71 westy and 78 bus swap
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james
- Posts: 57
- Joined: Fri Apr 26, 2002 1:01 am
71 westy and 78 bus swap
Okay--here's the situation-- I am getting a 71 westy for free, and a neighbor just offered me her 78 bus for $100. The westy has a newer 1600cc, but is very rusty and has been "rewired" (all red and black wires with occasional speakerwire thrown in.) The 78 is only slightly rusty, but the engine is seized. (drain bolt fell out and ran it without oil.) Will the 1600 bolt right into the 78'? I was thinking on swapping out the engine, and interior, then using the camper body as patch panels. I know I should rebuild the 2 liter, but I don't have the funds right now. Just looking for suggestions here, thanks!
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dstar5000
- Posts: 4555
- Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2002 12:01 am
71 westy and 78 bus swap
Nope, doesn't "bolt right in".
Lots of headaches here. Cheaper to rebuild the 2.0L
Don
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78 Westy 2.0l
71 Bradley GT 1641cc
"The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do".
Walter Bagehot
Lots of headaches here. Cheaper to rebuild the 2.0L
Don
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78 Westy 2.0l
71 Bradley GT 1641cc
"The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do".
Walter Bagehot
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dan_katrina
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2002 1:01 am
71 westy and 78 bus swap
you will need part #ESM0030 from www.aircooled.net (or other?) and some creative wiring.and a rear engine mount.
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james
- Posts: 57
- Joined: Fri Apr 26, 2002 1:01 am
71 westy and 78 bus swap
I really only need to know if the engine will mate up with the tranny. Mounts and wiring are no problem.
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lowpro1984
- Posts: 89
- Joined: Wed Nov 07, 2001 12:01 am
71 westy and 78 bus swap
Im pretty sure the engine will mount up to the tranny and if not maybe there is a way you could get the old trans in the later bus.
Chris R.
Chris R.
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germansupplyscott
- Posts: 887
- Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2001 12:01 am
71 westy and 78 bus swap
the input shafts are different, but they will mount up. there are threads on this topic on the the type 4um, one recently about this. i think the shaft has to be shortened, or you use the trans from the earlier bus. the gearing on the late bus trans will be way too tall for the 1600 anyways, so you might as well change the trans. apart form that, engine cooling is the biggest issue, getting the rear of the compartment to seal properly, and the fibreglass part made for this is the only way to go. i saw one on thesamba.com recently.
scott lyons
scott lyons
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Pillow
- Posts: 2940
- Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2001 1:01 am
71 westy and 78 bus swap
Yes, the T1 will go into a T4 bay.
The only problem I see might be the starter from flywheel differences. But you could swap that out from the '71.
You will need a Creative Engineering fiberglass tray to seal the gap for proper air flow.
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Adrian Pillow
'66 VW Westfalia - "Biscuit"
'67 VW Deluxe Westfakia - "Dino"
'79 Porsche 911 SC - "Cochese"
The only problem I see might be the starter from flywheel differences. But you could swap that out from the '71.
You will need a Creative Engineering fiberglass tray to seal the gap for proper air flow.
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Adrian Pillow
'66 VW Westfalia - "Biscuit"
'67 VW Deluxe Westfakia - "Dino"
'79 Porsche 911 SC - "Cochese"
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Bob Ingman
- Posts: 2869
- Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2001 12:01 am
71 westy and 78 bus swap
Whats everyone making such a big deal out of this for. Its not that bad. Shorten or change the input shaft(or better yet as suggested swap transaxles too). the 1600 will then bolt right up. Use the top carrier off the late tranny to hang the engine. No need to fab up a rear hanger. Its on the T-4 engine because of torque not weight. The top hanger will hold fine. Use some of the old body metal to seal off the engine and a combination of the two tins pop riveted together. Then get to work and rebuild the T-4 engine. Its a better engine for the van or anything else probably. You do`nt need to spend a lot of money on the fiberglass seal for a temp job. Good luck. Bob Ingman
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Zen
- Posts: 387
- Joined: Fri May 25, 2001 12:01 am
71 westy and 78 bus swap
I have a 73 powered by a bone stock 1600 Single Port upright engine. I've had it out on the interstate at speeds over 70 for hours with no problems. I've climbed Monteagle Mountain (I-75 between Chattanooga and Nashville, TN) without ever having to downshift out of 4th. I've even used it three times to tow a bug (engine, tranny, and all) but that is really pushing its limit. If I keep the speed reasonable (around 60) it gets over 25 miles per gallon on the highway.
