Hi Guys,

Firstly, I know that Scat/Empi Chineses stuff is 'less than perfect" and that the ideal situation is to get my hands on genuine VW tinware etc.....

As an example, here is a picture of the cylinder tinware for cylinder 3 and 4...I've checked a few other engines and it appears that this frigging gap was part of the design!

So, whilst I understand that you can massage the aftermarket stuff to sorta like fit does anybody have any tips on how to make it fit perfectly?

or, does anybody know where I can get my hands on some genuine tinware?

Thanks Regards
Greg

looks like that you have a mixed set as you have a 1600 twin port in a single port engine bay.

Just the usual junk tinware. Buy a complete engine thats blown up. Worth every cent if you make sure it has all the tinware. You'll find the knock-off tin won't hug the barrels as well as German, also the shrouds will be missing the small air vanes at the opening where the fan housing slips in (between the sparkplugs), then the area's like you've pictured, the lower tins are worse, front and rear aprons often just not in the race. I even believe the thermo flaps are part of the overall cooling system that helps straighten the air flow into the fins. Thing is, even the German will need some work as you havve dual carbs whereas the OG tin had heat risers, heater pipes and usually a breather pipe, all of which may or may not fit the exhaust, heaters and what not that your using.
The 1600 in an early engine bay isn't really to much of a problem when everything is done right.

The problem there isn't in the cylinder tinware, it's the breastplate is an aftermarket one with no heater holes or preheater cut out.

The stock cylinder tinware steps up like that for the preheat manifold clearance then a piece of tinware sits in behind the preheat pipe to seal the gap, they are very commonly thrown out.

Not much you can do with the aftermarket tin like that when twin carbs/efi is fitted except massage it into place a bit better.

Thanks guys

Regards
Greg

Not sure what point you're trying to say Matt?

You can see yours is a German breast plate that you or someone has chopped the preheat surround out and welded in flat sheet metal.

Gregs is an aftermarket one stamped in some chinese sweat shop without the preheat surround and fits like shit.
The aftermarket cylinder tin isn't helping but its not the main blame here.

the fit on his would be a lot better if it was a German breast plate with the preheat surround removed and filled in like yours.

Greg , if your competant with a mig or tig welder , cut a pie cut back into the cylinder tin towards the centre of the engine and lower that turned out lip then fill in with a wedge of sheetmetal and weld and cleanup .
And if you'vve got the welder out and have got some old buggered german cylinder tins , cut out the airdeflectors and fit them into your chinese tins .

Andrew

My point was that it is the bodgy shroud (barrel cover) that has caused the misalignment at the exhaust port, the OG tin has the folded edge at the same height as the long outer ledge, not 8-10mm higher like in the pic.
As Andrew said above, you can weld and shape the new stuff, but that to me is only 1/4 of the problems, they don't hug the fins closely so a large portion of air doesn't even get into the fins as it takes the path of least resistance.
Get some German tin, you'll still need the MIG to repair any cracks and modify as required.....my 2c

You can see the RHS heat riser pipe going down to the muffler
there is a cutout there for the heat riser pipes...
there is even a small metal cover plate to cover that up...
and block any escaping air.. lol

As suggested You need all original German tinware...
to direct the air correctly.. to where it has to go..

there should be many pics of engines with the heat riser cutouts and metal plates screwed to the outlet Muffler pipes..

I'll see if I can find some pics...

seeing You aren't using heat riser pipes...
You could weld in a couple of covers...
they don't normally look like Your pic with the gap...

LEE

all i can see is a yellow spring.

Thanks again guys.....the next obvious question is "where's the best place to get a complete set of genuine doghouse based tinware? Also, what model bug would it be from as it needs to fit into a 1967 bug.

Regards
Greg

The tin needs to suit your engine, ie 1600cc doghouse (as you know), as for fitting the car, no worries there, sometimes a slight trim is required on the rear breast plate, that's it.

Thanks Matt