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Sun Oct 27, 2002 7:41 pm

I just bought a 62 23 window and i can only get it up to 55mph and that's down hill!. I realize that it is about all stock but 55mph. does that seem right?

Sun Oct 27, 2002 9:07 pm

what are you running? is the tranny stock? my 59 was pushin hard to do 50 with the stock tranny.

Sun Oct 27, 2002 9:39 pm

thats why those reduction boxes need to go! i can send my spedo needle into my idiot lights! not that i have a problem with stock height busses, but me personally, i hate the slow lane.

Mon Oct 28, 2002 12:01 am

Well, 55 seems a bit slow, my stock tranny, in my '67 could push to 70-ish. But 55, pretty bad. I'd look at your engine, make sure it's in top shape, and timing is good, and that the engine is advancing properly. Check your clutch too! Are you slipping? you'd be surprised how a quick clutch adjustment can gain you a lot of power(if it's already mis-adjusted) Just make sure you're all in good shape, and that your tires have plenty of air, and aren't smaller than stock. etc.
Size of the engine is also another big factor. If i were you, and i had a stock 28-pict, I'd up it to a 30/31, cause those have larger venturi's, and can gain you noticable HP, and acceleration. Good Luck.

Mon Oct 28, 2002 1:09 am

Shit, I WISH I could get my Busses to 55. I have a '55 European Kombi, all original with a stock 36hp and a split case trans, bias plies, etc. The thing is tuned correctly and everything, decent compression, etc. and I have gone as fast (slow) as 45mph with it FLOORED on flat ground. I have hit 50mph with it heading downhill and long runup, floored. Consider yourself lucky!

Mon Oct 28, 2002 8:56 am

First off, BUSES ARE SLOW! If you want something to go fast, buy another vehicle.

The first buses had what people have nicked named the "small nut" tranny. These trannys were geared very low do to the weak engines that VW put in (i.e. 36hp). These buses only had a maximum speed of 50-55 mph. Barndoor buses maxed out at 45-50 mph. When VW switched to the larger "big nut" tranny, speed was increase to about 60-65 and in '67 only, they geared the tranny one more time to get a few more mph on the top end.

If you really want to get more speed, then switch to a big nut tranny or put in a freeway flyer. I would not recommend switching to a bug tranny unless you want to lower your bus. Other wise, your ass end is going to sag and look very funny.

Mon Oct 28, 2002 9:06 am

I have a '66 bus with a 1600 dp with my stock tranny and I could get it up to 70 mph but I feel there is no need to. The vehicle was not designed to got that fast in the first place. I keep it at about 55-60 on the freeway. At that speed, I can still stop my bus at a fairly decent rate and still have room to accelerate if I need to.

Mon Oct 28, 2002 9:11 am

I think you have something wrong, you have a small-nut tranny, you should be able to do 55 mph on flat ground pretty consistently but not much more.

My '55 Bus with a 36hp and stock tranny does 50-55 easy, it just takes forever to get there. I have 1/2 the pedal left. And my engine has over 100,000 miles on it.

My '60 Double Cab with a 40hp did 70 mph with no problems. You couldn't drive there for too long because it would get really hot but you could cruise at 55-60 mph forever.

Mon Oct 28, 2002 4:52 pm

Yo Man, I dropped in a freeway flyer, and documented it all, 50+ pic's of it all, and all the directions for anyone with some simple tools, and a jack. It's quite simple, and i love it, cause I can Drive so much faster now ;) I had a '67 big-nut, so it wasn't that bad, but I was topping out at like 65...with my DP I could get up to 72 downhill. But then It blew up, so I put the stock 1600SP back in, and then I was struggling at 65, plus I couldnt' hold it up hill, cause I was way out of the power band, not enough torque. Anyways, needless to say I'm loving the Freeway flyer, best $400, I've ever spent! better gas milage, and incredible speeds! :) Foots halfway to the floor at 65-70...it's great! I can hold it there forever and drive all day! It Rocks my face off!
Check out the "How To's"
www.geocities.com/indianavwkid

Mon Oct 28, 2002 9:04 pm

With my '67 13-window with a 1600sp, I was topping out at like 60-65. I probably could have gone faster, but at that speed my engine was just screeming, so I never pushed it. But the transmission is at the rebuilders right now, and I'm going to call him tomorrow to figure out gearing. I do know that it's going to have much better freeway gearing, it's starting to get rather annoying doing 60 the whole way to a show.

Andrew
'58 Panel Bus
'60 European Beetle
'67 Deluxe Bus

Mon Oct 28, 2002 9:08 pm

I'm not sure that it'll work out this way, but I plan on being able to get my speedo needle back around to zero. We'll have to wait and see.

Andrew
'58 Panel Bus
'60 European Beetle
'67 Deluxe Bus

Tue Nov 05, 2002 10:41 pm

ditch the reduction boxes and install a big motor. my doubledoor had a 2054cc and ran low 15's in the 90mph range in the 1/4 mile. notice i said "had". it blew up. you want to go fast or be reliable? i rather go fast!

Wed Nov 06, 2002 4:38 am

Eurosixty i like your style im going to ditch reduxes and my 2180 is all here but the carbs..that and no reduxe watch out fast lane i will be coming through...

Wed Nov 06, 2002 8:38 am

truckersmike said... (10/28/2002 at 7:56AM PST)

"First off, BUSES ARE SLOW! If you want something to go fast, buy another vehicle."

AMEN TO THAT BROTHER!!!!!!! ;-) It's not the speed you drive, rather it's the style in which you travel. . .

Nate
http://www.nateswaterart.com