Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2001 22:01:06 +1200
Reply-To: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: Porsche power
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>Most excellent! Please keep us updated on progress of your project- the
>best conversion I've ever heard of.
I think so, and it's catching on, with one already done now in Seattle, and
others beginning or thinking about it. probably better reliability than
Porsche, and WAY cheaper, with more power to boot. Have your cake and eat
it too!
>So the [auto] SVX cars are dogs? I looked at used ones (kind of like the
>Subaru-space-modulator styling) and found some clean, excellent condition
>cars for reasonable prices, although most were automatic. Considered buying
>one and driving it until confident on all aspects of the conversion.
Well, not really a dog, I suppose, but with those few but chronic problems.
Subaru MAY have cured the brake & wheelbearing problems with later years,
but auto trans were always a Subaru problem; they still blow! The SVX
apparently uses the same trans as the Toyota Hilux V6... not good news for
Toyota owners, unless the Toyota version has larger oil galleries.
Apparently the SVX box overheats in part due to limited oilflow. A trans
oilcooler might help, but if I bought an SVX I'd convert it with a manual
WRX box.
> He replied "yeah, for about $15,000.00
>(USD) you can have it." I guess he had some $ invested. I think this was a
>2.7l engine, but still a potent combo. He had upgraded the brakes so he
>could tow a small trailer w/MX bikes for him and his son. Didn't notice
>what trans he used. Not sure I would want to take an old bus like that up
>to speed though...Which reminds me, I had a heck of a time keeping up with
>one of these old vans on a recent trip in my Vanagon. I could have pushed
>the Vanagon beyond the threshold of 75mph to catch him, but did not want to
>risk it. Don't know what he had, but that old van left me in the dust.
>
>What is your opinion on this Andrew? I will need to sell my Vanagon soon,
>and my '72 will have to entertain me for a while. Not as nice as the
>Vanagon, nor is it as peppy with it's meager 1.7l engine, but perfect for
>cruising to the beach or other short trips. Sure would be nice to have this
>van able to get out of the slow lane occasionally.
Apart from being very basic inside, there's absolutely nothing wrong with
the T2 design. It's a bit smaller...or perhaps i should say less large...
than a T3, and the worm & peg steering lacks exactness (I guess it would be
possible to convert to rack & pinion). But the suspension setup is perhaps
better for handling; this despite what you may hear on the list, I think
the older vans may handle better than the T3.
My old T2, a twin-carb 75 1.8 with a 1916 slip-in kit, flew. It would sit
on 130kmh all day, pull 80kmh in 3rd (at the red 3rd mark on the speedo
face) loaded up STEEP highway hills; when overtaking on the level it would
hit 140 and still be accelerating quite well. As far as I know the 1916 kit
was the only modification; however it had a sick piston, which was
pressurizing the crankcase, and eventually this burned through on a
geological fieldtrip, 170km from home. We completed the trip on 3 cylinders
nd drove home, leaving a huge opaque white smokescreen behind! Eventually I
had a 3.6 alloy pushrod hemi Toyota V8 fitted, but the job was entrely
bodged. I kept the derelict van for years, then sold the engine as needing
rebuilding. Then someone bought the body (it's getting a derust, poptop
conversion and EA81 pushrod turbo Subaru 1.8 now). Then I sold the beefed
091 trans.
So I'd say, if your T2 is in good condition bodywise, keep it, modify it
(beware of cowboys in the industry) and enjoy! And look into fitting r&p
steering... put a good set of wheels & tires and go bendswinging and
hunting BMWs.
Actually, what I'd most like would be a nonswingaxle 67 Split bus with r&p
steering, SVX and Carrera 4 trans and front diff (yes, 4x4), electric
windows (again, rack & pinoin operation) etc... perhaps with the body both
widened and lengthened a bit! But not lowered. Vans look awful lowered, and
that huge groundclearance can be MOST useful to a paleontologist in the
field.
Regards
Andrew
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