Hey VW Racer...

[addautomotive]

Question for ya... have you ever played with Formula Vee stuff? I know that many of these cars use vw 1.8 liter engines adapted to a reversed vw transaxle. I'm working on a VW westfalia/ VW diesel conversion. I have an adapter plate on the way, but still need to sort out my flywheel/clutch setup. I've seen formula vee adapter plates on ebay, just wondering if you know what flywheel is commonly used, or better yet, if you have one. Thanks, Jake

[deepmud]

http://cs-www.cs.yale.edu/homes/jag/vw/engine/tdiswap/bellanca.html

1.8 gas motors had a different bolt pattern? I had heard otherwise.

I think the Westfalia to 1.9td has been done a bunch. I never heard of an adapter plate required for it, but I was just searching on 1.9td stuff at the time I surfed the net.

[VWRacer]

addautomotive, no, I have no experience with air-cooled VW engines like those used in Formula Vee. My CSR has a solid-lifter GTI-based water-cooled VW engine.

However, I do know that they are based on the 1200cc type 1 engine, mated to a VW sedan (swing axle) trans that has been turned around. The diff is inserted backwards so the car goes in the right direction...  

As such, they do not need an adapter plate.

However, if you are replacing a "wasser-boxer" engine with a diesel, you will need an adapter plate, as the bolt patterns are not the same. I would call Kennedy Engineered Products and ask their advoice. They have a ton of experience with this swap and will steer you straight.

Stan

[deepmud]

cool - their site mentions Subaru. I now recall seeing turbo-six 'Bru installed on a Vanagon somewhere on the Net,which reminded me of a guy I met with a 180 horse Turbo Corvair engine, complete with trans-axle, mounted in his old-style VW camper-van. Scary fast, really :?  - it could easily over-drive the brakes and handing on a twisty road. Pulled hills really really well, tho'.

[Dr. Diesel]

i remember years ago, sitting in the bleachers at the local drag strip one night. The line up of cars curved around out of sight behind the tower, so you could see about 6. Anyway, the usual smear of ricers was present, and most of the 'dubs weren't doing so well, so the horny sound of a porsche flat six was exciting. Eventually, around the corner came a pair of single round headlights. Good! A 911 to wipe up some of this mess, finally!
When it finally made it's way into the light, I was titilated to see it wasn't a 911 at all, but rather, a 73 campervan, complete with pop-top! So, he lines up against some Vtec junk or other, and proceeds to kick the living rice right outta it! What a sight! Picture a campervan, doing a huge, smokey burnout, then ripping down the track, in the mid 15's!! How many of you fast diesels are used to seeing 18's at the track? Imagine a campervan pulling away hard.... pretty cool. hehe

[addautomotive]

Thanks for all the help folks...

I should've been a little more clear about my plans... I intend to swap a 1.9 TD into a '72 westfalia (not a Vanagon). I already have the adapter plate on the way, but I need to figure out a clutch/flywheel combination.

Deepmud: I've seen that page you provided the link to... actually it's one of the pages that got me thinking...  That guy had a Vanagon diesel, so it already has teh correct clutch/flywheel combination. Probably the best thing I could do is use a diesel vanagon flywheel.

So...
1) my adapter plate is on the way. It'll fit  any VW inline water cooled engine into any vw aircooled vehicle. Obviously need some fabrication for cooling, engine mounts etc...

2) My '93 1.9 TD engine and tranny is being delivered this week. A real steal... $200 cash from a backwoods wrecking yard. I intend to do a teardown, then build up according to suggestions from this board.

3) recipient... I'll probably use my '87 jetta as a test mule until I swap the engine into something COOL. The intention was to plonk it into my neighbor's 72 westy, but spoke to them last night and they don't seem as keen to sell. So I need a vehicle to mount this engine in long-term.

Anyone have a Porsche 911 with a bad engine? Wonder what the purists at the PCA would think of that....
 :twisted:

[deepmud]

Cool would be a Manx. 4x4Builder magizine (brand new, 1st issue) has a new Manx with a Syncro tranny and s-10 front end, while still using an air-cooled bug engine. "Hopped up" it makes 115 horse when wound up tight.  A diesel could easily be built to out-do that. Can you see a big 'ol stinger off the turbo?    :lol:  :lol:

As far as Posche goes, maybe a 912 could be found. I mean, it already is sad, with the Bug engine in there. A whale-tail rear deck might clear your motor.

[addautomotive]

...whaletail rear deck would also be a good spot for a radiator.

I've been thinking 912 as well... as much as I prefer the early short wheelbase 911/912's I think I'd have to go with a bodystyle that looks good with a rear spoiler, so I'd be limited to 1974 and later, or cars converted to that body style. I think it was 74 when they started galvanizing the bodies too.

I think it'd be pretty damn cool to build up a good, strong 1.9 TD with all the mods that have been talked about in this forum and fit it in a 911. Then run it on vegoil...

[Centurion]

Sorry = I don't mean to thread crap - The limitations on criminal procecution might just be in effect.

About 78 or so a guy around here had a 1979 ferari - I don't knwo what vintage - but it was off the showroom floor. Brand new!

Well after he raced a few times and bragged way too much - it was stolen[ I had nothing to do with it] - I never saw it till

The next year I do remember seeing 1971 Super Beetle - that flat wasted an olds 442.

After the race we had a quick look - the whole rear was the Ferari engine and trans.

We had report from the "local police" that they had Radar gun speeds off this kid running faster than thier cruisers could match.

Sheep fur covering a wolf!

C