Classic vw beetle engine swap?
Discussion
Hello all..
Considering putting a Subaru Impreza ej20 wrx engine into a classic beetle. I'm no mechanic but will it fit? People have put wrx's in beetle before with about 300+ bhp. Anyone know of any other engines to consider? I know a 914 fits to, but they are hard to get hold of. Then again I do want something different? Want over 200bhp for sure. Is seqential shifter out of the question? Am I on cloud 9? I'm aware they can cost a bomb.
Hope someone can help or has an idea
Thanks guys 👊🏻
Considering putting a Subaru Impreza ej20 wrx engine into a classic beetle. I'm no mechanic but will it fit? People have put wrx's in beetle before with about 300+ bhp. Anyone know of any other engines to consider? I know a 914 fits to, but they are hard to get hold of. Then again I do want something different? Want over 200bhp for sure. Is seqential shifter out of the question? Am I on cloud 9? I'm aware they can cost a bomb.
Hope someone can help or has an idea
Thanks guys 👊🏻
Are you serious?
You do know that the Subaru is water cooled? And that a standard Beetle gearbox is going to wilt under anything resembling 200bhp?
Somewhere there's a thread in Reader's Cars which chronicles the transplant of a Subaru engine into a VW Beetle Convertible. It involved a lat of re-engineering and ingenuity.
Good luck.
You do know that the Subaru is water cooled? And that a standard Beetle gearbox is going to wilt under anything resembling 200bhp?
Somewhere there's a thread in Reader's Cars which chronicles the transplant of a Subaru engine into a VW Beetle Convertible. It involved a lat of re-engineering and ingenuity.
Good luck.
Dermot O'Logical said:
Are you serious?
You do know that the Subaru is water cooled? And that a standard Beetle gearbox is going to wilt under anything resembling 200bhp?
Somewhere there's a thread in Reader's Cars which chronicles the transplant of a Subaru engine into a VW Beetle Convertible. It involved a lat of re-engineering and ingenuity.
Good luck.
They do consist of a lot of fabrication and wiring of somewhat, as I said I'm no mechanic just wanted some standard ideas for full engine swaps .You do know that the Subaru is water cooled? And that a standard Beetle gearbox is going to wilt under anything resembling 200bhp?
Somewhere there's a thread in Reader's Cars which chronicles the transplant of a Subaru engine into a VW Beetle Convertible. It involved a lat of re-engineering and ingenuity.
Good luck.
"Classic" air-cooled Beetles are selling for stupid money these days. Invest some time and effort into it, sell it and buy something with more power if that's what you're after.
More power will show up the shortcomings of the Beetle layout and chassis, especially if you have a swing-axle rear end, so you'll spend even more time and money trying to overcome these, even if you can get the engine to fit (and work).
Unless you're able and prepared to completely re-engineer the entire chassis, drivetrain, electrics, suspension ad infinitum, don't even think about it.
More power will show up the shortcomings of the Beetle layout and chassis, especially if you have a swing-axle rear end, so you'll spend even more time and money trying to overcome these, even if you can get the engine to fit (and work).
Unless you're able and prepared to completely re-engineer the entire chassis, drivetrain, electrics, suspension ad infinitum, don't even think about it.
Dermot O'Logical said:
"Classic" air-cooled Beetles are selling for stupid money these days. Invest some time and effort into it, sell it and buy something with more power if that's what you're after.
More power will show up the shortcomings of the Beetle layout and chassis, especially if you have a swing-axle rear end, so you'll spend even more time and money trying to overcome these, even if you can get the engine to fit (and work).
Unless you're able and prepared to completely re-engineer the entire chassis, drivetrain, electrics, suspension ad infinitum, don't even think about it.
Yeah true, defo not willing to re-engineer a car, maybe something along the lines of Mazda? But then again rotary engines..? Been done before. But not to sure what would you personal reccomend? More power will show up the shortcomings of the Beetle layout and chassis, especially if you have a swing-axle rear end, so you'll spend even more time and money trying to overcome these, even if you can get the engine to fit (and work).
Unless you're able and prepared to completely re-engineer the entire chassis, drivetrain, electrics, suspension ad infinitum, don't even think about it.
Thanks
Even a Mazda rotary engine will require radiators, which will inevitably mean running coolant hoses the length of the car because radiators need to be sited in the airflow.
If you want more power from the air-cooled VW engine you need to go to somewhere around two litres on twin Weber carbs. Which will give you something close to 150bhp and loads of torque, but will need an external oil cooler and you'll need to either develop a full set of double-jointed fingers or remove the carbs to change spark plugs. Which you will need to do frequently.
If you want fast, you're starting at the wrong place. Best advice is to sell it and buy something else. Or remove the body, assuming the floorpan is sound, and turn it into a beach buggy.
If you want more power from the air-cooled VW engine you need to go to somewhere around two litres on twin Weber carbs. Which will give you something close to 150bhp and loads of torque, but will need an external oil cooler and you'll need to either develop a full set of double-jointed fingers or remove the carbs to change spark plugs. Which you will need to do frequently.
If you want fast, you're starting at the wrong place. Best advice is to sell it and buy something else. Or remove the body, assuming the floorpan is sound, and turn it into a beach buggy.
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