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Seeking Snow Trac info and Kristy sighting.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Reddog
  • Start date Start date
I see no reason other than dimensions that it wouldn't work. The ECM is external, runs an external high pressure fuel pump and has no O2 sensors. I have fiddled with several and had good luck. The fan housing is different and I do not know if a Type 1 fan/housing can be fit on a Type 4 (without too much brain damage....)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_air-cooled_engine

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bus_motor.jpg
 
Reddog said:
Thanks for the reply and insight Kirk. Seems any well kept or refurbished cat will bring the kind of numbers you are talking about. There are always "deals" to be had that work out in various levels, but the market seems to dictate value and price based on condition and application. For me, this rig seems to fit both bills.
One question I had is if anyone in the ST community has looked into putting a Subaru powerplant into one of these rigs. It is a very popular conversion in the VW van world and seems to work out from about every perspective. Adapters are readily available and a remote radiator would be the only challenge, and not much one at that. The rig I am considering is supposed to have a low hour rebuild in it and I try to subscribe to the KISS philosophy and "if it ain't broke, don't mess with it". Just wondering, more power, F.I. and hot water for interior heat might not be an alll together bad thing....
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MVC-009F.jpg

St420Subaru201978.jpg
 
Mmmmmmm.... Engine swap porn....
Thanks Jim. Is that a 80ish Toyota Corolla engine? They made a Hemi head unit that looked a lot like that.
 
I know a guy in Australia who might be able to answer that question he worked for the Porsche dealer who did the Antarctic conversions.
 
Reddog,
The 914 engine would work but doesn't the exhaust pose a problem too? It comes out the bottom of the head, different than the VW engine doesnt it? Not to mention not cheap to rebuild either so I have read as well. Comments?

Reagards Kirk
 
I don't really think the Type 4 engine is significantly more expensive to rebuild/maintain than a Type 1. The "Porsche engine" moniker is a little misleading, since while it was used in the 914, it is full on a VW product and is available out of Type 4 cars and busses. Recently I bought a bus with a Type 4 F.I. engine in it that ran pretty decently for $500. The bus was a beater, but the engine was complete.
The TDI engine sounds really interesting, but don't they turn lower RPM at cruising speeds than the gassers? I suppose gearing could be changed....
I guess I like the "near original" element of the Type 4 motor swap.
All this is a little cart before the horse for me. I looked at and spoke to the fellow that has the ST on consignment on Saturday and am waiting to hear back. He told me he had the rig on his lot for 2 years (maybe 2 winters). Sounds like either he is pretty busy and can't devote a ton of time on selling it or the actual owner may not be very concerned with finding it a new home.
FWIW, he priced it ready to go, on the trailer at $15K. At that price, I'm probably not a buyer....
 
pimkev said:
Jim - thanks for the video- racing snow tracs LOL! did not know they were so agile. Looked like a dead soldier in the side bin at 1:37? :) Anyway that's what I've been aiming for the last 4 years- too cool.

murph
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if you never been around a snow trac .you'll notice you don't brake to steer. so you have very little power loss.

video shows some of the steering when Lyndon was chasing me .
jim
 
Well, I heard back from the fellow selling the ST. He has talked to the owner and is waiting for a response....

The tension mounts....:brows:
 
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Didn't really make a hard and fast offer, but I responded to the 15K+ price range that I felt that was pretty high for the market. I mentioned the recent sale of Melensdad's rig at $9K (or so, I really don't know) and pointed out that while there are "deals" out there, there are also limited ST buyer out there. Given similar condition (again, unknown), throw in a trailer (which I would resell, I already have one I would prefer to use) and no need for transport costs, I feel somewhere between 9 and 15ish is more in line. But of course, I speak as a buyer, not a seller...
I have high hopes that we can come to terms on the sale, but there is a "consigned seller" between me and the owner. Flexibility on his part may make or break the deal.
I did find a complete 1.7L engine out of a 914 locally for around 500 bucks. Wonder if I will wind up needing it....
 
Looks like we have struck a deal. A couple details on the sellers end to get tied up and hoping to pick the rig up before the new year. I'll keep the forum posted and post pics as soon as possible.
 
Jim,
How did you know!? I thought I was the only one who knew it's location.
It was a toss-up between the one you show and this one:

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Not a Snowtrac, but looked like it would work well for me and in our dry climate, getting her going would be a breeze!
 
I propose a new contest. The ugliest start to a project cat! That snow trac is way up there!!!

Look forward to seeing the progress.

Cletis
 
This one won't win the ugliest start, it's already pretty nice. The 1202B I had might have been in the running, it was a real mutt when I got it.
One thing this ST will need is new tires, It comes with the rubber, but it is part of the deal that I will do the install. I have gotten tire/wheels off of cats before for flats and such. Anything different on a ST? Any shortcut tips? The little bogies look easier than many to deal with, but the large rearmost tire looks like it may be a challenge. I can get the cat on my lift and get the whole thing off the ground or partially unweighted if that helps. Maybe it's time to build a set of track jacks...
 
I removed a foamed tire from the small wheel with a hack saw hammer and chisel. No good way I could see, just a fight to cut it off...

Those little rims are split in half and unbolt in the center. This will help some.

The rear won't be any different if foamed. Get your elbow grease out!

Regards, Kirk
 
300 H and H said:
I removed a foamed tire from the small wheel with a hack saw hammer and chisel. No good way I could see, just a fight to cut it off...

Those little rims are split in half and unbolt in the center. This will help some.

The rear won't be any different if foamed. Get your elbow grease out!

Regards, Kirk
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In the future when you have your tire filled use a tube it makes it much easier
When the time comes to replace then just sawzall the tire in two places and remove
 
boggie said:
In the future when you have your tire filled use a tube it makes it much easier
When the time comes to replace then just sawzall the tire in two places and remove
Click to expand...

Used cat and I didn't fill the tires. You are right though.....:wink:

Regards, Kirk
 
Thanks for the input. Tires are not currently foam filled. Getting the tires on and off of the wheels is not my main question, getting the wheels on and off of the cat without breaking (separating) the tracks is...
 
You make a version of the factory lever jack to lift the boggie wheels. It is a simple lever device with a chain that locks the wheel up so the cross bolt can be pulled. There are pics of them in this forum some where. I made my own and it is THE deal for this operation.

Cann't wait to see a type IV in a snow trac.....

Regards, Kirk
 
I used a 64 modified vw jack the other day to change a boggie.
if I were to change the rear wheel I would use my air tools and break the track. I have done it without in the deep snow and it took about the same time .
 
the rear wheels can be changed in the field with out breaking the track you need a handiman jack a come along and some thing to tie off to. you jack the rig drop all tension from the track .pull the top back so there is some slop around the rear wheel than un bolt it slide it out and slide it back in while aligning the studs sounds easier than it really is but it beats breaking the track.
 
I had lots of problems with the lugs like you said. it was in the snow and uneven ground. maybe that was eating up some of my slack??
 
I removed and replaced rear tire when I put new bearings in the pivot. I did a version of what Don suggests. After jacking and loosening the tension (both on the rear and the drive sprocket)I was able to use a pair of small ratchet cargo straps (1" version) to pull the track back and up. Wheel came of easy, putting back on was a female dog. One strap was to the cargo rail on the trac, the other was to the trailer it was sitting on. Doing it alone didn't help.
 
as a note to self I have never tried it it may help to re install the tire deflated it would give you a little more room to work. funny how with a little practice it works pretty good I'm down to about an hour to replace a rear tire including the time to repair it.
 
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