NPC - Ye Olde Vanagon Thread, Let's (try to) rebuild a WBX engine Options

[914forme]

There are also several USA shops which specialize in dropping a Porsche 6 into T3 Vanagons too, including one of our LA area members on here (but I'm spacing on his name right now), who has posted in this thread.

Tom
///////

Marty of MSDS Fame? He has done a few of them including a very (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drooley.gif) Vanagon Synro with a 3.2 out back.

And this V8 Double Cab (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drooley.gif)

I think so - does he go by MalteseFalcon or something similar on here?

.... sorry for the halfzymer moment hon this, but I'm doing about 5 things at the same time today! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

The Doka & Single Cab's higher rear deck really opens up space & options for some radical mods, doesn't it!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

Yep that would be him.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif) LS7 and C2 trans (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

[Tom_T]

A box is a box is a box (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chair.gif)

BTW - ALL cars/etc. are "Boxes" - & designers refer to them as either 1, 2 or 3 Box design .... if not obvious -

> most cars & pick-ups are "3 Box" design - including our 914s,

> SUV/CUVs, station wagons/Touring/Shooting Brake (who the F*** came up with that last one!? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) ), Hatches & some Vans/Mini-Vans are "2 Box" design,

> & most Vans/Mini-Vans & some cars like the Scion B/etc. are "1 Box" design.

So any way your cut it - all vehicles are "Boxes" are "Boxes" are "Boxes"! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drunk.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

[sechszylinder]

A box is a box is a box (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chair.gif)

BTW - ALL cars/etc. are "Boxes" - & designers refer to them as either 1, 2 or 3 Box design .... if not obvious -

> most cars & pick-ups are "3 Box" design - including our 914s,

> SUV/CUVs, station wagons/Touring/Shooting Brake (who the F*** came up with that last one!? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) ), Hatches & some Vans/Mini-Vans are "2 Box" design,

> & most Vans/Mini-Vans & some cars like the Scion B/etc. are "1 Box" design.

So any way your cut it - all vehicles are "Boxes" are "Boxes" are "Boxes"! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drunk.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

From my point of view, besides the 914,I always liked the Golf GTI (Rabbit) MK1 style, which is really kind of a box.

So I think of my Vanagon as of a bulky mutated Golf GTI MK1, perfect suited as a Porsche parts- / family- hauler (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

BR

Benno (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_flagge6.gif)

[Tom_T]

A box is a box is a box (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chair.gif)

BTW - ALL cars/etc. are "Boxes" - & designers refer to them as either 1, 2 or 3 Box design .... if not obvious -

> most cars & pick-ups are "3 Box" design - including our 914s,

> SUV/CUVs, station wagons/Touring/Shooting Brake (who the F*** came up with that last one!? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) ), Hatches & some Vans/Mini-Vans are "2 Box" design,

> & most Vans/Mini-Vans & some cars like the Scion B/etc. are "1 Box" design.

So any way your cut it - all vehicles are "Boxes" are "Boxes" are "Boxes"! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drunk.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

From my point of view, besides the 914,I always liked the Golf GTI (Rabbit) MK1 style, which is really kind of a box.

So I think of my Vanagon as of a bulky mutated Golf GTI MK1, perfect suited as a Porsche parts- / family- hauler (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

BR

Benno (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_flagge6.gif)

No Benno, the GTI is a "2 Box" design by automotive convention! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I like the reference to our Vanagons as "A Brick on Wheels" - heavy & square! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Although, the Vanagon broke ground with sleeker design & better aerodynamics, long before Chrysler/Dodge's entry! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

[mepstein]

There are also several USA shops which specialize in dropping a Porsche 6 into T3 Vanagons too, including one of our LA area members on here (but I'm spacing on his name right now), who has posted in this thread.

Tom
///////

Marty of MSDS Fame? He has done a few of them including a very (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drooley.gif) Vanagon Synro with a 3.2 out back.

And this V8 Double Cab (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drooley.gif)

I think so - does he go by MalteseFalcon or something similar on here?

