Date:         Sat, 13 Nov 2010 17:45:22 -0800
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Replace Heads or Engine?
Comments: To: Greg Potts <greg@pottsfamily.ca>
In-Reply-To:  <4CDF3113.5020509@pottsfamily.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

  I second on the diesels.  If I could find one for a reasonable cost, I
would do another van...probably my Dream Syncro.. with one of those...but
those motors are expensive..very expensive.

  The inline gas VW motors seem to be right there at under $500 with low
miles and all the parts still attached.  $300 seems to be the going rate.
   My complete 'revision' that I just completed took about 30hrs of my time,
including everything, doing it in my 'normally' woodworking shop, hauling
the motor up to the roof, crawling around under the van on
jackstands...pretty crude compared to a commercial shop.

  I didn't do the Scott thing..buff the bolt heads and paint
everything...but I did not do any hack job.  I probably have close to a
grand in this upgrade..but I will get a bit back when I re-sell the heads,
the PS and AC pumps, the 1.8 liter block I no longer need, etc.
   Don Hanson

On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 4:45 PM, Greg Potts <greg@pottsfamily.ca> wrote:

> On 11/13/2010 7:10 PM, mark drillock wrote:
>
>> Greg, I have heard of people doing it themselves for even less. People
>> with enough time and connections can get parts cheap, no doubt. That is
>> not going to work for people who take their broken wbx van to a shop and
>> ask for a cheap inline conversion. That was the topic I was posting on.
>>
>
> Amen to that. It's hard enough just to find a mechanic in the Toronto
> area who will work on a vanagon. Some of them are sending people to me
> and I don't even have a garage. And I already have a day job.
>
>
>  Yes, you can cut and weld things to make 82 parts work. With enough
>> modifications and fabrication you can make almost anything work. Get
>> back to us with all the details when you are driving your finished
>> conversion. I think more people should do the inline 4 conversion on
>> their own. Most people seem to do it with turbo diesel engines though.
>>
>
> TD torque and fuel economy are very attractive. Unfortunately the TD
> engines available around here are either worn out or very, very
> expensive. That's why I went with the ABA.
>
>
> Happy Trails,
>
> Greg Potts
> Toronto, Ontario Canada
> 197x Westfakia "Bob the Tomato"
> 1987 Wolfsburg Weekender Hardtop (ND Graphics graphics wrap)
> 1988 Wolfsburg Weekender Hardtop (Colleen's ride)
> www.pottsfamily.ca
>
> BUSES OF THE CORN - AUGUST 12-14th, 2011
> www.busesofthecorn.ca
>