it would fit. high torque... well compared to the stock flat four. those suckers would fly!

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First LX9 Fiero GT, 1987 | My Fiero Fuel Economy | MPG Display for OBD I
Youtube Videos of My GT | modernize your fiero with technology!
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem
Fiero's are people too. We pay just as much attention to them, if not more than our loved ones
screw paying those bastards. im not going to become rich by paying for things.....

since i seem to be getting so many PM's about my hitch, ill answer right here... i do not know where it came from, but it looks like The Fiero Store one. perfect for jacking the car, lifting the car and resting it on jackstands. 84-88 TRAILER HITCH

[This message has been edited by americasfuture2k (edited 08-20-2010).]

Has anyone even done a VW swap in a fiero? I actually was thinking of something like that myself once ( the last time i had a coolant leak )

the extra weight of the car VS a bike , youd think it would put a serious strain on thinghs

quote Originally posted by User00013170: Has anyone even done a VW swap in a fiero? I actually was thinking of something like that myself once ( the last time i had a coolant leak )

bmwguru did a VR6 swap in his wife's (Anonymity) car...not aircooled, but still a neat (and powerful) swap And still VW

quote Originally posted by Xerces_Blackthorne: bmwguru did a VR6 swap in his wife's (Anonymity) car...not aircooled, but still a neat (and powerful) swap And still VW

Right i remember that, but i was thinking air cooled.. or even Corvair.

to do an air cooled swap, a lot of air ducting would be needed. you wouldnt have heat for the winter time. the aircooled vw motors are pretty weak. 40hp. those cars are like 800 lbs. that weak of a motor in a fiero would strain the engine. build one up and thats a different story. a bug vs. a dyna glide or whatever their biggest heaviest bike is wouldnt be any strain at all on one of those motors. besides, theyre usually hopped up anyways.

cost !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
one v-twin value = 1/2 doz VWs

btw no need to stay stock
2.5L type4 motors can get over 200HP

btw no a VWbug weight is way over 800lbs
try 1800 LBS

ah well then lol. still pretty light! sometimes, cost is no issue.

Harley Powered Airplane:


Dig that sound!

haha hell yea! bet they said that a lot!

One problem with Harley V-twins is power. They don't make much. Another problem is reliability. They don't have much... I ride a 2006 Road King. It weighs in at a hair over 1000 pounds with me on it I think. The 88 CI engine (pretty big for a bike) barely has enough power to move out of its own way. It would be a fun engine in a small bike(thinking buell) but in anything over 800 pounds its a dog. I've also noticed, at a bit over 13000 miles, that it seems to be developing a bottom end knock. That is total horse **** . A better, cheaper, less redneck shitbox option...would be a ZX14 or GSXR1300 engine. 6 speeds, reliable, cheaper, and they make that pesky horsepower thing.

i rode a 883 sportster this summer and it did just fine. im 170 lbs. it of course didnt keep up with a chopper i raced.

quote Originally posted by americasfuture2k: i rode a 883 sportster this summer and it did just fine. im 170 lbs. it of course didnt keep up with a chopper i raced.

lol

quote Originally posted by americasfuture2k: to do an air cooled swap, a lot of air ducting would be needed. you wouldnt have heat for the winter time. the aircooled vw motors are pretty weak. 40hp. those cars are like 800 lbs. that weak of a motor in a fiero would strain the engine. build one up and thats a different story. a bug vs. a dyna glide or whatever their biggest heaviest bike is wouldnt be any strain at all on one of those motors. besides, theyre usually hopped up anyways.

I was thinking built up, and who needs heat?

But i agree about ducting.

i feel like bumping this.

Most engine swaps Ive seen in air cooled VWs is going to an older Porsche air cooled. Its a bolt in conversion...very few minor mods needed. (like rerouting a fuel line.) You can quadruple power pretty cheaply and your VW will be fast.

Wow, a post from ray b I can agree with!

Although, the old air-cooled VW's are actually worth quite a bit now if in good condition.

Now about the harley twin being a good engine for a VW: Probably not. Although the 1200 in the newer models is decently powerful hp wise (up to 90 hp), the torque isn't stellar at 79 lb-ft. Contrast that to the 1600 cc VW in a 1970 VW, with 50 hp and 78 lb-ft of torque. I'd wager that at best, it would be nearly the same performance, and a LOT of work to make it work.

Now, take that 1600 cc VW engine, put a decent set of webers or Del'lorto's on it, counterweighted crank, and just about any decent exhaust, and it'll get over 100 hp, and still won't cost anywhere near as much as just purchasing a late model injected harley engine (has to be late model to get the hp and torque). At that, the VW will be doing 0-60 runs in the 6 or 7 second territory (remember, they were barely 1800 lbs, so it doesn't take a lot of power to make one move)

Cool topic to think on. I had several old beetles, ranging in years from 62 to 76. My favorite was the 70 convertible, which I wish I had kept. (yeah, anyone older than about 25 on this forum probably has several cars that they wish they had kept, but memories often gloss over the ugly parts of our own history)

quote Originally posted by ray b: cost !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! one v-twin value = 1/2 doz VWs btw no need to stay stock 2.5L type4 motors can get over 200HP btw no a VWbug weight is way over 800lbs try 1800 LBS

quote Originally posted by americasfuture2k: ah well then lol. still pretty light! sometimes, cost is no issue.

I have a bug, and I have a sportster engine. Someone make me some parts!

quote Originally posted by jmbishop: I have a bug, and I have a sportster engine. Someone make me some parts!

