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Largest engine you could put in a VW BUG

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Rob/Helen Vermilion

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Jan 31, 2000, 3:00:00 AM1/31/00
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Hi I was wondering what the largest "cc" engine you could fit in a 68-73
VW bug. And how much would this cost. Thanks for your help.
Brian

Allan Williams

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Feb 1, 2000, 3:00:00 AM2/1/00
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Well, about 3.2 litres I've heard. VW wasserboxer case with cylinders
machined off, and all the big pitons etc.

Several thousand dollars is what it would likely cost.

Sensible "easy" engines are about 2.4 litres. Built and installed by a *Real
Mechanic* it'll likely cost youabout 8K for a high performer with some
reliabilty

--
Allan :-)
http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/downs/9040/
"How do I set my laser printer on stun?"
----------------------------------->

Rob/Helen Vermilion <r...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
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Rob/Helen Vermilion

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Feb 1, 2000, 3:00:00 AM2/1/00
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Well what I'm looking at doing is making a VW Bug in to a Baja bug so bigger
tires and engine ect.. I don't think a 1600cc engine will be to good for
offroading so was trying to figure out what I could do. so you think 2.4L
will be good? Thanks for the help
P.S. I live in CA so there's a lot of mountains so a lot of hill climbing.
Brian


Allan Williams <allanw...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
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Eric and Allison

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Feb 1, 2000, 3:00:00 AM2/1/00
to Rob/Helen Vermilion
if you're going to drive this engine hard, a 1776cc might be your best
bet. it'll handle the abuse that you'll dish at it. bigger isnt always
better. if you're going to do some serious off roading, get a center
mount carb for it too.

Eric
59 bug

Bug-Man

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Feb 1, 2000, 3:00:00 AM2/1/00
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Personally I think a 1600 is fine for offroading, of course I dont try to do
90MPH over rough terrain, although it is nice to have a bigger engine to
spin them monster tires, but you CAN do it with a 1600... And please, dont
cut up a perfect bug, find one with a bad rear end.

--Eric
E-Mail: Bug...@sisna.com
Visit My Web-page: http://www.angelfire.com/nm/GoPed/VW.html

___
/___\
(o\ | /o) 1974 ORANGE SUPER BEETLE "Baggins"
U """ U


Rob/Helen Vermilion <r...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message

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G.W. East

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Feb 2, 2000, 3:00:00 AM2/2/00
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There's a pic somewhere on the web, I posted the URL to it a while back ago,
I believe it was 302 Ford V8 stuffed in the front of a bug. ;-)

G.W. East

mike pinchback

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Feb 2, 2000, 3:00:00 AM2/2/00
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a couple years ago I went to look at a late-60's beetle into which a Corvette
327 V8 had been installed. It was sitting where the back seats would normally
be, behind a plexiglas firewall. It sure sounded cool, but freaky cool, you
know? It wasn't insured, and I never ended up driving it, but I was told it
could reach 50 mph in first gear. True story. Mike.

"G.W. East" wrote:

--
Mike Pinchback
Graduate Centre for Forest Biology
Department of Biology
University of Victoria
PO Box 3020
Victoria, BC, Canada
V8W 3N5

Bus: (250) 721-7145
Home: (250) 885-3048

Michael

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Feb 3, 2000, 3:00:00 AM2/3/00
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Just saw a web site where someone put what I think was a cadilac 500 engine
into a bug. What he did was find an old Caddy that was front wheel drive,
cut the front end off and stuff it under the bug body. If I find the web
site again I will pass it on. A 1600 engine is fine for an off road baja.
Put on 30X9.5 rear tires with the torsion bars jacked and you will do fine.
31's are over kill and to heavy in my opinion. Sure they look cool like
someone said before, more isn't always better.

Michael
www.bajabug.8m.com

JonTurner

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Feb 3, 2000, 3:00:00 AM2/3/00
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>Just saw a web site where someone put what I think was a cadilac 500 engine
>into a bug. What he did was find an old Caddy that was front wheel drive,
>cut the front end off and stuff it under the bug body. If I find the web
>site again I will pass it on. A 1600 engine is fine for an off road baja.

Yep. That's the "CaddyWagen" page. 9 liters of displacement... and it fit under
the stock decklid. 500 cubic inches of displacement producing 425hp and 510
ft/lbs of torque in a Beetle. Very, very scary.

http://www.wsu.edu/~426hemi/

JonTurner

Mike Fritz

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Feb 4, 2000, 3:00:00 AM2/4/00
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Hahaha! Too funny! For anyone interested, here's the text of how the
"Caddywagen" drives, from the guy who built it:

OK CRAZY JOE, SO WHAT'S IT LIKE TO DRIVE THAT THING??

Well... I can honestly say that it's scary fast. It doesn't handle very well,
but I never expected it to. It'd handle better if I was able to get stiffer
springs for the back; it rolls an awful lot even though it has the stock caddy
sway bar on it. It brakes reasonably well (as good as a stock VW I'd say). It's
pretty neat to watch the speedo needle just RIP around the dial. I'd estimate
0-60 in a little less than 5 seconds with the stock '74 caddy engine (~250 hp
net and 2500 lb car weight). I could get almost twice the HP out of that 500 if
I wanted to, but it'd take more time, more $, and it's plenty fast as it is.
Plus, it'd be a lot louder if I was getting more power out of it. With the dual
exhaust I put on it it's sort of loud but not earth shaking; quiet enough to
not scare off the guy in the next lane but loud enough to make bystanders
wonder what the hell I've got under the hood.


Mike
'65 Bug
'98 GTI VR6

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