requesting advice

I know that this topic has been discussed before but I am looking for more power. I have a 2006 Vintage speedster with a dual carb 1600cc mexican engine with 2 oil relief valves. The engine has 3600 miles and runs very well-cruises well at 70mph and uses no oil. I would like to take this engine up\ to 1800-1900 cc-mild or stock cam.

I am not looking for a screamer- just more power but still easy to drive around town. I plan to do this myself with the help of an experienced auto mechanic this winter.

There are alot of kits advertised on the internet.I would appreciate advice as to what components to use and what kits are reliable.

Thanks in advance.

Joel

The VW motor reacts really well to an increase in displacement; a bigger motor has a better torque curve, which is what we use in every day driving. An easy build would be a 2007cc (78x90.5) with a mild cam, some ported either stock or big valve heads (depending on the rpm range/hp you're looking for) and dual Kads or 40mm Webers/Dellortos. It would be dependable, easy to take care of (about the same maintenance as a stock motor) and give great mileage figures (when your foot wasn't stuffed into it!!). I've never bought anything from them, but John @ Aircooled.net is a wealth of information and can put together all the pieces in a "kit" with all the details figured out. Read http://www.aircooled.net/vw-performance-engines/

Do this and you can have the hp and he correct look.

http://www.proformancemotoring.com/vorsche.htm

Joel,

I'll second Allan's recommendation to aircooled.net.

There's a wealth of reliable info in their website that's concisely written and well organized. When you're ready they can supply you with parts at whichever level you chose and you'll know for sure what you're getting. I've never seen a complaint about them.

Marty,
That's kinda' neat! A Vorsche. The old style oil filter and a small alternator pulley to speed up the fan and give out that distinctive fan noise that the original cars have. Good idea.

Joel, like you I started out with a 1600 cc engine. Then, I moved up to a 1776. It was better, but for me it was still too slow. I had the engine upgraded again to a 2110, which I liked a lot. The extra power is nice, but what I really like about a bigger engine is the torque.
Ron

Are you totally committed to air cooled, Joel ? The Soob makes a lot of sense if you are not. I'd be happy to share a parts list. My conversion cost around $2,500 with a used engine.

Honestly, you sound like an ideal candidate for something like Danny Pipp's (elsewhere-recommended) 2007. The 78 mm stroke crank will drop in with no clearancing, and the 90.5 bore has a reputation for running cooler than 94s. Run a 120 cam, and pretty much everything stays close to stock.

I'd have Art Thraen build it. It's not gonna be cheap, but Art has a full machine shop on-site and he knows what he's doing. I'd run 40x 35.5 mm 043 heads, 40 Dellortos (Art will likely have a set), and a 1-1/2" sidewinder with the (relatively) inexpensive EMPI flanged 1-1/2" heater boxes.

It'd run cool, have great torque, and make about 120 hp at the crank. Figure on paying twice what you see engines advertised for on the Samba. As George Brown used to say, "you pay your money, and you take your chances". In my experience, it's more like, "Fast, cheap, good. Pick any two". Paying more one time beats paying less two or three.

$ wise you'd be better off selling your Mexi-crate engine and starting with new case and parts. To bore for bigger jugs - it needs to be completely taken apart - then cleaned well after machining. You'll want a new cam and new crank to go with new jugs and pistons. Then probably better heads. That doesn't leave much. Used parts for a 1600 are worthless.

What David said---the Subaru is the coming thing for Speedster replicas. At Carlisle last week the buzz was all about the Suby engines and makers like IM, SAS, Beck and others are putting out cars with Suby power.

It's still a boxer engine and sounds remarkably like a large air cooled engine to me. The plusses are huge; No Chinese parts, a real production engine, service availablse at any Subaru dealer, Good heat and air conditioning. What's not to like??? Dave says he spent $2,500 to swap out his toy Type I (my phrase) so to source the Suby engine plus have someond install it is a great bargain over paying for a "high performance" Type I.

Yes, I have an aircooled Type IV and love it but if I did not already have it and was in the market for an engine it would most definitely be Subaru. I'm just sayin'.

Very happy with my 2007cc motor

Joel, listen to Stan. I could not remember his name at first but if I did not go Subie I was going to have Art Theron do my Type-1. He can build you a reliable and great revving 100-hp car for fair money. I was going to to stay small and use quality parts where available. The other option Art and I talked about was to find a real Porsche 1.8 or 2.0 and have Art rebuild it. That was also on the table.

For a car make as popular as Subaru is the resale value is pretty lousy. That means that a donor car, maybe one with annotated or salvage title with nothing that affected the engine or electronics, can be had at a reasonable price. For the price you get a good rebuildable engine with air and all the boxes and sensors needed to make your replica a runner - one that it could hardly ever be with an aircooled VW regardless the power level (this does not consider the really hairy things that some of the drag racers are accomplishing. The 600 hp turbocharged monsters will never fit)


I've got a '98 Outback wagon that just passed 50K miles. It runs great and looks OK for a car that lives in our mountains. It's had synthetics since I bought it new. I'm hearing this fluid coupling thingy sounding off in reverse after a long run and it shows the kind of hard use marks of a mountains car. The part costs around a grand and is a bitch to install. I wouldn't want to try it so add another grand to make the repair. A pretty common failing in AWD Subarus (as opposed to the pre-1988 manual transfer case 4wd models).

