Baja
Baja
Nope. I think a 123 class would be dope!
If your worried about rigidity, weld some tubes down the bitch.
An underbelly would help a lot too
The Beetle (being a former owner of 2 & 2 "kit"cars) is real light, the weight is in the rear. Air shocks & different tires & run the snot out of it. There are dozens of other reasons, like having a pretty flat bottom with little to damage, no radiator to leak, good power to weight ratio, small size, decent clearance for it's wheelbase & GREAT MPGs.
Ed
Oh the car would defo have some rigidity, from a full cage of course, not to mention welding together all the seams on the body and whatnot.
I think just skidplates covering up all the vitals would do??
I had a 79 "baja" bug at one point, didnt do much more than mudding with it but it was fun.
You can make a w123 "light", gotta gut everything, and only keep whats needed, keep it simple..
The heavy weight up front and lack of 4x4 would make it sink into the sand. You'd spend a fortune in tires and building a one-off suspension to finish.
(04-02-2011, 08:42 PM)ForcedInduction The heavy weight up front and lack of 4x4 would make it sink into the sand. You'd spend a fortune in tires and building a one-off suspension to finish.
(04-02-2011, 08:42 PM)ForcedInduction The heavy weight up front and lack of 4x4 would make it sink into the sand. You'd spend a fortune in tires and building a one-off suspension to finish.
I wouldn't take material off a 617 block... but that's just me. Would be OK for a one-off, but likely would cause issues latter on.
Lol my car did fine in the sand. It's 90% driver anyways. I'm doing the 240d once this explorer is out of my yard.
(04-03-2011, 01:34 AM)300D50 I wouldn't take material off a 617 block... but that's just me. Would be OK for a one-off, but likely would cause issues latter on.
(04-03-2011, 11:12 AM)dieselboy Lol my car did fine in the sand. It's 90% driver anyways. I'm doing the 240d once this explorer is out of my yard.
(04-03-2011, 01:34 AM)300D50 I wouldn't take material off a 617 block... but that's just me. Would be OK for a one-off, but likely would cause issues latter on.
(04-03-2011, 11:12 AM)dieselboy Lol my car did fine in the sand. It's 90% driver anyways. I'm doing the 240d once this explorer is out of my yard.
Longevity is the main concern, removal of material can, and does, weaken the block. Not saying it would die after 40K miles, but it might not live to 600K.
It also depends on what's removed, if you just take a grinder and flap disc to the AC mounting bosses, you'll likely be ok.
Then again, these things are over-engineered to the point you can push a few hundred more HP out of them with minimal ill effects, so there is overhead.
(04-03-2011, 04:08 PM)300D50 Longevity is the main concern, removal of material can, and does, weaken the block. Not saying it would die after 40K miles, but it might not live to 600K.
It also depends on what's removed, if you just take a grinder and flap disc to the AC mounting bosses, you'll likely be ok.
Then again, these things are over-engineered to the point you can push a few hundred more HP out of them with minimal ill effects, so there is overhead.
(04-03-2011, 04:08 PM)300D50 Longevity is the main concern, removal of material can, and does, weaken the block. Not saying it would die after 40K miles, but it might not live to 600K.
It also depends on what's removed, if you just take a grinder and flap disc to the AC mounting bosses, you'll likely be ok.
Then again, these things are over-engineered to the point you can push a few hundred more HP out of them with minimal ill effects, so there is overhead.
Yeah, like I said, for a custom one-off, it's perfectly fine.
One thing is you'll have to find areas where the coolant passages aren't close to the surface.
I haven't found the cars to sink too bad. The rear independent suspension really helps with traction over a straight axle.