Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (May 2008, week 3)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Mon, 19 May 2008 11:47:43 -0400
Reply-To:     Greg Potts <greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Greg Potts <greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
Subject:      Re: Can engine and transmission be swapped?
Comments: To: vanagonstretch@AOL.COM
In-Reply-To:  <8CA87D2ACFA63E0-C4-1DB7@MBLK-M31.sysops.aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Hi Gerry,

That would be an interesting idea... I think the secret of that Buick's gas milage was in the transmission, not the powerplant.

But... The buick doesn't way anything close to an unloaded westy. I doubt that the transmission would hold up for long, even if you did find a way to make it fit.

Also, in the buick the engine is in front of the transmission. If you spin it around to install it in a vanagon you are going to end up with one fairly slow forward speed and three choices for reverse. So I guess you will have to plan to have the transmission modified to spin the other way.

BTW, the corvair engine/tranny swap for aircooled buses puts adapter rings on the transmission that the original bus CV's bolt up to. No special axle fabrication is required.

Gerry Lepage wrote: > There was talk on the list of converting to a buick 3.8. Kep makes the adapter. Someone had mentioned the possibility of swapping out both engine and transmission and getting custom axles built with buick at one end?and VW at the other. Has anyone actually done this? How about any other conversion using both the engine and transmission? I know that VW makes a good transaxle but geared too low to keep a bigger engine at proper RPMs. I also know that a taller 3rd & 4th could be installed to fix problem but a lot could be said in keeping both engine and transmission mated. I've searched quite a while on the Internet and haven't found anyone who's done it. Can anyone point me in the right direction if this is possible. >

-- Happy Trails,

Greg Potts 1973/74/79 Westfakia "Bob the Tomato" 1987 Wolfsburg Weekender Hardtop www.busesofthecorn.com www.pottsfamily.ca


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.