Date: Sat, 28 Nov 1998 17:39:47 -0500
Reply-To: "Robert A. Alexander" <satcong@VOL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: "Robert A. Alexander" <satcong@VOL.COM>
Subject: FUNKY-SOUNDING VANAGON ENGINES!
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Volks - As a connoiseur of grand funk, especially funky-looking AND
funky-sounding vehicles, I'm becoming somewhat bored with me '85GL! Me
'74 VW Van had real funkiness about it. Its looks, its sounds, its
quirky driving idiosyncrasies. All this talk of direct-injected
turbo-deisels, V-6
refined German engines and other esoterics has gotten the best of me.
I've been conversing with John (aka BLUE EYES), one of the older funky
Harley-Davidson dragster builders and Hal Pate, one of the truly GREAT
Harley GURUS about a system involving using Harley 1200 motorcylce
engines to power VW Vans! They have convinced me that it is feasible to
align a bilateral rack in the Vanagon's engine compartment that will
enable the mounting of one or more Harley 1200cc engines, directly fed
into the tranny of the Vanagon.
As I understand it, with about $150 of machine work on each engine,
these Harley V-2s can be cascaded together, each output shaft from the
trannys being "plugged" in to the next engine, enabling one to add 1, 2
or 3 1200cc engines to the main one connected to the VW's tranny.
According to John & Hal, each engine, understressed, would put out
60HP@5000rpm. The rack we are discussing would allow the addition of up
to three additional engines for a choice of 60, 120, 180 or
240HP@5000RPM!!! In addition, each addition of additional engines would
only require about 45 minutes/each with the patented "rail" system and
quick-connect driveshaft/fuel/exhaust systems!
Of course, Syncro owners could benefit from this arrangement, too. A
four-engine arrangement would result in 1008 possible gear ratios, in
forward OR reverse!!! John was telling me that the use of simple
mechanical servos, under solid-state control, can be used to keep the
proper gear arrangements aligned and that one would NOT have to worry
about using the Harley clutches since the Vanagon clutch would be all
that's needed!
IF any of ya'll have ever had the experience of attended a flat-track
race with a bunch of Harley's revving up, you'll immediately realize the
FUNKY sounds generated can really make the unawares look at your van
with that puzzled look in their eyes! Even the thought of opening up
your engine compartment and having those unawares looking at a
Harley-Davidson V-8 (???) would make it worth the bucks involved in
doing this!
Got my adapter-plate from Joel Walker for the dc motor-vw transaxle
yesterday. It's a piece of artwork, made from Inconel. Joel's going to
be the dude to help us with the Harley-Vanagon modifications.
John's already pushing the idea of four "stroker" Harley 1200's, which,
at 6.4L, he claims are capable of a perfectly streetable 360HP@5500rpm!
Hal claims these engines can be produced for $1500/each. I can think of
no better/economical way to place massive HP, for a Vanagon, to the
rear wheels!
BOB - WA4RRN
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