A friend of mine did this conversion several years back then sold it to one of my co-workers. I bought it from him last fall after he ran it without a generator belt for several miles and destroyed the engine. I don't know about the 78 tranny, but on the 73 it's just a bolt in swap. Everything matches up just fine. The rear crossmember for this one was fabricated from flat and angle iron and some motor mounts my friend said he found in his shop. The rear cross member bolts on to the engine just like the 68-71 cross member, and bolts on each side to these motor mounts that don't really hold up any weight, but they help keep the engine from twisting. He said the hardest part of the conversion was modifying the engine bay to seal off to the type 1 tin. The piece from aircooled.net would be a better option, but he cut some of the metal away and fabricated a flat sheet of metal with a heavy rubber flap rivited to it for this bus. It works fine, but it would be hard to go back with a type 4 motor now.
On the Westy interior stuff, I also installed the bed, side cabinet and overhead shelf from a 71 Westy in this 73. The shelfs from the side cabinet will have to be trimed to fit the profile of the later bus, but everything else fit just fine.
Now, I'd much rather have a later model pop-top Westy with all the bells and whistles, and the extra power of the fuel injected 2000cc engine . . . but considering I have less than $600 in this bus and it gets me anywhere I want to go and I've got a place to sleep when I get there, it'll do for now.
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Zen Hendricks
"You can observe a lot by watching." -- Yogi Berra
Scenic City Volks Folks, Chattanooga, TN -- Where Air Meets Water! http://www.volksfolks.org
A friend of mine did this conversion several years back then sold it to one of my co-workers. I bought it from him last fall after he ran it without a generator belt for several miles and destroyed the engine. I don't know about the 78 tranny, but on the 73 it's just a bolt in swap. Everything matches up just fine. The rear crossmember for this one was fabricated from flat and angle iron and some motor mounts my friend said he found in his shop. The rear cross member bolts on to the engine just like the 68-71 cross member, and bolts on each side to these motor mounts that don't really hold up any weight, but they help keep the engine from twisting. He said the hardest part of the conversion was modifying the engine bay to seal off to the type 1 tin. The piece from aircooled.net would be a better option, but he cut some of the metal away and fabricated a flat sheet of metal with a heavy rubber flap rivited to it for this bus. It works fine, but it would be hard to go back with a type 4 motor now.
On the Westy interior stuff, I also installed the bed, side cabinet and overhead shelf from a 71 Westy in this 73. The shelfs from the side cabinet will have to be trimed to fit the profile of the later bus, but everything else fit just fine.
Now, I'd much rather have a later model pop-top Westy with all the bells and whistles, and the extra power of the fuel injected 2000cc engine . . . but considering I have less than $600 in this bus and it gets me anywhere I want to go and I've got a place to sleep when I get there, it'll do for now.
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Zen Hendricks
"You can observe a lot by watching." -- Yogi Berra
Scenic City Volks Folks, Chattanooga, TN -- Where Air Meets Water! http://www.volksfolks.org
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LeeE
- Posts: 39
- Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2001 1:01 am
71 westy and 78 bus swap
I also have a 73 Rusty, oops, I mean Westy bus with a stock 1600 single port. I bought it this way with a spare IV engine to rebuild, and I was very worried at first but Bob Ingman and others on this forum reassured me that it would work OK. I don't have a rear mount or ANY tin yet, so I worry about sucking up a plastic bag or something, but Florida heat and torrential rains haven't bothered it yet, runs 70 on the highway, I've driven it over 2,000 miles so far without any problems at all. Type IV engines truly are stronger, but Type 1's are the little engines that could.