I am just wondering if people here feel it is 'right' to put different engines eg. watercooled in vehicles that were designed for aircooled.
Is it bastardisation?
Or advancement?

How long is a piece of string?

I like some of the conversions I've seen, particularly Wes's V6 Mazda into his Baja, but Wes is hardly a purist and it suits his vehicle (and purpose) extremely well.

I personally prefer to stay stock, and I have my reasons, but I'd say it comes down to a matter of personal choice. :thumb

I think it's a bit of both.
While a jap boxer is pretty good value for the amount of power(asking for the retaliatory comments) :vader, a nutty volks or porsche flat four is keeping it real and keeping it german (that 356 engine on ebay was f#$kin bangin' by the way) .
I think people should stick with boxers, because then at least some part of the original character of the engine is retained(probably only the sound,wicked).
But hey, if you want jap power, go knock yourselves out(in a good way).:thumb

I agree with Kruizin Kombi. when it comes down to it a car or vehicle is a thing, just like a house , buil;t for a purpose & owned by somebody & is their possession to do with as they wish, for better or worse.
If ALL cars were kept original as they came out of the factory, shows would be a pretty boring thing, one of the great things I have found about VW owners is the general enthusiasm & acceptance for each others vehicles. I CAN ASSURE YOU this is not the case with most old car clubs, difference of opinion causing low membership & long standing grudges.
My 64 Humber is done up to the hilt with 60's accessories & also period mods roughly reflecting how people did up hot HR & EH Holdens in the late 60's (but never to Humbers) this started off as a joke to upset certain stodgy old bastards, (successfully I might add) BUT the general public loves the car & so do I .
REMEMBER IF WE DONT ALL SUPPORT & HELP EACH OTHER IN OUR GENERAL INTEREST WHICH IS ULTIMATELY OLD CARS IN WHAT EVER FORM-then who will??:vader

What ever works and keeps them on the road I say. Look at the situation in LA with emmissions. maybe the only way they will be able to keep there VWs on the road will be heavy mods.
Personally I would look at converting the 57 to electric power if the technology ever became cost effective or required. Mechanicals out of a Merc Smart Car would do it.

Personaly I want to try and get the most out of the standard running gear of my chosen VW, the 3. But I love reading and seeing highly modified cars. Reading about Wes's conversion was cool but nothing I would ever undertake. Modifications in my car will be all hidden in the engine case which will be machined within an inch of its life. Well maby not but you know what I mean.
Its all about horses for corses. Nige:thumb

Hi Folks

A friend of mine was telling me the other day that as of 1st January 2003 the RTA in NSW have stopped approval for any NON VW motors going into VW"S, eg no more Subaru conversions etc.Has anyone else heard about this situation?

PAUL

What is it that makes a VW a VW? Is it just the appearance the air cooled setup? For me i think if you lose the aircooled motor you take away what makes a VW what it is.....

Liam

Hey Dean, there was a company in the US that built a VW based 356 spider replica that was electric powered, don't know if it was commercially available. It was in an old Hot VWs

im actually watercooling my beetle because of the cost of high performance aircooled vw engines and their relatively low horsepower output. not that i dont love that aircooled motor but because i use the car for motorsport thats the path i choose to follow. ( i would never have a watercooled motor in my daily driven street beetle).
i thought about a subaru and rotary conversion but couldnt go past a vw motor so in goes the golf motor

Yes I agree, It's your car do what you like with it. Personal choice.

I chose to keep mine air cooled, I like the challenge of getting the performance I like from a 60 year old designed engine.
I hate to hear people at the drags say, "that thing goes hard", "yes but its got a Porsche/WRX engine in it", about a quick VW powered car, man I hate that.

I think an engine swap takes away what an air cooled VW is, cheap reliable transport, that can be modified to give unbelievable horse power, that the normal man in the street has no idea about.

To me its all part of the fun of owning a VW.

But I don't get all shirty with people who do engine swaps, bringing an old car into the 21st century by using more modern mechanicals so it does what they want.

NE1 planning on buying a New Beetle and making it aircooled?? :o

fatboy there is an aircooler vw ute rabbit in america somewhere.

everyone likes a VW powered by a VW engine stock or blown but its harder to get ppl to like a VW with a water pumper in it. i reckon anyway
:bounce

Hey Pat, you wouldnt have a copy of the article would you. Luv to read it.

I love VW's for the shape mainly, sure the air cooled engine sound it part of it, but it's mainly the shape for me.

Electric power would be fine for my Oval. Most of the running around is low speed in the city. Cheap to run and environmental too. It would have to have at least the same HP as a 36 horser tho.

yeah dave i pretty much agree with you, i think it feels so much better to blow someone away and tell them its a Vee Dub motor

My Personal Choice is I would not Convert
an engine in any car, With VW If money dropped out of the sky I would like a motor by Amazer Or V-force, however I would consider purchasing a VW with a legal conversion, registered with a competently engineered DRIVETRAIN as long as it went like hell & was reliable

i think it depends on the reason. if you can stay stock, do so. but if a watercooled (especially a flat watercooled) engine can enhance drivability and enjoyment of your veicle, and wont mean cutting half the car off, go for it, i have!

yeah there definitely is an allure of having 200HP stock, in a modern engine with EFI, multivalves, variable length runners and something that will last absolutely ages. All for the fraction of the price of a hot VW engine.

it doesn't really make financial sense but it has to be a vw flat four for me

I think it is good to see a different motor in any car. The only things that I feel are important are that it must not be a step backwards in performance and usually reliability.
It must look pretty much like it is meant to be there, and not just chucked in with crap everywhere done poorly.

I feel my car is example of the theory of evolution.

It started off as a standard 1968 1300 deluxe, and has slowly evolved into what it is today. It is now argueably superior to a 1300 deluxe in every way.

Some people afraid to change. Afraid of what evolution may bring.

man do I like to stir the pot or what? :vader

yeah it shits me when people can't accept that the aircooled VW flat four can't compare to a modern engine in terms of efficiency, performance, longevity etc.

I believe that it can, but it would cost a LOT of money!:P

Horses for courses :thumb