"I decided on a T4 as I wanted an engine that provided lots of torque and would live a long life. My first engine was a mildly warmed 2L (E grind cam, big heads, Dell 40s). Purchased the first engine already constructed, but had oil pressure issues so stripped and rebuilt it with help from my Dad. T4 parts for the first engine came from JustKampers.co.uk, LA Performance and a local shop provided the correct sized bearings."

" I have since sold that engine as I wanted something with a load more power and torque. I ordered a 2270 kit with all the extras from www.type4store.com (Jakes shop) and have nearly finished building it. This one has been all my own work, with some advice from my Dad (and Jake too)."

"The pull from the T4 engine is amazing, many of my friends have been shocked by how fast it does 60-110 (mph)."

"I wanted something reliable, economical, easy to work on and I wanted to be able to buy parts when I needed them."

"I was reluctatant actually, but my experience with my 914 - which ran flawless for 3.5 years with carbs and had tons and tons of power, sold me on the T4 engine. My 912 engine went BAD (broken crank), and I needed a solution I could afford. After parting the rest of the engine, I bet I have only about $600 into my car on the road and running (and months and months of work)."

"Stock 2.0 914 engine, Web186b Cam, 40mm Dellortos. I used the 914 3rd/4th/5th gears inside my trans. The thing is smooooth as silk, and has tons of power at about 2300 rpm all the way to 5500. I let a friend who has a big-bore in his 912 drive it for about a 45 mile trip on highway and through city traffic. He said there was no comparison. It would cost about $12k to make a stock 912 run the way the 2.0 does now, if its even possible, and I did it for about $1800."

"And if it breaks, I could buy any junk yard T4 engine and be back on the road for nothing. Just common sense."

Owner: Joe Cali of New York, USA Car: 1974 Bug Engine: 1971cc (2.0L)

More pics of Joe's Bug

"Why did I pick a T-4 conversion? Well the introduction pages in my manual explains it in greater detail, but I will make this short. I wrote the manual in 1990 because I felt I discovered the T-4 conversion and had to inform as many people I could that it existed. At that time there was no picking. I do not take credit for being the first. There was Joe of Oregon Performance, Mike Sharp of Sharpbuilt in Australia, BAS in Germany and a few guys in other parts of the planet. It was just that we did not know the others existed. No internet!!! As I did my research and questioned the writers of HVW and VWTrends, I got feedback that there were bugs blasting around Europe with 914 engines."

"OK, how I made my discovery. I worked in Manhattan next to Manhattan Porsche. Having 914s I got friendly with the mechanics. One day I got a call, the mechanic said they were moving and they would sell me a 914 training engine. It never saw gas or oil, totally new just for training the mechanics. $250. I ran over put it on a dolly and rolled it to my office. When I had time I would use a forklift to keep it in the air as I took it apart to get it home. I wrecked my 914 soon after and was driving my bug. The bug had a slightly hopped up 1700. After driving countless Bugs, I felt they were becoming a waste of money and time."

"I live in New York and as many of you may not know, NY is not NYC. NYC is only about 50 square miles. NY has thousands of miles of mountains and hills, very green. Those hills were killing me and my VWs. All I wanted was a Bug that could push me and four passengers up a steep hill and not only be able to keep up with traffic but accelerate and pass other cars."

"I looked at the training engine that I tore down to bare block and put it next to a T-1 block and realize the blocks were almost the same size. Also the transmission mating bolt holes matched up. The major difference was the 914 had it’s blower on the crank which made it too long to fit in a bug. That was when the Cali-Style was born."

"I remembered that when I was looking for 914s they all had well over 150k miles on the odometer. Man that car weighed more then a bug by about 300 lbs. and it went that far. Also the VW Busses 72 and later used the T-4 and they were much more reliable then the early busses and ever weighed more. The light went off in my head and I built my first T-4 upright conversion."

"The engine is in my red Bug at my web site has over 60k and it is running like new. After driving the car for the first time, I freaked out and was on a mission to let people know there was an alternative to building T-1s that rarely lasted as they increased in engine size. Well I guess that is it. You guys have been carrying on the torch so I am resting and watching the T-4 revolution progress."

"I had a T4 built by Jake Raby because I wanted at reliable high-performance engine. I bought the car when I was 16 and rebuilt the T1 a few times over 15 years of daily driving. I was able to keep it running, but not much more. I always wanted a Porsche and when I decided to rebuild the car, I went with the best I could afford. I new that specifying, procuring, and building my dream engine was more than I could handle. So in 2003, I took Jakes recommendation for the 2270 with ceramic lifters, 44 IDFs, Mallory Uni-Lite, and BAS exhaust. Jake exceeded my expectations with his product, delivery, and customer service. "

"Jake set me up with a transaxle geared for the engine and wheels. A traction bar from RLR and intermediate mount from Berg support the trans. Oil cooling and engine assessories were purchased from aircooled.net and CB Performance, both excellent vendors. "

"I've always driven a stock bug so I had no idea what I had gotten into with this engine. The torque is amazing. I built the car for turns and the torque is great for pulling through corners. While a T1 can do the same, I'm looking forward to years of trouble-free enjoyment with the T4. "

"More at www.vwbughead.com. "

"I first read about T4 conversions in VWT in 1990. I always liked the fact that the T4 block was naturally a Big Block with the potencial of big CC's with little or no clearancing. Finally I was able to do my own T4 conversion back in 2002. The motor has been very good to me. Aside from not having an ideal set of heads and/or exhaust, I think it's a great little combo to start off with (1911). "

"It was fun to do the Cali conversion (thanks Joe). I love it cause a lot of people (even in the VW crowd) walk right by it at car shows because they think it's another T1. "

