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Date:   Wed, 27 Dec 2000 19:37:13 -0500
Reply-To:   Rod Smith <rodwreck@SE-TEL.COM>
Sender:   Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:   Rod Smith <rodwreck@SE-TEL.COM>
Subject:   Porsche Engine? - Not Exactly!
Content-Type:   multipart/alternative;

Hi;

Some of you may remember my original post from 12/17/00 where I asked for help in identifying a Porsche engine in an '84 Westy. I was going out to look at the Westy that was advertised as Follows: 1984 WESTY CUSTOM BUILT IN GERMANY IN FEB OF 84. HAS A PORSCHE MOTOR. MINT CONDITION, REAR AIR, STOVE, FRIDGE, SINK, FOUR SPEED.A REAL GEM

Many of you responded with advice, for which I am grateful. Out of the many comments that were posted the one that hit the nail on the head was by Joel Walker who wrote:

"we used to run into this back in the old aircooled days: Porsche did, indeed, DESIGN the engine for the 1972 to 1983 buses (and the Porsche 914 4-cylinder, and the Porsche 912E of 1976, and the Volkswagen 411/412 series of cars from 1969 to 1974), but it wasn't a 'porsche' engine ... it was MADE by VW. anyway, a lot of bus-sellers were told by some slipshod mechanic "yeah, that's one of them buses with the Porch engines in it". riiiiiight. :)

chances are, that's what's happened here. someone has told the current owner than he has 'one of them Porsch engines in it'. :)"

Unfortunatly, that was the case here. The Westy I looked at did indeed have a very stock Waterboxer engine. Oh Well.

On the bright side, the Van itself had a very solid, rust free body with near mint condition interior. It could use a paint job as the origianal white paint has pretty well had it. The odometer reads 140,000 miles.

There were many things to like about this vehicle and I am tempted to make this my first Westy, but the one thing that troubled me was that it was very hard starting. It seemed to run fine once it was running but to get it going was another matter. I understand that that many things could cause this, not the least of that the owner would go back into the engine compartment and turn the distributer by hand a little this way and then that way between cranks until it was running. As I know nothing about waterboxers other than what I have read here I'm not sure if this is something easily corrected, or a sign of a more serious problem.

BTW - The owner is asking $3,500 (U.S.) I'm thinking it may be worth this, or near to it even if it does call for engine work. (comments?)

On the subject of engines, I've read through the archives on engine transplants, and there seems to be many different ways to go. I'd like to ask for opinions on what engine swap is best, taking into consideration price and results.

Any further comments/advise are greatly appreciated. Thanks again to all who responded to my original Post.

Rod


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