'74 vw Microbus for Tow Vehicle?

[eamarquardt]

I put 100k on a 67 bug and 60k on a 73 van. VW engines are, IMHO, not that durable and are not meant to take heavy loads. I once ruined the engine in my bug by trying to keep up with a friend and his El Camino crossing Camp Pendleton on I5 at 75mph plus. The VW overheated and siezed (but broke free but was never the same till I rebuilt it).

They need to be run at realitively high rpms to run the fan to cool the engine and even then they lack "reserve" cooling ability.

The early ones (36 hp) had carburetors and manifolds that were so restrictive it was much harder to get them to overheat but certainly not impossible.

My son, after returning from a "visit" to Iraq bought a Baja Bug with a blown VW engine. We installed a Subaru EJ22 (fuel injected, 2.2 liter, sohc) in it. We got the engine, computer, wiring, and adapter from a fellow who decided to do something else. We had to buy a "throttle body reverser" from an outfit in England to allow us to get the clearance between the throttle body and firewall. We also had to mount a radiator above the engine. The instructions from Kennedy Engineering (the adapter and flywheel) were pretty straight forward and my son got it running (to his credit) with no major problems. I think the conversion cost us about $2000 by the time the dust settled.

Most of the VW/Subaru van conversions are VW vans that were equipped with water cooled engines to begin with. Installing a Subaru engine in an air cooled body would be a bit more complex and I'm not sure that anyone has done it but anything is possible (a friend just put a 911 engine in his 74 VW van and it is a work of art but noisey and a gas guzzler).

You can do anything if you put your mind to it but, IMHO, it's gonna be a "labor of love" and not particularly "cost effective".

However, WTF do I know.

Cheers,

Gus

[angib]

If you look at the location of the axles, it appears that whoever manufactured this trailer was trying to keep the tongue weight near zero for some reason.

It's a European trailer - they're all built like that. A 'normal' trailer tongue weight in Europe is 4% to 7%.

[OuttaHand]

I had a stock 1600sp in my '66 and it struggled to tow the Puck(750lbs) on anything but the flat. I replaced with a 1956cc and we just breeze along.

Not a mechanic myself, but I've heard raves about the Subaru conversion.

As mentioned, thesamba.com is the place to go.

Good stuff! I don't know the naming conventions VW uses yet. Is that 1956cc engine "called" a 1.9L ? or a 2.0L ? Or is it actually known by that detailed size of 1956cc?

And regarding the big trailer up above -- with the axles in the middle like that can you imagine the "swing" of the rear end on a turn? I don't wanna be parked near that!

[Wolffarmer]

The 1956cc engine is not VW. It is a custom built motor, at least most likely. In the beetle as of 1967 all engines was called 1600cc. For a year or two before that there was a 1300cc, Before that was a 1200cc but more commonaly called 40 horse. and before that there was a 36 HP and before that........... well enough of that.

In the buses starting about 1973 they started putting the Type 4 motor in them ( a slightly modified Type 4 was put in the Porscha 914 ). First was the 1800cc then about 75 a 2000cc, and a year or so later they got hydraulic valves ( Yippy ). then sometimes in the 80s The put a water cooled motor in the Vanagon that to my eye looked like an old beetle motor. they really wrung the life out of that line.

Randy

[rebapuck]

Yes, custom. Don't ask me nuthin' cause I don't know.

[eamarquardt]

The 1956cc engine is not VW. It is a custom built motor, at least most likely. In the beetle as of 1967 all engines was called 1600cc. For a year or two before that there was a 1300cc, Before that was a 1200cc but more commonaly called 40 horse. and before that there was a 36 HP and before that........... well enough of that.

In the buses starting about 1973 they started putting the Type 4 motor in them ( a slightly modified Type 4 was put in the Porscha 914 ). First was the 1800cc then about 75 a 2000cc, and a year or so later they got hydraulic valves ( Yippy ). then sometimes in the 80s The put a water cooled motor in the Vanagon that to my eye looked like an old beetle motor. they really wrung the life out of that line.

Randy

Wolfarmer is on the money!

The 1300 was only sold here in the US during 1966. My brother had one but I had a '67 with a 1500 later punched out to 1600.

Here's a complete rundown:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VW_Beetle_engine

Cheers,

Gus



Cheers,

Gus

[canned o minimum]

Wow ! Lotsa info here already...and "I" hafta prefice this by sayin that "I" am NOT a VW mechanic, but...

I have a 2005 Little Guy 4 wide that I customized after finding it "salvaged". It weighs 785 lbs DRY

My tow vehicle is a 1965 VW Beetle with a 1776 engine( approx. 50 horse) equipped with an external oil cooler AND filter.

I live in Riverside,Ca. and drive EVERYWHERE with trailer in tow ! I've been to Phoenix,Az. Sacramento,Ca. BoulderCity,Az Las Vegas,Nv. Parker,Az. And MANY other places not so close to home. I often drive up the local mtns. and to the high desert up the infamous Cajon Pass and even up the other infamous Grape Vine.

My favorite thing to do with the TD in tow is to pass up 5th wheel trailer or motorhomes doin 85 mph and givin em a VW Honk and a wave as I pass em by.

Generally, I drive a bit faster than I prolly should with this RIG, but 70 mph is my cruisin speed, tho I do sumtimes take it slow at 55.

I keep my Bug maintained on a regular basis... which is imperative if ya want to KEEP it on the road.

ALL "I" know bout them auto stick trans is .. NOBODY has one in their VW cause they are JUNK... and towin with an auto stick VW... Well.. good luck with THAT.( "I" am NOT a VW mechanic)

The 2L motors are COSTLY and when THEY break.. MORE $$$$.. My 1776 motor is about as large a motor as "I" would EVER put in a VW. I have a SINGLE carb.. 2 barrel Zenith

The Samba is yer BEST info source as IT is VW only. Good luck and have FUN !

[vreihen]

My tow vehicle is a 1965 VW Beetle with a 1776 engine( approx. 50 horse) equipped with an external oil cooler AND filter.

I bought a Formula Vee race car a while back, which was powered by a VW 1600cc aircooled engine. The previous owner had an external oil cooler in the spare parts box, and said that running both the cooler and an external filter at the same time resulted in too much oil pressure drop. He said that I could run either, but not both at the same time. Maybe the problem was that his setup also included two 4' pieces of hose to get the cooler out into the air flow, but I'm passing along what he told me since you're running both at the same time.....

[canned o minimum]

Sounds like he had a BAD set up...I've only been towin mt TD with the BUg fer 2years... everywhere.. in ALL kinds a weather.. up into the mountains... across the desert..in the snow,rain,sunshine...

Gee my firsthand knowledge seems to be GREAT ! I have YET to have an issue with my motor with the aforementioned set up.

Like everyone says.. build it the way YOU want it.. I'm jus passin on MY personal experience that I drive EVERY DAY .

You doesn't hafta DO what "I" do or even listen to my experience.. I'm jus passin on the info... Happy Trails !