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So the idea started about 2 months ago when I decided it was high time I took care of the rust on my old '72 Karmann Ghia coupe. I was looking at 2110cc and other big boy boxer engines to go with the new paint and body work. But I got a bit of sticker shock something like $9000 for a proper engine kit and you only get about 150 some horses. Then I remembered I bought a 6 port mazda reman engine for $200 a few months prior. I did some quick calculations in my head and came out with the results More power for your dollar with the rotary. So I'm on my way with this crazy weekend engine swap for the car. I'll still keep my 1700, but if I want to break some transmission components I'll toss the 13B in.
Unfortuantly first I've gotta finish the restoration...
This is how it sat about 6 months ago. Hidden rust not seen. lol
Battery rust, and after I got to grinding I soon found out it had been previously repaired.
I thought this would be the worst... but I soon turned to the right side heater channel.
I've welded and patched the other stuff, but the gaping hole in the rocker pannel has yet to be fixed. and as I hurt my hand at work I think I'm going to go to my parts car and gather up the things I'll need to complete this "el cheapo" go fast upgrade.
Cool. Let me know if you have questions about rotarianizing a VW. Oh and any chance of doing a Nikki blow through?
Seems pretty strait forward... Just buy the adaptor kit from Mazda trix or used and buy a good clutch. I'm gonna keep the radiator and oil cooler in the back (i'm going for minimal modifications.) I do think I have to side mount the alternator as the Ghia's deck lid is MUCH lower than the bug's. I wanted to keep the A/C but I think i'm going to be too cramped for it with the radiator and all in the back. I don't know how in the world I'm going to keep it under 1 000 000 decibels. there just isn't enough room for exhaust, but who cares.
No blow through on this one. I bought the engine from CL and the guy had two engines listed a 4 port and a 6 port. When I got there the 4 port was gone, but I saw that blue Mazda stamp and I figured $200 why not. I didn't know what to do with it, but now I know what it was destined for.
And yes it is getting a punched out nikki. I'm thinking 26mm primaries and hogging the secondaries up a little too.
While I love the thought of a rotary in just about anything (I have this dream of putting a 13B bridge in a Smart car or Prius just to **** on their flowers ), I would be lying if I didn't say a part of me would like to see you keep the Ghia air-cooled. If you want to go bigger, have you checked these people? I know you said you wanted 2.1, but if you started with a Type IV motor, then wouldn't the machine work be far less?
Anyway, that said, hey ... go for it! I'm in!
A carb'd 6 port sounds like a good base to build on. As for the exhaust, I've never seen the underside of a Ghia, but maybe you could try to get your hands on a few 911 (964 or newer) exhaust parts and fab something??? Just spit-balling ....
I feel you on the air cooled nostalgia, but if I don't use the 6 port on this I don't think I'll ever use it. I might get everything sorted run the rotary for a bit and toss in my old 1700 when the gas mileage turns me off. Or I'll pull the 13b out when I destroy too many transmission components
I have looked at that company. Have you looked at the online reviews? Na, the boxer I've got is fine but I'd never get close to the power level for the price of rotary. I mean with the adaptor plate, engine, and even my parts car this swap is gonna cost me about a grand. and I already own the parts car and engine.
As for exhaust its just a matter of room. I'm going to have just about enough room for a pair of resonators or a pair of other muffler. I don't think they'll keep an NA rotary quite. It'll probably be just as loud and obnoxious as my first RX7 which was just a 2.5" pipe to a flowmaster. Oh and its gonna be true duel no crossover; I've always said if I go back to NA I'll do true duel.
I have looked at that company. Have you looked at the online reviews? Na, the boxer I've got is fine but I'd never get close to the power level for the price of rotary. I mean with the adaptor plate, engine, and even my parts car this swap is gonna cost me about a grand. and I already own the parts car and engine.
No. Never looked at any reviews for them. I had compiled a list of places a while back when I was thinking of getting a Type IV engine to familiarize myself with air-cooled engines, but that idea hasn't gone anywhere yet. So I have had no need to vet any of the places on the list.
Well my thought was for you to run a stock S4 or S5 turbo with stock boost levels only at 5.5psi or whatever the stock wastegate spring did with no boost controllers (manual or otherwise) or anything else that could raise the boost higher than stock. Just connect the nipple on the compressor housing to the wastegate nipple. Also go with a 2.5" downpipe (don't do 3"). Then run one large single muffler. You may also want to hog out the wastegate itself if S4 but the stock S5 dual hole version just might let you get away with it. Still, the better choice would be to have BNR machine it out for you regardless of S4 or S5.
You already know how to trim the excess casting off of an 81-85 manifold and bolt it to a 1/4" steel plate to allow the turbo to fit. So I figured why not do it all again.
As for how well does an S5 NA handle boost, that depends on the CR of 9.7 to 1 which can work but you will want to limit advance to no more than 10 degrees and use 92 octane fuel always. Or 93 if you can get it in your area.
A single muffler will keep things plenty loud for you, I'd think. Then it's all just about the size of the muffler at that point. I'm thinking a single Magnaflow with an offset-offset will give the longest core and a couple of mild bends for best muffling. Go center-offset or straight-through for less muffling.
I dunno I'm not even that far into it yet. I kind of think this is gonna be the situation where I do it and run it for a bit then go back to air cooled. I do like my "lawn mower engine" its dead simple and gets AMAZING mileage.
Regardless of my direction I go for intake I have to get the rust fixed and body work done first.
Oh and I'm not doing the 1/4" plate this time. hehe I've gotten pretty good at casting aluminum; so I'm going to cast a nikki manifold that'll mate to a 13B out of aluminum. That is going to be the fun part
So this happened today....
I ground out the rest of the rocker and patched the holes.
I used a piece of the rocker to cover up that chunk missing from the heater chanel
Then I started on the botom of the channel with a piece of the rocker and I ran out of welding gas about half way through. Looks a lot better in person.
08-23-18, 07:48 PM
), I would be lying if I didn't say a part of me would like to see you keep the Ghia air-cooled. If you want to go bigger, have you checked these people? I know you said you wanted 2.1, but if you started with a Type IV motor, then wouldn't the machine work be far less?
