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Fri Apr 25, 2014 9:38 am

Hey now. i am looking for a rebuilt aircooled engine for my 1982 vanagon campmobile. i want to rebuild my current engine, but in the meantime i would like to get the van back on the road with a reliable engine. it seems that both headflow masters and suburban engine exchange are reasonably priced and reliable with good reputations. i feel that it may be worth spending the extra grand or grand and a half compared to a bus depot/avp engine. however, i would love to find some local colorado business to work with and i am having trouble finding one. does anyone know of any reliable and reasonable colorado vw businesses that sell rebuilt engines. thanks so much!

Fri Apr 25, 2014 9:44 am

There are only a few places that reputedly know how to do good head work on a Type 4 engine. For use in Colorado you might want to be looking at getting higher compression pistons as well.

Fri Apr 25, 2014 10:00 am

I would recommend calling Painters Grinding in Denver. Building Air Cooled type 4 engines is a tough business and you get what you pay for. The guys building good engines spend more in parts than the cheap ones cost heading out the door with parts and labor. Painters is a good long established business.

Fri Apr 25, 2014 2:56 pm

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Fri Apr 25, 2014 3:18 pm

Rocky Mountain Westy wrote: I would recommend calling Painters Grinding in Denver. Building Air Cooled type 4 engines is a tough business and you get what you pay for. The guys building good engines spend more in parts than the cheap ones cost heading out the door with parts and labor. Painters is a good long established business.

If RMW is recommending a shop then that is where I would go....

Fri Apr 25, 2014 6:03 pm

agreed, painters grinding is the place.

Sun Apr 27, 2014 10:03 am

thanks- i have been talking to painter's grinding- they come recommended from quite a few people.

Mon Apr 28, 2014 9:51 am

i have heard such conflicting reports about painter's grinding. they come recommended from some very reliable people, but I have read a few reviews claiming they do poor, rushed work and don't stand behind the work they do. has anyone had any RECENT work done by them? thanks.

Mon Apr 28, 2014 12:35 pm

the more i research painter's grinding, the more apprehensive i am about using them. i have talked to both Wolfsburg autowerks and blazer automotive- both of these guys seem like they stand by their work and offer warranties for their work. anyone have any experience with them?

Mon Apr 28, 2014 5:12 pm

HeadyBrosevelt wrote: the more i research painter's grinding, the more apprehensive i am about using them. i have talked to both Wolfsburg autowerks and blazer automotive- both of these guys seem like they stand by their work and offer warranties for their work. anyone have any experience with them?

Oh dang,

I just replied on the other thread. If Either of these shop were to do your engine they would both do a great job.

I haven't had either one build me a engine though. I just know they both have good attention to detail.

Just put a Subaru engine in that thing and be done with it :wink:

Just teasing.. That isn't always the answer