Type 4 Motor. Where to buy a reman unit?

[TheRustyRabbit]

Years ago before I started building my own water cooled VW engines, I had the misfortune of buying a head from GEX. Needless to say i got burnt. Then they got burnt worse.

I picked up a 72 camper and would like to slap a reman engine in it for this summer, but I don't know who out there in aircooled land makes a decent engine these days.
Any idea on who to use and who to avoid? There are no local VW shops around here except for mine, and I only deal in watercooled Rabbit era stuff.
I could build my own, but I've never messed with the aircooled engines and certainly not with a type 4.

[VWLover77]

There are not many good choices these days.

European Motorworks in Hawthorne, CA has a good reputation. I bought an align-bored Type IV engine case and rebuilt rods from them. They also reground my crank and supplied the bearings and camshaft. I assembled the engine. George is the owner.

They do not have turnkey engines ready to ship, but I'm sure he could build you one..... But I have heard he has a huge backlog right now, and parts availability is a problem.

http://www.europeanmotorworks.com/
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Don

1978 Westy
1971 Super Beetle Convertible


"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." - J.R.R. Tolkien

[Bonesberg55]

I've rebuilt type 1 and type 4 engines with the only appreciable difference being that type 4 parts are much harder to come by. The rebuilding process is pretty much the same. Occasionally you can find a quality rebuilt type 4 on this website. Any shop that tells you they only deal in type 1 engines simply doesn't want to be bothered with the hassle of finding parts. They are out there. Patience is a virtue.

[theguyryry]

I just went through something similar... I bought my first bus over the summer and had the motor blow up shortly after, a 1973 transporter with a type 4. After talking to some of the people here, I came to the conclusion to do a Type 1 conversion. The reason mostly was that parts are more readily available, and there are still reputable builders out there building Type 1 motors. If it helps, it was by a very wide margin that people recommended to convert to a Type 1.

Feel free to ping me if you want to pick my brain about it, but the people that really convinced me were Aeromech, telforddorr, and airschooled (all very knowledgeable, awesome people that are part of the bay window community).

Cheers,
Ryan

[SGKent]

[SGKent]

duplicate
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[danfromsyr]

give MOFOCO a call and see what they are currently offering.

https://www.mofoco.com/category/Type_4_Longblocks/c163
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[jlrftype7]

Randy's VW Hobby Shop in Comfort Texas might also be another source to talk to.
210-209-3597 [email protected]
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'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto

[74 Thing]

https://headflowmasters.com/vw-longblocks.html
http://steelbugin.com/

[airkooledchris]

https://www.facebook.com/Midwestaircooled/

give these guys a call

[TrollFromDownBelow]

If you are looking to buy a turnkey engine, this may not be the right choice. However, if you are willing to let someone rebuild your engine, I would highly recommend Rich Sedoris in Youngstown, OH. I sourced all of the parts (including Len Hoffman heads) and dis-assembled the engine. I live close(ish) enough that I drove everything to him, and picked up my completed long block.

He did absolutely phenomenal work.

PM me, and i can fwd his email address.

EDIT: I found his price to be very reasonable
_________________
1976 Westy (aka Tripod)
2.0 liter FI solid lifters
212k miles

[TheRustyRabbit]

Thanks to everyone that replied. I think I'm going attempt to get the existing 1.7 type 4 engine running to see just what is wrong with it. The P.O. said it ran, but smoked, they attempted to fix it, and now it will not start.

If that fails. I have 2 type 1 long blocks sitting here that would cost me a LOT less to install than a rebuilt type 4 will.
There is also the possibility that I cram a Subaru engine in there and end up way over budget, but with a really sweet reliable speedy camper.

It really depends on the costs of everything else I have to do to it. I've ordered 2/3rds of what I'll need to make it just right for my wife and I to camp in it and I'm OK on the budget for now, but that engine is the big mystery.

Those that have installed a type 1 into one of these. Just how bad is a 1600DP on the hills? What if I added dual carbs and an exhaust? Would it be OK for hills and maybe 65 on the highway, or is it a lost cause.

[aeromech]

To the OP. If you want to know about doing the T4 to T1 conversion send me a PM
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[OB Bus]

[vacca_rabite]

Why would you ever even consider putting a T1 into a bus that already has a TIV?

I know that it CAN be done. But it shouldn't!

Zach
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1972 T2 Bay Westy in restoration
1976 Porsche 914
196? Empi Sportster Dune Buggy

[TheRustyRabbit]

[dodger tom]

If you decide to get a rebuild, consider Tuttle Parts Exchange in Baldwin Park, CA. I bought a long block from him some years ago (13ish). It has 86k on it, and is running strong. Talked to him a coupla times. He knows Type IVs.
_________________
1978 Champaign Edition 2 Westfalia
Would never find the time to keep up another classic air-cooled.

[dodger tom]

Never mind. Just saw your last post, and your location. Just trying to help. Good luck, if you do the conversion.
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1978 Champaign Edition 2 Westfalia
Would never find the time to keep up another classic air-cooled.

[SGKent]