Aircraft engine in a VW

it might be cool to think of a Lycoming flat-4 360 in a bug but it won't fit and you know aircraft engines are built to be very low-rpm torque-monsters - not particularly suitable for the road, no?

fwiw, f. Porsche originally wanted a radial engine in the early vision of the peoples car,

radial, aircooled and two stroke!

Can you say $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ The last Lycoming HIO360-D1A engine I had rebuilt cost just under $25,000. A runout O-200 with a good case will set you back between $3000 to $6000. Parts are extermely expensive. A Slick magneto will run $600 to $1000 and a Bendix mag about $1500 just for overhaul.

True...but.

For a car, the tolerances wouldn't have to be what they are in an airplane. I've removed several mag sets that could have been repaired IF the FAA would allow them but no, aircraft mechanics are slowly being reduced to parts changers. Thats why I love homebuilders. Don't buy it when you can build it. Anyway, thats a whole other story.

I agree with the low rpm, high torque post above, thats why I thought it might be an interesting combo on like a rail buggy with the old style bus gear reduction trans. The C65 didn't have an electrical system so a starter would be an issue. The intake and exhaust could be built as can a cooling shroud and fan. A run out O200 would still last a long time in a buggy if one had the grey matter to get it mated to the trans.

I just thought it an interesting topic of discussion. I drove my buggy to work Saturday (about 50 miles on the interstate each way) and one of the other pilots who had never seen a VW motor commented that it looked a lot like an O200.

< TC

Have you ever seen a type 4 engine with all the tin removed? It looks even more like an airplane engine than the type 1.

Tony

torque-monsters -

When I win the Lotto, one of these suckers is going in my bus!

cylinders / 650 ft.lbs. torque at 1200rpm / 13" x 40" / 265 poundsTWELVE firing impulses PER revolution!Who cares what it would take to make it work - hell, the sound of this thinghas got to be symphonic!-BaH (symphonic?)

Tucker bought out the Franklin aircraft engine company and had one of their airplane engines converted to watercooled. For those that don't know the Tucker had a rear engine water cooled boxer 4, but the early prototypes were aircooled.

I'm not sure what happened to the Franklin company. I know they were sold off after Tucker went broke.

A 2.2 or 2.5 Subaru is going to give the most bang for the buck in a VW based dune buggy. All the adapters are all off the shelf items and the engines are commonly available.

Tony

Funny you should mention the Subey engine!

For the most part I was talking about the Tucker but I did bring up Subaru. I've seen that site before, is that your bus?

Tony

I like the creative way you hid the radiator but doesn't it protrude into cabin space? I missed the DynaCam site, what's it about?

BTW, are you still in Oregon?

Tony

If you look carefully you'll see that I extended the frame about 10". There is about 4" space between the fan and body for free-flow of cooling air. The radiator is a Toyota 4Runner and the fan genuine Flex-a-lite Black Magic. This radiator is actually overkill and I am planning to add a bypass valve so I can regulate the amount of coolant bypassing the radiator. What happens is when I exceed 4,000rpm even briefly the engine takes a big gulp of cold coolant and temp drops from 190 area to below 140. By allowing a shortcut for some of the coolant I hope to eliminate that problem. It should also help in winter driving.

I could switch to a smaller radiator, but get this: On the maiden voyage I drove through Corvallis at 106 degrees ambient temp, heading for Newport... The fan came on in town - a lot. Climbing the pass in that temp at 85mph (really) the coolant temp stayed between 192 and 210, exactly where I wanted it. System will hold about 260° before boiling.

Disadvantage of frame extension is I built downward and have a much decreased approach angle. I drag the frame entering and exiting parking lots at times.

Dynacam was > > Yessir. My bus. I've got to rent the movie Tucker one of these years.

I was thinking about doing then then I sold my bus to another person on this NG. Anybody remember Jen?

I've seen a lot of things like that come and go. It will be interesting to see if time is kind to this engine or if it beats itself apart...

Oregon is a rather screwed up state but I don't think WA, is much better and CA is a lot worse... All the other places I've been willing to move to are even worse for trying to make a living.

Tony