Frankenbus: not a permanent mod, get it moving

[thedakotakid]

What I have:
1957 Bus, original motor has a popped oil cooler... my brother ran it hot.
I pulled the motor (still have it, might fix it and put it back in later in life)
Original tranny (missing 3rd gear... so it is a rev in 2nd and drop it into 4th model)
VW industrial engine (Model 126, should be a 1600SP, with distributor and an odd pulley (for a water pump), oil cooler restrictors, and a governor for the carb.

What I want to do:
Put the 1600SP in the bus, remove the governor, maybe the double pulley,oil cooler restrictors.
Reuse the old 36hp tin (if possible to cool it OR get the required tin)
"Modify" the bellhousing of the old tranny
Convert the lights and wipers to 12v

Nothing permanently ruined (OK purists)

Questions:
other than the changing the pulley, removing the oil cooler restrictors, and the governor, and grinding the tranny, will this thing fit? (Since this is Nodak and few farmers still use these old spray coupes, I got a low hour engine, VDO gauges, IRS tranny, and some other stuff for low price.)

What tranny would you suggest as an improvement?

I have not had this van on the road since 2001, so I will be putting in new wheel cylinders, hoses, shoes, etc. My goal is to get it back on the road... back on the road driving around the Great State of Nodak

Thanks for the help.

[Eric&Barb]

36 HP tin will not fit a 1500/1600 engine.

Either fix the original transaxle and enjoy the very slow lane doing 45 MPH @ 3,000 RPM, or 1964 transaxle big nut, RGBs, with 3.875 R&P for doing at least 60 MPH @ 3,000 RPM. Do your research and decide, you may need a bigger engine than 1600cc for the latter to keep you happy.

You can run a 6 volt starter on 12 volt for many miles and years. Change the starter solenoid to 12 volt to keep the starter from pounding the FW gear to death. VW did make a 6 volt FW with 200mm clutch.

Either 12 volt or 6 volt system you need to clean, dielectric grease and solder up to get rid of all the voltage drops in the electricals, and add ground wires to each taillight that go to the battery cable body point.
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[Lind]

The original transmission is problematic, in that not many people rebuild split case transmissions anymore, and some of the syncros are no longer available for them. Split case transmissions are weaker than tunnel type units.

It is difficult to bolt a later center section in without cutting the early mount, but it can be done. There are at least four different solutions without hacking.

Either way you go, it will take a bit of work to make something work. the transmission in an early bus is generally the hardest mechanical thing to deal with.

Your reduction boxes will bolt right on to any swingaxle transmission. Get a rebuilt bus center section with stock gears: a 4.375 or 4.12 ring and pinion a .82 4th gear. "Freeway flier" gears suck unless you have a gigantic engine, and 36hp engines go slow.

The 1600 behind a stock small nut transmission drives great, and will do 65mph.
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Wanted:
Idaho VW license plate frames or other dealership items.
VWoA literature and early dealership or distributor literature/pictures/information
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[Mr. OGPaint]

Super cool bus.

Welcome to the site. Lind's advice is very good and from a place of experience driving many different buses more miles than nearly anyone in various engine/trans combinations.
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Patrick Hall

[LAGrunthaner]

thedakotakid, love your 57 and look forward to more updates. Also love Lind's advice. What is the original color?
Bookmarked

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