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Thu Apr 21, 2011 6:18 pm

OK on the hunt for any one that has done a air cooled porsche conversion to an early vanagon (other than the factory-esque one) looking for any info on this thanks
Colin

Thu Apr 21, 2011 7:15 pm

Google is your friend
http://www.google.com/search?client=opera&rls=...p;oe=utf-8

Thu Apr 21, 2011 9:57 pm

I'm running a Porschegon/Vanagorsche. Originally had a 2.7L implanted from a 1977 911s, now running a 3.0L from a '83 911SC.
I didn't do the swap, bought it that way. It will require a little cutting and welding in the engine bay to accomodate engine mounts and access to the oil sump, plus some harness rewiring and building a hump into your deck lid to account for the taller CIS. Porsche motor bolts straight on to the Vanagon tranny. I'm running a stock 1981 Vanagon L 4 speed.
Not sure which Porsche motor you are looking at installing- FWIW, I've been told the best possible Vanagon combination is the 3.2L. Fits in the engine bay better, more reliable, etc. YMMV.
PM me for more info if you like.

Fri Apr 22, 2011 6:42 am

Colin, a friend of mine in CT had a 3.0 engine and 5 speed transmission from a Porsche 911 installed into his 80 Vanagon camper. The work was done by Reeves Calloway and came out quite nice. It ate BMW's for breakfast, but you could drive your grandmother to the Dr. in it. Engine was stock with CIS injection. It turned a lot of heads. He sold it years ago. I wish I was in a position at the time to buy it.

Fri Apr 22, 2011 8:22 am

there was a guy several years ago who towed his race car to the track with a 911 turbo Vanagon.
I believe it was a borduex red carat.
:twisted:

Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:29 am

What kind of hp/ftlb/mpg are we talking about with these swaps?

Fri Apr 22, 2011 11:40 am

hey Wolpi can we get some pics?

Fri Apr 22, 2011 12:08 pm

This is a bus, but might lead you somewhere....

http://www.type2.com/dakhlia/911bus/911bus.html

Fri Apr 22, 2011 5:09 pm

BlackDogVan wrote: What kind of hp/ftlb/mpg are we talking about with these swaps?

Not enough to make this a deciding factor. The 3.2 Carrera motor had 214hp and 207 lb/ft of torque. Just going by those numbers the Subaru EZ 30 at 212hp/210 torque and Subaru EG33 at 230hp/228 torque compare rather favorably.

That said, I have always lusted after a 3.2 Carrera powered Vanagon. I've owned an actual 911 Carrera 3.2 and the character of this engine is phenomenal. Any engine that has a sound and mid-range pull that quickens your heart beat is something worth experiencing.

Back in the 1990s Martin Schneider had a 3.2 Carrera powered Syncro and he reported 20mpg on the highway, and 15mpg in the city. These numbers seem reasonable for a Syncro.

David

Sat Apr 23, 2011 8:04 am

Are you going to the big Porsche swapmeet in Hersey this week end? You should be able to find a good swap engine out there.

The seattle area had a porsche shop that did a porsche engine/tranny/gage cluster/fucshs back in the 80s. I seen it running around a few weeks ago and that scream from the fan is still a head turner.

But

I have to agree with above. The subaru would be my first choise

jcl

Sat Apr 23, 2011 8:51 am

Are you referring to the Akers van?

Sat Apr 23, 2011 8:53 am

Sat Apr 23, 2011 9:02 am

I was always curious, did these conversions have the oil cooler up front where the rad would be? Might make for an expensive trip to the jiffy lube. :wink:

Sat Apr 23, 2011 9:08 am

a914622 wrote: Yep

I was living in my split-window van on Cap Hill back when that thing was a new conversion. It totally blew my mind at the time, since Vanagons were still fairly new to the market. Glad to hear that it's still running around. Can't wait to see Wolpi's rig once he gets it back on the road.

