pre-68 microbus infos needed!

Eric, Some of the eraly busses were slow but once you get to the 1500 and 1600 engines, they're not that bad. I have a 63 Camper that has a 67 Bus transaxle in it and it will go 80+ if I want to be scared to death in Dallas traffic - or at least it would when it was running. Previously it had a bug transaxle with flopped ring and pinion for the same effect. 67 was the last year for reductution boxes. I never a had any problem with them so I left them alone. Andy

Hi Eric,

Sad Photos....I glad you are going for new project. Good luck for it.

Joao

72 Super 1302

I have a '67 bus. It tachs 3700rpm at 65mph. I have a counter-balanced crank in it so if I feel like going 75, I don't feel it is too much of a strain. 75mph is about 4200 on the tachometer.

The drive train is not modified in any way from stock?

My '67 bus is about the exact same from a tach standpoint.

1600 single port.

Stock transmission with reduction boxes.

I only rarely go above 60, though, I've just learned to plan my time better, and not have to hurry to anyplace I plan on going to. :)

For engine life, the general consensus seems to be that going over about

3200RPM for long periods of time will greatly shorten your engine life. I put the motor in my bus together in either 1999 or 2000, and 60,000+ miles later it has yet to leak oil, or given me any sort of problem, but I always have kept it at or under around 3K on the tach, and of course religious maintenance helped.

YMMV, of course. :)

The transmission is stock with the stock reduction gears. The '67 has

195/75-14 tires. They are wider than the 15" tires of the older busses but I don't think they are taller. My engine is a 1776 with a 2bbl carburetor. It has about 20k miles on it. I live in Wyoming and every trip I take is 100+ miles one way. In the winter time (10 months out of the year) it will cruise at 65-70 with no problems. In the summer, I like to keep it around 55-60 because excess speed generates more heat. I have an oil temperature gage. I like to keep my oil at 230 tops. - Bob

Thanks all! This is good news! It's not like I intend to race the thing, but I frequently travel along other VWs campers, mostly bay window, so I at least want to keep the pace with them.

I may buy a 67 Westy, originally from Florida but now in my cold, salty Canada! :)

The bus is solid but would need a good body refreshing job. Worst problem on it seem to be the front doors, louver windows and door pop-out windows : none of them are closing tight now. Seals are either pretty beat up or not there! You see outside from nearly all of them! I see that seals kits are available to rebuilt the louver and pop-up window so it might not be a big issue...

My first bus was a 2l bay. Did 100mph quite well. I was new to VW's in those days. Needless to say, that engine doesnt work anymore. I have now become acustomed to aircooled and am very happy to drive all day at 65mph in my 64 split. Just Chill and enjoy !

You can go faster, but not for long !

Rich

Eric Desrochers wrote:

pop-up

A so called FreewayFlyer is the quickest way to toast your engine, higher load and slower fan speed, you do the math(or applied logics..). This especially in a heavy T2.

J.