TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Jul 29, 2007 9:46 pm

[]I have seen some time many years ago in a VW mag a bug with the whole FWD engine and tranny from a Olds Toronado shoved under the rear of the Bug...Anyone know what im talking about? Im looking for info on that swap or others like it..Thanks..[/b]

Sun Jul 29, 2007 9:53 pm

Odds are it's a one-off conversion and custom fabricated... word of warning, you're not likely to get a whole lot of support doing such a conversion on a VW site. Why go down that road when you could build a VW engine for a lot less money and work that spank plenty of V8s?

Sun Jul 29, 2007 9:56 pm

Im not wanting to do a conversion. I was telling my bro about this and I was wanting to find pics to show him..

Sun Jul 29, 2007 10:22 pm

A wise Man once told me :D You can make anything fit anything with a torch :shock:

The determining factor for me has always been is it worth your time??

Sun Jul 29, 2007 10:54 pm

Yes,i have seen the magazine.I have it.Hot Rod magazines Volkswagen classics june of 1984. :D If i could figure out how to post pictures i will scan it and post it.Or i can scan it and send it to you.Bugnut68 is correct,it is a one off creation.

Mon Jul 30, 2007 5:13 am

When I was in San Diego in 1976 I saw a Porsche 914 with a 350 Chevy engine sitting in the rear using an Olds Tornado transmission. Never saw anything like it since........

Mon Jul 30, 2007 5:38 am

Yep I saw one at Liberty State Park in NJ , Must have been in the early 90's. I have photos somewhere. It was not only amazing work on the engine and trans but the car was a Chop Top Very well done. Also it had eight pipes in a row in a cutout in the rear apron.

Above the cut out was the License plate. The frame read "Porsches for breakfast Ferraris for lunch".

The V8 was mid engine, so no rear seating. Actually the rear behind the two front seats was a sealed compartment. Had darkened windows so you could not see what was going on in the rear. So it looked stock.

Must have been a monster, midengine and all that power. If I find the photos I will post them.

Mon Jul 30, 2007 6:26 am

Used to be one that showed up at the old Northwest Bug-Inn's at SIR in the early 80's. I think it was painted gold.

Mon Jul 30, 2007 7:22 am

Back in the 70s there was a company called Kellmark. They made a frame to fit the VW bug. It used a Corvair 4 speed transaxle with a Chevy V8 mated to it. The engine was in the back seat. I worked at a dune buggy shop in Maryland in the 70s. The owner had one but I never saw it run.

Mon Jul 30, 2007 7:43 am

Mr. Loaf wrote: When I was in San Diego in 1976 I saw a Porsche 914 with a 350 Chevy engine sitting in the rear using an Olds Tornado transmission. Never saw anything like it since........

I believe something like that was featured in one of the Volkswagen Greats Magazines.

Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:02 am

Henrym, Yep, that was the car it was gold. Wow that guy got around from NJ.

Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:11 am

henrym wrote: Used to be one that showed up at the old Northwest Bug-Inn's at SIR in the early 80's. I think it was painted gold.
The one I saw at the SIR was in 1998 or 1999? and the bug was black.
I'll scan those pics.

Mon Aug 04, 2014 10:54 am

[/img]

Mon Aug 04, 2014 11:30 am

here's a 911 with a caddy 500, does that count?

http://www.enercalc.com/porsche/

Mon Aug 04, 2014 5:21 pm

Wow, diggin out an oldie! The most memorable Old's Drivetrained VW I can think of was a Blue, and Pink Type 3. The only pic I could find was from a VW Trends Article from 03 about a car show called Familien held in Vista CA, near San Diego. It said that after spending $55,000 in the early 90's, it was for sale at the show in 03 for $19,000. I could see it in a Bus to tow, but since you're using a 40+ year old Old's Drivetrain, today I'd probably go for a V8, or something from one of VW's/Audi's SUV's

Mon Aug 04, 2014 6:15 pm

I'm not much on non VW engine transplants in our cars, but I have a soft spot in my heart for the Viper V-10 in the front of a Ghia done recently. A really nice custom.

Mon Aug 04, 2014 7:15 pm

Not VW, but I've seen a few Torovairs around.

http://jalopnik.com/5289510/perk-up-your-corvair-with-425-cubes-of-oldsmobility-torvair

Mon Aug 04, 2014 7:27 pm

miniman82 wrote:

Nothing says ghetto-tastic like a carpeted engine bay

Tue Aug 05, 2014 1:20 pm

What, it's flame retardent! :lol:

Tue Aug 05, 2014 5:49 pm

[email protected] wrote: Wow, diggin out an oldie! The most memorable Old's Drivetrained VW I can think of was a Blue, and Pink Type 3. The only pic I could find was from a VW Trends Article from 03 about a car show called Familien held in Vista CA, near San Diego. It said that after spending $55,000 in the early 90's, it was for sale at the show in 03 for $19,000. I could see it in a Bus to tow, but since you're using a 40+ year old Old's Drivetrain, today I'd probably go for a V8, or something from one of VW's/Audi's SUV's

I think Norm, the builder/owner, still owns it, actually. Saw a pic or two in Hot VWs in the last year or so.