:vader

I'm going to be buying and doing a custom job on a Kombi microbus soonish (within a year or so). I like the aircooled engines but have serious concerns about grunt and long-term viability of the engines.

I live in the Illawarra and my Mrs and I do more than the normal number of trips up Mt Ousley and Bulli Pass, so I want a vehicle that'll climb these hills comfortably at the speed limit without revving its rings out, fully laden with kids, dogs, luggage and kegs of homebrew for my Sydney friends and rellies. As I see it, a stock kombi just couldn't keep up 60 km/h up the Pass with this kind of load. My current car, a 1991 Nissan Maxima (3L V6) can do it in spades, over and over again.

What would it cost me in terms of dollars and reliability to work up a 2L (ish) VW motor that could haul all of us about comfortably in a Kombi? I am seriously considering resurrecting a dying bus just so I don't have to take another viable aircooled engine off the road. I'd obviously prefer to get a decent condition bus to start with, which brings me to my next question:

How reversible are engine conversions? ie, is it possible to fit, say, a Holden 3.9L V6 but retain the option to replace the original power plant? Is there too much chopping of body/bay to even consider returning?

Next: Lifting. I've seen some raised buses for off-road/beach use. I want to do this to my bus. Would there be any issues with driving a V6 enabled bus off-road. I've seen some watercooled buses with 2" copper pipe running under the body to the radiator, so I assume they'll handle road debris OK, but with the heavier donk at the back, would the bus still be able to trek across the sand without sinking in?

Gear ratios... I assume a stock Kombi transaxle will leave a V6 revving too high, even with 15" rims? Are different diff ratios do-able to keep a V6 revving in sane ranges?

Phew. Lots of questions. I apologise. I just want to do the mods the right way the first time.

EDIT: We also do cross-country treks every now and again, (family all over the state and friends all over the Eastern Seaboard) so ideally the bus will need to cruise at 110km/h in any weather, all day long.

[Edited on 1-3-2003 by PostModern]

Not answering all of your concerns, but a std or even slightly modified 2L air cooled bus would definitely be overworked doing what you ask, leading to over heating and a short life. If you like VW's consider a Syncro (water cooled). Should be able to do what you ask, just very expensive to re-build/repair if you need to compaired with and aircooled VW.

Better still, CHILL OUT DUDE, a std 2L will do all you ask, maybe chunky tyres for off road stuff, just at a slower pace. Thar's what there all about!!
:beer

talk to indian automotive
they aer bus guru's i believe
but yeah a balanced polished spanker EFI 2ltr Kombi will last u for ever
:bounce

Ta. I've been to Indian's site when I started looking at buses. I like the one here:
http://www.kruizinwagon.com.au/buses.asp?action=show_news&current_id=199 
only a V6 microbus instead of a V8 van and just a ~bit~ lower (and maybe red)

they are cool but there is alot of money and heaps of water pipe and metal fabrication done here.
Most ppl that do these big mods do or are close to someone who owns a metal work shop and do it in the spare time, hence not toooo many to see.
the only way to find out is to ask q's and what can i do with this much money etc.
:bounce

hey
indian have a box indeally setup foir the V6 holden can handle 300 hp conversion but it is 5 grand!!! but a standard one maybe with some gear work done would set ya back around 1000-1500 bucks and the motor etc around 2500!
but then there is fitting of comps radiator wiring harness etc it is very fiddly but well worth it (hope to do it one day)
if fitted in a 72+ year model bus the engine bay is big enough so maybe only some brackets fabricated to hold the engine in!! anmd yes it is reversible.
hope this all helps
rhys

I don't think it'd be outrageous. The only thing I haven't figured out is the cold hard cost of the V6 conversion and engineering certification. I'm building a vehicle to keep for a while, so there's no issue of trying to recoup what I spend.

Engine (from wreckers) : $1100
Tranny (Indian 091): $?? I have NFI :o
Front lift kit : $300?
Paint job (inside and out): $2500??
15" Rims and tyres : $700
Aircon (tough to cost) : $1500? $2000?
Interior, rubbers, carpet, upholstery, stereo, etc: $3000

Doesn't add up to all that much... done in stages should make it reasonably painless.

To put it in perspective, my other option is a late model Japanese people mover.

EDIT: Thanks kombi_kid. I was taking my time and you posted while I had this opened. $5k for the 091, eh? Ouch!


[Edited on 1-3-2003 by PostModern]

while we're mentioning businesses, you may
want to compare prices with CBB Penrith
they are in the VW Bussinesses Guide on this forum.
CBBVW.com
Have fun.

you can rebuild a type 4 engine (from the late kombi) and maybe fit 96mm pistons and get 2056. I think it should cost about 4k to do a stockish rebuild of a 2L type 4 and there is nothing else to do other than put it in and drive.

