hi everyone ive just got into vw's and im almost finished building my tube frame beach/offroad buggy.
its a beetle floor pan with superbug L series IRS back end.

im gonna run the 1500 beetle motor for a while but when i get bored with that...wont be long as every car ive owned has a faster motor lol
my mate has an old skyline with a fuel injected L24 inline6 that i can buy for bugger all
he also has a tubebuggy that had a L20 which gave me the idea

obviously people have used L20s in buggys for years but im wondering if anyone has given the L series box a go with a 6 yet? will it hold up if im not too brutal?

All the buggys i see have kombi box's.

also does this conversion require a bellhousing adaptor or can the original bellhousing be matched up and redrilled to suit?
i know a custom flywheel has to be made up but thats not a problem coz im a machinist by trade
unless someone has one already laying around the shed????:-)
any help would be great
thanks daniel

http://www.volksconversions.com.au/ 

I have a subaru in beetle link below.

Man have you seeen the length of those 6 cylinder L series engines? the overhang will be awesome,no weight on the steering,a lot of years ago we had a holden grey motor in a baja body and it was excessively heavy at the rear,went like you wouldn't believe in a straight line. The little turbo Toyotas go like a cut cat without the weight.

yeah you have to go V6.

look at the US offroad scene. they run all sorts of engines in their buggies, but straight sixes are not one of them. like everyone else has said, it's way too long an heavy to be worth the pain when you can get a turbo 4, V6 or even a small V8 like a rover or P76. The L series six is a great motor, but only for datto Z's and K's. Besides all that, it's very very old now. If you were going a straight six, you'd pick an RB every time. Smaller, cheaper, lighter, more powerful and common as.

Here is an adaptor kit for nissan L series engines on ebay at the moment:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/VW-Nissan-Engine-to-Gearbox-kit-suit-Buggy-Baja-Kit-Car_W0QQitemZ120501272855QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Car_Parts_ Accessories?hash=item1c0e6f8117


Regards,

Matt.

thanks eveyone for your input

i have got access to a number of l20 engines so maybe ill just throw one of them in..maybe

I looked at volk conversions website he has a charade conversion,I ust to have a twin cam charade (1.3L) it hauled ass for what it was so maybe that might be a go, especially with a nice responsive turbo...:-)
light,cheap and revs to over 8!

Anyone done something along this line?
thanks

I wouldn't use anything with a cast iron block. I have a 2.5L all alloy V6.

whats the story with rotary's in buggies? i was watching one on youtube last night in a manx... i know a few beetle run them.. what are the pro's and cons of rotarys in buggies?

Pros - Fast, light

Cons - Technically illegal, bad fuel consumption, crap sound (subjective)

a rotor was another motor i have always wanted to put into a buggy but the cost is abit high and as said above terrible on fuel and my gbox deffinetly wouldnt like a 13b hammerin it

Ilove the sound of a rotory getting flogged especially with short pipes and a massive turbo going nuts, im thiking of geetin an old mazda soon.