Engine Swaps

Here's a little article on non VW engine swaps for those who maybe considering a more serious boost to HP. The original article is at http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Garage/1811/tech.html

Click on each engine to see the bigger picture

I get a lot of e-mail about particular engine swaps so I know this is a topic that a lot of people are interested in so here are a few details on swaps that I know of but don't have enough images on to include as a full feature under the Bus or Bug pages. If you're doing an engine swap you may be interested in checking out your gearing as well, I've written a gear speed calculator, follow this link to get it.

Since I'm a Bus kinda guy I'll start with this 2.2ltr Subaru into 82 Vanagon swap.

Subaru power in a Vanagon

From what I know this is a fairly straight forward swap and didn't take a massive amount of work. The first step was to get an adaptor kit which is readily available in Australia and probably in the USA as well. It bolts up to an 091 transaxle and uses the standard Subaru computer to run the fuel injection.

The transaxle is standard and other than a new cross member the rest of the Bus is standard as well. If your starting out this looks like an easy and economical swap with a good gain in power (130hp I think)

The radiator is custom made and lives in the left hand side air vent and uses thermo fans to keep the air flow up. As the engine doesn't pump out too much heat this would probably work OK. My V8 needs a much larger radiator as its not as efficient and produces more heat, this is a major consideration with an engine swap.

Rotary Engine inn a VW!!

This next conversion is no longer legal in NSW Australia any more as far as I know but if you've already got it registered and on the road your safe. Its a Mazda Rotary 12A from an RX7 and can be made to pump out huge amounts of power, this ones estimated at 160hp at 7500revs. As you can see we're moving up the ´hardness' scale here as its a much tighter fit and needs a radiator mounted on the front.

The radiator is mounted in the spare wheel well with a small scoop under the front apron to suck the air in. Everything else is fairly standard VW parts, mechanical wise, but has been replaced with the biggest toughest bits that would fit such as Type III drums and a Super Beetle transaxle.

Popular Choice ­ the Subaru Swap

Subaru powered Beetle

This next swap is one of my favourites and makes a lot of sense. Its another Subaru except this ones a 1.8ltr Fuel injected Turbo beast with about 200hp and is a relatively easy swap and quite a good fit. From the outside you'd never know it had been done. Again the radiator is in the spare wheel well with a scoop under the front valance. The rest of the driveline is pretty much standard again. I'm thinking of getting a Bug just so I can have one of these :)

My other car's a Porsche>

This would have to be the most expensive swap, a 2.2ltr flat six Porsche engine. With triple throat carbs, twin overhead cams and dry sump its very exotic and 180hp means its quick as well. Air cooling makes it easier but you can't fit the engine cover back on.

Made in heaven - Porsche flat 6

You've got to wonder if the cost makes it worth it when you look at the conversion above. Anyway, its great and I'd love to own it but I wouldn't build it. This is the only one of the bugs here running a 228mm clutch, that means serious grinding to the bell housing but I think its worth it.