I could maybe get $2000. on a trade-in, maybe $4000. if I sold it.
Anyone wanna' guess what I'm thinking about?

Ken, if you weren't 4000 miles away I'd buy your car.

And if you weren't selling I'd sneak up at night and snatch it.

All the ones I see here have 3x your car's mileage, or more.

But I am a patient man, and the car I want is out there.

Stan, I have a 2165, 78 X 94. My friend Max Zimmer has the 76 X 94, which is a 2109. Either way, I am a fan of the 94s on type1s.

I really like what Henry at IM did with Marty's car. Also Peter Venuti's car and David Stroud's. All Subaru-powered! Power, torque, reliability, mileage, and A/C. Can't beat that with an aircooled car!

Me, I am an aircooled guy. I have a '72 911 project that is supposed to be getting a twin-plug 2.7 six. Somewhere around 250 hp, RS spec plus. But I keep thinking about putting in a turbo 2.5 in STI spec!

I have bought from aircooled.net, and would again. Quality parts, knowledge, and service!

I a drag race, Danny's car against any other 4 cylinder anything on the field at Carlisle---I'm betting on the Spyder! I know from personal experience what that car can do!

Sorry about the button holes I put in your seat, Danny.

What a rocket ship.

Another vote for aircooled.net.

I have much less concern about the quality of the parts I buy from them compared to most other sources.

Plus, they rent tools you may need only once.

Two years ago, when I had Henry rebuild my IM, he let me drive a new Audi turbo IM. After the drive I said the car was very nice, and asked why he hadn't done a Subie install yet. He replied that no one had asked him yet.
How times have changed.

When I started rebuilding my car I seriously considered going water cooled, but after some research realized that the swap was not for the faint of heart.
In hindsight, I wish I had gone ahead with the Subie swap. For the $8000 I have in my fuel injected 2275 I could have bought a rebuilt 2.2 or 2.5 Subie engine and had someone do the fabricating that I couldn't do. I think I would have also bit the bullet and paid the price to have a Subie 5 speed tranny installed. That would be a perfect combo.
Ron

My mistake Daniel.

I knew you had the 78 stroke, but I dorked up your bore specs. I'm also a fan of 94s-- it unshrouds the valves when the heads are done well, and larger bores are the easiest way to build displacement in a hurry. But for a "mild" (100- 120 hp) build in a heavier vehicle, I'd probably recommend 90.5s or the thick-wall 92s, or nickasil 94s (or 95s, if you are doing LNs).

As far as aircooled.net, I buy parts from John and CB almost exclusively. John's a good guy, and will get stuff not in his (substantial) catalog, if need be.

Ron, do you know if Henry has done any work with the Suby 5 speed trans?

I know that it would be necessary to flip the ring gear but don't know how involved it might be to do so, and am wondering about the total length of the Subaru eng/trans.

CAN it be retrofitted into an existing car considering especially that Henry's frame design moves the VW eng/trans 3" forward of the of VW setups.

Seems to me that unless the Suby package is shorter overall it would Ebe a very tight fit into an existing Intermeccanica frame, even without considering any changes that may be needed in the tub - wheel wells, passenger compartment, like that.

wow! I just had one of those "what am I saying or thinking about" moments.
Even though it improves drivability and horsepower I'm really thinking that a big part of what I like about my IM is that it's a little quirky to start, sounds like it's aircooled with all parts uninsulated by a soundwall of coolant, and doesn't have so many gobs of power that I don't need shifting skill to extract the most from the least. In other words, all talk aside, I think my car will stay aircooled. I might opt for a little more than it's current 90 hp, but not much more. It should remain what I bought it as - a basic no frill sports car of the kind I so much liked forty years ago. If I want a 911 I'll just go buy one.

Ken- You just need some more POWER!!!lol

Ken, we tossed it around during my build and there was some more chatter about it at Carlisle but to my knowledge Henry or any IM customer has yet to take the plunge with the reversed ring and pinion.

I predict that one day Henry will offer a Subie 5 speed tranny as an option. Presently, the biggest drawback is the cost.
RonO

exactly why Steve moves his subie engine forward (and Spyders are ideal for the swap)....no messin with pinion or rings

Hey Bill..

What kind of fuel economy do you get with your 2007? I was thinking of building one of those with a mild cam and kadrons.

Mike

Stan, no problem. Of course you are right. As Jake says, it's all in the combo. 90.5s and a 78mm crank to make 2007cc, with the right cam, carbs, heads, rockers, and exhaust can make GOOD power, very good torque and drivability. Plus it will live a LONG life when properly built.

RE Suby 5 speed: I am sure it can be done $$$, but for the short term, a 915 5 speed is the best and cheapest way for now.

I have a 1998 AWD Suby trans in my garage right now. It is longer than a type1(swing) or a 915. I can measure it if anyone cares, as I have all three in the same area.