Upgrade to 1776 or deal with it?

[justcruzin]

I'm in the same boat as you Sarah! I love my Westy and the stock motor is fine for in town, but I really would like to be able to climb the hills! I don't care about doing 65-70, I just want to be able to climb hills at at least 50 to 55! Even the small hill on my way to work each day slows me down to about 40!

I am going to eventually build a 1776 ( with hubby's help lol). I'm not going to upgrade anything else though. I really don't think there is a need for it when you only do e speed limit in town anyway! Lol

K
Now I just need to get hubby on the move on this! Lol

 

[alex4057]

Just dont forget to budget for the other things that come with a bigger engine, you should really run an external oil cooler and filter. :mrgreen:

 

[pottinger]

im goin to stop reading this post, i was perfectly happy with my engine untill now :evil:

a stick to my twin carb 1600 potts !

 

[Marriedblonde]

This thread is just making me want more power

 

[68_early_bay]

This thread is just making me want more power

Me too......

 

[terrier man]

This thread is just making me want more power

Me too......

Tell me about it, I'm already looking into a crank the only way for me is to stroke as I want plenty of torque.

 

[ZedBed]

£100 will more than cover filter head, hoses and a cooler.

Do it! I was kind of happy with my 1600 SP beetle engine c/w beetle cab and distributor, but the whole driving experience has suddenly become enjoyable.

You know when you're on a single carriageway stuck in a line of traffic behind a lorry but dual carriageway approaches? Normally all the cars skip past and by the time you catch the lorry the dual carriageway has run out. Not now - I'm in with the cars and past the lorry in a whistle.

Thay annoying old couple who drive really slowly for no reason where you can't see to overtake then speed up on the straight bits so you can't get past? Dust in the rear view mirror.

I won't be driving fast, but now I can whip past the lorries on the m-way without holding anyone up then slow down a bit.

I haven't run it in but at 60mph it managed all the hills from Scotland to East Anglia without putting foot to the floor or slowing down. At 60, foot down and you're doing 70mph before you know it.

I am truly converted to more power in your bay. It won't win off the lights, but on the open road it's a joy.

It managed 23mpg as well which isn't bad - I did rag it a couple of times - it'll rev like a T4 engine without the floppy standard T1 crank.

 

[toxicbug66]

You know what I think. :lol:

I've never enjoyed driving a bus on a motorway much before, but it just sucked the miles up today.

Mild 1955 LP wasserboxer crank special. No idea what power, but just right.

I keep reading about this, just wondering what the cost is, if you dont mind me asking.

Cheers

Rich.

 

[ZedBed]

It's difficult to say, It was made up of:
Some new bits I supplied (case, B&P's, serpentine kit, cooler)
Old bits I supplied (heads which got stainless ex valves, carbs (which Laurie re-jetted for me), manifolds, linkage, dizzy, coil, leads, tinware, fuel pump, filter head, push-rods, heat echangers, silencer and tail pipes)
Some used parts Laurie supplied and had machined where needed (wasser crank (still not ground), 228mm T4 flywheel, rockers, T1 con rods, dizzy drive etc)
Some new parts Laurie supplied - (cam kit, clutch kit, bearings, hoses and fittings and lots of other bits and bobs).

I went up and did a good deal of the swap myself and dumped the old beetle SP engine on him minus the alternator and a few parts for a little money off.

Plus Laurie's me mate innit.

I believe if you had to source all the parts and sat on arse waiting you'd be looking at £3.5K for a similar engine. Almost as much as I paid for the bus. :shock:

There are other ways to do it eg with a new stroker crank rather than the wasserboxer one, but I asked Laurie to do whatever he wanted and relied on his experience to come up with an engine that I'd like. Originally I wanted him to source everything (he wanted me to source everything) so it wouldn't be my fault :lol: but as the bills started to mount up I stripped a perfectly good TP engine for the heads and peripherals to build it up and probably saved £1k on parts. I haven't added up the cost as there's little point, but I wouldn't have got £1k for the TP engine and I've still got the end-float free engine minus the heads to sell and already sold the stainless exhaust system that was on it too.

So you see it all depends what you have to start with. I could have saved £600 by asking him to use the case (re-worked engine shop case) I stripped the parts off, but he might have found it machined to the limits or who knows what problems, so to take the doubt out of it and possibly save going round in expensive circles before ending up with a new case anyway, we agreed on building it round a new case. It gives me a lot of confidence knowing the case is new, crank just needed a polish, mex heads are good of their type, new cam kit, new B&P's, but all the bolt on the outside parts are worth a risk if you already have them I guess.

 

[dubdubz]

what B&P's did buy/get - I'm considering 1955 myself - the 1745 is ok, but still a little underpowered in the full fat westy...

 

[dormy72]

I've just had mine rebuilt by laurie P to 1776, it's soooooooo much better even with only 400 miles on it and not even using half throttle yet.
Smoother, more responsive and not charging up and down the gearbox on a hill when fully loaded and a trailer in tow as 360 of those 400 were done. Not bad considering it will still be quite tight. But you pays your money and takes your pick, for what mine cost I'd recommend it. Cost with pallat transfers and new vintage speed exhaust, new heads as old one beyond use and cheap crap anyway, pistons&barrels, oil cooler ect ect ect and Laurie rejetting carbs, tuned by a local specalist and all for under 1800quiddies.

 

[ZedBed]

I've just had mine rebuilt by laurie P to 1776, it's soooooooo much better even with only 400 miles on it and not even using half throttle yet.
Smoother, more responsive and not charging up and down the gearbox on a hill when fully loaded and a trailer in tow as 360 of those 400 were done. Not bad considering it will still be quite tight. But you pays your money and takes your pick, for what mine cost I'd recommend it. Cost with pallat transfers and new vintage speed exhaust, new heads as old one beyond use and cheap crap anyway, pistons&barrels, oil cooler ect ect ect and Laurie rejetting carbs, tuned by a local specalist and all for under 1800quiddies.

