TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Apr 08, 2014 6:12 pm

My new 66' beetle has a 59' 1200 engine in it and was wondering when they started the auto choke. I know a 63 or earlier will have the first carb beetles had, the 28 pict, not the 28 pict-. If I'm right, all 63 and earlier vw engines have the 28 pict carb. I'm curious about the choke on the carb because I know a 66 beetle had the auto choke carb, while a 59 had a manual choke if I'm right. What does this mean for me, will I be able to choke my carb? It's hard to describe, sorry...
Paul

Tue Apr 08, 2014 6:30 pm

The 40 hp engines starting in the 1961 model year had the auto choke in the USA/Canadian market. A '59 would have had a manual choke with the 28 PCI carb.

Tue Apr 08, 2014 8:14 pm

The engine in your car is a 36 horse and ALL the 36 horse engines had a manual choke.

You really need to begin your search for a bigger engine!

Wed Apr 09, 2014 3:55 am

Ok thanks. I'm actually kinda happy I have the simpler 1200 in my beetle, now I just have to make it work with my 66. I'd rather have a 1600DP but the beetle was $500, how much can I ask for

Wed Apr 09, 2014 9:15 am

The problem is with 36 horse power, it's usually not enough for most folks.

The 36 horse was slow. It will get you around, but you better not be in a hurry. The gas pedal becomes more of a switch then a gas pedal. It's either up or all the way down!

I have stock 36horse in my 55 and it does OK, but the car is only used for fun and we're never in a hurry to get anyplace.

Stepping up to something that puts out 50 horsepower is a world of difference and will actually make it more like a modern car in terms of performance.

About the only thing slower then what you have would be that engine in a bus.

Wed Apr 09, 2014 10:58 am

drscope wrote: About the only thing slower then what you have would be that engine in a bus.

Been there, done that. Stoplight drag race? Quickest across the crosswalk line, slowest after that.

Wed Apr 09, 2014 2:38 pm

I told him it wouldn't pull a sick whore off a piss pot,I guess I shoulda said it wouldn't pull the hat off a bald mans head..

Wed Apr 09, 2014 3:30 pm

ok so the motor is in there, but it is not running right?

You could add a choke cable, (It is a long cable) or adapt to the later carb with an electric 6 volt choke your car is still six volt right?

Ideally find someone that would like to trade motors with you, and upgrade to big motor for no cash out of pocket

you need a choke to run right at cold start ups thru the warm up period.

Wed Apr 09, 2014 7:30 pm

The 66 pan won't have a choke conduit, so he would have to mock something up. I know it's been done....

Wed Apr 09, 2014 10:55 pm

panicman wrote: The 66 pan won't have a choke conduit, so he would have to mock something up. I know it's been done....

You should be able to by a flex cable with flex sheath, that is how I'd probably do it, rather that rigid conduit. You can probably still by generic choke cables, maybe form some hotrod supply place. The length is a bit longer in the VW than in most hotrods however. else you may try a push/pull cable (control cable) from a non-automotive application, maybe an industrial supply place, tractor place or marine place.

you wont be able to use the stock VW cable with out adding the conduit or sheath of some sort, the factory welded a conduit in place. that is not a typical off the shelf part.
the factory chock knob was just tot eh left of the ashtray.

I do recall old school choke repair kits that have an L shaped braket to mount just below the dash to hold the chock knob. In fact I know you can still buy manual choke upgrades for later 1970's Triumph Spitfire cars, cause the factory water heated automatic choke failed, and it was better to convert to a manual choke than deal with the leaky, jam prone automatics!!!!

Thu Apr 10, 2014 8:10 am

I had a '65 with a 36HP motor and the PO had rigged up a push-pull cable into the dash to the right of the ashtray. Used the sheathed conduit, and they cut the wire and sheath to suit the installation. It probably was a generic JC Whitney part. I am not sure just how it was routed, though.

Thu Apr 10, 2014 7:39 pm

Routing is a problem unless you want to drill holes. Then when you discover how under powered the 36 horse is and replace it, you will have useless holes and choke conduit to deal with.

An electric choke 28 pict would be a better route to go.

Suggestion for the OP, refer to this engine as a 36 horse and NOT as a 1200! In most cases 1200 refers to the 40 horse engine and it is WAY different then a 36. Valve covers and gaskets, oil change gaskets and strainer are just a few basic parts that you will need and if you ask for 1200 stuff they aren’t going to fit this engine.

So calling it a 36 will get you the parts and answers that fit!

Thu Apr 10, 2014 8:12 pm

pdowty68 wrote: Ok thanks. I'm actually kinda happy I have the simpler 1200 in my beetle, now I just have to make it work with my 66. I'd rather have a 1600DP but the beetle was $500, how much can I ask for

All stock vw engines are at the same level of diffcultness

Like said before a 36hp engine does not have enough power for your '66 mostly due to the gear ratio in the tranny being engineered to have the hp from a 1300cc engine to push it

Fri Apr 11, 2014 7:22 am

pdowty68 wrote: Ok thanks. I'm actually kinda happy I have the simpler 1200 in my beetle, now I just have to make it work with my 66. I'd rather have a 1600DP but the beetle was $500, how much can I ask for
1200 is a 40 hp engine. older engines are 25 hp , 30 hp and 36 hp.

Fri Apr 11, 2014 1:29 pm

at anyrate I think the best bet to use this motor is to fit a six volt electric choke carb on it. that is what I would do for me.

but really I bet he could swap that early low powered motor for a later one for even trade assuming it is a runner, for a runner larger later motor. that would make the car a better daily driver. you get a bigger clutch too with the later motors, which is helpful cause the later cars weigh more and a re geared higher, cause they are supposed to have a more powerful motor. the early 36 and even the 40 Ho cars were geared much lower cause these are wimpy motors. later cars had a higher top end speed cause they changed the gearing cause the new bigger motors allowed them too.
a later car with an early motor can be a real dog accelerating. an early car with a later motor really accelerates, but has a limited top speed cause or redline limit.

so if you can, upgrade to a later motor. someone that wants to restore an early car may love to get your motor. get a 67 or later and you can convert to 12 volts too. else get an electric choke carb, else install a choke cable.