Rebuilt bug motor
 

Where is the best place to get a crate motor for a '64 bug. Not looking for anything fancy or high HP. Just looking for a good value and reliability.

Motor that is in the car had a carb stick open and had a little runaway and now knocks.... We've got my aunt talked in to a crate motor.

I think she needs to sell the car and buy a better one but she won't hear it....

If you don't mind swapping tin, try Testbud on the aircoolers.org website. He's in San Antonio. There are a few shops in DFW and one in Longview, TX with good reps too.

Just stay away from GEX

I'm a little stupid on bugs. What would be involved in swapping tins?

I'm not doing the work, just sourcing the parts...

May get the old motor though... :D

A crate motor is a bare "long block". Valve cover to valve cover and the flywheel.
You have to swap out (doesn't include) carb, manifold, shroud and tinwork, thermostat, alt/gen and fan, pulleys, fuel pump, clutch, dizzy, wires, heater boxes and exhaust.

A "turn-key" includes those bits and costs more.

Try Scat you can pay less but you won't get better.
Scat VW -

+1 on the GEX advice. They must be the MM of the vw world. I installed two that were provided by customers, both were junk in short order

She just needs to send the car tot me, I'll take care of it and return it to her after an extended test drive...............................like a few dozen year test drive

We are going to have a long talk about it. In my opinion the car needs to be totally rebuilt. It wouldn't be too expensive to DIY, but they aren't that type so it will be $$$. Its a 64 with bad paint. For 5k she could be in a decent bug ready to go. I'm thinking by the time you get the motor swapped you will have thrown at least 2k at a car that still needs a tranny rebuilt, needs the brakes and suspension gone through... etc, etc....

The problem is they didn't do research and they paid like 3k for this car about 10yrs ago and they are convinced its a decent car. Combine that with the fact that my aunt is convinced macpherson struts are the devils work and there is no way to talk her into buying a decent newer bug.

i thought bug repairs were cheap?

they look super easy to work on..if you lived closer sid..i would give it a go. with pelican's help, and a digital camera..i bet there are 6-10 guys here that could walk me thru it with digital pics.

send it to Art..he sounds bored..and winter is coming. :) might save him some TV time..heheh.

Vash, there is no doubt that I could do it, and my dad could too. He's messed with a few bugs back when he was flipping cars in the '80s.

But neither of us have the time. I've got a list of things that need done on the 944, and the M3 that I just don't have the time for.

Yeah, they are super simple until you split the case. See what it really needs. A lot of the Type I's only need the heads done and they run like champs. Can you do a leak down?

There is a guy selling a 912 motor and a 901 5 speed transmission in hte Used 356 parts forum here...

:)

$2k for a rebuilt VW motor? Wow, things sure have changed.

The first bug motor I rebuilt cost me a total of around $250 including all bearings, pistons and bbls, and it ran great for many years. That was back when I was 12 y/o tho .......

Bet that's not cheap.

Rimco in Santa Ana, right? It's a shame they are gone.

Milt, it was a tired sad engine that had a runaway. Doubt it needs just heads, and even if that would do it, I think it would be wise to do the hole thing anyways. The car has been sad for years.


I fear that a better motor will make it obvious just how sad the rest of the car is though.

Sid, VW's are tough little cars. Most stuff bolts on and there are repops for everything. Lot of VW trade going on in SoCal. In fact, I got all my stuff from a VW shop when I built the 914 race car including a dog tooth ring for the tranny.

Don't tell Wayne. He got plenty of my money when I built the Ragamuffin anyway.

They're gone? Didn't know that. They installed some valve guides in some 914 heads for me about 10 years ago, haven't had any contact with them since.

+1 to stay away from GEX.

thesamba