TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu Jul 14, 2005 2:57 pm

I am an off road bug person and have absolutely no knowledge of Vanagons. A couple weeks ago I was running across the state of PA on the turnpike. I was doing 70-75 consistently. I had a Brown Vanagon staying with me through all the curves and hill climbs at those speeds. Is this normal performance for a Vanagon? Like I said I have no clue about water cooled Buses. The bus looked stock ie..stock wheels...just plain factory looking bus. I did notice it has Vermont or Colorado plates (green and white).

Fri Jul 15, 2005 7:22 am

Those plates are from colorado!!!! :shock:

Fri Jul 15, 2005 11:52 am

There are quite a few Vanagons equipped with Subaru SVX engines. 70-75 is what I normally cruise UPHILL on I-80 through the Sierras in my SVX Syncro. (Some crazies have taken the exact same set-up just shy of 140 mph on the flats.) I love leaving Honda rice boys in the dust ---

SVX = 3.3 liter, 235 hp, 4 cam, 24-valve, 10:1 cr, 7,000 rpm.

Fri Jul 15, 2005 12:02 pm

Yeah, it's gotta be a conversion if it's keepin' those kinda speeds on the hills. The Subaru is probably the easiest and best conversion, but lotsa folks do a golf or jetta engine too. Not as much HP as the Suby though. I read one post here a while back about some guy that shoehorned a turbo Porsche 6 cyl. into one :shock: Man, I bet that hauls.

Fri Jul 15, 2005 1:50 pm

gears,

did you buy your vanagon converted? or did you do it/have it done?

where did you get the conversion kit? ground clearance loss? decklid still closes? how much for the setup?

thx

tom
85 westy

Fri Jul 15, 2005 1:53 pm

I think there are a number of Porsche 6-cylinder and Audi 5-cylinder Turbo Vanagons running around. I just like the economics of engine replacement with the Subaru conversion (both 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder).

Fri Jul 15, 2005 1:56 pm

"Use the SEARCH, Luke"

Like tire debates, there are many posts and threads that revolve around engine swapping. I for one, have not totally decided what the best conversion is. I like my TDIs, I like Subys, I like built Vanagon engines. Our van is an automatic. I don't know what we will do. The wife acknowledges that we will have to do something about a new engine in the next year or so. So I just have to decide what is best for us. I too have littler children and we want to use our Westy. So it has to be good. Now we are working towards that goal.

Sat Jul 16, 2005 12:12 pm

VW Man, I had a pro do my conversion. (While I have some mechanical abilities, it was a much cleaner option for me.)

The SVX engine looks like it came with the van. It fits perfect, and runs flawlessly. The oil pan is shortened for clearance, and the custom exhaust system (with Cat) also gives great clearance. Kennedy and others sell kits for the conversions.

But --- there are other choices in engines out there, too.