280 HP VW Vanagon twin turbo

[Jack Houpe]

Ok I may have went a little overboard on the HP so I dropped the boost level down to 7 psi from 15 psi. The second time I got on it to check the A/F ratio on the gauge I heard a popping noise coming from the back. It was in tune with the wheel speed so I dropped the old CV joints down and yes they didn't like the punishment. So I have new half shafts on the way and will keep the boost level down to save the input shat and transaxle of the the old VW Vanagon. I put a clutch and pressure plate in that is good for 300+ HP so from that back is going to be a good question. When you got on it and boost came up I had a hard time controlling the old girl as she has never been 80+ MPH that I can remember and the front end comes up so high that its hard to steer, the subie engine is heavier and the extra power really exaggerates the steering so I put new shocks all the way around and airbags on the rear coils, also the subie had pwr steering pump cruise control, and AC so I added all of them which makes a real joy to drive. I have several people ask me "WHY?" well two reasons, ONE is the long block 105 HP VW waterbox is $2500 with a core, the JDM engine I got had less than 40k miles on it and twice the technology for $960 all day long. The adapter bell housing is a perfect unit made by a company in WA www.smallcar.com for $590 which included the internal hydraulic throw out bearing. I will hand it to these guys what they sell is perfect engineered stuff, it fit like a glove and great instructions on how to do it. The subie conversion is quite popular because of cost and reliability. Doing the twin turbo is a little overboard, I think the standard subie engine is what most guys do and a good swap.

The JDM Subaru twin turbo WRX motor stock is 250 HP at 10 PSI water to air intercooling, so at 7 PSI and water injection it should be in the 200 range and some easy foot feed it should last many years to come. I opted for water injection because there is no room for an intercooler and there is a built in 20 gallon water tank in the Vanagon Camper. The motor mounts for the twin turbo were totally different that was Small Car sells so I had to make them myself and that was pretty easy done. The exhaust is two super traps I had used on my twin turbo Ferrari so I put them on which give its a real cool sound, the twin turbo subie engine is sequential so only one side makes noise till 5 PSI of boost then the second side opens up, the subie engineers really had this figured out.

TWO Because I love doing it and I can.

The real test will be the Rocky's in two weeks when I drive her back to CA for a family visit. I will post some more pictures when she is all done.

PS if anyone wants a long block 1.9 waterbox for a Vanagon with new heads real cheap let me know, it on a pallet and ready with all the hardware.

 

[Mike Trusty]

I can't wait to ride in it. Like me you are always in search of the weak link.

 

[Garry]

Jack,
That sounds like a fun project. I love the old Vanagon and I have always thought I might do something similar. Right On!
Garry

 

[Randy V]

Wow what a job.... One of only a few VW Bus' that won't be a rolling roadblock... :thumbsup:

There's a local guy here that has one that has some very deep toned ominous sounds coming from it. easily 2 more power pulses over the expected 4. Maybe even twice that... All I can say is that it has a bout an 8" long extension of the bodywork in the rear and will leave two wide rubber marks on the pavement when he accelerates too hard..

 

[Brian Hamilton]

Jack...



You're awesome!

 

[Mike Christian]

sweet ride...

 

[Pete K.]

Love it! (And I wished I had thought of it before I sold my Westfalia years ago...)

 

[Jack Houpe]

Thanks guys I will get a video of it with some sound but you will not see any burn outs, I think it was the fast shift to second and 6 feet of rubber in my driveway that was the nail in the coffin for the CVs. I wonder if the VW transaxle would be the same as a 911 unit? Another gear would be cool.

Funny story about the old Westfalia camper, I was driving down the road pulling a backhole with my wife in the passenger seat of my 1 ton and seen this thing with a for sale sign on it in Sonoma County CA, I whipped over and said to her we are going to buy this thing and have a good time on the coast diving and camping out. She is from Michigan and does nothing on a quick decision, so every time I do something like this she trembles. So I started it up and drove it around the block and said I will take it and wrote out the check for $2500, asked her to follow me as going from Sonoma to Mendocino county there are some curvy roads and hills. Now remember I am pulling a backhole on a trailer and creping up and down hills is the only way. I lost her! Pulled over on the Hwy and called her cell, she said I walked off from her at 65 and she was still catching up, from the hills. I hadn't owned it 2 hours and this was already in the back of my mind. We (I mostly) have enjoyed this old camper more than 8 years and hope to have a lot more fun in it now with all the upgrades.

I do recommend the Small Car company for any of you that have one of these old vans, there stuff is great and very reasonable.

I have a old 73 Porsche 914 California car thats body is really good shape in the barn and was just wondering what a 300+ WRX STI motor would do in it?

 

[Brian Hamilton]

Renegade Hybrids has a kit for that...

I spoke and hung out with the owner of Renegade Racing and he said that conversion is absolutely perfect for that car and is sooooooo much fun. LOL I highly recommend checking it out.

 

[Jack Houpe]

I will do! Thanks Brian, maybe next years open road race car.