Winner of most unexpected drivetrain swap

Came across this today and had to do a double take:

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/van/cto/4008696760.html

About the most unexpected drivetrain swap I've come across.

Mark

Unexpected and pointless... And what's with the ALL-CAPS-AND-DASHES bit? Makes me feel like I'm reading a telex from the front lines.

Pointless is right, not to mention slow as February molasses.

ROT-ROD?

Really, the collective is bashing this? The things people go ga ga over on here. I think it's a neat idea. Having spent the day at the dream cruise seeing not just every variant of car, but every variant of VW bug derived car, I think it's neat.

I think its interesting but its also not the first time I've seen it done. Seems that tossing a rotted old truck on a VW pan is a solution which has come to a few.

Of course it needs a subie swap ;)

There's one here in my town just like it. Pretty cool little truck, but it couldn't pull a greasy string out of a dogs ass.

can you still make a stroked and bored beast out of those engines with a single call to JC Whitney?

if so, it would be cool to get that truck if he'd take about $2500 for it..

I'm just impressed at how the engine appears to be levitating in the "engine bay"

Adrian_Thompson wrote: Really, the collective is bashing this? The things people go ga ga over on here. I think it's a neat idea. Having spent the day at the dream cruise seeing not just every variant of car, but every variant of VW bug derived car, I think it's neat.

Not me....I think it is a cool idea.

First WTF, looks good in there. Might have the same HP as the original motor.

Spoolpigeon wrote: There's one here in my town just like it. Pretty cool little truck, but it couldn't pull a greasy string out of a dogs ass.

Yeah, but that truck doesn't hide it like this one does. It's missing the hood sides and radiator, with just an empty shell. This one wouldn't turn your head at all unless you noticed the odd sound.

Uh.......

novaderrik wrote: can you still make a stroked and bored beast out of those engines with a single call to JC Whitney? if so, it would be cool to get that truck if he'd take about $2500 for it..

I recently saw a split window bus run in the 12s in the 1/4 mile with a vw engine so im guessing yes you can.

It's a bit unexpected, but I don't think it can take the crown from the LeMons Thunderbird with BMW diesel power.

That hurt to read ....

I think it's bizarre and pretty cool...but I'm wondering why a truck in Wichita, KS is on the Vancouver, BC Craigslist? Last time I looked at a map, those two weren't very close to each other.

Volkswagen powered T-bucket street rods were somewhat popular in the 1970s. Andy Brizio sold a kit to build them originally, and I believe Speedway Motors took over production later on. It probably makes more sense in a light little car like a T-bucket, though.

MadScientistMatt wrote: It's a bit unexpected, but I don't think it can take the crown from the LeMons Thunderbird with BMW diesel power.

You could get a Lincoln Continental with a BMW diesel engine in 1984-1985, so if the Thunderbird was from the same era it would have been a pretty straightforward swap.

Yessir, the Lincoln diesels were the same as the Fox body 'Birds but damn they slow. I think I could run faster 0-60.

I'm all for anybody building anything they want. The reason it seems pointless to me is typically that truck would be super desireable with a flathead or some sort of V8. Type 3 VW power =

Curmudgeon wrote: The reason it seems pointless to me is typically that truck would be super desireable with a flathead or some sort of V8. Type 3 VW power = [headscratch .gif]

It could be something simple, like he is familiar with those engines, works on them all the time, has a spare one sitting around in the shop.....and has gotten bored with the VW looks.

JoeyM wrote:

Curmudgeon wrote: The reason it seems pointless to me is typically that truck would be super desireable with a flathead or some sort of V8. Type 3 VW power = [headscratch .gif]

It could be something simple, like he is familiar with those engines, works on them all the time, has a spare one sitting around in the shop.....and has gotten bored with the VW looks.

Or just got tired of the bellybutton nature of a V8 powered hot rod.

I have a hard time coming to grips with the thought that this forum, that gets all misty eyed when the thought of a 100hp diesel engine that weighs 4 times what the gasser motor did is swapped into a miata is flummoxed by someone who probably built this out of parts that were lying around.

Every time a hot rod is built without a 350/350 combo the car hobby gets a little bit more interesting for all of us.

That cab and sheet metal probably doesn't weigh any more than the body that was on there, so think of it as a cool kit body on a VW.

And then add Subaru power.....

ditchdigger wrote:

JoeyM wrote:

Curmudgeon wrote: Type 3 VW power = [headscratch .gif]

It could be something simple, like he is familiar with those engines, works on them all the time, has a spare one sitting around in the shop.....and has gotten bored with the VW looks.

Or just got tired of the bellybutton nature of a V8 powered hot rod. [.....] Every time a hot rod is built without a 350/350 combo the car hobby gets a little bit more interesting for all of us.

This. You can't sneeze at a car show without getting snot on a '32 ford replica with a 350 chevy engine. Those are OK, but I like to see things that are different, and the weirder the better.

ditchdigger wrote:

JoeyM wrote:

Curmudgeon wrote: The reason it seems pointless to me is typically that truck would be super desireable with a flathead or some sort of V8. Type 3 VW power = [headscratch .gif]

It could be something simple, like he is familiar with those engines, works on them all the time, has a spare one sitting around in the shop.....and has gotten bored with the VW looks.

Or just got tired of the bellybutton nature of a V8 powered hot rod. I have a hard time coming to grips with the thought that this forum, that gets all misty eyed when the thought of a 100hp diesel engine that weighs 4 times what the gasser motor did is swapped into a miata is flummoxed by someone who probably built this out of parts that were lying around. Every time a hot rod is built without a 350/350 combo the car hobby gets a little bit more interesting for all of us.

yes, this forum is a weird place sometimes...

I'm going on my (admittedly limited) knowledge of the hot rod scene: typically the guys I've known that were into it would build something, drive it for a year or so, then sell it and start on another one. Just seems to me the powerplant would drastically shrink the possible market. But I've been wrong before (gasp! ) and I'll be wrong again.

Harley powered Crossley wagon. Guy had one at the rod show at Cobo a couple of years ago.