Ok I am at the point of new motor time and have to do fab work to put duals on a vw anyway so I am wanting some input from y'all. I have a good line on a mazda rx7 motor and would like to know what you think would be a better investment in the long run a vw stroker or the rx7. My buggy has a 94 inch wheel base with 3x3s running 31 tsl boggers. I like trails but have been known to play on some big hills when the bottle gets empty. I have a 1835 in it now with a 3 rib but have a stock 6 rib sitting in the floor. What are some opinions on the swap. How hard are the mods and fabwork going to be and what is the best bang for buck? Thanks for any info..

I assume it's a rotary. I had a couple with an adapter for a VW but I never used them. I sold them years ago. They aren't known for their torque. They are expensive to rebuild if you need apex seals. They rev to the moon but how often can you do that in the woods. You would still need the adapter, flywheel, radiator, fuel pump, filter etc. I'd say pick a different water cooled if you're going that route. If you want to keep it simple stick with the VW. Torque is what you want in the woods. Save your money and buy an Ecotec, Honda, etc.

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"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." -Henry Ford

Do NOT hang a w/c off the back of any bus trans. I'd like to see one get steeper than an 1835. Baby chains or a Passat set up. If I were a contender I'd weld the lincoln rear diff aswell and/ or cut the 40" swampers.IF you go baby chains use a 1" bronze bushing inside the driver sprocket to save 6" of width to each trailing arm side. THE WIDER YOU ARE THE MORE A TIRE HAS TO HIT PLACES THAT YOU DID NOT WANT.THERE IS NO ROOM TO MANUEVER THE TRAIL! Baby chains keep your weight distribution and extend your trans life and give you your desired final drive ratio. I do love my lite weight a/c aswell, but if you have to go w/c, listen to me or go to monster chain drive set up.

Passat, I see no relavance to your post? People are hanging WC motors on Bus trans's everyday including myself. We simply add rear mounts to support the weight. OP I would look into Subaru or Ecoteck as they have been todays best options. Ther are many of them being used and there is a lot of info and help avalable for them.

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Water cooled Dry Sumped Subaru Powered Turbo Charged Fuel Injected 2500CC Tank. Oh Rah! He who dies with the most Toys not only wins, He also wears them out!

Ducktape on here runs one may pm him.

But I'm thinking it was said somewhere without a turbo it does not work real good.

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My ECOTEC swap http://www.woodsbuggy.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=10&jfile=viewtopic.php&f=23&t=11394

No relavance? Somewhere up there y'all have competition.Y'all decide.You WILL take a smooth rocket hill , you may get a running head start on a steep one and use your inertia. But 1/2 way up a steeeep rugged one and you punch the power, your front end will come up and you will HAVE to let off the gas and restarting on a cliff with a cannon ball in the back is haaaard to do. Who said it , I said it. The one who has wasted more money and time just trying to figure this out.Put an ol boat motor strapped to the front and that is just more dead weight to push. I loooove w/c but Ray Charles can see some of the faults in it.I've been beat by someone's daughter with an 1835, because I could not apply the gas! About the best way I could keep the front end from raising up every time I grabbed a quick grip was to lower the oil pan but here comes that big rock in the middle of the road.My baby chain buggy is sagging real low and has 22" under the oil pan.The c/v's are nearly straight across with only 1" of angle dangle.And it rides soooooft!

you heard it here!

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has left the building...

Still no relevance! The OP is asking about what WC to use and if the Mazda is a good choice, no more no less?

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Water cooled Dry Sumped Subaru Powered Turbo Charged Fuel Injected 2500CC Tank. Oh Rah! He who dies with the most Toys not only wins, He also wears them out!