TheSamba.com :: View topic - 2.0ltr from a Vanagon transplanted into a 74 Bay

Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:04 am

Hey Volks,

I've been looking for a proper way to get my 74 back on the road.

Long (2 year) story short, I came across a rebuilt motor from a 80 Vanagon that was basically given to me. I took the fan shroud/heater boxes/alternator/ect off and started to replace them with the Bay Window parts.

The biggest problem I am having right now is with the heater boxes and fan shroud. The heater boxes have the 'square port' where the boxes attach to the heads, making it impossible to use the 74 Bay heater boxes ('round port' to head). Further off, the Vanagon heater boxes do not meet up with the Bay Window fan shroud. I'm afraid that if I use the Vanagon fan shroud then the alternator would not fit in the engine compartment.

Does anyone have any suggestions or know of any kits/other people who have put an Air Cooled Vanagon motor in a Bay?

Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:11 am

Get a pair of 79 Fed heater boxes.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=557862

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=557861

Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:30 am

Thanks. That looks to be exactly what I need.

Does anyone else know of any quirks with putting a Vanagon motor in a Bay?

This is what I am planning to use on the motor:
New Bosch SVDA with electronic ignition/Bosch Blue Coil
New Weber Dual Barrel Progressive Carb
'79 Fed Heater Boxes
'74 Fan Shroud/alternator/engine tin

Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:41 am

The motor bolts are a different size on the rear of the case.

You will have 2 dipsticks! [plug the hole on top...]

Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:54 am

Thanks again Karl. I hadn't noticed the motor bolts were a different size.

I was planning on using the Vanagon dipstick and fill spout. I think those match up with the fan shroud nicely but is there any other reason to use a Bay style fill/stick?

Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:44 pm

weld up the bay dipstick tube and use that oilfiller. there are threads dealing with the conversion if you search.

Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:21 pm

thanks again for the advice. Just thought I'd update this with my progress.

I got to put the motor in the other day (bus is parked back at home while I am away at college). So, nearly 3 years after I parked it, she is going to run again.

The only 'problems' i ran across are these:

-The baywindow engine support brackets that mount to the case had to be 'modified' to fit the vanagon case (I had to widen the holes about 2mm and get different bolts)

-I decided to use the Vanagon dipstick but you do indeed need to use the baywindow fill spout and plug the baywindow dipstick hole.

-I had to find a hose to adapt the oil breather (larger diameter than baywindow) to the carb.

everything else fits together just as baywindow stock and looks great. The only work I have left is putting the exhaust on (i don't foresee any problems with that) and getting a new electric fuel pump and lines.

Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:08 pm

thanks for the update.

as someone with a pretty new/rockin AC vanagon engine in a rusty ugly van, I hope to someday pick up a nice baywindow body and move it over without (hopefully) too many problems.

Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:39 pm

no prob airkooledchris.

as for baywindows, make sure to keep your eye out for '79 Federal heater boxes (or find a '79 Van with a bad motor but good square port exhaust on it). That was the most challenging part to the project - finding all the parts needed.

Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:50 pm

I wonder how much work it would be to use a Vanagon fan shroud and mount the alternator on top where the 73-74 models had an air pump? Yes I know the actual mounting points are not there and some welding would be required. The Vanagon shroud should give you a little more air than the Bay shroud, and I would think that the Vanagon alternator mounted heater fan would out perform the Bay system as well.

Tue Aug 19, 2014 11:40 am

What I'm wondering is why the '79 bus exhaust needs to be used? Why not use the whole Vanagon exhaust? (Assuming that the engine comes with it.)

Does the cooling tin not fit with the exhaust or something?

Mon Aug 25, 2014 10:37 am

vwwestyman wrote: What I'm wondering is why the '79 bus exhaust needs to be used? Why not use the whole Vanagon exhaust? (Assuming that the engine comes with it.)

Does the cooling tin not fit with the exhaust or something?

What I noticed was that the vanagon heater boxes do not fit with the bay window fan shroud. If you use the vanagon fan shroud when it is in a baywindow, you'll have to get creative with the cooling tin since the vanagon had a different tin set up from the bays.

If you get the '79 federal heater boxes, you can use the baywindow fan shroud and tin to fit it in the bus.

Mon Aug 25, 2014 11:41 am

philbrickvw wrote: vwwestyman wrote: What I'm wondering is why the '79 bus exhaust needs to be used? Why not use the whole Vanagon exhaust? (Assuming that the engine comes with it.)

Does the cooling tin not fit with the exhaust or something?

What I noticed was that the vanagon heater boxes do not fit with the bay window fan shroud. If you use the vanagon fan shroud when it is in a baywindow, you'll have to get creative with the cooling tin since the vanagon had a different tin set up from the bays.

If you get the '79 federal heater boxes, you can use the baywindow fan shroud and tin to fit it in the bus.

Great, thanks!

I will take a look at options with this, for sure. I may decide to get creative with adapting the Vanagon cooling tin to fit the bus body rather than buying a set of exchangers. We'll see, depends on what it looks like it'll take to fit.

Unless you still have the set from your motor you'd like to sell... I'm driving through Iowa in couple weeks, in part to get that motor!

Mon Aug 25, 2014 11:55 am

vwwestyman wrote: Unless you still have the set from your motor you'd like to sell... I'm driving through Iowa in couple weeks, in part to get that motor!

Let me take a look in the garage. I honestly cannot remember if I still have them.