Sat Apr 23, 2011 9:32 am

a914622 wrote: Are you going to the big Porsche swapmeet in Hersey this week end?
jcl
Was going but its raining.

Sat Apr 23, 2011 1:58 pm

D Clymer wrote:
Back in the 1990s Martin Schneider had a 3.2 Carrera powered Syncro and he reported 20mpg on the highway, and 15mpg in the city. These numbers seem reasonable for a Syncro.
David

I know where the actual kit from Martin's Syncro is residing. It's a big 40-foot storage container with my name on the lease. The engine ended up in a nice Atlantic blue 914-6. Haven't been able to justify spending Porsche $ on a Vanagon yet. Was going to use the 3.2 in my old Ruf. Then I found out it's configured like the 3.0 instead of the 3.2 Carrera. Thinking of selling the kit.

Can't recall the first name. A fellow who's last name is Kennedy (no relation to KEP), put a 2.7 with a 915 trans in his Westy. IIRC, a pipe was used to bridge the vertical difference between the Vanagon shiftrod and the tailshift coupler of the 915 trans.

In contrast, Martin used a G50 trans in his 2wd 3.2 and V8 conversions. Last time I was in his shop, he still had a Doka with the G50 and Chevy V8. The guy doing his engine sheet metal work retired which is why Marty said he discontinued his kits.

Sat Apr 23, 2011 2:00 pm

My brother's 71 SC with a 2.7L 911S engine...
.

Sat Apr 23, 2011 7:07 pm

Well here is my deal, I am a shop owner specializing in porsche's and I happen to also have a VW van/bus problem LOL. So I figure why not combine the two of them! I would do it with a 3.2 carrera motor. Possibly with a G50 or a 915 gear box. Does any one have access to or can put me in touch with some one that has specifically done a 3.2 swap. Callaway is only about 2.5 hours from my location so I am not opposed to harrassing him for info but I am willing to bet he will have long forgotten the details. I have 2 1984 vanagon's and have thought about doing a 3.4l 996 swap (water cooled to water cooled) vs hunting down a aircooled vanagon since most of them seem to be pretty rough and in need of lots of TLC. I know there is no plug and play system for this conversion. I would give serious thought to prety set of PMO carbs on the 3.2 to loose all the cis stuff and essentially make it a clean and low hassle swap.
Colin

Sat Apr 23, 2011 8:36 pm

1984urq wrote: I have 2 1984 vanagon's and have thought about doing a 3.4l 996 swap (water cooled to water cooled) vs hunting down a aircooled vanagon since most of them seem to be pretty rough and in need of lots of TLC. I know there is no plug and play system for this conversion. I would give serious thought to prety set of PMO carbs on the 3.2 to loose all the cis stuff and essentially make it a clean and low hassle swap.
Colin

You can use a water cooled Vanagon as the basis for an air-cooled 911 engine swap. You just need to back date the heat distribution/fan box behind the dash for one from an air-cooled van and add the heater pipes from the heat exchangers to the front of the van.

Also, the 3.2 didn't use CIS. It used the first generation of Motronic. The standard Vanagon fuel delivery system is compatible with the required fuel pressure for the Motronic system. Porsche kept the wiring for the Motronic ECU pretty much seperate from the rest of the car's wiring, so it would be easy to adapt the system to the Vanagon. I'd retain the Motronic system rather than going to carbs.

David

Sat Apr 23, 2011 9:17 pm

Dont toss out the Motronic !! There are tons of guys putting the 3.2s in the older 911s. From what iv read the system is a straight forward swap. The g50 has a hyd. clutch as is the vanagon. The only head ace would be motor mounts. But the back cross bar behind the vanagon bumper has 8 drilled and taped holes for the diesel mount. You could make a 914-6 style for the rear.

of course the 996 would be sweet.

Akers Vanagon:
Denny is still rolling her around. Just goes to show that a good maintained 911 engine is good as gold!!