I'm looking at putting together a vintage speed 40HP motor for my ghia, more for looks than real performance. It's a stale-air one, late '62.
After reliabile, low stress engine.
Picked up some Reichert manifolds, photos here ( http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=100511 ).
I am thinking of
1. possibly splitting the case to install cam bearings
2. possible 1385cc big-bore P&Cs
3. standard 40HP heads
4. Reichert manifolds and oil-bath cleaners
5. Solex 28PCI carbs
6. 010 dizzy
7. vintage speed exhaust - http://store.vintagespeed.com.tw/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flyp...
My queries are;
a) is it a good idea to install the cam bearings?
b)I've never had a 1385cc kit, are they a bad idea in hot Queensland weather, not even sure if they are readily available.
c) Is there an alternate to the 28PCI I should be considering? Are they OK with the 1385cc kit? There is a selection of main jets/air correction
jets that came with the manifold kit.
d) Whats a good cross-bar linkage that would suit this kit, I know I can still get them from Reichert themselves.
Any comments appreciated.
Cheers, Angus
a) Yes, volkswagen went with this on their next engine incarnation (1300) so if you car splitting the case get it machined for bearings
b) Pretty available; good idea so long as the tinware is all there
c) 28PCI are pretty good carbs they have a removable venturi from memory so can be adjusted to suit; they aren't outright performers but are better
than a single carb 
you could always look at the 34 PCI carbs
d) not many makers of twin 28PCI linkages because of where the manifolds position the throttles so I'd be inclined to stick with the riechert one
If you are splitting the case consider putting in a bit hotter cam than stock; not anything drastic but something like a engle W100 or a Tighe 356C or
149; using one of these would help make use of the extra intake and exhaust your proposing
http://www.tighecams.com.au/cars.htm
http://www.vwheritage.com/vw_spares_Barrel-Pistons-83x64-1384cc-69-SINGLE-REL...
My 2c; good luck with it
the hard part will be finding some decent 28PCI carbs
they work well i think you will have to make some linkages
i wouldnt wory about the cam bearings just up grade the cam slightly and use 1600 rockers 1.1 lift or even 1.25
Thanks for the replies.
I imagine shipping on a set of P&Cs would be horrendous so I'll see if anyone local has them first.
The manifolds are for 28PCIs - I've seen a few engines with the 34PCIs but I'm assuming they wouldn't fit on the manifolds. I suspect that unless
I use different less asthmatic heads there wouldn't be much benefit with them anyway.
I don't want to go over the top with this, it could quickly get quite expensive. Decent 28PCIs probably won't exist as is - I'm assuming I'd be
getting a pair re-built, as if they are not very similar in condition it would be very hard to get the engine running right. I'm wanting to figure
out what I should be putting together, and just gradually pick bits up as I come across them, it might take a while.
How do these manifolds compare with your 36HP ones Dave? I can't imagine they would be too different.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1319077
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=462927
or H 30 solexes
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1364668
Lots more on samba. Mitchell
Mitchell
Thanks for those, I'd actually contacted one of them (Ed Fall, Vintagewerks) already for distributors and carbs. I just wanted to have the actual
manifolds in my hot little hands before committing to buying anything, to make sure they were correct/which carbs would fit. The manifolds were
through TheSamba as well, from Romania!
I've rung a few local businesses for the 1385cc kits without luck so far.
I've just pulled a good 28 pict off my split...even has the govenor set up. Only took it off as i went to a 30.
Has anyone fitted any of the 1200 big-bore kits in recent times? It seems they need a fair bit of modification before thay can be used. Seems that the performance gain is probably worth the hassle though.
I did one about 10 years ago....it was a straight swap.
what needs to be modified on the new kits ?
I had a look through some of the posts on thesamba in the vintage speed area on the weekend while it was pissing down/blowing a gale here.
Looks as though the piston skirts need a fairly savage trim, of course I can't find the comparison post now. I'll check again later tonight when
I've got more time and post the link.
The samba could be talking about the 36hp cases and not the split 40hp variety....
There are some posts about using the 40HP barrel;s on a 36HP, but the issues seem to exist for 40HP. There seem to be two kits available now, Mahle
and AA, a Chinese brand.
Here is a fairly long-winded spiel about it, you can almost skip the first page.....
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=129792