"Down the road I hope to finish my 2600 T4 with a turbo (911 style fan shroud). Good things come to those that wait. "

"For me, the selling point was reliabity and longevity in the power range I wanted. I know the T1 can be built well and made to last, but You have to ask, "Why is reliability even a question?" If you want a high performance car in the water cooled world, the question does not exist. You just go out and by a Porsche, BMW, Corvette, whatever. When it comes to a Hipo aircooled engine, the question of reliability comes up real quick. "

"When I discovered the T4 on the STF years ago, the consensus was that with the T4 reliability was a given. Also I was not having to put my faith in the claims of an engine builder for his product. I found a whole community of converts who enthusiastically vouched for the sturdiness of the T4. "

"Also on the STF I found the means to achieve my goal for power and longevity. Not wanting to build the engine myself, I would need a good builder and also found Jake Raby, and a whole communnity to vouch for HIM as well. For a few years I watched what Jake was doing with T4 developement and was able to observe on the forums a few years of excellent customer service. My patience paid off, rewarding me with an absolutely awesome engine that seldom sees head temps over 325 deg in 100 deg weather. As for the power, that is just something you need to experience for yourself. "

"Here's my 912 with a 2.0 type 4 conversion. I converted for the same reasons as Bob O. 912 engines are ridiculous in price vs performance. I am using 912E sheetmetal, 912E engine support mated to my own custom brackets, VW412 heat exchangers, and modified 912E Bursch exhaust."

"Results? I drove it to Oregon from San Diego for the PartsObsolete campout last year. No problems at all, and got 32 mpg while running 80-85 mph the whole trip."

"Anyone who has been on one of the North County Porsche runs I have coordinated can tell you the car still handles like a 912 which is way better than a 911!! "

See Tony's web site for more information on his 912.

"I chose my Type 4 for a couple of reasons: 2.0 liter with hydraulic lifters and factory oil filter. My engine is a stock 2000cc with stock hydraulic cam, stock distributor, modified stock exhaust, and 40mm dells with CB's update kit. I built this conversion using Joe Cali's manual and the help of a good friend. I utilized "used" parts as I was doing this on a budget - and it is still running 6 years later. The picture shows an 050 distributor that I have since changed to a stock unit. The result was much smoother performance. This engine in my '74 ghia convertible is perfect. I've updated the brakes and added some sway bars for the extra power. Kinda makes me mad that VW didn't offer this."

Owner: Tom B., upstate NY, USA Car: 1968 Baja Bug Engine: 2270cc

"I'll go out on a limb here and say that my Type 4 conversion is quite possibly the oldest in existence in the same vehicle. I purchased my first Bug when I was 15 and started working on it from money I earned on a paper route. Bought it for $80 from a guy up the street, typical central NY beater with rotted out floors and rockers. By the time I was 16, I had welded in new floors and rockers, threw a Baja kit on it and had it street legal. I drove it for 3 months over the summer of 1986 until the single port 1500 couldn't keep oil in its sump. I swapped that engine out for a 1600 dual port that I had to loosen up with a sledge hammer."

"My buddy picked up a 914 and I was immediately intrigued with the thought of a type 4 motor (a simple conversion for a Baja). Off to a local junkyard where I found a low mileage 412. $100 later, the engine was mine. Ordered up a cheap Weber progressive carb and threw the whole mess together and got instant power! (Ooops, through open heater boxes with no muffler... hee, hee, hee). Fixed that with a 4 into 1 bobtail style exhaust that I welded together in shop class out of 1-1/4" to 2" conduit. That was 1987."

"Fast forward through college, a career (still with the same type 4 Baja) and I stumble across Shoptalk Forums and Jake Raby. First came the 2270 build with balancing and other great help from Jake, then the DTM which is by far the best investment made. Nearly 20 years worth of living with the type 4 in my Bug and I'm still learning."

"My goal of 20 years ago was to build a Bug for all terrain that had power and reliability, I'd say I've achieved that! Thanks to everyone at Shoptalk Forums for your input! "

Owner:Dennis W., Baltimore, MD, USA Car: 1971 Super Beetle Engine: 2056cc

A US magazine devoted to air-cooled Volkswagens had an article on the different "looks" of the Beetle sometime in 2002. I immediately fell in love with the German Look and what it was about. As Super Beetles and Type IV engines seemed to be a centerpiece for a typical German Looker built for speed and handling, I needed to focus my investigation accordingly.

I had been investigating different air-cooled Volkswagens to go with my family’s water-cooled models. I learned to drive on my dad’s 1966 Beetle but my attention was more focused on all four Type 3 models, both platforms of all three Type 4 models, the Karmann Ghia and the Thing. Sometimes an air-cooled Vanagon would catch my attention since we had owned a water-cooled version, and sometimes I would daydream of importing a model from the Brazilian market that was never exported to North America.

I had read books by great authors like Keith Seume and Simon Glen so I was unafraid of the Super Beetle and the Type IV engine despite the misgivings I was hearing from different quarters including my long-time mechanic who specializes in Volkswagens. I also joined different sites that had forums dedicated to my new interest.

I ended up buying a 1971 Super Beetle because of its condition and its non-traditional color. The fact neither of its two previous owners had embarked on a customizing spree that had to be undone was a plus, also.

The final stage of getting a Type IV engine was completed several weeks ago when a used (500 mile) 2056cc became available. Dave, a buddy of mine who owns DTM Engineering, and his friend and partner, Kevin, did the install. Upgrades like the brakes, the suspension, the interior and the like had already been accomplished. Driving my Super on its return trip after the install from Georgia to Maryland was like driving a new car. It provided performance and economy, and I look forward to it providing me with daily driving reliability while surprising a few onlookers along the way.