Date:         Thu, 16 Oct 2014 20:24:18 -0700
Reply-To:     Keith Hughes <keithahughes@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Keith Hughes <keithahughes@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Engine swap
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Dennis,

For me, the comment "At some point if looking at 8 to 12 k for an engine upgrade
you have to ask yourself about the sensibility of  having one of these vehicles"
completely misses the point.

For me, the Westy is the vehicle I want, for a multitude of reasons (sanity not among
them obviously), and there's just no viable replacement that I've seen.  So irrespective
of which conversion one chooses, or whether the choice is to go with a rebuilt, or rebuilt and upgraded
WBX, spending $10K for a new drive train that makes the van reliable, and more fun to drive,
makes much more sense for me than $30-60K for a "lesser" vehicle. That said, I wouldn't
consider a transplant that I couldn't work on myself, out in BFE if necessary.  Of course
I'm a desert dweller so my '86 is completely rust free, and another 20 years won't change that.  More
than can be said for me ;-)

YMMV of course.

Keith Hughes
'86 Westy Tiico (Marvin)

Date:    Thu, 16 Oct 2014 18:16:02 -0400
From:    Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Engine swap

Of course there are lots of thoughts and opinions on engine conversions. =
        One major consideration are your plans to support it. In many ways the =
Water Boxer is still simple low technology and can be diagnosed easily. =
Almost all the popular conversions add a good level of complexity and =
while they may be more reliable in some ways when they do go sick you =
will have to deal with it. =20

An engine with a bad valve or even a piston does not necessarily mean a =
full replacement. And even if it does unless you are doing your own work =
and able to deal with used parts and some fabrication replacing in kind =
will be the lowest cost option. At some point if looking at 8 to 12 k =
for an engine upgrade you have to ask yourself about the sensibility of =
having one of these vehicles. If a pair of heads and a gasket set get =
you going for 5 years that can be a lot of money saved. As your engine =
may have been damaged by an overheating event keep in mind that any =
conversion could have suffered the same damage from that same event.=20

As Jim noted you have to get goals and expectations. Then set budgets =
and the path to get there.=20

Dennis