.... sorry for the halfzymer moment hon this, but I'm doing about 5 things at the same time today! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

The Doka & Single Cab's higher rear deck really opens up space & options for some radical mods, doesn't it!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

Yep that would be him.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif) LS7 and C2 trans (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

Marty used to sell a kit to do the 3.2 conversion. He has a 935 engine in his 914. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif)

[Tom_T]

Required equipment for any stock Vanagon .... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)



Various styles & vehicles can be found at the link below & not expensive - I used the one to add your own text -

http://stores.ebay.com/sundownstickers/

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

[Tom_T]

A photo of our now Classic Westy in front of our vintage 1960 Avion T20 (#2 off the line) last October at the "Ride the Wild Surf" vintage trailer rally at the Newport Dunes Resort in Newport Beach CA - 1960's era doodads on the left & 1980's era doodads on the right .... just for the halibut! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)



(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

[Tom_T]

Another photo of our now Classic 1988 Westy in front of our vintage 1960 Avion T20 (#2 off the line) last October at the "Ride the Wild Surf" vintage trailer rally at the Newport Dunes Resort in Newport Beach CA - 1960's era doodads on the left & 1980's era doodads on the right .... just for the halibut! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)



(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

[rgalla9146]

I worked in the eighties for a VW, Porsche, Audi independent shop.
It was located near the US headquarters of VW +Porsche Audi and the owner had strong connections to the firm and many friends there.
On occasion unusual cars would drop in on their way from JFK airfreight to the
headquarters in Englewood Cliffs.
Once a Vanagon showed up with a 3.2 installed by Porsche in Germany.
It was white with a beautiful navy blue all leather 6 seat interior and Bose sound system.
It also had 911 steel wheels and flat hubcaps. And a 930 4 speed.
The cast 3.2 intake manifolds had aluminum tape covering the cast Porsche logo.
All factory done. It was on it's way to a Ca.dealer....Fuller... Porsche ?
AND .... I got to drive it.
My '89 Westy could really use some of that zip.

[Tom_T]

I worked in the eighties for a VW, Porsche, Audi independent shop.
It was located near the US headquarters of VW +Porsche Audi and the owner had strong connections to the firm and many friends there.
On occasion unusual cars would drop in on their way from JFK airfreight to the
headquarters in Englewood Cliffs.
Once a Vanagon showed up with a 3.2 installed by Porsche in Germany.
It was white with a beautiful navy blue all leather 6 seat interior and Bose sound system.
It also had 911 steel wheels and flat hubcaps. And a 930 4 speed.
The cast 3.2 intake manifolds had aluminum tape covering the cast Porsche logo.
All factory done. It was on it's way to a Ca.dealer....Fuller... Porsche ?
AND .... I got to drive it.
My '89 Westy could really use some of that zip.

Very Interesting - I didn't realize that they sent any of their B32's over to the US - officially or unofficially.

If I ever won the Power Ball big, I'd get some Vanagon +/-85 & see if Porsche Classics could be talked into building an "original continuation" B32. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

Of course for that I'd actually have to buy lotto tickets! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

[rgalla9146]

I worked in the eighties for a VW, Porsche, Audi independent shop.
It was located near the US headquarters of VW +Porsche Audi and the owner had strong connections to the firm and many friends there.
On occasion unusual cars would drop in on their way from JFK airfreight to the
headquarters in Englewood Cliffs.
Once a Vanagon showed up with a 3.2 installed by Porsche in Germany.
It was white with a beautiful navy blue all leather 6 seat interior and Bose sound system.
It also had 911 steel wheels and flat hubcaps. And a 930 4 speed.
The cast 3.2 intake manifolds had aluminum tape covering the cast Porsche logo.
All factory done. It was on it's way to a Ca.dealer....Fuller... Porsche ?
AND .... I got to drive it.
My '89 Westy could really use some of that zip.

Very Interesting - I didn't realize that they sent any of their B32's over to the US - officially or unofficially.

If I ever won the Power Ball big, I'd get some Vanagon +/-85 & see if Porsche Classics could be talked into building an "original continuation" B32. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

Of course for that I'd actually have to buy lotto tickets! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

Oh! the Vanagon I drove was not a B32.
It was very 'plain Jane from the outside.

