Date:         Thu, 23 Feb 95 13:42:07 CST
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Joel Walker <JWALKER@ua1vm.ua.edu>
Subject:      Re: Name that engine...

On Thu, 23 Feb 95 13:16:24 CST Ben Orlock said:
>First of all, I wasn't able to match the chasis number with any of the
>numbers listed in Muir's book.  According to the book, there are no Type
>II's for the 1974 model year, however the chasis number on my camper is:
>                                 234 2109 986

well ... i think you might be reading the Muir book slightly incorrectly.
i think it was the Type 4 CARS that were not made in 74 (? not sure about
that either), but the type 2 bus (with the type 4 engine) was definitely
made and sold all round the world. here's the stuff (in boring detail again)
about your chassis number  ...

Explanation of Chassis number:  for model years 1968-1979
                                                 218-000-001
Vehicle Type ------------------------------------x||       |
  2 - Transporter                                 ||       |
Vehicle Model ------------------------------------x|       |
  1 = Kastenwagen (Panel Truck), later also        |       |
        High-Roof Panel Truck and Fire Truck)      |       |
  2 = Achtsitzer-bus, Neunsitzer-bus (Station      |       |
        Wagon 8-seater, 9-seater)                  |       |
  3 = Kombi (Kombi, Kombi for Fire Trucks, and     |       |
        Campmobile)                                |       |
  4 = Sondermodell (Special model, 8- and 9-       |       |
        seater)                                    |       |
  5 = Sondermodell (Special Model, 7-seater)       |       |
  6 = Pritschewagen (Pickup Truck)                 |       |
  7 = Krankenwagen (Ambulance)                     |       |
  8 = Siebensitzer Bus (7-seater bus)              |       |
Vehicle Model Year (last digit of model year) -----x       |
  8 - 1968*    2 - 1972    6 - 1976                        |
  9 - 1969*    3 - 1973    7 - 1977                        |
  0 - 1970     4 - 1974    8 - 1978*                       |
  1 - 1971     5 - 1975    9 - 1979*                       |
  (note that 8 = 1968 AND 1978, 9 = 1969 AND 1979)         |
Sequential Production Number ------------------------xxx-xxx

so yours is definitely a 1974 Kombi (which was made into a Campmobile by
Westfalia).  here's the info on the 1974's that i have:

1974   Chassis Number 214-2000-001  -    214-2300-000
       Engine Number  AW            -
                      1795 cc,  65 HP @ 4200 rpm
       Transmission:  4-speed manual,    002 CM
                      3-speed automatic, 003 NB
       Fuel System:   Solex 34 PDSIT-2, 34 PDSIT-3 carburetors
       Imported to U.S.      30,166
       Total Produced:

1)  Rear seat folds down
2)  Different gear ratios in manual transmission
3)  Engine size increased to 1795 cc (109.5 cu in), 65 HP
4)  Larger clutch
5)  Carburetor throat size increased
6)  Fuel filler cap no longer hidden by flap door
7)  Larger brake vacuum booster
8)  Westfalia Camper/Campmobile:
        deluxe models have refrigerators instead of cold-boxes
        pop-top tilts from rear, instead of from front of bus
        electric pump added to the water system

>Secondly, the engine block is blue. Its code doesn't match any of the
>engine codes listed in Muir's book either:
>                Engine code: AW-A
>                Engine size: 109 CID

so the engine code of AW seems right as well (if you are saying that the
engine in the bus is AW). don't know what -A would be. factory rebuilt? the
109 cubic inches is also right: 1795cc = 1.795 liters (times 61 cubic inches
per liter = 109.495 cu. in). so it sounds like maybe you've got just a
painted rebuilt vw engine. it IS a flat-four engine, isn't it? :)

joel