TheSamba.com :: View topic - 1966 Bug with WBX (Vanagon engine) not hacked up!

Tue Oct 12, 2010 3:54 am

Hi guys. I usually hang out on the Vanagon forums. I though some might like to see a picture of my Bug. The radiator/ fan shroud is from a rabbit, expansion tank from a Jetta IV, stock Vanangon flywheel and clutch stuffed into the stock Bug swing axle, Vanagon rear heater under the left side of the rear seat and ducted into the heater channels. I have been using this set up for a couple years and its working out great, nice smooth power. Let me know if you want more pictures or info on it.

Andrew-

Tue Oct 12, 2010 6:08 am

Tue Oct 12, 2010 6:27 am

wow nice conversion, more info please

Tue Oct 12, 2010 6:37 am

i want some more info on this airbag setup as well :shock:

Tue Oct 12, 2010 10:57 am

xoo00oox wrote: Hi guys. I usually hang out on the Vanagon forums. I though some might like to see a picture of my Bug. The radiator/ fan shroud is from a rabbit, expansion tank from a Jetta IV, stock Vanangon flywheel and clutch stuffed into the stock Bug swing axle, Vanagon rear heater under the left side of the rear seat and ducted into the heater channels. I have been using this set up for a couple years and its working out great, nice smooth power. Let me know if you want more pictures or info on it.

Andrew-

Very nice conversion, and good looking deck lid seal set up with the rad and cooling fan, great work!! 8)

Tue Oct 12, 2010 12:05 pm

Nice work. Any overheating issues?

Tue Oct 12, 2010 12:33 pm

holy cow, I can hardly believe you got all of that to fit in there!

Tue Oct 12, 2010 1:54 pm

It all fits but is very tight. Nothing on the bug body was hacked to put this engine in. Everything was made to work around it. I have driven it on 100 degree days with not problems. The complete steering column is from a 1990 Cabriolet, all the switches are hooked up and working correct. This gives me a locking steeing column and intermittent wipers and a nicer wheel to hold. The air bag is not hooked up yet. I have the computer and crash sensors and harness to do so just can't find the time. The rear seat is from a Scirocco (rare leather) and the front seats are nice after market. Three point belt in the front and rear. Porsche 911 complete headlights, not just lens. Porsche 944 wheels, 6.5 front and 7" rear. Tires never rub. Not built to be a race car, just a nice driver. It is very quick and smooth power, about 31 mpg.

Tue Oct 12, 2010 2:04 pm

well done.....is this what VW should've done to the Beetle?? (Poll even)

Tue Oct 12, 2010 2:34 pm

Again, nice to make all that fit! I think I'd feel too cramped though in those seats, but they look pretty cool. Also, I'm not sure if using an airbag in a vehicle not designed for it is the best thing to do.

I do have one comment/story to tell... In this photo here, I see you are useing exhaust heat wrap on the header on cylinder 2:

xoo00oox wrote:

Just a word of warning for you. I was using either that same wrap or something very much like it myself on the Baja extractor on my Baja a couple of years ago, seeing if it made any difference in oil temperatures, I wrapped the pipes running next to the oil filter on the oil pump that I had on there. It didn't make any difference, and if anything, I found that when I'd hit the wrapped pipe with my Infrared thermometer it would read hotter than the other unwrapped side of the engine. I know it made no difference in oil temps because I switched out to a filterless stock oil pump for a while, that is when this photo was taken:

I know I never did the greatest job of securing the wrap, although I later did put on some stainless band clamps for it, I still left my initial baling wire wrap on the ends.

But once I realized it wasn't helping me any, I should have taken the stuff off, but I was lazy and left it on there after I put my filter pump back on. Then one night I started hearing excessive exhaust noise. I stopped and found the leak under that wrap. I used my pocketknife to cut off that heat wrap, and underneath, it was rusted out badly! I found a soda can on the side of the road and cut it up and clamped it around there, enough to make it home. Later when I got a new header in, took this photo when I went to change it out, this was my number 4 header pipe:

Argh!!

-Andy

Wed Oct 13, 2010 5:15 am

Thanks for the comments guys. The reason that the heat wrap is on the exhaust is because the fan pulls air from the bottom of the car and blows upward. I thought it might be a good idea to try to have the pipes as cool as possible. I don't think it made any difference. I should pull it off. And you are right that its not wise to fool with airbags, but I still plan to hook it up and hope I never get to test it. The front seats are great. They feel as nice, hold you fron sliding around, tilt forward nice and are holding up great. But if you are really big it would feel tight. I have "chevy" adapters that I re-drilled for the Porsche bolt pattern to let me use these wheels.

Wed Oct 13, 2010 9:55 am

8) Dude.....that is awesome very nice install. I love your cars color too I have the same.

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Sat May 04, 2019 1:39 pm

Nice Job, bump😎

Sat May 04, 2019 4:21 pm

xoo00oox wrote: Thanks for the comments guys. The reason that the heat wrap is on the exhaust is because the fan pulls air from the bottom of the car and blows upward. I thought it might be a good idea to try to have the pipes as cool as possible. I don't think it made any difference. I should pull it off. And you are right that its not wise to fool with airbags, but I still plan to hook it up and hope I never get to test it. The front seats are great. They feel as nice, hold you fron sliding around, tilt forward nice and are holding up great. But if you are really big it would feel tight. I have "chevy" adapters that I re-drilled for the Porsche bolt pattern to let me use these wheels.

Very nice conversion. I would say though that reversing the air flow so it comes in the top and blows through the bottom would probably be a lot more efficient and reduce the engine temperature.

Sun May 05, 2019 7:34 am

is that a vanagon graveyard in one of the photographs?

nice looking conversion you have done

Bug On!

Sun May 05, 2019 2:28 pm

Wow.

Very very nice.

Max