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Any of you guys have plans to or considering installing a T-4 engine into your 181? The wave of the future? I think so. Lets hear about it if you have done it or have questions about it. I have done it . Jake has done it many times as well. You can find 181 specific answers right here. Good luck. Bob Ingman

[This message has been edited by Bob Ingman (edited 07-10-2002).]

Bob, a TIV in a 181 rocks...nothing like it...181 guys don't know what they are missing!!

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Jake Raby
Raby's Aircooled Technology
www.aircooledtechnology.com

Jake my only regret in putting the type 4 engine into my Thing is not having done it sooner.
I`m happy as it gets.
The 091 is next. Good luck. Bob

I was wondering how you guys did your conversion. What type of kit did you use? I am wanting to do some offroad mods to my THing and the type 1 engine is pretty crappy on anything but level ground. I hate being passed up going up mountain roads. I scrapped my 73 bus and so I have a pretty freshly bult type IV with dual webers. I think it would be a nice improvement.

You can either souirce a complete engine from me, with all required mods finished and ready for install.....or you can purchase the Oregon Performance DTM conversion kit and do it yourself....either way, is great TIV power is a must for anyTHING!!! I had it in mine, and will be putting it back in as soon as I get it back from the paint shop.

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Jake Raby
Raby's Aircooled Technology
www.aircooledtechnology.com

LB I have to agree with you that the T-1 engine is lacking when it comes to climbing ability. That`s the reason I wanted to convert. I live on Prince of Wales Island Alaska. There is no pavement here ,just rock and gravel roads that run straight up and straight down. They are just logging roads and very twisted. They were wearing the old engine out with the strain of climbing from about 5mph after going through a curve.
I was able to locate a 914 (T-4) engine over the net. Tore it down and rebuilt it installing WebCam #73 w/their lifters, KB 96mm pistons,36 Dells and a DTM upright kit.411 exhaust with a Bursch header and single quiet(a bus header will work better if you keep your rear bumper if not use the 914 because it is way up high and out of the way).The Thing has a lot more room for exhaust than the bug when doing this conversion.
The flywheel needs to be from a T-4 powered bus of either 210 or 215mm machined to accept a roller bushing for the T-1 input shaft. Then you run the 1800 bus pressure plate and clutch. It will bolt in then. Also use the rear hanger from a 72-79 bus and fabricate a mount for it to eliminate damage to the frame horns.
Since I used the same alternator from the old engine no rewiring was needed other than running a hot wire from the coil to an elect fuel pump.

Its really a pretty easy conversion using all VW components and to say the least well worth the time effort and expense.
I`m happier than I thought i`d be with this engine in the Thing. They should have came that way. Would have been a better car.
Anyway good luck and keep in touch if you have particular questions concerning this. Bob Ingman

I was thinking about going with the DTM kit too. I got the "Next Generation manual" a couple years ago and the Oregon Performance kit's price seemed kind of steep but I think it probably has a better cooling system than if I made it myself. Since I have the bus engine, the front engine mount, clutch and pressure plate assembly, Do I have pretty much everything I need besides the kit and the flywheel machining? Sounds like I will be doing a swap sometime soon.

Yes the 73 bus will provide nearly everything you need. Just have to have the flywheel bushed(do a search on T-4rum) and fab a rear hanger. The kit will do the rest. Good plan. Bob Ingman

The price of the Oregon kit is cheap for what it does.....it is worth twice its costs just for simplicity and easy installation.

On my dyno, NOTHING beats a DTM!

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Jake Raby
Raby's Aircooled Technology
www.aircooledtechnology.com

Hey Bob and Jake. I've got a question for you. I decided I am for sure going to do the Type IV conversion and I want to go with an Oregon Performance DTM. During the past couple months I emailed them at Oregon Performance and I got no responses. Now I have been trying to log onto their site and it is down. I am hoping they are just having a network problem or something and they have not stopped making the kits. Have you heard anything?

LB, Joe Locicero founder of OPP DTM passed away recently. His son Vincent is taking over the business at this time and is taking orders . The production will continue. Good choice. Makes it a quick and easy job. Good luck. Bob Ingman

Thanks Bob.
I'm relieved. I noticed a message that the founder of the company passed on so when I saw the website down, I thought I might have missed my chance. Thanks a lot. Can't wait for all that Type IV power.

LB you can reach Vince at this email address.
[email protected]
Good luck. Bob Ingman

LB, Update, Vince says that the tooling is in need of upgrading and that shrouds will not be available for a few months.
FAT Performance also has a(center alternator) conversion shroud for about half as much money. It is the one pictured on the Type 4 Secrets Revealed page. http://www.tunacan.net/t4/ Good luck. Bob Ingman

[This message has been edited by Bob Ingman (edited 09-17-2002).]

Bob, the other conversion is nothing like a DTM..

The can be alternatives to the DTM, the future is wide open.