Goldilocks motor for goldilocks bug.....

[RandyV]

So I'm almost ashamed to already start asking since I just bought & it has a running motor already...but....

'56 Oval ragtop, going to be a true goldilocks (I've done full-tilt 2 liter w/ 5 speed trans etc. decades ago). Things as pricey as they are these days, I'm after value as much as anything...

1.) Current 1500 (I suspect maybe 1200?) is far underpowered for today's roads. Want to get up to 70mph quickly/safely within reason.

2.) Tempted to go single-carb as I've done IDF's, IDA's and at my age now I'm almost more interested in MPG, ease of decklid, spark plugs, dropping motor, etc.

3.) Don't want to push so much power I need a $5K transmission.

Thoughts/suggestions?? TIA

Current cruiser....

Previous beast.....

[Glenn]

Stick with the stock 36hp if it's running well.

Chrome tin, chrome 009 and clear red cap.... classic 1980s .
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
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[Chickensoup]

forced induction and single carb seems up your alley.
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[evanfrucht]

[Glenn]

[jeffrey8164]

[Rome]

If you take a few photos of your current engine, we'll be able to ID it if 1200 40 hp or 1500+ single-port. Turn your camera flash ON, not just on automatic, since you are shooting into a dark area. 1. Overall photo. 2. Take another photo of either side of the engine so that we can see the outer side of the intake manifold as it bends down to the head.

Is your transmission an original type from a '56 in which 1st gear is not synchronized? You can't shift into 1st while moving or it'll grind? My suggestion for a mild single-carb stronger engine would be to buy a stock-spec late swingaxle trans with the 4.12:1 final drive ratio. Good compromise between highway speed and acceleration.

Good friend has an original '63 Beetle with 40 hp engine where he wants more power. My suggestion to him is to build a 1679 cc single-port (88 mm thick-wall cylinders which require the head to be bored to the same ID as for 90.5 mm but slip into the stock case openings) based on a 1500 or 1600 case. Will look like a 40 hp fresh-air shroud engine at first glance, with either a 30 PICT-1 carb with the round float bowl that looks like a 40 hp 28 PICT-1 or possibly a 34 PICT-3, and 1500 intake manifold. 40 hp air cleaner, old style 12 V voltage regulator mounted on top of generator, very mild cam such as CB 2280 and 1.1 rockers. Goal would be 65-70 hp that could do 75 mph for hours.

[RandyV]

Thanks guys! Ya, by "Goldilocks" what I meant was kinda...

Not too fast
Not too slow
Not too expensive
etc. etc.

Draw 3 circles and intersect them but only by about 1/3 in the middle.
Circe 1 = "Power"
Circle 2 = "Displacement/Carburetion/etc"
Circle 3 = "Cost"

In the middle of those 3 circles ideally is a sweet spot....exceptions, yes, but that's the gist.

And here's a few pics of the motor...(I also wiped the side of the carb to see it's a 30 PICT1 for more info.

[Rome]

Good going with the photos! You have a 1200 cc 40 hp. Also have a later, 40 hp rear apron which significantly facilitates installation of a larger engine (1300+) because it creates more room to move the engine fore and aft for removal and installation. If your 40 hp engine has its fresh air type heater boxes, you'll need to remove those first before you attempt to remove the engine. Reason is, that the tops of the HB will hit the bottom edge of the engine firewall as you slide the engine rearwards. When VW converted from the stale air to fresh air heater system in ~mid '62, they also changed the shape of the firewall bottom edge to raise it upwards in the outer sections. That added height allowed removal of the engine with the HB installed.

[Alstrup]

What Rome said.
Stock or modified stock carb. Sure. Here is a nice 1955 w. modified 34 mm solex carb.

Here is a 1914 where the guy focused on max torque for a 181 dual purpose Thing. - The two lines are the difference between a modded oil bath filter and a gutted filter with a K&N unit installed. The intake has been improved further at a later date, but I have no results on paper of that, but he said that the peak torque dropped 5 Nm but the engine kept the torque for another 350 rpm. So at the end of the day an enginbe with a wider powerband.

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[oprn]

I like Rome's advice, that is what I would do.

And for God's sake get rid of the red paint on the fan shroud! Yuck! The rest of the car is perfect as is!
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[mark tucker]

proper built stroker 90.5 bore with duel idf's tuned right will out perform a single is every way especialy millage. remember its' your foot that regulated the power. and you brains that regulate how long the build will last. build it like poop and it will last like poop. it's up to you. do it right do it 1 time, be done and have fun and forget about it.

[RandyV]

Thanks guys!!

Rome -- Thank you! I was about 90% sure it was (was told it was an S/P 1500) but I could almost gage by just power output alone.

Alstrup --- Torque indeed! (I used to shift my 2007cc at 7,500rpm in first) Torque is more important to me now than HP. Although at 1914cc (assuming 69 x 94?) I also know great benefits are gained with long stroke, stock length rod and a nice small piston. (Though stroker = $$$)

oprn --- Well, that's it that shroud is staying red now. Indeed....one look at my old motor.....(Believe it or not, I even revamped it to 50% brass + 50% chrome a year after the VW Trends shoot)....and you should know my motor will not stay ugly...no way, no how.

Mark ---- Dual carbs I love....ABSOLUTELY LOVE! I just like the simplicity that comes from the single. (Nothing decided yet) And one look at my old license plate frame should tell you all you need to know. (Well I lie, I had Dave build me a 5 speed after....I hope to act more wisely these days...LOL)

[mark tucker]

duel carbs are simple to me,weather duel 4bbls or duel 2bbs like on these cars. it's the guys that have to keep effing with then that have constant issues. thats not the carbs fault....you cant fix stupid.

[RandyV]

[Alstrup]

[RandyV]

[Rome]

RandyV, the H apron comes up higher along each side of the quarter panel as well as in the center. Since the engine compartment rear opening slopes upward from the bottom of the apron, the increased height of the H apron reduces the front-to-rear space where you can pull the engine rearwards off the trans input shaft. In the late 1980's I bought a '56 Beetle that had a measly 1300 engine in it. I had already removed a few engines from my '64 Ghia, but when tacking the 1300 in the Beetle I discovered the clearance difficulties directly. The engine had J pipes installed by the PO, and the engine seized during one of its first longer drives. When I removed it, then installed a mild 1600 together with fresh air type heater boxes, I found out that the tops of the HB hit the bottom edge of the engine firewall. So I pulled the engine out of the car, installed J-pipes to help stabilize the engine during installation, then replaced the J-pipes with the HB once the engine was in place.

I suppose people who install larger engines into Beetles with H aprons simply don't mention this significant increased effort. An easy way to avoid this would be to make the rear apron removable, allowing a straight shot of the engine onto the transmission. But you'd still have the matter of the fresh air HB (if installed) hitting the bottom of the firewall.

The VW shop Classic VW Bugs is not far from me, and I've stopped by as the team had a 1600 dual-port engine in an otherwise stock oval-window Beetle. They overcame the engine clearance issue during the traditional installation by dropping the body over the completed chassis using their shop lift! With the body being lowered straight down over the engine, there is no interference issue either with the apron height nor with the firewall bottom edge.

I remember seeing Steve Beecher's blue custom/Cal-Look Zwitter Beetle at a VW meet in Phoenix, AZ in 1999. He had a Porsche 5-speed transmission in the car in addition to a strong dual-throat carbed VW engine along with that H apron. Since the transmission was slightly longer than the VW's, it pushed the engine back slightly (maybe 1/2") in the engine bay. That made removing the engine even more of a hassle.

[MrWhoopee]

[RandyV]