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  View original topic: What motor & transmission should I run in my bug?
Baze Mon Jun 26, 2017 5:06 pm

Hi, I'm new to the site and wanted to ask for others opinion on this debate I've been having with myself. I have a 1966 vw Beetle that the previous owner put a Baja kit on, it ran great then I blew the piston and figure I would buy a new motor and transmission since they both are original to the car (so I was told). So the question I have is what motor size should I get and with what transmission, I would like to use the car as a daily driver, my drive to work is primarily freeway and I like to cruise around 75mph (the flow of traffic) but I would also like something I can take out on a dirt road and have the power to have some fun. The tires I'll be running are 31x10.50R15LT in the rear and 225/75R15 in the front. I would like to use these tire sizes since that's what's on the bug right now. Thanks for reading any suggestions on what setup you think would work best for what I would like to do would be appreciated.

Dale M. Mon Jun 26, 2017 5:24 pm

Is there a problem with transmission?.... IF not why replace it?....

Something mild with a little pep...For motor try something in 1776cc to 1835cc range and run about 8.5:1 compression ratio and maybe consider dual 40 HPMX carbs and mild cam..

Dale

Baze Mon Jun 26, 2017 7:56 pm

I was informed that the stock transmission isn't the best and that I might want to consider a new transmission geared more for freeway speeds since the stock transmission would have to push its self harder than it should be. Is that true at all?

Mal evolent Mon Jun 26, 2017 8:29 pm

Quote: The tires I'll be running are 31x10.50R15LT in the rear and 225/75R15 in the front. I would like to use these tire sizes since that's what's on the bug right now.

You would need 4.88s to turn these with a small motor, or 4.56 with a mid range motor. what you have in a '66 trans are 4.375 gears.

Baze Wed Jun 28, 2017 1:16 am

If I do with the setup that dale said with the 1776cc motor with 8.5:1 compressionwith dual 40 HPMX carbs and maybe a 110 cam work good with the 4.56 gears or would the stock gears work better for my need/wants?

Mal evolent Wed Jun 28, 2017 5:51 am

I had 31-10.50-15s with a 1776 and 4.125 gears. I could not get into 4th in town, on the county roads it drove like I was towing a car hauler. max speed 45. that means the cooling fan was barely moving air

I went to 235-75 R15s, which look like 31-10.50-15s and that let me get to about 60.

changing tires is much easier and cheaper than changing gear ratios, and if you use the same size all around you can get by with one spare.

rockerarm Wed Jun 28, 2017 7:59 am

Hi. Or an option would be to utilize the Bay Bus 002 trans with the 5.37:1 R&P. The bus trans used to be a favorite with many Baja/Buggy builds.
You would need to convert your car to IRS.
You would also need to plot out the gearing on graph paper to see if the costs involved would get you to your goals.
You can contact Scott, a member here, at mcmscott. He runs a shop down in Sanger, Ca and is more than qualified to answer your questions, make suggestions as to what works and what doesn't, and can do the work.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=216444

Hope this helps, Bill.

YDBD Thu Jun 29, 2017 6:44 am

Just gonna say 75 in a baja is not enjoyable, and not very safe on the highway.

Since your in Sacramento run over to Bugformance, haven't been there in years, but they have always been a big help when I stopped by and have one of the guys check our your baja.

Big tires also don't like the speed...the transmission gear recommendations higher than stock will get you going faster, but won't get you faster. If you still have the stock trans it will be the best for highway speeds.

my '64 had an IRS and I bumped to a 4.37 RP with 30x10's and would run at about 60-65 pretty well.

Mal evolent Thu Jun 29, 2017 8:14 am

a thing that eludes many people: the brakes don't stop the car. the brakes stop the tires. larger tires have more leverage and are harder to stop. if you increase the tires to 31-10.50-15; oversize tires on a Jeep or a Bronco, you need to increase your rear brakes to Type 3 drums or disc brakes.

Baze Thu Jun 29, 2017 9:12 am

I have disc brakes in the back and drum in the front.
What tire size should I run with other than stock since stock tires look way to small for the bug?

I Ride Sand Thu Jun 29, 2017 9:33 am

Mal evolent wrote: I had 31-10.50-15s with a 1776 and 4.125 gears. I could not get into 4th in town, on the county roads it drove like I was towing a car hauler. max speed 45.

so downshift :lol:



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