Making an all German 36hp/Doghouse Fanshroud

[Zach Gomulka]

For many reasons, I'm not thrilled with the quality of the aftermarket 36hp doghouse shrouds. So I want to make an all German 36hp doghouse shroud for AssHull's '67. Any pointers to making this hybrid before I start cutting?? I've got an early 40hp shroud, and a doghouse shroud already set up with a Berg type 4 cooler conversion and fuel injected venturi ring...

[j-f]

Hi Zach,
There is a thread on a french forum that explain how to modify a doghouse shroud into a 36hp.

Here is a quick translation.

Cut a template in carton or so, into a half circle of 558mm diameter
Use one of the parts to cut the back of the shroud and the other one to cut the front.




Adjust the shape of the shroud with a file



This part is no longer necessary, cut it away.



Doing a 36hp shroud this way, allow you to keep all the original deflectors, with the original quality.



weld a sheet of metal all over the shroud. You can keep or remove the carb housing on the top of the shroud. It depends if you plan to use a single carb.



Almost done.


The new sheet of metal exceed 5 to 6mm in the backside. It's easier to weld in angle.


What you should obtain.


And the links to the original thread >here<
Hope it can help. 

[181]

I´ve seen somewhere what you are talking about, somebody cut off the front tin from a genuine 36 HP shroud, cut the same from the doghouse shroud, reshaped carefully, remeasured and welded the whole modified doghouse front tin to the 36HP shroud. Very neat, but time consuming.

[Rick Meredith]

Interesting... I've always wanted to do this. I bought a whole 36hp motor just so I could get the fan housing. My idea was to cut the doghouse section out of a fan housing and weld it to the 36hp, I never thought of cutting down the dog house to be the same size as a 36.

[Bill Schwimmer]

Danny Gabbard made one for me in the late 80's with the 36 horse front & dog house back. It worked great. maybe he will chime in on how he did it

[j-f]

Interesting... I've always wanted to do this. I bought a whole 36hp motor just so I could get the fan housing. My idea was to cut the doghouse section out of a fan housing and weld it to the 36hp, I never thought of cutting down the dog house to be the same size as a 36.

I think it will be harder to do it this way. You will have to remove all the spot weld of the dog house, make it fits to the 36hp, remove the spot weld on the rear face of the 36hp and weld everything in place.

[Rune]

I´ve seen somewhere what you are talking about, somebody cut off the front tin from a genuine 36 HP shroud, cut the same from the doghouse shroud, reshaped carefully, remeasured and welded the whole modified doghouse front tin to the 36HP shroud. Very neat, but time consuming.

This is what I did.
Front skin from a 30hp oval bug shroud and back and internals from a later dog house shroud..
It is pretty straight forward Zach.

[Rune]

Interesting... I've always wanted to do this. I bought a whole 36hp motor just so I could get the fan housing. My idea was to cut the doghouse section out of a fan housing and weld it to the 36hp, I never thought of cutting down the dog house to be the same size as a 36.

I think it will be harder to do it this way. You will have to remove all the spot weld of the dog house, make it fits to the 36hp, remove the spot weld on the rear face of the 36hp and weld everything in place.

It's really just a few couple of spotwelds originally, you'll see it as you go.. Just think before you cut, it's all pretty logical when you get started

[Zach Gomulka]

Rune, that's the way I was leaning towards doing it. Although it did cross my mind to do it J-F style. I'm trying to figure out which gives best results, also which is more labor intensive.
On the doghouse shroud... Did you leave the lower left portion where the backing plate bolts to on purpose, to help align the 36hp face?

[181]

found it!

I wanted the look of a 36 or 40hp shroud, but also wanted factory VW quality and fit.  My solution was to hack up an old late model dog house shroud and graphed it into a 40hp shroud. 

It took almost an entire day cutting, grinding, drilling of spotwelds and welding, but when I was finished I had what I wanted.  Its all German metal.


Here's what I did - removed the rear half of the 40hp shroud:


Split open my late-model shroud:

You have to use a little care in not riping the shroud apart.

Finally, here's what it looked like before I welded it up:


As you can see, when I cut the back of the 40hp shroud I left a small lip around the edge.  I then matched the rear half of the late-model shroud and veins, so that I could lay the two halves together.  Once welded the spacing was perfect for the late model Berg welded fan.
 
It fits like stock, runs a doghouse cooler, and has all the internal fins from a late model shroud. It runs very cool!

[Jim Ratto]

found it!

I wanted the look of a 36 or 40hp shroud, but also wanted factory VW quality and fit.  My solution was to hack up an old late model dog house shroud and graphed it into a 40hp shroud. 

It took almost an entire day cutting, grinding, drilling of spotwelds and welding, but when I was finished I had what I wanted.  Its all German metal.


Here's what I did - removed the rear half of the 40hp shroud:


Split open my late-model shroud:

You have to use a little care in not riping the shroud apart.