[Tom_T]

I worked in the eighties for a VW, Porsche, Audi independent shop.
It was located near the US headquarters of VW +Porsche Audi and the owner had strong connections to the firm and many friends there.
On occasion unusual cars would drop in on their way from JFK airfreight to the
headquarters in Englewood Cliffs.
Once a Vanagon showed up with a 3.2 installed by Porsche in Germany.
It was white with a beautiful navy blue all leather 6 seat interior and Bose sound system.
It also had 911 steel wheels and flat hubcaps. And a 930 4 speed.
The cast 3.2 intake manifolds had aluminum tape covering the cast Porsche logo.
All factory done. It was on it's way to a Ca.dealer....Fuller... Porsche ?
AND .... I got to drive it.
My '89 Westy could really use some of that zip.

Very Interesting - I didn't realize that they sent any of their B32's over to the US - officially or unofficially.

If I ever won the Power Ball big, I'd get some Vanagon +/-85 & see if Porsche Classics could be talked into building an "original continuation" B32. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

Of course for that I'd actually have to buy lotto tickets! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

Oh! the Vanagon I drove was not a B32.
It was very 'plain Jane from the outside.

I wonder if it could've been one of the factory B32 prototypes which they fitted out? The 6 blue leather seats were pretty unique to the final "Exec Limo" version of the production B32.

IIRC the blue & white versions of the B32 which I've seen in the pix had the blue seats, but they looked like these in the Anthracite Grey Metallic B32 from the VW Museum in Hamburg (??) below.



Does that interior shot look familiar - other than not blue & leather? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

[rgalla9146]

I worked in the eighties for a VW, Porsche, Audi independent shop.
It was located near the US headquarters of VW +Porsche Audi and the owner had strong connections to the firm and many friends there.
On occasion unusual cars would drop in on their way from JFK airfreight to the
headquarters in Englewood Cliffs.
Once a Vanagon showed up with a 3.2 installed by Porsche in Germany.
It was white with a beautiful navy blue all leather 6 seat interior and Bose sound system.
It also had 911 steel wheels and flat hubcaps. And a 930 4 speed.
The cast 3.2 intake manifolds had aluminum tape covering the cast Porsche logo.
All factory done. It was on it's way to a Ca.dealer....Fuller... Porsche ?
AND .... I got to drive it.
My '89 Westy could really use some of that zip.

Very Interesting - I didn't realize that they sent any of their B32's over to the US - officially or unofficially.

If I ever won the Power Ball big, I'd get some Vanagon +/-85 & see if Porsche Classics could be talked into building an "original continuation" B32. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

Of course for that I'd actually have to buy lotto tickets! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

Oh! the Vanagon I drove was not a B32.
It was very 'plain Jane from the outside.

I wonder if it could've been one of the factory B32 prototypes which they fitted out? The 6 blue leather seats were pretty unique to the final "Exec Limo" version of the production B32.

IIRC the blue & white versions of the B32 which I've seen in the pix had the blue seats, but they looked like these in the Anthracite Grey Metallic B32 from the VW Museum in Hamburg (??) below.



Does that interior shot look familiar - other than not blue & leather? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

Don't forget this was ~30 years ago !
My recollection is the seats were smooth solid leather.
The seating was the two front seats plus two rear facing optional and the rear
bench..... so could actually be a seven seater.
I clearly remember the steel 911 wheels with the flat hubcaps without Porsche
crests.
When was the last air cooled Vanagon ....1982 - 83 ?

[Tom_T]

Don't forget this was ~30 years ago !
My recollection is the seats were smooth solid leather.
The seating was the two front seats plus two rear facing optional and the rear
bench..... so could actually be a seven seater.
I clearly remember the steel 911 wheels with the flat hubcaps without Porsche
crests.
When was the last air cooled Vanagon ....1982 - 83 ?

I hear ya, at 64 some things are foggy for me too! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I saw some pix of one of the prototype B32 airboxer/6 T3/Vanagons, & it had the 911 steel wheels. I'll try to find that later on. The article may have said something about it being sent to the US.

