Ok... come clean. How much did you spend.

[57 Rag]

Cummon guys..... I gotz ta know. I got this engine free. Crank good, cam good, case good, heads good and rods good. The only thing I had to do is buy pistons, jugs and do some machine. But of course like any good mechanic (with no patience) I figure if I'm in here do it right the first time. I did this about 3 years ago with my SS. I blew the motor and figure I'll stroke it. Did a 383 in my garage (minus machine work) and after all was said and done I was 10k in the hole.

Anyway this being said, I'm almost ready to throw it in and I think I'm up to about 4k. Yeah I bought some IDAs and everything needed to pull my 1600 and just set aside ready to go. Its a 2074 and was wondering if I should have just got a turn key. Anyway, HOW MUCH DID YOU GUYS SPEND on the motor??!!!!!
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57 Ragtop
84x94 86C
IDAs

[krusher]

Not a penny yet but trying to get a budget of $5k+ together before I start.

[Iowa Mark]

You mean the spending stops?

[Pfc J]

After much thought, I'm going turn key. So far I've saved over half my budget of 8k.
And it's all gonna go to Raby and I don't care.

[iltis74]

I figure I've got at least $6500 in parts and machine work for the long block. Add in the DTM and assorted tin, 45 dells with steel hex linkage, System One, a decent distributor (haven't bought one yet) and coil, various fittings, and probably a sidewinder.

The funny thing is that when I first started collecting parts I considered just calling Jake, but decided there was no way I was going to spend that kind of money. In hindsight I probably saved enough to not make it worth my while, but spreading it out over a few years has eased the pain some. It should be ready about the time the snow hits.

Thanks for asking.

[vwracerdave]

Whatever your budget is before you start, double it.
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2017 Street Comp Champion - Thunder Valley Raceway Park - Noble, OK
2010 Sportsman ET Champion - Mid-America Dragway - Arkansas City, KS
1997 Sportsman ET Champion - Thunder Valley Raceway Park - Noble ,OK
Featured in Dec. 2001 HOT VW's Magazine page 63

Watch my racing video's http://www.youtube.com/user/okvwracer/videos

[Mr. Loaf]

Who keeps track of these things? I'm thinking some where around $8500 but I know that it is probably more!
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Never drive faster than your Angel can fly
$24,100 was too hard to resist.................

[gt1953]

I think on average you have to at least allow 2k for a basic reliable engine.
_________________
Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.

72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold})

[slowtwitch]

I started my engine build 2 years ago, a type 4, 2.0. I finally have all the parts and everything has been balanced. Hopefully , I'll be putting this engine together, this fall.

So far, I have about $5200 into the engine. This is complete with a used DTM and A1 exhaust. The heads were done by Len Hoffman, Ceramic lifters, JE pistons, 78.4 DPR crank, CB H beams. The camshaft and race balance, were done by Jake Raby.

I also saved some money by having a good case ( which I bought for $50) laying around. I also did all the clearance work, on my mill.

If I have to build this engine today, it would probably run about $6500, or more.

pete

[Stripped66]

My wife thinks I've got $10K in my engine (parts alone)...she's probably right.
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[Jake Raby]

[Alan_U]

No price tag on happiness

I paid 1600 bucks on NOS italian IDA's when the USD was strong years ago. Peanuts considering the fun you get out of them.

People get freaked out spending 600 bucks on Schubek ceramic lifters (unobtainium now) or 400 bucks on Udo becker tool steel lifters from Germany. Why??? if that prevents you from cracking your engine case and eliminates cam/lifter breakin its worth every penny!!! Just imagine starting your virgin engine and not needing to rev it to 2000 rpms to breakin the cam/lifters NO nail biting here!! I have 4 sets of Udo lifters and 2 sets of schubeks in my stash so I'm set for life. Thats probably about $2500+ just on lifters.

Dont add up your reciepts. Keep a good stash when you want extras and your set. In the aircooled VW world I think redundancy is the key.

I'm such a parts whore its stupid.

Building an engine isn't easy but its rewarding. Saves you coin and you'll learn alot. Things are expensive but so everything in life. You cannot put a price on self gratification.

Look at Mark H's shitbox. He was running low 11's with an inexpensive engine. Not a high dollar engine and we use to shoot the breeze how impressive the dollar can buy this day and age.

You can build a somewhat reliable engine for a $1600+ bucks

$200 crank
$250+ used sleeved case with machining
$70 cam
$100 cb lightweight lifters
$200 H beams (whatever chinese flavor you want)
$35 bearings
$180 piston/cyl

thats aprox $1035 worth of stuff so far. Not my cup of tea to build it that way but stuff is inexpensive these days. If you have some stuff kicking around you can build a shortblock for very little money.
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11.92sec pump gas true daily driver. Who says it cant be done.

No more time for VW's.......

[buggofast]

Ive got close to 8k in my 2276, it'll go up over 10 this winter when I change p&c's and put on the turbo, but it should go 11's at least, not bad for a street car.

[dog_jr911]

~ $1600 gave me a strong 1915 that i can modify and make larger.

i can add ration rockers with my cam, and new pushrods. even some better carbs.


not everything has to be brand new.
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AKA Chris™
ROCKIN a ESP LTD F2E

[57 Rag]

LOLOLOL...... I just woke up and got here. Damn, I guess just like myself peps need to vent on this.

Dave hit it on the head. DOUBLE YOUR BUDGET!!

What turned me away from the turnkey in the first place was my sister and bro-in-law went and ordered one from a seller here on the board in Nov. Made non stop calls to them till June and nothing. At lest the builder gave them their deposit back. But now they have to start the process all over. The funny part is that he is a mechanic and knew it would be cheaper to get the turnkey. Another one of my friends got one also from a seperate builder and when he tore it down it was all crap parts. I know they are not all like that but its a real bummer and kinda affects your decision making as far as to build or not to build.
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57 Ragtop
84x94 86C
IDAs

[bpritchert87]

and building your own makes you feel great when you can point and say "damn I built that".... not many can say that..........
_________________
Knowledge is Power Read and Learn !!!

The Intelligence of a Man should not be measured by his age....


check out my sand rover t bug build! http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=287204

[COFBack]

Right at $6K for a 1776 (all new) turnkey

For comparison (I did the work on all of these).
2.5 K on a little 4 banger mitsubishi had to buy a new head take off 600
2.8 K on a 258 I-6 for my Jeep Commando
3.1 K on a 360 V-8 for my Grand Wagoneer
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[vwkyote]

I found it cheaper to buy an entire car with a motor than just the motor. $950.
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1972 Westfalia Bus
1968 Mantaray II Kyote
1953 Zwitter Beetle

[grimace007]

[Jake Raby]

Also double the time you think it'll take to complete the project....

Building things yourself is very rewarding, but don't forget that its not all glory.... Repairing mistakes is no fun, picking up scatterered pieces isn't cheap..

With the glory comes the risk, if you are like me you'll learn everything you know from those mistakes and broken parts.
Engine building isn't for everyone... Always remember that the combination that is created is just as important as the assembly- without a true combination you don't have an engine, you have a cluster of parts.

And bigger isn't better, smarter is always the winner.
_________________
Jake Raby
Raby Engine Development
www.rabyenginedevelopment.com
"I've never given anyone Hell, I just told them the truth and they thought it was Hell"