Engine build to a budget

ClockworkMonkey · 2012-10-27T11:30:24+00:00

FINALLY! after a bit more than a year of scrimping and saving it's time to go engine shopping 👍 I'm not building it myself.... most likely will get custom vee dub to build it for me. looking at an 1835cc for daily driving / traffic terrorising. What in your guys opinion should i be putting the money into? my budget is about 6k and that will have to include carbies and the rest of the stuff. is it even possible to get something built for that money that will be reliable and have a decent amount of grunt? suggestions would be greatly appreciated 🙂 Oh, also, does anyone know anything about mounting monster tachos and ADRs? are they legal to have? i've seen a mount that uses the centre air vent to hold the gague / wiring. can't remember what website i saw it on. i'd rather do that than drill through the dash or something

vwo60 Veteran Volks Folk

2,036 posts · joined Feb 2007 · 29 Oct 2012, 9:36 am

#928900

A large engine does not equart to a tempremental engine, my engine runs 10.8 to compression ratio and is totally streetable as the rest of the engine has been matched so it works together, if done correctly it is not stressed and will live a long time, as for living in a shoe box you can have the parts delivered to your engine builder, Dave Butler is your man (55934806), he has built 100's of engines and is a machinist by trade so every thing is done inhouse, i cannot recommend him enough, he carried out the machining on my 2276 for me. import your parts, employ the best engine builder and get much better value for your money.

Paulc1964au Custom Title Time!

1,627 posts · joined Mar 2010 · 29 Oct 2012, 5:17 pm

#928959

ClockworkMonkey wrote:Unfortunately i live in a shoebox and don't have anywhere to put the parts once they arrive 🙁 importing parts was initially an idea i had and from the information you guys have put up here big things are possible.

I'm definately not going to be driving it flat out all the time (i'm assuming WOT is Wide Open Throttle?). it's a daily and i just want to make it a little more special. i'm not on a quest for high HP or low 1/4 times, just something i can take to a club meet or show day and park with pride 🙂

some people have said to me once you go upwards from 1915cc engines tend to me a little more temperamental and have trouble with heat. i'd say this is in racing / drag applications and not related to a plain old daily but i dunno.

Thanks for all the info guys! i'm taking the car in to the mechanics on thursday so i'll take some of this info with me and have a good chat. Peter from Custom veedub has always been really good to me and the car. he's been looking after it for the last 2 out of 3 owners.

Very much appreciate the parts list and pricing vwo60! i'll be having a good look at that website tonight 🙂

I am pretty much in the same situation hence building a 1776. I want a torque engine but not interested in high speed, just a little low down action so its a little quick of the set of lights just to raise a few eyebrows lol.

For me its more about a nice reliable motor that is fun to drive

/url]Streetwise Aircooled Volkswagens
My 69 Bug

Craig Torrens 6 times Australian, 7 times State Hillclimb Class Champion

8,040 posts · joined Jan 2003 · 29 Oct 2012, 5:53 pm

#928967

if you want torque, put a stroker crank in it......its still going to be reliable.

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 · 29 Oct 2012, 6:43 pm

#928976

Yep, big lazy understressed engine.......O dear, the possibilities

Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

vwo60 Veteran Volks Folk

2,036 posts · joined Feb 2007 · 29 Oct 2012, 6:50 pm

#928980

Exactly what i have been saying, you can build the stroker by importing your own parts and have a heap more torque and reliable power for about the same price as building a 1776 here.

70AutoStik Insano Dub Head

730 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 5 Nov 2012, 5:41 pm

#929801

But building a stroker is not just about importing a bunch of parts and throwing them in - there is a very good reason it costs so much more to have someone build it for you, often known as minimum wage!

Don't get me wrong, I'm a stroker guy - "Nothing beats inches, and the best way to get more inches is to stroke it!" Just kidding, but if you are building an engine to live at "lazy revs," or you are racing off road or hill climb, or just need the biggest size you can get (a la Bob Hoover,) stroking is a goer. Don't have the science figured out yet, but I agree with a lot of professional engine builders that a stroker is more reponsive, even if the RR is kept high.

If you want to keep costs down, try a 1776 or 1915 (unless you're in a Kombi or something.) You'll still get plenty of torque for your application and you won't spend enough time using the full power of the engine for heat to become an issue.

vwo60 Veteran Volks Folk

2,036 posts · joined Feb 2007 · 5 Nov 2012, 6:51 pm

#929816

With the budget stated in the first post there is enough money to import the parts and have someone like Dave Butler build it and still come out around the cost of a 1776. not rocket science.

binner Fahrvergnugen

981 posts · joined Jan 2010 · 8 Nov 2012, 7:46 pm

#930194

dont use DB shenker for freight, thats all I can say. My invoice came to $1200 total incl freight and I got fuc%^n reamed by shenker. They couldn't even track/find my order then started to charge me for storage freight daily after they found out it was sitting at their port in Bris for 2 weeks.

Since buying pretty much every part of an engine build from O/S I think the best/most efficient/best customer/fright charge service are
> Pierside parts
>Cip1
>aircooled

good luck and go far

71 SQ