Is it a late model injected engine? You could build it with Buell parts and turbo charge it. I've read about Buell 1200s with turbos making reliable 150 whp and 130 torques. Then put it in a lotus 7 (Locost?) style vehicle. THAT could be fun.

its carbed

it would be a unique build. not many would have it in the region. it would be loads of fun. and then there are the bragging rights

i got the idea of making a rotary bug. posted it on fb and my friend that is pretty much a triangle nightmare specialist said its been done. so gotta search into that now. a rotary bug would be pure triangle nightmare. or would that be a fiero with the toronado trans and a 13b? either would be a nightmare lol

Nah, put an LS1 in it. You can put an LS1 in anything.

quote Originally posted by Formula88: Nah, put an LS1 in it. You can put an LS1 in anything.

Not too long ago, a guy in town sold a bug that was powered by a 5.0... chopped, widened, and dropped on an S10 frame (I think). Looked cool, ran like stink, but was built the hard way. There's another choptop slugbug for sale around here, too. I have pictures of that one.

[This message has been edited by skuzzbomer (edited 06-14-2011).]

quote Originally posted by americasfuture2k: ... why has no one ever thought of using a Harley V-Twin?

Because it would be slower than what you started with.

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Forget the Harley boat anchor. Drop a turbo 'Busa engine in that VW. It'll scream!

You could go with a S&S T124 (2L 160hp). Its Harley style with Harley $$$... and then some.
Screw it , go with the 'Busa motor.

quote Originally posted by TommyRocker: One problem with Harley V-twins is power. They don't make much. Another problem is reliability. They don't have much... I ride a 2006 Road King. It weighs in at a hair over 1000 pounds with me on it I think. The 88 CI engine (pretty big for a bike) barely has enough power to move out of its own way. It would be a fun engine in a small bike(thinking buell) but in anything over 800 pounds its a dog. I've also noticed, at a bit over 13000 miles, that it seems to be developing a bottom end knock. That is total horse **** . A better, cheaper, less redneck shitbox option...would be a ZX14 or GSXR1300 engine. 6 speeds, reliable, cheaper, and they make that pesky horsepower thing.

I find that really interesting. I thought that most Harleys are made to be 15 second machines, which is respectable. Of course they aren't intended to compete with an 11 second cr*tch rocket. Is what you are talking about two different things? One a boulevard cruiser and the other an F-1 style flat out performance bike?

Arn

11 seconds for a crotch rocket is rather slow anymore. I believe the big screaming eagle road kings are mid to low 14 second bikes

quote Originally posted by Arns85GT: I find that really interesting. I thought that most Harleys are made to be 15 second machines, which is respectable. Of course they aren't intended to compete with an 11 second cr*tch rocket. Is what you are talking about two different things? One a boulevard cruiser and the other an F-1 style flat out performance bike? Arn

I'm not quite sure I understand what you are getting at. Yes they are different. Why would I recommend an alternative that was NOT different? The ZX14 or GSXR13 are big heavy land rockets. Generally considered super sport-tourers.

By the way, stock GL1800's like this have been known to run low 13's and high 12's, so 15's is really not a respectable time for a motorcycle. Older, "slow" 600's tend to run low 11's. Newer 600's are in the 10's, with the fastest stock bikes running high 9's.

When you factor in that these much faster bikes also cost less and last longer, I think its a no-brainer. Harley's have their place, but I don't think trying to put it in a car to make it peppy is the right place. As I said, you can buy a 200 hp liter-bike engine for less than a 70 hp Harley engine.

having a harley motor in a bug would make it the perfect cruising bug. if i wanted to make a race bug, id cram an LS1 into it lol. people cram a LS1 into anything now days.

I don't think a Harley drive train would last long moving 2000 pounds around. Figure 1800 plus driver and anything else. Do it though, I would love to see it.

Aircraft props need torque. A ricer engine generally is good at high revving but is not a torque monster.

So if you need good torque, and you are aiming at a 100 hp aircraft, what engine fits the bill?

Arn

quote Originally posted by TommyRocker: I don't think a Harley drive train would last long moving 2000 pounds around. Figure 1800 plus driver and anything else. Do it though, I would love to see it.

I'll sell my bug and engine, with a package discount even.

quote Originally posted by Arns85GT: Aircraft props need torque. A ricer engine generally is good at high revving but is not a torque monster. So if you need good torque, and you are aiming at a 100 hp aircraft, what engine fits the bill? Arn

I'm not sure how this moved to aircraft but the Hayabusa/ZX14 both make more torque than stock Harley's albeit at a higher RPM. I suppose this is where gear reduction would come in handy. Of course, the lighter weight and so on of an aircooled engine is generally more desirable than all out horsepower, and there are plenty of aircooled engines that can produce 100 horsepower. Honestly, if I was trying to build an experimental/ultralight, I probably would go with a Harley engine since you are so restricted on performance in these categories, PLUS I love radial aircraft and Harley engines are really just 2 cylinder radials, and it would be much simpler and lighter than a watercooled jap engine with gear reductions and so on required. For a VW, I would go with something else.

quote Originally posted by Arns85GT: So if you need good torque, and you are aiming at a 100 hp aircraft, what engine fits the bill?

An Iron Duke!

quote Originally posted by Arns85GT: Aircraft props need torque. A ricer engine generally is good at high revving but is not a torque monster. So if you need good torque, and you are aiming at a 100 hp aircraft, what engine fits the bill? Arn

The godfather of homebuilt aircraft is a fellow named William Wynne. His website lists 10 reasons why you should use a Corvair engine.