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Francois · Post by **Francois** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:34 pm

Hi All
I have been reading your forum for a while now, and I must say you guys give really grate advice and links.

The reason I joined the forum is because I bought my self a real wreck of a beach buggy. I am really a beginner in this field. I am redesigning the whole body so that it is no longer a beach buggy but a beach "BAKKIE". Bear in mind out of fiber glass.

You had a couple of topics on what engine to use, but I am still not sure what I must use for my buggy. It has its standard 1300cc motor in but I am looking for more speed.

My question is that I have a Toyota 1600 20v Motor and a Honda 1600 DOHC motor. Can I fit this to my buggy?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
Francois

Thumper · Post by **Thumper** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:55 pm

Watercooled motors fit easier in a buggy than a Beetle, less worries about 'fitting' underneath the lid. Nissan 1400 motors are very popular and of course the Mazda Rotary. With the engines you intend fitting, I would recommend you fit disc brakes ASAP! With the weight to power ratio, you are going to need it.

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:55 pm

Francois, Francois, Francois...

Welcome to AIRCOOLED VW SA.

Please, PLEASE don't abuse your buggy like that.

Just how fast would you like to go? Keep in Mind you'll be riding a many-years-old vehicle underneath no matter how 'Bling' the body looks.

With enough work anything can be fitted to anything, but imo, you would be doing the buggy more justice, and offering yourself more traditionalist fun with a VW engine.

Cheers and good Luck with your build.

N.

disselboom · Post by **disselboom** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:59 pm

I don't have any experience in transplanting engines but I found this site the other day.
It might be worth a look.

http://www.giloeng.com

Navigate to ; Products - Product listing - Adapter Parts.

Francois · Post by **Francois** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 3:08 pm

I am laughing at my own post now.
A rotary is 2 fast and 2 furious.
Some thing more like the 1400. I am busy putting in disk brakes.
I have redone the whole chasse. And done most of the body work.

Can I ask what would be the easiest engine swap with out ripping to big of a hole in my pocket, and that would not take a car engineer to install?

Maybe the flat 4 engine that they spoke about before. Let?s say a 1700. One last thing do I need to change my gearbox for that 1400.

Rick · Post by **Rick** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 3:58 pm

Froncois,
If you look at the site that disselboom suggests you will see the adaptors that are available. These adaptors will allow you to mate the engines in question to the VW gearbox. Another common engine conversion is the Golf 1600/1800 watercooled engine.

Personally I would stay with a 1600 VW aircooled. Your 1300 can easily be converted with a 1600 P&C set and some machining on the heads and block.
The 1600 in a lightweight buggy will give you some decent performance.

Thumper · Post by **Thumper** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 4:08 pm

Do you just want to have fun, or flatten your eyeballs?

Choose the engine accordingly. Either way, a buggy with a std 1600 air cooled is lots of fun!!!

I did a Nissan 1400 conversion on a MG TD kit based on a VW chassis. The hardest part of the job was routing the water pipes between the radiator and the engine. The mounting of the engine was as easy as pie.

Post by **calooker** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 4:17 pm

Golf 1600/1800 carb fed or Nissan 1400 are probably in the long run the more viable route, the air-cooled motor is not as cheap to rebuild as say a golf or Nissan motor. A Toyota or Honda motor are also good options but if you intend on retaining the EFI then you will need to spend some $$$ on the management system and setup, which could cost you more than the complete rebuild on a Golf/Nissan motor. The Golf/Nissan motor will also prove to be more reliable than an air-cooled one and if you intend on pepping them up a bit they will take to performance upgrades with less stress. If you need adapters/flywheels for Golf/Nissan conversion, I can organize them @ a good price. All using the beetle clutch assembly

Francois · Post by **Francois** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 8:18 am

Hi guys.

Ok, so I have heard different opinions and advice. I am going to try and make it clearer.

I want to start by saying I have made a huge hole in my pocket to get this buggy where it is now. I will post picks later and then you will see what I mean. This is like a concept buggy.
So with that info I will tell you that I don?t want a race car that cost me a fortune for petrol but I don?t want a weenie of a buggy. I have read about the vw air cooled flat four and sounds well but I don?t know about reliability. The 1400 motor sounds more like a winner, the reason is that I am not a genius when it comes to motors so I need some kind of mod that wouldn?t be to difficult to do by the average Jo.

Rick do you know of a site that can show me more about engine swaps on beetles?

Calooker: Where can I get hold of you to get that conversion parts?

Thanks this is a great forum!!!!!!!
Francois

Rick · Post by **Rick** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 9:01 am

Try these : http://frost.bbboy.net/vwengineconversions and http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/view ... ?tid=14906

Post by **calooker** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 9:59 am

Give me a call Rui 082 830 6493

Post by **Pine** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 10:34 am

Almost bought a Nissan 1400 - powered buggy 3 years ago, actually had it 'on apro' for a week. Radiator was mounted behind the engine with an electric fan, and cooling in Midsummer-Bloemfontein was no problem. Went like a bat out of hell, but I ended up not taking it. The inaudible Japanese engine sound was just.... SO WRONG?

Francois · Post by **Francois** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 9:35 am

Yes that was one of the main problems that faced me on deciding what motor to use THE SOUND!

I had a long think about this and decided that the 1400 is going to be the best option. My reason is that I want it to be a daily runner. I have put so much money and time in this project it would be to disappointed not to be able to drive it to work and back because of all the expenses it takes to maintain a monster.

I can always redo the motor later, (after I have been a show off with it for a couple off months or so) LoL

Shot you guys, Thanks for all the info

Oja I wanted to put the radiator in the front, but will look in to it now that you mentioned your buggy had one in the rear.

Francois

hitlers revenge · Post by **hitlers revenge** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 8:07 pm

Francois please keep me updated as to putting your radiator at the rear as mine is at the front and looks to bulky for the buggy body. I have plans to put my radiator in place of my petrol tank, with a vented hood. i will then move my petrol tank somewhere else. My buggy is a daily driver and have no cooling problems. You must run 32mm piping for your cooling. I used 6 metres of 32mm stainless steel piping on mine and just ran it under the floor pan. The biggest head ache is getting your filler bottle above the highest pipe of your radiator. The Nissan 1400 motor works well with your std 1600 gearbox as the is not much difference with the torque of the two motors. The only other head ache I had was fabricating a mechanizism for the connection of the accelarator cable.

hitlers revenge · Post by **hitlers revenge** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 8:14 pm

A lot of people wrap there exhuast pipe under and around the front of the nissan motor and then use a silencer which makes for very quite driving. I have a 50mm pipe making a direct U-turn out from the manifold and into a Cowley silencer which seems to generate enough noise for me.

Aircooled VW South Africa

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Jip