upright conversion Type 4 to Bug(newbie)
 

New to the board and have a few questions.
1. Has anyone seen a site that uses the Joe Cali technique?
2. Are there differences between rings and valves etc.(90mm bus rings=cheap,90mm 914 rings=expensive)?
3. I'll be doing my conversion over the winter,any tips?
BTW this will be a Stock-ish build-up.Fun car for Dad; not too wild for teenage daughters' use. With 2 teenage daughters, FUNDS ARE LIMITED!!!

Thanks a million; Paul

I'm swaping in a 914 engine into my bug, but I will be using a porsche 901 tranny, and a 911 style fan shroud.

the type4 and 914 motors are basically the same (in my understanding) with the exception of the heads and the oil dipstick placement.
so type4 parts and porsche parts, though different in price are the same thing.

since I'm still in the process of building my bug I don't really have any tips for you other than, consider upgrading your brakes. with the increase in HP you'll want better stopping power than the stock bug drums

What I'm doing, and would suggest to you, is adapting porsche 944 brakes to your bug.
I have a tech article translated from french explaining how to do this, but its for a ball joint front end, it probably could be done on a link pin front end but would require new hubs to be fabricated from scrach (this is something I'm working on, and possibly marketing)

tech article = http://www.telusplanet.net/public/scage/9442bug.htm

VB

I think Type 3 steering knuckles and brakes are a straight bolt-in. What about Porsche 924 brakes??Bigger disks and same wheel bolt pattern.I'll probably go with Type 3 drums in the rear.This would do nicely for a stealth car!!

You asked about rings and valves as they apply to bus vs. 914. The rings are the same cost-wise, although the pistons are different. 1.7 (90mm) 914 pistons are dome top instead of dished. 2.0 pistons (94mm) are dished on both bus and American-market 914. Euro 914 pistons are flat top and are a popular upgrade to raise the compression a little and add a few HP. Valves are about the same cost-wise with the exception of 914 2.0 exhaust valves. These are sodium filled and go for $55-$60 each. The valve sizes are very different, though. A bus 2.0 head has smaller valves than a 914 1.7.

924's and 944's share many of the same parts and would work easily as well.
I'm not sure if the 924 rotors are vented or not, the 944 versions are.
if you like porsche wheels then the 944 brakes are the way to go. I'm told that they'll almost bolt right up to a super beetle front suspension, but I don't have any info on that.

vb

Does the 1.7l 914 engine fit in a bug? if there is no change in transmission... using the original bug tranny.

yes a 914 engine will fit, but you have to use a type4 flywheel, and adapt it from there.
the 914 flywheel won't work with the bug tranny.

VB,

what do you mean by "adapt it from there"?

(should we start a new string for this?)

-jim-

the type4 flywheel needs to have a bering pressed in the center to mate with the type1 tranny, and depending on what year of tranny you're going to use you may have to do some grinding for clearance. use a 12 volt starter and everything should mesh.
keep in mind that I'm using a porsche 5 speed on my bug so I haven't done this myself. there's plenty of sources on the net telling you exactly which parts work best (there are several sizes of type4 flywheels, and several sizes work, but one size works best, you can even use a type 1 clutch)

VB

Call European Motorworks (they advertise in Hot VW's) and they can give you the run down. After speaking with them (and to the best of my recollection), the basics are that the 210 and 215 flywheels are the best to use. 228's can be used but they require a different starter. 215's are better because of more surface area but are hard to come by as they were a one year only item. There is a pilot bushing that EM sells - I don't recall them mentioning pressing it into the flywheel but that could very well be the case. There is also a modified pressure plate that must be used with early trannies. "Early" is defined as those not having the collar around the mainshaft for the throwout bearing to ride on. A makeshift collar gets machined into the pressure plate. If you're using a later tranny all you need is stock type IV clutch and pressure plate.

By the way - the owner of EM drives a 912E - nice car. Its rare as h#$@ (2500 made) and impossible to find parts for - but a nice car.

To Paulc, the 924 and VW do not have the same bolt pattern. VW-4 x 130mm & 924 4 bolt-4 x 108mm. If you have a late Super Beetle (75 and up) 944 front are almost a direct bolt on. And they give you quicker steering. There is a book about performance Beetles that tells you how to adapt 944 front brakes to a Beetle. I think it's called "The Beetle Performance Handbook" it has a blue cover with a Beetle on it. (Don't have the book handy right now) Basically, the 944 hubs need to be machined and you need to make a caliper bracket. The rear is bolt on.