Finally, here's what it looked like before I welded it up:


As you can see, when I cut the back of the 40hp shroud I left a small lip around the edge.  I then matched the rear half of the late-model shroud and veins, so that I could lay the two halves together.  Once welded the spacing was perfect for the late model Berg welded fan.
 
It fits like stock, runs a doghouse cooler, and has all the internal fins from a late model shroud. It runs very cool!

that's a nice looking KG

[Rune]

Rune, that's the way I was leaning towards doing it. Although it did cross my mind to do it J-F style. I'm trying to figure out which gives best results, also which is more labor intensive.
On the doghouse shroud... Did you leave the lower left portion where the backing plate bolts to on purpose, to help align the 36hp face?

Sorry, not really following here. What part do you mean?

[Cornpanzer]

that is how I did it back in about 99 for my car.  Just drill out the spot welds.  I have another about half-done that mothballed.  I can dig it out if need be

[deano]

Very clever.... Now, anyone ever removed the large (fan) opening in the front to eliminate the extra tin piece and four bolts?

[Jim Ratto]

Very clever.... Now, anyone ever removed the large (fan) opening in the front to eliminate the extra tin piece and four bolts?

...but retains the internal venting that cools the generator?

[Shubee2 (DSK)]

Deano How Would you get the fan inside the shroud?

[Zach Gomulka]

On the doghouse shroud... Did you leave the lower left portion where the backing plate bolts to on purpose, to help align the 36hp face?

Sorry, not really following here. What part do you mean?

The shroud pictured on top here. You left the lower left portion where the generator backing plate screws to, just above the case. Why??

[deano]

Deano How Would you get the fan inside the shroud?

Ah, the tricky part.... I have an idea how to pull that one off, but I want to see if anyone else is on the same page. I think it would be very cool to have the front face of the fan housing void of that large 4-bolt plate. I rather see a smooth face, with only the generator mounting holes in it....

[Bryan67]

I`ve seen that done before somewhere but not sure how they pulled it off.

[Rune]

On the doghouse shroud... Did you leave the lower left portion where the backing plate bolts to on purpose, to help align the 36hp face?

Sorry, not really following here. What part do you mean?

The shroud pictured on top here. You left the lower left portion where the generator backing plate screws to, just above the case. Why??

Ah, yeah. Sorry. That little dent there has to be moved over to the old shroud to make it fit the case, and as you said. I left it on to align the two parts together..

[Lee.C]

Deano How Would you get the fan inside the shroud?

Ah, the tricky part.... I have an idea how to pull that one off, but I want to see if anyone else is on the same page. I think it would be very cool to have the front face of the fan housing void of that large 4-bolt plate. I rather see a smooth face, with only the generator mounting holes in it....

Hmmm stop giving me ideas dude 

[louisb]

Make the housing 2 pieces that bolt together instead of weld together. You could weld a lip to the front half of the housing that the back half could bolt too. The lip could be extended enough to weld the cooling veins to as well.

--louis

[Zach Gomulka]

More than one way to skin a cat here... So far, I like Rune's method the best. I think I'll give that one a try.

I didn't think I'd see so many posts on this topic, thanks everybody!

[Andy]

Just a quick question, do you weld the vanes of the doghouse to the early shroud or do you just bond them to avoid any welding distortion.

Thanks.

[Shubee2 (DSK)]

Here is the One I Made I uesd a Early 40 HP shroud (that way it dosent look like a Repop Scat/Empi Tiwann Copy) I like the early indention in the center plus its a great place to put my FF Heads Sticker  I did it kind of like Rune but  bent a flange on the dog house part and spot welded back together now I can bolt up the Berg linkage without sloting everything just need to finish minor body work and paint now

[Zach Gomulka]

Just a quick question, do you weld the vanes of the doghouse to the early shroud or do you just bond them to avoid any welding distortion.

Thanks.

Good question!

[SlingShot]

An External Cooler sound pretty good right about now.

[Shubee2 (DSK)]

Just a quick question, do you weld the vanes of the doghouse to the early shroud or do you just bond them to avoid any welding distortion.

Thanks.

Good question!

if you have a Spot Welder and long Jaws you can spot weld them or you would have to drill a holes and plug weld or you can get that Body Panel Glue that they put 1/4 panels on with lol

[Rune]

Just a quick question, do you weld the vanes of the doghouse to the early shroud or do you just bond them to avoid any welding distortion.

Thanks.

I used Kent Quick Seal, a body seam sealer. Handles vibrations better than a spot weld

[Rune]

Here is the One I Made I uesd a Early 40 HP shroud (that way it dosent look like a Repop Scat/Empi Tiwann Copy) I like the early indention in the center plus its a great place to put my FF Heads Sticker  I did it kind of like Rune but  bent a flange on the dog house part and spot welded back together now I can bolt up the Berg linkage without sloting everything just need to finish minor body work and paint now

Another good thing by using the early 40hp shroud is exactly that it allready has that indention.. I had to make a "fake" indention on the inside of mine as the dog house vane just behind it is shorter that the others..