VW Engine Code Starting with AM

NormGarr87

I just ran across this thread tonight. I purchased a 73 Thing a couple of weeks back and have started making it drivable again. It needs complete brakes front to rear, a complete front end, and all suspension bearings. My VIN number is 1833023191. The engine number is AM 013059. The tag on the door post says manufacture 10/73. It has the gas heater but also has a fresh air fan housing with the outlets plugged. I assume the fan housing has been swapped out but this is the first thread that verifies I have an original Thing engine.
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el_safari

Hello Silver Thing
Thank you for your very usefull answer!
I have to take off the flywheel and I will look for the numbers.
Best regards from Bordeaux Cool

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SilverThing

According to the VW exchange engine chart, your engine falls between the 1st of October 1973 (AM 011 821) and the 7th of January 1974 (AM 016 001). Now according to that chart, your engine would fall in the 1974 model year. From your picture, the engine looks to me to be a 1973. It has a fanshroud without heat outlets and it has the 1973 exhaust elbow still present on the drivers side.

The factory put the casting date of the case on the front of the engine (front being the side facing the front of the car). It is normally obstructed by the flywheel. The casting is a series of three numbers inside circles near the top of the front face of the case, which normally follow this format:

D(D) M(M) SY

D(D) is the day 1-31
M(M) is the month 1-12
S is what we assume is the work shift 1,2,3
Y is the last digit of the year (3 would be 1973)

My 73's engine case AM 007 757 has 29 5 33 on the driver's half and 24 5 33 on the passenger half. It is common for the halves to have different casting dates.

My spare engine is AM 017 898 and has 29 10 23 on the driver's half and 23 (possibly 28 - not cast clearly) 10 13 on the passenger side.

Hope that helps some!
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el_safari

Hi
Among the parts rescued in Denia (Spain) on a 2000km recovery/vacation trip
there is an AM engine, very exotic for us european...
I would be interested to know the manufacture date for this AM013716 engine. Cool

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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SilverThing

Hopefully this clears Things up! (pun intended)

If we need more proof, I am happy to dig more out (including some in German).
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"I've seen pictures..." - Jeremy

SilverThing

AH is 72-74 type 1 engine case (bug and ghia).

If you follow your link, there is a reference link https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/engine_code_letters.php, which lists AM as a US market 181 engine case.

I have yet to see anything official from VW that collaborates the AM case as being a replacement case, but I have plenty of official documents from VW that list it as the US market 181 (THING) case.

I'll try to dig them out this weekend and scan them.
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"I like how everyone likes talking about Zeke's Thing yet he's the only one that's ever seen it." - Katie
"I've seen pictures..." - Jeremy

4118thing

Found this. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/engine_letters.php

It shows tha AM was a replacement case. Looks like AH were the originals?

Technut27

Great discussion, I'm glad I stumbled on this thread tonight.

Some of the mfg dates and engine codes noted make my 74 feel young. Mfg date 8/74, engine AM028085. That might put it near the end of the US production cycle.

SilverThing · Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2015 1:18 pm Post subject:

Since it was asked, I should also mention that the stock transmission for a Thing will have the code AV. AH is from a beetle.

As far as I know, there were only 6 transmission codes offered for the 181: AK, AL, AV, AW, GA, and GB.

AK and AL were for the early swing axle 181 with reduction gearing up until mid-1973. The reduction gear ratios changed in 1971, but the transmissions themselves otherwise have the same gearing. The difference between the two codes is AK had an open differential and the AL had a limited slip. The AL code is very rare. It seems that the factory was actually encouraging people to not to get the limited slip, "because it would cost quite a bit of money and may not offer additional off-road benefits". If you can read German, you can read an article about THW Gifhorn's VW 181 that includes a letter from the factory that says that here: https://www.volkswagen-classic.de/magazin/report/volkswagen-typ-181-thw That being said, my 1970 German civilian 181 that I am restoring has an AL code transmission.

The AV and AW codes are IRS transmissions with 100mm cv joint flanges and they use the 1972 and earlier nose cone mount. Again, the difference between the two is AV is an open differential and AW is limited slip. The US market only got the AV code. The AW code is relatively rare and my understanding is most of the examples are/were found in Mexico.

The GA and GB codes are for 181 with option M267. The are essentially the same as the AV/AW, but with lower gearing. Again GA is open differential and GB is limited slip. The factory manuals mention the codes as only being applicable to Germany and Mexico, but I haven't heard of anyone in Mexico having one. I have seen a couple european 181 with the GA code, but AV seems to be much more common. I once saw a GB code for sale on german ebay back in 2007, but I couldn't convince the seller to ship it internationally...
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"I like how everyone likes talking about Zeke's Thing yet he's the only one that's ever seen it." - Katie
"I've seen pictures..." - Jeremy

SilverThing · Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2015 11:59 am Post subject:

AH engines are from 73/74 US market beetles.

It isn't hard to have the bbq grill skid plates on the bottom of any engine case. I've got a factory manual (in German) on prepping vehicles for off-road use and it has drawings/plans for making the bbq grills for almost every engine (40hp, 1300/1500/1600, type 4, air cooled vanagon, etc).

I would be interested if the rearmost 181 skid plate is on your engine (covers the oil pump and extends the end of the sled tins - uses the same mounting as the mustache bar on bus engines).
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"I like how everyone likes talking about Zeke's Thing yet he's the only one that's ever seen it." - Katie
"I've seen pictures..." - Jeremy

rrankin · Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2015 10:38 am Post subject:

I have an AH case.... but I have the skid plate installed... is this odd?
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SteveAhnin · Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2015 5:34 pm Post subject:

hi all,

just curious. was researching my thing more and figured to add on to this thread rather than start a new.

my chassis is 1832755xxxE so thats between March and May 1973? and the E?

my motor is AH which sounds like someone slapped a Type 1 in there?
the trans (couldnt find any info as far as numbers) is is also AH

little sad wish i had an original motor.

kubelmann · Samba Member Joined: April 13, 2003 Posts: 3268

Good idea. That choice agrees with the general consensus among Thing lovers.

flex71 · Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2013 5:49 pm Post subject:

thanks the AM case will be saved for what who knows,, the 1915 form the AE case will be built.

joescoolcustoms · Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 8:01 pm Post subject:

IMO, I would set aside the AM engine and use a beetle engine for a 1915. A whole bunch less AM cases out there than a AE beetle case.
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kubelmann · Samba Member Joined: April 13, 2003 Posts: 3268

When I built the high compression 1915 for my off road Thing, I saved the still running original AM engine and built the replacement engine from a new AS-41 case. I have two AM cases to be built as 1776 with 110 cam big oil pump and a single 32 ndix zenith carb. Generally Thing folks consider a good rebuildable AM case with guts to be worth around $300

flex71 · Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 6:30 pm Post subject:

is the AM case in the thing worth more? should it be kept original, or AE case in a thing ok? going to 1915.

Semper_Dad · Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 9:24 am Post subject:

Ok, looks like this thread took a turn and I'm guilty of being behind the wheel.

OP wanted info on and AM engine

Thread is now discussing validity of a specific Acapulco car. There is now a different thread specifically discussing the validity of this car here; http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=514648

Lets redirect the validity questions there so this thread will start making sense. This will please the Samba gods and all will be well with the world Laughing

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