It'll last u forever though, there are stories of stock type 4's going 500 000 miles + with the heads being taken off every 50 000k for a valve job.

luke pell has his V6 conversion for sale at the mo out of his kombi includes the adaptor plate clutch pressure plate comp radiator etc (all there) for 1800!!! pretty fukin good and it will mate up to a 2L kombi box (2L kombi box's withstand 200hp) so long as u dont flog it!!!
CBB would be a good option for lift kits!!
cheers
rhys

Do a search for Wes's post about his V6 Baja. For that matter, the link to his website is on the bottom of every one of his posts (or was last time I looked), so take a cruise around. The conversion is really impressive, and details most of the work that you'll have to do to undertake a conversion of your own. A kombi will be somewhat different obviously, but the concept is much the same. :thumb

I've been thru Wes' site and liked what I saw. I must say, it's half the reason I'm inspired to get into all this tomfoolery However, the Mrs has raised the crash safety issue of Kombis and has put her foot down... no Kombi with a rear engine I'll keep working on her.

I don't understand the stuff about crash safety issues: The later 70's kombi's have a full width safety member behind the bumper and a 'Y-frame chassis' just like the ones Toyota was bragging about in their Taragos in the 80's.

Sure there's not much between the front seat occupants and the outside, but they're no worse than any other van of similar design. Kombis definitely handle and brake better than similar vans of the same era though. The bonus is that people who drive kombis generally drive quite sedately and tend to avoid trouble. Of course, that doesn't include dope-smoking hippies, people who like to drive their kombi's on two wheels and most P-platers. :o Come to think of it, it probably doesn't include people with V6 and V8 converted kombis either!!

Quote:

Originally posted by KruizinKombi Come to think of it, it probably doesn't include people with V6 and V8 converted kombis either!!

A site i would recomend you go to is
http://www.shoptalkforums.com 

You will find 2 sections there of great interest.
1) The Bus Barn
2) The Type 4rum

The Bus Barn is good for general information although the Americans get all hot and sweatty over splits and tend to forget the others (especially air cooled wedges/vanagons like i own)

The other is about type 4 motors and POWER.

This is where it gets interesting.
I think everyone here would agree that a Type 4 motor is the way to go in the bus (ie a 1974 + bus). Done properly these motors can produce solid power, gobs of torque, cool running and longevity.

Now back a couple of steps.
Maybe you should consider a Wedge/Vanagon Air cooled. These are an 80-82 vintage but are wider than normal, still air cooled and improved safet issues (concertina(sp?) safety cell at the front) and handle and corner much better than bays.

For an idea of costs to think about in a V6 conversion check out my site, which you already have done. I included a full list of details of costs.

As for gearing, I chose a 2lt 6-rib box with an Albins 0.70 4th gear set. 2lt rebuilds can be around $1200 depend on whats wrong. An Abins gear set is $350. So the tranny should be under $2000 at the max I would think.

A V6 in the back will only make it go better offroad. Trust me, my baja gets way more grip with the V6 in the back. It really bites in.

Hah. You buy a T3 and there aint no way I'll be waving to ya. Even my 4 yr old knows they arent cool. I've got a calendar (thanks J) with various VW vans. She flicks through it saying kombi, kombi, kombi, normal car (T3), kombi, kombi, normal car (T4), kombi... Nobody here wants to drive a normal car do they?

Any rust free (ok relatively rust free) 74 or later is best but 77 or later even better. Basically all the same but later ones get some little things that work nicer or look better. A good 76 is better than a so so 77 though.

Looking forward to seeing another turbo kombi around. Im at Warilla, and do enough trips up ousley as well. Top gear at 1/3 throttle. Yee haa. You may see me around. I got the clubvw website sticker on the back of my orange 74.

Thanks Wes. I reckon we're set on an aircooled bus now. I don't have the time or the workshop to do the work myself and the Mrs has her heart set on a new 2007 model bus i can't justify $7K plus for a V6 conversion to use for only 4 years. We're keeping my current Maxima "for quick runs down to the snowfields" and running a bus for beach holidays and soccer training runs A lifted and worked 2L late 70's bus is on the cards. A neighbour is in Club VeeDub here I think (a loud green 60's beetle???)... so I might start speaking to other Illawarra dubbers and get my hands on something to play with soon.

amazer: I think I've seen your bus around the Gong. I spend the working week in Sydney and on trains (yawn) and live up in the Northern burbs, but I'm sure I've seen an orange bus around the place. What's Dunham like for VW work?

An orange kombi. Hmmm I think half of the kombis ever made were orange.

Dunhams are excellent.