exhaust back on and had to dash off for injections, was a bit embarrassed getting my arm out... its covered in dirt!

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/Jellebabe/baja040309011.jpg

[Rach*]

After being strung along by a tyre shop for a couple of weeks I went to their competitor across the road, who are ordering, fitting and giving me some inner tubes for the same price and will be finished Sat AM.
I'll soon be proudly sporting some mahoosive tyres wooooo!

http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/overview/all-terrain-t-a-ko/44.html

[Rach*]

After getting stuck with the car running like poo and not really knowing what to do next he went off to Efiegy in Hull who had him for a few months. Tom (my co-driver) and his mate spent a week at my house and made the roof rack.

So we're ready for the off now, I'm heading off early tomorrow to collect Tom, we had no joy with Iran visas therefore detouring through Kazakhstan.

TTFN, take care everyone!

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/Jellebabe/Rachiesbaja041.jpg