I've built a few VW engines for aircraft, but a friend used to have a few old bugs that would wheelie and were *very* quick. I've got access to a couple late 60s rollers (a few run too) so I was wondering what to expect if I decide to dump some time and money into one. It would remain ugly...emphasis on building a drive train that would propel the car to unsafe speeds (ya, I know...unsafe at many speeds) I've got a couple friends with Caymans and the like who I'd like to wipe the smug off their face with some fugly, 50 yr old piece. So...how much should I expect to spend? I see 2900cc drop ins for $4K...what about the tranny? Suspension? Brakes? Anyone?
Decent 2176 turnkey will run you $8-9k, 2900cc? 4k wouldnt get you heads. Tranny well, i spent 3k on mine it was "ok" Hit the performance section on thesamba.com
you're dreamin to wipe a Caymen... beetles are fun, cheap blasters, but not in the same league. I started with a '66 1300 beetle. chopped it up for a pipe buggy... J.C. Whitney "Big Bore Kit! More power! Better MPG!"
My bad...2332cc $4K http://jcsvwparts.com/type-1-2332-turnkey-complete/ No bueno? Tranny... http://www.kcrtrans.com/street.html <table id="Table5" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" width="447"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2">[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT][SIZE=+1]UltraStreet [/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT][SIZE=+1](Same as SuperStreet, but with Weddle 1<sup>st</sup> through 4<sup>th</sup>, 3.88 R/P, chromoly pinion retainer, KCR's meticulous race prep)[/SIZE][/FONT]</td></tr> <tr> <td width="236"> [FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT][SIZE=+1]Swing Axle, T-1, Bus, T-3[/SIZE][/FONT]</td> <td width="198"> [FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT][SIZE=+1]$2,150.00 w/ exchange[/SIZE][/FONT]</td></tr> <tr> <td width="236"> [FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT][SIZE=+1]IRS, '69 & Later, T-1 & T-3 [/SIZE][/FONT]</td> <td width="198"> [FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT][SIZE=+1]$2,150.00 w/ exchange[/SIZE][/FONT]</td></tr></tbody></table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="469"><tbody><tr align="left" valign="top"><td height="36" width="23"> </td> <td width="200"> </td> <td width="246"> </td></tr></tbody></table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="800"><tbody><tr align="left" valign="top"><td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="469"><tbody><tr align="left" valign="top"><td> </td> <td width="200"> [FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT][SIZE=+2]BERG 5 SPEED[/SIZE][/FONT] </td> <td> </td></tr></tbody></table></td> <td> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="331"> <tbody> <tr align="left" valign="top"> <td height="15" width="8"> </td> <td> </td> <td width="23"> </td></tr> <tr align="left" valign="top"> <td height="192"> </td> <td align="left" valign="top" width="300"> </td> <td> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr align="left" valign="top"> <td height="11" width="22"> </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr align="left" valign="top"> <td> </td> <td width="547"> <table id="Table6" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="3" width="547"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2"> [FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT][SIZE=+1]Basic 5 Speed[/SIZE][/FONT] </td></tr> <tr> <td width="409"> [FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT][SIZE=+1](Same as Superstreet Plus, 4.12 r/p, chromoly pinion retainer, 3.78 1<sup>st</sup> gear, Weddle "Sportsman" 3<sup>rd</sup> & 4<sup>th </sup>, stock 4<sup>th</sup> as 5<sup>th</sup>)[/SIZE][/FONT] </td> <td width="119"> [FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT][SIZE=+1]$3200.00[/SIZE][/FONT] </td></tr> <tr> <td width="409"> [FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT][SIZE=+1]Ultra 5 Speed[/SIZE][/FONT] </td> <td width="119"> </td></tr> <tr> <td width="409"> [FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT][SIZE=+1](Same as Ultrastreet but with any ratio 5<sup>th</sup> gear)[/SIZE][/FONT] </td> <td width="119"> [FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT][SIZE=+1]$3750.00[/SIZE][/FONT] </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table> Any good?
If you are going to pull out the denero for a berg, get a subarugears 5speed conversion the motor you posted is ok at best.
I know so little about these..... What year(s) for the roller? Any suggestions? I found a nice looking 67 nearby...needs pans.
