VW 1600 H-block finally restored.

Remember the VW 1600cc engine that I bought two weeks ago that looked like a piece of rusted junk? Yes, the one whose shroud was used by a squirrel as its dwelling place and filled it with walnuts. Two weeks ago, I took that engine to a VW engine restoration shop called Strictly VW in Irwindale. Today, I went to Strictly VW engine restoration shop at the city of Irwindale to pick up the engine. The two guys at the shop did a superb job and the engine looked like it just came out of the factory.

They placed new pistons, bearings and other parts in the engine. They had to replace the cylinder heads because the ones that came with it were no longer good. They have one German made clutch which I decided to buy because most of the ones being sold in the market are made in Brazil. The Brazilian clutches are good clutches and they do the job but the German made ones last longer and can take more punishment.

I also picked up the 12-volt transmission along with the engine. All I need now is to buy a certain hand tool that is used to take out and install a clip inside the transmission. I searched for two weeks for a transmission to use as a core but was not able to find an identical one to the one I am buying. I had to pay $200 as a core charge. I did not have any choice because it seems that finding a used transmission at a reasonable price is harder than finding a good engine core.

The owner of Strictly VW told me that I should only buy engines for type-1 VWs that has serial numbers that start with the letters “B” (1600cc—1970 model dual relief, single port), “AB” (1300cc—1971/73 model dual port), “AE” (1600cc—1971/72 model dual relief, dual port), “AH” (1600cc—1973/74, 8mm head studs w/ case savers).

I also read that AS41 universal engine case has a few issues and so the AS21 universal case is a better choice.

Last weekend, my son, Christian and I took down the engine from my 1963 bug in preparation for the new 1600 engine. Hopefully, I can sell that engine to another VW enthusiast. During the afternoon today, I drained the oil inside the old 6-volt transmission of my bug and I also took off the nuts around the front end of the machine. I ran out of daylight and so I was forced to continue my work on Friday.