Engine Kits?

Are there any manufacturers that sell a reasonably priced Type I motor Kit? I have found a few websites selling VW engine kits, but they are either for airplanes, or seem expensive. Nearly twice as expensive as I have seen crate motors for?

I am in the budget and planning stage of my build and doing an engine kit appeals to me.

Have you looked at Chico Performance? They have a lot of experience and some sweet looking motors.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=49261

No I haven't... beyond the Samba link, their actual business link seems to be dead.

You can buy engine "rebuild" kits from CIP1 or even JC Whitney. They come with pistons, rings, pins, cylinders, valves, valve guides, push rod tubes and a gasket set. You're looking at $400-500. Then you add appropriate sized bearings, main seals, new oil pump --- etc to completely rebuild engine (and of couse machine work). Alternatively you can buy short or long blocks (new or rebuilt).

Agree, much easier and cost effective to start with a long block and just bolt on the mics. ~Alan

I may be selling my Vintage 1915CC Motor. Newer motor with dual Solex P40's, Electronic Ignition. The A-1 Headers & Magnaflow all ceramic coated is negotiable. The motor is from 9/2007 with 3k (mostly highway) miles from the Dragon run a few weeks ago. Call or email me. marty@cfgoa.com Cell 630-205-9616.


Marty G.

Here's CIP1 link

http://www2.cip1.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1471

There are some cheap rebuilt engine builders out there that you definately want to stay away from - sure a search here or on web will give you some to avoid. Lots of folks prefer old German OEM parts (remachined) over some of the new China/India/Brazil/Mexico stuff currently out there. Finding a good air cooled oriented machine shop is getting hard though.

Bernie Bergman has decent upgrade kits available, too. Just be aware that, if you run a stroker crankshaft, then you'll need to have your existing engine case machined so that the crank lobes will clear the case.

gn

Jake made engine kits for his TIV stuff, and I am pretty sure he was working on the same for the TI. Might be worth a call.

Maybe I am missing something, but you guys are talking rebuild kits. I am looking for a complete engine kits, with Block and all extras including say a DVD, or real thorough build guide. I have seen a few companies offer these but you can almost get a complete engine already built from other vendors for less. It was just an idea... I am building a new shop/garage and am eager to get into a new project. I thought building my own engine would be fun, assuming I had a kit with all the right parts.

You can buy all the pieces - new aluminum case, heads, crank, etc - I'm sure someone (SCAT?) could box it up and call it a complete engine kit. Just like building a Personal Computer - you can probably buy one completed for the same price as buying the parts and putting it together yourself. Guess difference is you know 100% what parts were used -- and rely totaly on your building capabilities. I'd surely rebuild an old engine before attempting one from pieces or even a complete kit. There is measuring, machining and special skills/tools (micrometer, weight scales) to construct a quality, long lasting performing engine - not simple bolt it together. Add on tuning and carb jetting when done. Same is true for the kit car - stuff won't line up right and will have to be crafted or tweaked.

http://www.vwtrendsweb.com/tech/0304vwt_engine_costs_price/

I was referring to complete engine kits. All the part, you add labor.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=488765

Agree, unless you have done this before you would be best off taking a new one, or old one to bits and putting it together with the knowledge that you cleaned and wiped all the parts before putting them back in.

You could also make sure you have the Hanes, Bentley and Keeping VW alive books as well this info is great; http://www.bugmevideo.com/vol3/index.htm

http://www.simplehorsepower.com/

Here's a link to Jake's TI enigne kits.

Daaang Marty---you sure wasted no time in trading up your engine! What was your thought process?


That is one killer beautiful wide body, my friend!---Jack

JB,
Call Pat Downs at CB Performance. I just put in one of their engines and it's AWESOME! I think to get the quality and performance one desires it's best left to the professionals. The guys who do this stuff do it everyday, all the time. They know what works and what doesn't. They are faster and better than anyone who does this as a hobby and for what they charge to assemble it's probably peanuts to the amount of time you would spend "getting it right". I literally bolted my engine in right out of the crate and haven't touched it in the 500 miles since (oil change excluded). As Jim says, "I'm just sayin"

I'm with Mickey on this one....
14K on my CB 2110 with not so much as a hick-up.

This info helps. I am sitting down with my buddy who is a VW mechanic this weekend and figuring out what direction I want to go. I am tron between building a new Type I, or letting him rebuild a 2l 914 motor for me he has in his shop. He obviously wants to do the 914 motor, but he admits the cost would be more due to all the media blasting and machine work it would need. The Bergmann engines are really nice as well.

Still would be interested in having the option of buying a complete kit, with block, head and everything internal to assemble myself, but since my buddy has his iwn shop and experience with type I and type iv motors, I figure I'll let him do all the heavy lefting.

The cost for the T4 engine will be more in an exhaust system, conversion to upright cooling, conversion to carbs (plus swap of cam from FI one) and flyweel swap (215 to 210mm). Plus add if you want to replace pistons and cylinders. I could easily see $3-4k in this.

I have only had one type 4 as compared to maybe 15 type 1's. I believe the type 4 to be a much better engine overall, but with that said, it will cost nearly 2 times as much per hp to fit it with custom parts. That alone would keep me from building another type 4.

Check out these kits. The 78x90.5 (#1182)kit is exactly like Micky's engine. A true 140 H-P no B.S pump gas engine that you can drive any where. http://www.cbperformance.com/catalog.asp?ProductID=1781

Jack,

My every day car(Saab 9-5) has 260HP and 258FT LBS of Torque. So when I get into the Speedster it's a big change, I am am looking for a little more oomph. I dont expect my speedster to run like my modern car but I do want to get it moving out of the box a little quicker. Don't forget, I have those huge tires and they need more low end torque to get em spinning.


Marty G.

I'm tired of Raby's parts prices being used as BENCHMARKS .
Most of his engines are race/street drag-ready, even his "dependable" line is probably good for 300K miles.

Heres a CIP1 price list (from '05) for the TIV rebuild (mine was Hydro) :

Pist/Cyl 94mm set--$230
MainBear----------$30
RodBear-----------$30
CamBear---------- $9
Cam--------------$50
HydLifterset-------$95
IntValves----------$20
ExhValves---------$36
ValveGuides-------$20
CompleteGaskSet---$60
CrankSeals/gask----$20

The only Extra machining was the FW pilot bearing; $50

"I'm tired of Raby's parts prices being used as BENCHMARKS ."
My component prices are used for comparative purposes many times because I have the largest line of truly developed items on the shelf for the Type 4 conversion. This is my mainstream engine of choice and we are recognized across the World for the promotion of the TIV conversion and that didn't come easy.

"Most of his engines are race/street drag-ready, even his "dependable" line is probably good for 300K miles."

That could not be further from the truth. Last year I only built 5 race engines, three of which went into our own SCCA F Production Race Car.

The majority of what I create is geared toward the dual purpose street engine that has excellent drive-ability, 25+ MPG and at least 150HP. Designed to last with minimum maintenance and service.

All that said, my Simple Horsepower program is in the final stages of development now and is the most comprehensive "engine kit" ever created for the Type 1 engine. It includes a step by step video to walk you through assembly as well as all the data to support the best sub-systems to create the powerband that you desire. I have been working on the details of the program for 7 months now and have 4 more before it'll be fully developed.

The Simple Horspower program is a culmination of efforts between my company and Bugpack Performance Products.

www.simplehorsepower.com

Jake, can I buy just the video? All I will need then is some popcorn and I'm set, ha ha

Marty---what will you have in the whole engine swap? Do you have a mechanic yet and what will he charde for the swap?


You have a very exciting project cooking!---Jack