Another 1776 Bus Build

[Murt]

Well, it’s that time of life fast approaching gents, and I’ll give you a short back drop to the story.

I have a tidy 66 Beetle (65 build year) running a 1776 that was built for me.

And I have a 67 (66 build year) Split screen Kombi/Camper Bus currently running a pretty strong AD code 1600 stock engine.

I also have a very tidy stock AE 1600 as a spare that hasn’t been run up in a few years, and also a AR code 1300 DP, (which is now 1641) spare engine with dual ICT34’s also as a spare which runs great on the stand, and which is my 1679 candidate as I have a nice new set of AA machine in thick wall 88’s to replace the 87’s.

I plan on retiring from work at the end of July this year, and currently setting up a garage/workshop to keep both vehicles in, and to have a nice space to work in. I haven’t really thought up until now about what I am going to do with my new found spare time, but have always wanted to pull down an engine myself, and rebuild it myself with my own hands. I have spent hours lately watching YouTube videos, and scouring this site for combinations of what to go for. Obviously apart from maintenance, I won’t be doing anything on the Beetle engine, but have finally decided to build a 1679, and a 1776 from the engines I have. I have been lurking about the threads on the 1679, and spent some time on the 1776’s, and have pulled together a list with what to go for the Bus 1776.

Obviously I think I want to keep on with using the 69, rather than going 74, although one of the cases will have be sent off for machining to suit the 90.5’s depending on how things work out.

My thought is to keep this thread open, and document the build with photos as I go, and hopefully using a friend I have who is very savvy on VW stuff, and will also be relying on some help/guidance from you guys on the Samba to keep me on track.

The goal of this is to have a camper that my wife, me and the dog can get into and start having some new adventures. I really don’t want a stroker, I don’t want big power or big revs. I just want something with a bit more power than the current 1600 TP and the key word for us would be reliability.

I won’t be cheaping out on parts, but also want value for money

So for the 1776 build these are the parts I can get, or already have in my stash. Can you guys review the recipe, and help me definitively get to what I’m looking for


Stock AD 1600, and Stock AE cases both look very good with no leaks, or visible corrosion at all (already have)
Stock 69 Crank (all rotating parts to be eventually balanced)
Mahle 90.5 B&P set
Mahle 92 B&P set
Stock, or 1.25:1 rockers ?
New Split Screen Bus CSP single quiet pack Exhaust system (1.5”/38mm for Heat and Dual Carbs) (already have)
040 Autolinea Stock heads (35.5/32 valves) need to be bored 90.5/92 and CB Performance 044 90.5/92mm with 40x35.5 valves (already have)
Twin (Italian) genuine Weber IDF36’s and Type 1 Vintage Speed best linkage for IDF’s (already have 2 complete sets, 1 set new, and the other used)
Stock Cooling (Doghouse and OE Tinware) (already have)
Stock 26mm Schadek oil pump (already have)
200mm Heavy Duty Clutch pressure plate and disc (already have)
Stock 200 mm Flywheel (already have)

And Compression Ratio, am I looking for Looking for 8.5 ??


The Camshaft could be the sticking point here though, and where I am totally unsure ? In the UK I can get the Engle W100 and the W110, the Fk07 or Fk-43. I can get the CB cheater cam, or the Scat C25 ? and cannot find the Fk-41 anywhere in Europe

I already have
CSP Type 1 3 bolt cam gear, and Engle’s single HD springs (specs below

• Inner diameter: 0.93149 in
• Outer diameter: 1.26181 in
• Spring force at 1.55906'' inst. height: 102 lbs
• Usable range of spring (street use): 0.52795 in
• Spring force at 0.52795'': 207 lbs
• Max spring range before block: 0.68346 in
• Fully compressed height: 0.86102 in


Engle valve retainers chromoly and Performance Engle lifters with a weight of 98g

Over to you gentlemen, can you help me with the 'correct' recipe for what I need ?
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1966 VW Beetle ‘Jules’
1967 Kombi Splitscreen ‘Barney’
2018 VW Caddy Maxi R Line
2017 Golf GTD saloon
2008 VW EOS 2.0 TFSi

[Brian_e]

Little confused on your list of parts you already own.

The Mahle 92's will be thin wall so scratch those, and use the 90.5's.
Hard NO on the CB 40x35 heads for this application.
Stock rebuilt crank and rods will be perfect.
36IDF's will be fine.
Stock rocker arms on solid shafts.
Of the cams listed, I would do the w100.
Stock push rods cut down will be fine.

The 040 heads will need some work, just like any off the shelf heads. You will need to pull them apart and blend the bowls, get a real valve job done, and back cut the intake valves. I prefer the aa500 heads with the better chamber, and better ports, but you can make the 040 about as good.

Make sure you get the deck height dialed in. Shoot for .045", and then run 8.5.

The 1 1/2" VSpeed ss143 muffler will be good also, and you can still use the heater boxes if needed.

Take your time and check and measure EVERYTHING. Don't final assemble anything until you have done a full 100% mock-up of the entire engine.

I would also be VERY VERY careful what advice you are taking from the Youtube. Most of what I have seen is horrible, and wrong.

Brian
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www.type-emotorsports.com

[Alstrup]

What Brian said.
I am biased on the cam. The W100 will work fine, but I like the 2280 for a bit more lower end torque. The 2232 is also an alternative. So is the Nowak 40, especially if you are not affraid of compression. The C25, NO! The other ones are too agressive.
The cam choice - should - also be slightly coloured from the choice of transmission /gear ratio. - you would want the engine to be in its comfort zone in the cruise rpms.
Heads. I have been out of the British loop too long, so I do not know who to send you to to get the heads done. But yes, there lies both power, temperature control and fuel efficiency in getting that right
X2 on the SS 143. Very good exhaust for a bus.
Linkage... Shelf those push pulls and get yourself something proper, which will pull even and stay in sync.
Get tall manifolds and the tallest stacks you can fit in the filters. CSP has some nice 36 IDF specific stacks and filters. - A little pricey, but worth every penny. Then the engine is much easier to dial in and you can improve your torque band significantly.