You'll be one of the many people who jumped the queue then. :lol:

 

[ZedBed]

what B&P's did buy/get - I'm considering 1955 myself - the 1745 is ok, but still a little underpowered in the full fat westy...

These ones. I just did as I was told as far as this engine went. £100 more for the Mahle...
http://www.vwheritage.com/vw_spares_Barrel-piston-kit-90-5-1776cc-requires-machining-Repro_act_shop.product_pID_58473655_lang_EN_country_GB.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[jonboylaw]

You know what I think. :lol:

I've never enjoyed driving a bus on a motorway much before, but it just sucked the miles up today.

Mild 1955 LP wasserboxer crank special. No idea what power, but just right.

Hmm.... this sounds famliar.... Laurie has just taken delivery of a shed loads of parts for my build

 

[Merlydog]

Well I've spent the last week or so doing the sums and exploring my options.

An unlikely hobby for a bird but I do actually enjoy soon as much work on my bus myself, as some of you know! Soooo perhaps a little crazy but having read and listened to all the hot air on forums about performance engine building I've decided to give it a bash myself!

I figured I'm in no rush and can just take it a step at a time, it will be no drag bus but it will be a pleasurable motorway drive with torque for those hills..

I'm fortunate to have a very good friend whom is going to guide me through the process, not hands on I hasten to add, it will be all my own handy work.

Will I be eating my hat in 6 months, quite possibly!! :?

Standby for thread titled...

Bird builds 1776! :mrgreen:

 

[easy]

Well I've spent the last week or so doing the sums and exploring my options.

An unlikely hobby for a bird but I do actually enjoy soon as much work on my bus myself, as some of you know! Soooo perhaps a little crazy but having read and listened to all the hot air on forums about performance engine building I've decided to give it a bash myself!

I figured I'm in no rush and can just take it a step at a time, it will be no drag bus but it will be a pleasurable motorway drive with torque for those hills..

I'm fortunate to have a very good friend whom is going to guide me through the process, not hands on I hasten to add, it will be all my own handy work.

Will I be eating my hat in 6 months, quite possibly!! :?

Standby for thread titled...

Bird builds 1776! :mrgreen:

Fair play lady! thats a great choice, im sure you will be fine 8) im a lazy ****** and prefer for someone to do it for me, because it does need a great deal of tools that i simply dont want to buy for a potentially one off occasion. Hats off and looking forward to hearing the roar! 8)

 

[alex4057]

Well I've spent the last week or so doing the sums and exploring my options.

An unlikely hobby for a bird but I do actually enjoy soon as much work on my bus myself, as some of you know! Soooo perhaps a little crazy but having read and listened to all the hot air on forums about performance engine building I've decided to give it a bash myself!

I figured I'm in no rush and can just take it a step at a time, it will be no drag bus but it will be a pleasurable motorway drive with torque for those hills..

I'm fortunate to have a very good friend whom is going to guide me through the process, not hands on I hasten to add, it will be all my own handy work.

Will I be eating my hat in 6 months, quite possibly!! :?

Standby for thread titled...

Bird builds 1776! :mrgreen:

Enjoy :mrgreen:

My advice would be to read some books,

http://www.vwheritage.com/vw_spares_How-to-Rebuild-Aircooled-Engines-0001001033_act_shop.product_pID_103386_lang_EN_country_GB.htm?crumbStartPage=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.vwheritage.com/vw_spares_How-to-hot-rod-book-0001001032_act_shop.product_pID_103404_lang_EN_country_GB.htm?crumbStartPage=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.vwheritage.com/vw_spares_How-to-build-modify-cylinder-heads-000100058_act_shop.product_pID_145799_lang_EN_country_GB.htm?crumbStartPage=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Deffo's the first maybe the second and if your super keen the third!

 

[Merlydog]

Thanks Alex, I have the first and will consider the second and third if I need it

I'm mulling over heads at the moment and whether to stick with trusty machined stock heads, upgraded springs and stainless valves or just empty my wallet on a pair of 044's! I think I'll get my head round the block first!!

 

[Merlydog]

Well I've spent the last week or so doing the sums and exploring my options.

An unlikely hobby for a bird but I do actually enjoy soon as much work on my bus myself, as some of you know! Soooo perhaps a little crazy but having read and listened to all the hot air on forums about performance engine building I've decided to give it a bash myself!

I figured I'm in no rush and can just take it a step at a time, it will be no drag bus but it will be a pleasurable motorway drive with torque for those hills..

I'm fortunate to have a very good friend whom is going to guide me through the process, not hands on I hasten to add, it will be all my own handy work.

Will I be eating my hat in 6 months, quite possibly!! :?

Standby for thread titled...

Bird builds 1776! :mrgreen:

Fair play lady! thats a great choice, im sure you will be fine 8) im a lazy ****** and prefer for someone to do it for me, because it does need a great deal of tools that i simply dont want to buy for a potentially one off occasion. Hats off and looking forward to hearing the roar! 8)

Thanks Easy! I know what you mean but I'm hoping I can borrow most of the tools for this one off occasion. Might just have to invest in one of those cheeky exhausts of yours if it runs when I've finished

 

[dubdubz]

http://www.drdracingheads.com/xcart/-Dual-port-type-1-heads-12mm-spark-plug-40X35.5mm-single-spring.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

head can be bored to larger size for no additional cost - so better heads in 90.5 config...