Yeah, I'm an idiot...beetle engine in bus?

[StanDahl]

So my friend texted me this morning with a link to a 1600 engine for a good price because he knows I've wanted my '69 bus to go back closer to its original stock engine configuration. So I contact the guy and go out and check it out. It's a nice one, recently rebuilt, no end play, runs nicely, single port with doghouse (but no heater ports on the shroud), brand new peashooter exhaust (meh), looks like a new clutch, new alternator, doesn't seem to leak oil. I'm interested enough that my brain doesn't pay enough attention to the fact that it came out of a '67 beetle. I bought it. About 2 hours later, I remember that beetle engines don't have the rear mounting points for the bus mustache bar.

So, after hours of research, I'm feeling pretty glum about this whole thing. The adapters (Micky Mounts, some call them) are not ideal. Leaky, cause the oil pump gears to rub on the adapter plate... Getting the case drilled takes a skilled person to get it done right.

So, where can I get this done? Am I better off just reselling it and moving on?

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John...in a 1969 Bus, morphing into a tintop weekender

[Wildthings]

If your case has the bosses for the mounting bolts, then the job is a simple drill and tap.

[StanDahl]

The numbers say that it's a '66-'67 beetle case. Here's the best photo I could get where it's sitting now:

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John...in a 1969 Bus, morphing into a tintop weekender

[Bobs67vwagen]

It does not appear to have the bosses in the right places that you could drill and tap. Many years ago I did the install with the adapter that attaches to the oil pump.. I do not recommend it. It did cause a leaky pump cover and pressure on the pump gears.

[busdaddy]

When installed properly the pump gears do not rub on anything, there's a filler/shim plate between the outside of the pump cover and the adaptor.
You'll want to enlarge those studs to 8mm though, 6mm is pretty piddly, and condirm that the edges of the pump cover don't protrude above the filler plate so the stack can all torque up correctly, some require a little ginding on the lip.
_________________
Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.

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[KTPhil]

I found a PO had put a bug engine in my '69 camper. Since it turned out to be pretty work out, I replaced it with a universal block.

Other minor issues you may not care about include the heat exchangers. If you want heat in the bus you will need them (with a different fan shroud), but be careful in choosing them. The Bus body heater cable conduits approach the engine from points wider apart than on a Bug, so the HE operating levers must be on the outside, not inboard. There are now "universal" HEs that either can be swapped, or have arms inboard and outboard. And the accordion hoses that connect the HEs to the body may have different diameters, requiring adapters. If you don't want heat, none of this matters, of course.
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Current Fleet:
- '71 Fastback
- '69 Westfalia
Retired:
- '67 Beetle
- '65 Beetle (x2)
- '65 Bus
- '71 Squareback

[wagen19]

[StanDahl]

[StanDahl]

[richparker]

If you meed an engine, run that engine with the adaptor.

You can make a custom arm for the heat exchangers so you can run them in the bus. I currently run beetle exchangers in the bus with a cuatom arm and im about to adapt another set of Beetle exchangers for the engine im currently building.
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’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’71 Double Cab

[Bobs67vwagen]

I tried this on 2 different engines with the adapter many years ago and my recollection is that it caused problems. I did not enlarge any studs as busdaddy spoke of and do not recall if I used a filler plate over the pump plate or not. Logic would probably suggest that you would not want to put the stress and weight of the engine and transmission on those 4 studs of the oil pump.

[HarryFD]

Just do it. Don't obsess.

Years ago, I put a 1971 bug motor in my bus. Used the funky adaptor plate.

I have had zero issues.

For heat, I rerouted the cable to the other side of the heat exchangers with some 1/2 conduit and made my own connectors. My solution is in this thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=504316&

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1970 Deluxe Sunroof Bay Brilliant Blue/Cloud White
1971 Jaguar XKE 2+2 V12 Coupe
1973.5 911 Targa
2009 MB C300

[Buggeee]

I'm about to do this on a Bay with a bug engine and I see that the adapter plate is not just on the oil pump cover, it reaches down lower to case bolt, so it will be putting the load on the case directly as well.
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Big Time 1988 Vanagon Westy
Release the Krankenwagen! 1966 Sportsmobile Camper
Dr. Kompressor 72 Super Duper
61 Turkis Pile (adopted out)

[StanDahl]

Here's a mounting adapter with an odd spacer (the chromate yellow piece) that had to be buggered on the lower attachment point because of the extra spacer:

_________________
John...in a 1969 Bus, morphing into a tintop weekender

[busdaddy]

The more obviious chromate piece is the pump cover, and that shows the raised edge that sometimes has to be trimmed down a little so the adapter can make full contact with that spacer that's peeking out of the lower LH corner of the sandwich.
_________________
Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.

Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

Слава Україні!

[Wildthings]

[StanDahl]

[Wildthings]

[busdaddy]

[Wildthings]