TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Nov 24, 2019 8:41 pm

I have been working on this for over a year but retired in May so I now have time to get busy with it. Most of the year was spent fixing and upgrading the camper interior, which for some reason, I took no pictures of. Here are some pics of the engine and transmission before and after the install. The engine is a brand new, zero miles AHU engine and the transmission is a completely reworked Air-cooled version with a 4.57 final, a 1.18 third gear and a.75 fourth gear. Wright gear box did the transmission for me. I am using a Kennedy conversion plate with the air-cooled bell housing.

Sun Nov 24, 2019 8:43 pm

These pics are of the exhaust system I built. I need to refine the muffler hangers a bit. but everything is in its place.

Sun Nov 24, 2019 8:48 pm

Next series of picture are pulling the air-cooled heater box and the brake assembly out to replace both. I first had to remove a bird's nest of added wiring for the old AC, an aftermarket stereo, a stereo power booster, speakers, aftermarket cruise control AND a jury rigged fan switch!

and this is everything back in its place, New brake booster, brake master cylinder, clutch master cylinder and a water-cooled heater box.

Sun Nov 24, 2019 8:50 pm

This will be the last major part of the underdash installation, a "BEHR" AC unit.

Here in Texas, I must have my AC!!! Hayden

Sun Nov 24, 2019 8:50 pm

Awesome!! I have a friend with an air cooled that wants to do the same thing. Going to send him this thread.

Sun Nov 24, 2019 8:57 pm

These last pics are of my air cleaner, it is a Donaldson and fits pretty nice in the passenger side of the engine compartment. The second picture is the location of my ECU in the Drivers side behind the tail light. Most people use this for the intercooler but I mounted mine over the driver's side of the transmission with a 6" fan. You can almost see it in the picture of the installed engine.

Sun Nov 24, 2019 8:58 pm

BTW, scariest part of this whole process so far was cutting the extra hole in the front of the van for the radiator/condensor/cooling fan!!!

Wed Dec 11, 2019 7:19 pm

After the Thanksgiving holiday, my son's wedding and a bout of bronchitis, I finally got to work a bit on the Vanagon swap today. I finished up some connections: breather hose and vacuum hose and then I laid out the Dave Marshall wiring harness to see how it is all going to look. This is first stage with all the connections in the engine compartment made (except for the power connection. I need to figure out exactly where to mount my relay cluster before I fix the wiring into place. onward and upward. Hayden

Wed Dec 11, 2019 7:29 pm

How do you like that 4.57 R&P? When you get around to driving it lets have a report.

Wed Dec 11, 2019 7:37 pm

I had some lengthy discussions with Wright on the configuration of the DK transmission after looking at what others have done. By the time I get the 16" wheels and tires on the vanagon, I think it will be very close to the RPM band that I want. Obviously, I won't know until I actually drive the thing. Honestly, If I could have figured out a way to go 5 speed and still have my house and wife, I probably would have gone that route but......Hayden

Wed Dec 11, 2019 9:11 pm

You forgot to mention that other sweet VW you have!

Every retired needs a nice classic and an every day outside toy to steward.

I do, but the classic sits in the third garage mostly. Van far more practical fun!

Keep having fun!

Wed Dec 11, 2019 9:22 pm

Yeah, I love the 47 bug. It is currently up on jack stands with the motor and trans out. I am having the trans rebuilt and doing some repair during the wintertime before show season starts in the spring.

Wed Dec 11, 2019 9:25 pm

dieseltdi wrote: Yeah, I love the 47 bug. It is currently up on jack stands with the motor and trans out. I am having the trans rebuilt and doing some repair during the wintertime before show season starts in the spring.

Wow, did it get older, or did you get a different one? Or just a fat fingered typo?

Thu Dec 12, 2019 7:07 am

Fat fingered it is a 57! Doha!

Thu Dec 12, 2019 10:46 am

What engine mounts are those?

Thu Dec 12, 2019 11:38 am

They came with a setup I bought from what was supposed to be a TICO (?) gas conversion. I didn’t see any part numbers.

Thu Dec 12, 2019 1:49 pm

They appear to be Mk2* Jetta trans mounts, with brackets produced by a gentleman in Oregon.

*I'm not entirely sure about that source, but I do know they're the same as found on a '93 Corrado VR6

Thu Dec 12, 2019 2:23 pm

Thanks for the info on the mounts. Here are a couple of pictures of the radiator and the grills mocked up.

Thu Dec 12, 2019 3:37 pm

Zeitgeist 13 wrote: They appear to be Mk2* Jetta trans mounts,

*I'm not entirely sure about that source, but I do know they're the same as found on a '93 Corrado VR6

I think they're also used in Mk3 VW's; the OP's mounts look like what I used on my ABA swap.

Neil.

Mounts I installed:

Fri Dec 13, 2019 10:18 am

Bookmarked.