Aircooled VW South Africa

Hello everyone

I am trying to establish some sort of time line for air cooled sub-assembles that were reconditioned by VWSA during the sixties to eighties. Unfortunately no manufacturing records are available from VWSA so I'm caling on the collective ACVW wisdom for some assistance. I am hoping that some of you might have records such as original invoices or warantee books stating an installation date for the particular engine that may currently be in your VW.

Here is what I have established so far: When an engine was reconditioned the original serial number was removed and a new number was asigned, starting with the letters 'SF'. The next two letters designate the engine series. Then follows six digits which is the production number. I'm only interested in these last six digits as well as the installation date. Once i have what I need, I'll post all the info on this forum.

Anyone wishing to participate, please PM me the last six digits of the engine number of the particular engine that you have records for, as well as the installation date.

Thanks in advance.

Vw sa started reconning engines in 63 I have an old car article if I can find it.
SF does not signify recon There will be an R smewhere such as SFRAD@#$%01 there will also be a vw badge stamped on the block with a VW roundel and to arrows around the circle
VW eventually became Remtec
Armand

I have a reconditioned 1600 kombi engine that came from vwsa in the late 90's. Will get the exact dates and numbers tomorrow

Just stripped my original engine that was in the SP and guess what, I rate it was a recon.

Engine number is SFADTR &*%@#$

it was running the older 3 rivet style cam gear.

I cant find the VW with arrows stamp, but next to the engine number there is a stamp that says STD.(i presume it means standard?)

The case also has a cover plate over where the hole is where a type 3 dip stick would go into it, though it is a Type 1 engine. as well as a hole on the flywheel side so you can see the flywheel, like on the type 4's.
There is also the number 246 stamped into both sides of the case.

I'm lost as to what this engine was/is...

SF = assembled in South africa
Ad 1600 single port
T casing used for type 3 hence coverplate at bottom of case
R VWSA reconditioned the engine

the roundel stamp is normally found on top of the oil cooler pedestal
some replacement casings used both cover plate and dipstic hole thus greater interchangebility.
three rivit cams were used on all SFAD cases. the hole at the back was for the vw diagnostic system which was introduced around 1973 and universal cases would also need to cater for that
Bear in mind that vw sa renumbered all their recon engines and it is not uncommon to find a late model casing with early model numbers
Armand

Thanks Armand, can relax a bit now. If the case is still in good nick then i'll use it.

Hi there

My 1969 Westy received a VWSA factory recon engine in April 1995. It is a 1600 sigle port engine and the engine code starts with SFCR.

It is very reliable and had no major problems so far , except for oil leaks (!) and the oil cooler coming loose between Rundu and Grootfontein in Namibia ... It also runs quite cool.

I also wanted to find more info on my recon engine and contacted VWSA . A gentleman with the name George Washington at Remtec told me that they had no record of the engine as it was reconditioned by VWSA itself. VWSA sold Remtec later in 1995 but my engine was fitted in April 1995, so it was reconditioned just before Remtec was sold.