April 54 motor... seamed fan shroud?

[54ovsemi]

Ok.....I need some help with this..so I just got this motor for my 54 Oval project, It's an early 54 production motor according to number on stand. Upon closer inspection when I received delivery of motor I found that it has a seamed fan shroud. I thought these where on earlier cars. Is it correct on for my 54???

Still gonna use it on my project....

[janerick3]

It appears to have the faint outline of a square factory rebuild stamp directly under the number. Are there numbers stamped on the right side of the generator stand? If so, it probably received the 25hp fan shroud when it was rebuilt in the mid-'50s, so I'd leave it alone.

It has a 701E intake manifold. I suspect there was a mid-'50s service campaign to retrofit all '54 and early '55 36hp engines with these, so again I'd leave it alone.

The fuel pump, crank pulley and round voltage regulator look correct. It looks to have the late '54-'55 wide-lip generator pulley. Does it have the '54-'55 only oil filler or the smaller, teardrop-shaped '53 cap with the mesh filter inside?

Other than the "modified" dual-tip muffler, I probably would keep it the way it is. You'll need a strap-type Knecht air cleaner or a two-clip, dome-top Mann (acceptable for very late '54s and '55s), a TE6A3 coil and a VJU6-BR8 distributor (assuming it was rebuilt with flat-top pistons).

Given the amount of dust and lack of later 36hp accessories, I'd guess the engine's been stored under cover for at least 45-50 years.
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Thanks,
Jan K.

[52brezelfenster]

If you decide to swap it out, you won't have any trouble finding a new home for that seamed fan shroud

[54ovsemi]

[billmetric]

nice! the fan shroud, oil filler and spark wire tube clamps are 100% split era parts, you could easilly sell or trade them off to someone who needs them in exchange for the correct aircleaner and some extra cash, whether or not the factory put a seamed fan shroud on a 36hp rebuild its way WAY wrong on a '54 car, no one is going to give you extra points for having split window parts on your oval engine, the voltage regulator is late '50s early '60s, since the entire thermostat mechanism and air ring is missing from the back of the shroud I'm going to say that the engine has been "touched" a few times since it was rebuilt, no telling how that shroud got on there, the generator is not a split one though
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There is an idea of a Billmetric; some kind of abstraction. But there is no real me: only an entity, something illusory. And though I can hide my cold gaze, and you can shake my hand and feel flesh gripping yours and maybe you can even sense our lifestyles are probably comparable... I simply am not there...

[bally]

When did the fan shroud change from seamed to smooth? I'm guessing in 52, but when in 52 if I'm correct?

Cheers,

Dave

[BulliBill]

I believe that the current general consensus is that the seamed to smooth change happened in Feb 1952...

Bill
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I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

[tasb]

Janerick3- thinking it’s a typo- a VJ 6 BR 8 distributor- they do exist-will not be happy in a VW engine. The six would indicate the points cam would have six lobes for a six cylinder engine.
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Roads Scholar
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

Member# 2059

[bugnutt]

It looks like a factory rebuilt 25hp engine with upgraded components, that looks like an aluminum case and there were no aluminum-cased 36hp engines. It would be interesting to see what piston and cylinders are under the tin
Check the production dates on the generator stand

[bugnutt]

One other thing, the number on the side of the tower, 234 423, if that is the original engine number, falls in the aluminum case era. ;

[tasb]

Bus distributor= VJR 4 BR 8. Beetle= VJUR 4 BR 8.
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Roads Scholar
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

Member# 2059

[Blue Baron]

VW kept many of the earlier parts on the industrial engines. I've seen an industrial 36hp with the seamed shroud.
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We are striving for perfection, to make our cars run forever, if possible.

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