1776 engine

[MikeLee57]

My 1970 KG convertible has no engine. Plan to purchase a rebuilt complete from a large vendor of engines. Is the 1776 over stock 1600 very evident power when driving?

[rcooled]

Well, just increasing the displacement will certainly give you a little more HP and a bit more torque, but you'd probably just barely be able to feel the difference if everything else is left stock.

If you really want a boost in performance, order that 1776 with a mild cam (Engle W-90 or W-100 or similar), stock dual-port heads with single HD springs, HD pushrods, dual single-barrel carbs (Kadrons or similar). Then get a rebuilt Bosch '019' distributor from Samba contributors Glenn or Bill, and an extractor-type exhaust with a single quiet-pack muffler.

This combination will give you more 'pull' at the lower end and extend the useful rev range to about 5000 RPM, while still having a smooth idle and good 'around town' driveability. The induction and cylinder heads really restrict the HP potential in a stock A/C VW motor. The setup I described is really basic but yields good results for the money spent. There are lots of trick parts out there to upgrade from there and make more HP...just depends on what your intentions are and how much you wanna spend.

And finally, do not even consider buying a motor from GEX. Lots of horror stories out there about them.
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'63 Ragtop (current)
'65 Ghia coupe (totaled)
'67 Ghia convertible (current)
'69.5 Ghia convertible and
'62, '63, '65, '69 Bugs (all long gone)

[slalombuggy]

A 1776 is a great little engine if you want a good boost and almost stock reliability.

I would build one with a set of bigger valve heads even if they aren't ported a little bigger cam like a web 163 or engle 110 and around 8:.5:1 compression. If you want a little more with the same reliability, look at drop in a 74mm crank. You can have a nice reliable 110-120hp

[Braukuche]

I would never go with HD springs, today's cams are junk and too many stories about them getting eaten up, but to each his own.
I run a 1800cc (74mm crank, 88 cylinders) with a modified 34 PICT carb and stock exhaust in a split bus and it's a huge increase in performance. A 1776 with kadrons like suggested would be a huge difference in performance in a Ghia.
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Go Reds! Smash state!

Retirement is here!
1960 double cab
1960 Baja Bug
1963 stretched double cab
1962 Golde sunroof Ghia
1963 356 B coupe
1963 Notchback
1967 21 window less rusty now
1989 Westfalia

[Danwvw]

The Ghia's did well with 40 horse engines. The stock 1970 engine was still single port a great engine for the Ghia, As a Single port and stock carb, I would put a mild cam like the cheater cam not more than a W-100 or the Eagle 2239 Racing Cam and lighten the valve train with lightweight lifters HD springs and high volume oil pumps are said to cost a little gas milage so if your after milage the single port is the way to go with just stock heads. I built a 74mm crank 88mm bore like above and it's an excellent bus engine.
If going to a dual port I would up things "cam" "bore" "stroke" a bit and run IDF-40 Webers or Dell 36's like it did but milage will not be so good mainly because of they way you will want to drive it.
The nice thing about the 74X88 is there is no machine work to the case. It would work well on with single port or dual port engine however the single port heads must be machined fly cut opened to 92 size. You can buy Dual Port heads already 92. Making the 74/88 a no machine engine.
It's a lot more expensive though.
Your going to want H-Beam rods for it. Just regular rods need to be machined so that is 50 to 100 but you can buy new rods for 150 to 250.
As cases go if you don't have any engine tin or internal parts etc.. it's the little things that add up. I would scout around for a complete core engine. The H case and B case are Single Port but the AE and the better AH are for Dual Port and have better oil pressure and cooling design.
engine 1600 used Price: $850
Engine 1600 dual port $950 Price: 950 be sure and ask for the Case Number first. Also the cases may need inserting machine work and only the AH and later with the smaller 8mm head studs are good candidates for opening up for a 1776cc or larger bore. Here is a link to another thread about 1776's : Engine Build.
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1960 Beetle And 1679cc DP W-100 & Dual Zeniths!

[Rome]

MikeLee, if you are now going to consider a 1776 engine and any type of dual carburetors (e.g. two single-throat carbs such as Kadrons/Solex 40 EIS or Weber 34 ICT, or two dual-throat carbs such as Weber 40 IDF or Dell'Orto DRLA), be prepared for this:

1. The stock air cleaner pedestal on the right side of the engine compartment should be removed. It will most likely be in the way of the right carb.

2. Relocate the battery to the interior of the car, under the rear seat where it would be on a Beetle. This requires a battery hold-down of some kind, and also drilling a hole for the + cable to pass through the chassis. Grommet at the hole.

3. Many dual carb air cleaners will be too tall, and interfere with the two engine lid springs as the springs rotate down when closing the lid. A few ways around this: Buy a lower air cleaner element (such as 2" high instead of 4"). The air cleaner lid/cover can usually be used with the shorter filter. Another way, more complicated, is to remove the springs entirely and use a single hydraulic strut to support the lid.

If you first plan on just a single carburetor like the stock configuration, then none of this applies.

[Danwvw]

1600cc Dual Relief Engine Price: $500 The thing is buying a used engine is the case may not be any-good but it's necessary to have all the parts and sometimes you can find good cases alone here on the Samba. This one is probably ok but it's Stock.
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1960 Beetle And 1679cc DP W-100 & Dual Zeniths!