Have fun.
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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=435993

[Murt]

Hi gents
Many thanks for taking the time to respond, it is greatly appreciated

Hi Brian
Yes, the confusion probably lies with the fact, that although retirement has sort of crept up on me, I have been squirrelling away parts now for about a year and a half, as I’m generally very organised, and want to be sure that when the money gets tighter, that I have most of the big hit items on hand

I have got the forged 90.5 Mahle B&P set, although was tempted to get the AA 90.5 cast set, as I have also got the AA thick walled 88’s for my 1679 and they look really good, is it always preferable to get forged ?

Anyway, for the 1776 Bus engine

I will go with standard valve 040 Autolinea heads, bored out, and fettled as you suggest, as the AA500’s are like rocking horse doo doo over here. Do you suggest new HD springs with the chromoly retainers etc., or just go with what they come with ?

Cam is easy, and they have the W100 in stock over here ready to ship, a CB Cheater has to be shipped from the USA and is currently approx 12-16 weeks delivery !!!

I have the CSP exhaust already, but really do like the VS Bus exhausts as well, currently running VS on the 1776 in my Bug.

I promise, I will take my time, and WILL measure everything 5 times, assemble check again, and then box it up. I will also of course not take YouTube advice as gospel, as last week saw a hack video about porting manifolds, and it was hilariously unfunny !!

Hi Alstrup
Thank you too for your input
I suppose to put it into context, the Bus is bone stock suspension wise, and is still running stock gearbox (transaxle ??) and is still running RGB’s. I do intend now to buy the CSP linkage for the Weber's, rather than the push pulls.

CSP is ultra expensive to us in the UK now since we left the clowns that are running Europe, and now have taxes and Import duties applied since Brexit, the good news is my son lives and works in France, and as such I just send bits to him and collect when we visit. When I retire at the end of July, we are back out to France for 2 months, so will hopefully have a stack of goodies waiting there for me, as you mentioned, I happen to have some of their stacks already in the stash, as you say, the stuff is pricey, but it’s really good quality

I am hoping to have fun, and will surely be back onto this thread to update progress, and to ask more questions, but once again thank you gents.
Dave
_________________
1966 VW Beetle ‘Jules’
1967 Kombi Splitscreen ‘Barney’
2018 VW Caddy Maxi R Line
2017 Golf GTD saloon
2008 VW EOS 2.0 TFSi

[Clatter]

This is one i did last year with some great input from members here:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=776289&highlight=jeffs

FWIW, I'm a big proponent of counterweighted cranks, especially in buses.
If there was one improvement, that would get my vote.
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Bus Motor Build

What’s That Noise?!?

[Murt]

@Clatter, Just read this thread from start to finish, and thoroughly enjoyed it, some great insights thank you
_________________
1966 VW Beetle ‘Jules’
1967 Kombi Splitscreen ‘Barney’
2018 VW Caddy Maxi R Line
2017 Golf GTD saloon
2008 VW EOS 2.0 TFSi

[MuzzcoVW]

Biased on the cam here as well. Thumbs down on the W100, 2280 would be awesome. There must be a way to source one faster from someone? Funny thing for me here in New England... parts delivery is faster from the U.K. or France than it is from California...

[Murt]

Strange how we get stuff from all over the world

_________________
1966 VW Beetle ‘Jules’
1967 Kombi Splitscreen ‘Barney’
2018 VW Caddy Maxi R Line
2017 Golf GTD saloon
2008 VW EOS 2.0 TFSi

[MuzzcoVW]

[Alstrup]

[Murt]

Hi @Alstrup
OMG !!! been looking at Cams, and trying to decipher what LSA and ICL with regards to lobes etc, and it's freaked me out that's left me feeling at how poor my actual understanding of the subject matter is.

I've been looking for the FK41 you mentioned, but couldn't find a reference to it at CSP in Europe, and VW Heritage are looking at 18 weeks on their site, and said it could be longer

_________________
1966 VW Beetle ‘Jules’
1967 Kombi Splitscreen ‘Barney’
2018 VW Caddy Maxi R Line
2017 Golf GTD saloon
2008 VW EOS 2.0 TFSi

[Alstrup]

It will work put together like most do Its just that if you pay attention to all these little details you can end up with a better running engine. The milder the cam the lesser the difference. But there is a difference.
Like I wrote earlier, the W100 will suit your build just fine. It is actually one of the situations where it works relatively well.
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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=435993

[Murt]

Hi @Alstrup
Just took delivery of a set of Cylinder Heads. These are the ‘AA’ heads from the JP Group in Denmark 🇩🇰 and look OK. I’ve read that the valves and guides are sketchy ? But going to send them off to open out to 90.5 anyway. I also sent the 040 Autolinea ones back, and have replaced them with another set of these, but from another seller who has the ‘Genuine’ AA ones, which I’m guessing will be exactly the same ? (These haven’t arrived yet, due this week).

_________________
1966 VW Beetle ‘Jules’
1967 Kombi Splitscreen ‘Barney’
2018 VW Caddy Maxi R Line
2017 Golf GTD saloon
2008 VW EOS 2.0 TFSi

[MuzzcoVW]

I was under the impression that the valves in the type 1 AA heads are totally fine, at least the stainless ones. I'm curious to see what others say.