Yes, up to mid-83 MY was the 2L aircooled motor, but the Vanagon/T3 were specifically design for water boxers, but the engines weren't ready for mainstream until well after the mid-1979 release of the T3-Vano.

Some would question whether they were really ready for prime time then - what with coolant eating thru dissimilar metals in the heads/gaskets/cases in 20K miles! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

But the B32s were built in 85 MY from waterboxer/4 T3s, & essentially backdated to aircooled - since Porsche's 3.2 Carreras were still airboxer/6s.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

[Tom_T]

This photo of a magazine article is hard to read (I suggest enlarging it), but goes thru the history of how they came up with the B32 - NOT as a chase/support vehicle for the Paris-Dakkar Race, but as a test vehicle/support vehicle for other Porsche engineering programs being tested in Africa, & then they decided to produce them.

What I like about it, is that it interviewed some of the actual Porsche engineers, rather than hearsay & "alternative facts." (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)




I'd like to find a better copy of that article, but I don't even know the originating auto magazine's name, since that info was cropped off of the pix.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

[veltror]

Why not fit an Audi 5 cylinder, this was factory fitment in south africa

http://www.lekkercamper.co.za/travel-artic...ersonality.html

[Tom_T]

Why not fit an Audi 5 cylinder, this was factory fitment in south africa

http://www.lekkercamper.co.za/travel-artic...ersonality.html

I never was a fan of the Audi 5-banger in the T4/Eurovans, which vans alsways seemed equally underpowered until they put the VR6 in them.

Not to mention ....

What's more sexy - a Porsche Carrera 3.2L flat-6 with the Fuchs wheels, 4-wheel disc brakes & all of the other 911 Carrera suspension bits .... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

.... or an Audi I-5? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

I'd be keen to see a Merlin 16 cylinder amidships (from the P51 Mustang, Spitfire, Hydro-boats, at least one NHRA Dragster "Rail", etc.) - sans interior (sim. to the dragster a few pages back) - just to see what that could blast like!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

Realistically for a modern hot Vanagon/T3, probably pulling the flat 6 WBX drivetrain & running gear from a post 2000's Porsche is the hot set-up with most sex appeal which will fit the space reasonably well, IMHO. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

[mepstein]

My cousin said he had close to 2000hp in his P-51 so that might be a bit much for a VW van.

[Tom_T]

My cousin said he had close to 2000hp in his P-51 so that might be a bit much for a VW van.

It would be a dragster "Rail" posing as a VW Van Mark.

A buddy of my uncle had a straight Rail with the 16 cyl. Merlin in it & ran at OCR & other dragstrips here in SoCal back in the 1960's, & he had more than 2k HP & it ripped!

It had this teenage boy's eyes like saucers when we saw it run! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

They were more available back in the 1960's in the days when you could still get WWII surplus stuff cheap, & used in Hydroplane raceboats mostly.

My uncle got a perfect crated WWII Jeep 100% new for $200 back then.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

[veltror]

Why not fit an Audi 5 cylinder, this was factory fitment in south africa

http://www.lekkercamper.co.za/travel-artic...ersonality.html

I never was a fan of the Audi 5-banger in the T4/Eurovans, which vans alsways seemed equally underpowered until they put the VR6 in them.

Not to mention ....

What's more sexy - a Porsche Carrera 3.2L flat-6 with the Fuchs wheels, 4-wheel disc brakes & all of the other 911 Carrera suspension bits .... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

.... or an Audi I-5? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

I'd be keen to see a Merlin 16 cylinder amidships (from the P51 Mustang, Spitfire, Hydro-boats, at least one NHRA Dragster "Rail", etc.) - sans interior (sim. to the dragster a few pages back) - just to see what that could blast like!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

Realistically for a modern hot Vanagon/T3, probably pulling the flat 6 WBX drivetrain & running gear from a post 2000's Porsche is the hot set-up with most sex appeal which will fit the space reasonably well, IMHO. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

% cykinder in a T3 rear enguned Audi 5