So you want an old school engine...

[Donny B.]

Check this engine out.  Looks to be a blast from the past for sure...

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1225951

[whirligig]

well you would guess randy has got it for sale ::)but what a nice bit of kit

[bugnut68]

Lol... one of the worst fan shrouds ever devised and completely unknown internally.  Pushrod tubes best used only in an emergency to get back to camp while off-roading or in the dunes... Yup, I'm a pessimist, but that sucker's overpriced in my book.

[Zach Gomulka]

$1200 does seem a bit spendy for an unknown 40 horse.

[stealth67vw]

Only 4 dowell crank so it's most likely not a C/W crank.

[Cheesepanzer]

Neat, but I think there's some question in the "built" date.  Those aluminum shrouds started showing up around 1978.  Alternators wouldn't be popular until well into the 80's and 90's.

I once bought a hopped up 40hp and in addition to the 2-barrel carb, it had a Lang sump, aluminum valve covers, HD springs, 1.4's, an 009, HD oil pump, Erson cam and an early 12v generator.  Think I paid $100 for it.

[SCOTTP]

Funny...when I ran Holley's on my first engines I didn't put the carb on BACKWARDS!

[Zach Gomulka]

Only 4 dowell crank so it's most likely not a C/W crank.

Maybe, but I've seen plenty of non c/w 8 doweled cranks and c/w 4 doweled cranks.

Makes me feel better about the early 80's 2332cc longblock I paid $400 (or $500??) for.

[Jeff68]

I don't get sentimental about this older "period" stuff.  Looks like an engine that was bulit when many of the good parts we take for granted today were not yet available.  Good museum piece maybe, but definitely not somethng you want to drive around with (for me anyway).

[bugnut68]

I don't get sentimental about this older "period" stuff.  Looks like an engine that was bulit when many of the good parts we take for granted today were not yet available.  Good museum piece maybe, but definitely not somethng you want to drive around with (for me anyway).

I feel the same way.  One thing's for sure: back in the early days there was likely a lot more engines and transaxles breaking and parts failures since the market hadn't developed to what it is now. 

[kingsburgphil]

I don't get sentimental about this older "period" stuff.  Looks like an engine that was bulit when many of the good parts we take for granted today were not yet available.  Good museum piece maybe, but definitely not somethng you want to drive around with (for me anyway).

I feel the same way.  One thing's for sure: back in the early days there was likely a lot more engines and transaxles breaking and parts failures since the market hadn't developed to what it is now.  

X2
1385cc motors often suffered from low oil pressure (no cam bearings) and broken cranks. Adding 92's (1701cc) did nothing to enhance reliability. 

Of course anything is better than a "bastard 40hp". Even a cut a way bastard 40hp

[Mike Lawless]

That looks a lot like the engine I ran in my '61 back in the early 70s, except I didn't have that fancy fan shroud.

With 13" wheels all around, it had lower effective gearing. Most of the VW guys around town wouldn't race me because my motor was "full race!"

I doubt the thing ran any faster than 17s or 18s in the 1/4 mile

[bugnut68]

Only thing that engine needs to be an authentic period piece from circa '84 or '85 is a Rapid-Roast cooler affixed to the back of the shroud...