NEW well new to me COX BAJA BUG and dune buggy

I was 10 years old when my dad took me to "LOGAN PLANT AND VARIETY STORE" in Logan WV and I picked out my first Baja-bug for my birthday.  If I can get a parts car to get running, it sure would be fun to get a .049 running.  I will post you guys some pics of my BAJA-BUG and purple dune buggy in the next day or so.   meanwhile I have been looking on e-bay for a salvageable baja-bug or dune buggy to restore  a neighbor is checking on a cox pinto that's supposed to be in his moms attic, more on that story if it turns out its still there after all these years.   

The tires are generally the problem. NOS parts are off the chain expensive, but there's a Tamiya r/c car paddle wheel tread tire that apparently fits. These look stock on the dune buggy. I think they actually look good on the Baja bug equally. They really are a lot of fun. My Baja Bug has been reworked a bit to accept a horsehoe backplate product engine, this allows me to run a remote tank for longer duration.

Congratulations on the Baja Bug & welcome to the forum. I'm new here also. The only gas engine car I had was a weird home made thing I use to run at the school dirt yard on weekends that used a Cox .049 and prop for power. It never got that far away as it would spin-out at speed and change direction all the time. I stuck 2 skinny rear wheels sets from a tethered teardrop style car together with a brass tube and mounted the engine between the 4 wheels.

I do have my dad's Cox Scorpion here just as it was when he gave it to me. It has one of those nasty, noisy, smelly, messy, electric things in it for power though.

Jeff

Here is my dads Scorpion he built & the Kraft (KO Propo) radio. "Competition Orange" was his favorite color for race cars.

Jeff

That looks like some Hot Fun !! I like orange myself to

I got my T-shirt I ordered from this forum in today, I'm loving it,  I was looking at my cox dune-buggy last night, it really would make a great runner as its kind of not perfect like my baja bug,  so i'm thinking I may need to tear the engine down, I was told when I bought it that the pull-start wouldn't go back in by itself.  tires look good, I will try to post you guys some pics, if the engine ends up being bad are there any suppliers selling rebuilt .049 car engines?   or if I have to tear it down myself what is involved in a good overhaul? P.S. LOVE THE SCORPION!!!

Under the worm gear is two small metal discs, they're imperative to the operation of the pull start. These can easily be lost and are a bit hard to source so don't lose them. If the pull start is not operating, I would try WD-40 first before taking it apart. Let it sit and clean the cable and residual WD from it. Castor oil gets all over the mechanism and then becomes gummy and sluggish. Another area this happens is the gear engagement lever, make certain the gear slides easily on the axle shaft and the lever itself moves properly.

hey thanks, I will check it out. I would like to learn all I can before I resort to tearing the engine down, hopefully it may not need it.

Welcome to the forum from another nube. I think you'll find that the engine is the easy part. Parts for the Bug could be a harder thing. Watch eBay and be patient. There are also several groups on Facebook that might be helpful.

You've found the right place here.

Saw your post and thought about all the memories I have of my Dad. He passed June 14th 2022, got to celebrate his 50th anniversary, and knew about his first Great-grandson. I didn't work on model engines with him, but we did work on motorcycle, automobile, lawnmower, and tractor engines, plus we talked about many other engines. That DID include model engines. What I wouldn't give to have him back working with me on my current project. Keep those memories and smiles! Mr. Scott W. (aka Mim Khim Ibun)