The Official 356Talk Forum

Thought I'd put this two piece engine i built in my 1960 convertible.

Are the heads Okrasa or VW? And your own dog-house cooler setup? The engine looks excellent.

Martin Benade wrote:Are the heads Okrasa or VW? And your own dog-house cooler setup? The engine looks excellent.

Okrasa heads with Okrasa intakes and repro Solex 32s. It also has a 69.5 mm stroker crank with stock cylinders so the engine displaces about 1300cc.
I use a aftermarket 36hp shroud with the doghouse setup, and of course the wider fan and bigger aluminum cooler. From the front you can't tell.
I though that maybe the two piece guys would get a laugh since there are so many similarities between the two engines.

Did you fab the intake manifolds? Given the operating speeds, they're probably far better than the stock ones.

Ron LaDow wrote:Did you fab the intake manifolds? Given the operating speeds, they're probably far better than the stock ones.

No, they are reproduced by Wolfsburgwest along with the heads, carbs, linkage, even fuel line. They even sell the crank now and a Okrasa grind cam. All for about $2k. Huge difference in performance, that Bug will do 70mph all day long and can bury the needle, which means 80 on a ,60'Beetle.

That's even better than 68 downhill! Is it still quiet and friendly like a stock 36 hp? I really like them. My first 356 had a 36 hp in it for a year or two.

Martin Benade wrote:That's even better than 68 downhill! Is it still quiet and friendly like a stock 36 hp? I really like them. My first 356 had a 36 hp in it for a year or two.

No it's louder, you,can hear the carbs sucking air.