Dear All

I am trying to find a LHD flat screen donor for a baja bug build so I have a few fundamental questions:

1. Does anyone know which version beetle comes with the square rear suspension arms? I assume they'd be better as a Baja.
2. What is the best engine idea for a Baja, is it the 1600, or put in a 1998 cc T2 engine? or a subaru?
3. Does the engine and / or exhaust have to be so loud? is there something you can do? (wow have I set up smart ass answers with that 'if you don't like the sound whatcha doing here?' etc) I love the sound of a Maserati QP GTS or a Lamborghini Diablo, but I can't understand what there is to appreciate of the wet fart sound of beetles (even though i love beetles and have owned two) and harley's, and why people want such a sound to be loud is for me an insanity. So anything that brings the sound down as much as possible, Exhaust choice suggestion maybe? that does the opposite of magnifying the wet fart, or a crazy muffler box that really muffles.

1) If you mean 4 joint IRS rear ends then the only flat screen LHD Beetles to commonly fitted with them were post '68 cars intended for the US market. Regular cars with swing axle IRS rears can be converted with weld-on brackets and the transaxle, drive shafts and trailing arms from a 1302, 1303 or similar Bug.

2)'Best?' For what useage  and for what budget?

3) Any engine can be silenced and insulated with the correct choice of exhaust system and possibly engine cover, they don't have to make a racket.

as far as I know all beetles has pressed steel round arms if you want square ones they are Porsche 944 item so you need an irs beetle like a 1302/1303S but they have strut front ends so fitting a beam axle head stock gives you the stronger suspension unless you can find a semi auto beetle that came with beam front and irs rear.
the 1302s pan on my buggy came with twin rear spring plates on each side so must be stronger than the single ones but unless you go stupid they are fine off road.

engine is whatever you want size wise and how much you want to spend on it.

Exhausts can be as quiet as you like and a 4 into 1 sounds smoother than cannons.

1) If you mean 4 joint IRS rear ends then the only flat screen LHD Beetles to commonly fitted with them were post '68 cars intended for the US market. Regular cars with swing axle IRS rears can be converted with weld-on brackets and the transaxle, drive shafts and trailing arms from a 1302, 1303 or similar Bug.

2)'Best?' For what useage  and for what budget?

3) Any engine can be silenced and insulated with the correct choice of exhaust system and possibly engine cover, they don't have to make a racket.

It will be used in the desert areas of Almeria in Spain, kept out there, but I'm more after bursts of tork than top speed, not for racing but more fun blasts, also the main thing is reliability, as getting a tow if I'm stuck will be difficult. My total budget is up to 8 K

as far as I know all beetles has pressed steel round arms if you want square ones they are Porsche 944 item so you need an irs beetle like a 1302/1303S but they have strut front ends so fitting a beam axle head stock gives you the stronger suspension unless you can find a semi auto beetle that came with beam front and irs rear.
the 1302s pan on my buggy came with twin rear spring plates on each side so must be stronger than the single ones but unless you go stupid they are fine off road.

engine is whatever you want size wise and how much you want to spend on it.

Exhausts can be as quiet as you like and a 4 into 1 sounds smoother than cannons.

Cheers, ah cool! so 4 into 1 sounds good

I quietened down the 1600 with a set of Hayabusa cans
Read about it here with before and after video!

http://www.beachbuggy.info/index.php/topic,9103.msg107024.html#msg107024

Also 944 back end conversion and ahem, engine swap.

EDIT Hmm no video in that link
Its here https://vimeo.com/225175705

Also get yourself a copy of "Baja Bugs and Buggies" by Jeff Hibbard

1302s beetle  it is IRS, flat screen and 1600cc just fit the baja kit and have Fun,,

Welcome to the "Quiet Club".  Our numbers are rising 

Guys great info, thanks. I am surely sinking it all in and will check out each link/advice. Once I buy a donor I'll probably put up a thread of the transformation.

1302s beetle, that does sound nice and easy.

I have the jeff hibbard book, old but gold.

I'll be proud to be part of the 'Quiet club'

Mike (Beelzedub on here) makes great exhausts. 4 into 1 super efficient and gives a nice sporty sound. Packable silencers gives you as much or as little noise as you want.

I am at the quieter end of mildly noisy but don't set car alarms off any more

1302s beetle  it is IRS, flat screen and 1600cc just fit the baja kit and have Fun,,

Good luck finding a Baja kit for a Super Bug, not the most common conversion as the McPherson strut from end wasn't the toughest for off road use.

Thanks for the info guys. So to me it sounds like for buggy's the Americans have it best as they have the buggy's that have the IRS and the axle front sus.
For the UK it's only the semi autos that do which are pricey and rare.

I could just buy a Baja from the USA. The only problem with that is I need the Tax a Mot free status (otherwise i'd have to keep bringing it back from Spain each year). Then the DVLA might refute that status if they can see how modified it is.

So I think it is easier to change the front suspension, so an IRS and then find an axle front end. Or I have heard I could put a rear camber compensator on a rear swing axle.

But (and sorry if i'm rambling) since this buggy is just for blasts through the Almeria desert and then stop for Tapas, in reality it doesn't need to be so hard core. So as was suggested previously maybe I will just do as suggested and get a 1302s beetle and put on the baja kit, 4 into 1 exhaust packable silencer and done. Again sorry for the rambling but the advice is really helping not make a mistake.

So on a re-think to my last reply the question is what is better? (obviously C is best  )

A/ Get a mac front end with IRS?
B/ Get an axle front end with swing axle rear end?

C/ Get one already done.

Co-incidentally a mate has US made box section rear arms, IRS brackets to fit, and a 002 IRS gearbox up for sale soon - depends on your timescale.

For IRS the usual way to go standard Ball Joint or King Pin front end then to swap out the gearbox and weld on a couple of brackets for Porsche/1302/after-market arms. Depends on how good your fabrication/welding is.

However you don't need IRS If you are just light use (again refer to Hibbard's book).
But TBH for 8K you can easily buy something already done. - In fact if you are interested in a Q plate Sandrail rather than a Baja drop me a pm as his could be available ready to go light use or possibly with all the bits (inc a nice reliable 2l Subaru+ loom/adapter/gearbox/arms etc) to build to full spec. 

Co-incidentally a mate has US made box section rear arms, IRS brackets to fit, and a 002 IRS gearbox up for sale soon - depends on your timescale.

For IRS the usual way to go standard Ball Joint or King Pin front end then to swap out the gearbox and weld on a couple of brackets for Porsche/1302/after-market arms. Depends on how good your fabrication/welding is.

However you don't need IRS If you are just light use (again refer to Hibbard's book).
But TBH for 8K you can easily buy something already done. - In fact if you are interested in a Q plate Sandrail rather than a Baja drop me a pm as his could be available ready to go light use or possibly with all the bits (inc a nice reliable 2l Subaru+ loom/adapter/gearbox/arms etc) to build to full spec.

Hi yeah for the kind of desert blasting I will do I probably wont need IRS. It has to be a Beetle Baja, as I need the four seats, and my daughter would be too scared in rail. I have no mechanical skills at all, so I will look out for either a baja that's done, or a good donor. Cheers