Talked with the guys at aircooled engineering today, I wanted to find ouf they can bore some cylinders for me. Told me yes they could do that work, got to talking with them and found out they also can do my heads. They are local to me, so tomorrow I'm gonna take my heads and cylinders down to them and see if they can do the work. Be a real bonus to find someone here locally that can do that kind of work and do it well. They have a good reputation.


http://www.aircooledengineering.com/

That would be where Art Thraen hangs out if I'm not mistaken. Jake speaks highly of him with regard to carbs.

Search for thraen turned up a lot of threads including this one:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=79660&

Indeed, that is Art's shop. His work on my Dellortos was so close after tuning them on his test engine I just bolted them on and ran them. The only required a one step change... Good guy to work with. He grew up down the block from my house here in California too!

I brought my heads and cylinders to them. I now need to get in touch with jake raby and buy some pistons, cam and lifters. Art wants the pistons to bore the cylinders and do the job right. Time to spend some money.

Update:

I spent about an hour yesterday talkin with art at his shop. Looks like after the first of the year he will be boring cylinders, he told me he should have his torque down plates after the 1st of the year then he will start to bore cylinders. So anyone wanting to get their cylinders bored he will be able to do that job. He told me that he is going to start to get more involved with the type 4 engine. He can do head work on the heads as well.

I'm sorry I didn't bring my camera, you should have seen the engines and the aircooled racers he was working on. Art also mentioned to me that he was looking to get himself a 914. Has his eye on one here locally, he's hoping the owner will sell it to him.

oooh cool, I've been looking into a good source for boring and rebuilding.

Any ballpark figures on what he might charge for cylinder boring/honing, and cylinder head rebuilding?

I'll let you know just as soon as I find out, I have a set of cyls. there to get bored.

I don't know anyone in the high performance VW business who would have anything but high praise for Art and ACE.

So he's getting into T4's? And you're going to send Jake's pistons to Art? You know Art was the guy who beat Jake in the "Blow it Up" TV show, right? He's really modest, so I'm curious if he mentioned that any time in your conversations.

Yep, Art spanked our pants off at Blow It Up. It was what I deserved for even thinking we could build a complete car including an FI 2.7 engine in only 3 weeks and have any success at all. Hell, I even invited Art to the show after another builder backed out and I KNEW he would give us a fair race and would be easy to work with.

I couldn't think of a better person to lose to, Art is a close friend of mine and Marine Brother. We worked on the same Helos in the same Squadron as Marines, just a few years apart and spent tim on the same ships too.

Recently Art spent a week here at Aircooled Heaven as we partnered up to complete an insructional video for a Carburetor supplier in the VW world. When I was tasked with the challenge of doing the Carb video, I immediately called Art as NO ONE understands Carburetors for these engines better than he and his crew.

After he spent a week with me and saw what we do and how much different it is, he started becoming interested in learning more about the TIV. While he was here I was finishing up an engine for one of our mutual customers who lives in SLC, the engine was shipped just after Art left my place and he was able to drive and fine tune it and I think that experience really "set the hook" about the possibilities of the TIV.

Lots of people on the other side of the Rockies need someone to look to for TIV services and I was pleased when I heard that Art wanted to jump[ deeper into the TIV engine. Hell, I even gave him the specs on the torque plate, what to torque the cylinders to, what hone style to use and even the proper grit stones and skirt clearances for my pistons.

Anyone with Art's enthusiasm and work ethic that wants to enter the TIV world is certainly welcome by us as he is a true asset to the industry.

I have been invited into Art's home and he has been invited into mine, we have shared the same meals, the same experiences and we both consider the time we spend at our shops to not be "time at work" as its more of a way of life. I welcome Art into this world and will be more than willing to supply him with the components he needs to couple to his services for the TIV enthusiasts on the left side of the country.

Art is one of the only people I'll share information with as I know he appreciates it and will use it to better the aircooled world. He shares info with me as well. We make a good team to say the least.

He has a lot to experience with the TIV, but I am very glad to see that he is interested in working through the learning curve that most TI specialists are not. As we move into more diversified territory here it is important to have others that can assist us with TIV evolution and I can't think of anyone more suited for this challenging job better than Art and ACE!

look for more Art and Jake tag team efforts in the future!

Thanks Jake for the kind words.. It was a good experenice to hang out at your facility last fall.. It did inspire me to get more involved in the type 4s and being that I,m becoming the only Machine shop/repair center for Air cooled VWs in The Salt Lake City area, its a service I need to provide.

In no way will I take it on like you have, I Have my hands full with the Type 1 engines and 450+ carb rebuilds every year, 60+ type 1 Performance race engines.
And all the machine work that goes along with that..

But Im always up for a new challenge, Keeps me excited and interested..

Glad to have you show up here, Art, an honor.

Thats been my key to success as well. when complacency sets in and you become too aware of your surrounding you become like all the other people "that have bbeen doing this for 30 years".

Wanting diversity is how I got involved in the TIV... We are continuing to push the envelope with the TIV and are making more strides now than ever before- Hell it's been 7 weeks since I tested an engine that made less than 250 HP :-)

I need help from people like Art to keep the ball rolling while I take time away for a couple of years to put into the M96 engine as well as my videos and other TIV and M96 reference materials and on premises workshops and training courses.

Someone in the SLC region needed to support the TIV, I have dozens of engines and kits in that area and a big following that has had no support for years locally.

Welcome to this world, Art.... I'll do my best to keep you motivated when you hit those snags that are always encountered when people with a TI background start playing with the "Big Block".

Art.

Show us your shop and stuff.

So, now I understand! The type 4 is VW's "Rat" motor!

You can see pictures of Arts shop with the link that is posted on the first post of this thread. Hey Art welcome to the 914 World. Its a pleasure and an honor to have you lurking on this board. Thanks for joining.

Thanks you guys for the welcome.. Iv bounced around here for a year or more now..

PICs.. Im on my lap top.. lets see

another

UPDATE:

Art notified me today that he has his torque down plates for boring cylinders. I ordered the pistons from Jake and having them sent to Arts shop. Won't be long before seeing some results.

Strat,
I'll be at Art's shop shooting video beginning 19 January, through the 22nd... Maybe I'll be able to meet you.
Its not too often that I venture away from the lair.....

Lair?

Holy geewhilikers RATMAN,

I thought you were living in the RATCAVE?

Gonna take the RATmobile?

PleasestopKennybeforehepunsagain!

Jake, that would be great. Looking forward to meeting you. See you there.

Set a time up with Art... We'll be shoting video and time will be precious, but I'd like to meet you..

Yep, got a few RATMOBILES, but the shop is on top of a Mountain... Not in a cave :-)

Picked up my cylinders from art yesterday, he did a great job on boring these cylinders. Got the pistons for the cylinders from Jake, keith black 96mm. Will get some pictures today.

So it looks like ACE can now bore cylinders. So if anyone has any cylinders that they want to bore, ACE is the place.

Thanks Art for a job well done.