Forget about racing porches, but a big CC engine is fun forsure. ideal engine 1900cc-2100cc, nice thick cylinder walls My 2276 I had in my 61, had mild head work, dual webber 40's, external oil cooler, all all new componets build most of it myself and had just under 8grand in it with all the tinware and a1 sidewinder exhaust system ( over $1200 alone) all the engine sensors, head, oil temp, pressure, gauges stock type3 trans with beefy diff, this trans didnt last long.
If you really want to trash a Porsche, I'd go with Subie running gear. With that said, my 1835 cost me less than $1k done top to bottom, but I won't be breaking any speed records
the parts are out there to get a stupid as your bank account can handle. Find the solidest body you can find. and have fun. but with a bug you will spend time working on it. over and over and over again. the good thing is they are fun to work on a everything about them is simple. oh and they are like driving a big ass gocart. Mine had a tired 1500 and it was the most fun car to drive I have ever had. i say go for it.
You will have to work on it... IF you build a high HP engine. I'm sure that's what you meant, but just reiterating. If the engines stay fairly low HP and are built properly, they are reliable as shit, with little more than oil changes and valve adjustments (and adjusting the valves on an ACVW is THE easiest valve job you'll ever do, takes me 20 minutes... sometimes I do it when I'm bored for no reason) are necessary. My 1835 probably makes about 80ish HP (just a guess) as it's running rich, and I have never touched it since it was built a few years ago besides said oil and valves.
I'd probably avoid the '67. One-off year for a lot of the body parts. Had one. No fun. On the other hand, my '68 was a blast. It was pretty stock until a guy I knew totaled out his bug and the wife refused to let him rebuild it. I bought his freshly built 1835cc with dual Dellorto's on it for a measly $300.00. Never did have money to buy a trans or do anything to it. Still, it would beat the current (this was in the '80's) Camaro's to the next light. But just to the next light. (Please, please, please don't make me shift into third.) It was a fun vehicle and as others have said, keep up on the oil changes and the valve adjustments and they'll run almost forever. Such a bone basic engine. It's a fun one to have around if you have a teenager that wants to learn some wrenching. Did that with my foster son and the '73 Super Beetle we had at the time.
I still called my '63 a bug and it had a rotary motor in it and a radiator and spal fans up front. No not a 13b Turbo monster, only a street ported 12a rotary. A kennedy adapter plate, Carb, one motor mount bar added and some lines run to the front and I was basically done. Faster than I ever needed on the street, really showed that a berg kit and susp/tires were BADLY needed. But having a redline somewhere near 10K+ and being able to mess with cars on track days made it all worth while. Sadly I have the city of San Jose to thank for using a trash truck to test my cars crush strength, while parked. I will always miss the little blue beast.
A bug is a blast to drive on the street at 2 digit speeds in moderate weather. Not much heat in the winter, most have no AC. It is down right scarey at high 2 digit and 3 digit speeds. There are always exceptions. There is fun to feeling like you are going 100, then seeing the PoPo and discovering you are going 68 in a 70 zone. Rod
One of my favorite things about ACVW's is actually that they're slow as silly as that sounds. I built my car to be like a little go-kart, and have WAY too much fun blasting (relative term) around corners right near the speed limit, then pinning it until she runs out of juice and shifting into 3rd (at about 25-30mph ) You've probably heard people say "it's more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow" which I've found to be true for both motorcycles and cars. Of course, that doesn't mean I wouldn't love to own a stupid fast bug someday
There are plenty of bugs with all VW drive trains that would give a Cayman a good run.* *1/4 mile, no corners
if you want any sort of reliability, i dont think id crack the 2 liter mark. i had a bug with a 1776, and a moderately built trans with short 3rd and a freeway flyer diff. was a nice semi blasty 1-3 and could run out pretty decently in 4th, wasnt scary on the highway. but stone reliable. had an 1835 in my bus and it was "just nice" kinda like what they should have been stock. you wanna get buck wild...... get a vw 1.8t jetta front clip and motor and trans, build that. stuff it all in the rear.... no backseat, just a speaker box. make it on a tube frame with c4 vette control arms and spindles. beauty of it is, you can make the body sit basically "unmolested" on any tube frame. itll look like a bug. the only deck lid modification is a little bump to clear i think the thermostat housing. had a wild brazilian friend that put that motor combo in the back of a otherwise stock bug. it was stupid fast.
