You can do a lot for a Vanagon WB or AC by just taking a stock crank,
offset gringing it .010./.020. That will give you plenty more compression
and still give you valve clearance.
Ceramic Coating the piston tops and cylinder combustion chambers will
give additional compression and still allow valve clearance.
On Type IV Air Cooled you can use an early type IV crank with the big rod
journals, light weight rods and flat top pistons ........... how much
more compression do you want?
Given a few thousand dollars extra there is a lot that can be done.
I recently say a stock 350 small block Chevy in a 52 five window body
(FireBird Clip under front) It had a GMC blower and giant Holley Carb on
it. With 10" rear tires it easily dissappeared in its own smoke screen at
a redlight.
Is that more what you're looking for?

Stan Wilder

On Sun, 23 Mar 2003 19:59:11 -0600 John Rodgers <j_rodgers@CHARTER.NET>
writes:
> I always understood that the rule of thumb was (1) increase power by
> increasing cylinder pressure by increasing the stroke, which would
> allow
> you to turn lower RPM, thus saving on the engine.....produces lots
> of
> torque.  (2)On the other hand, increase power by increasing
> cylinder
> bore to increase pressure and at the same time maintain
> rpm..........lots of power, but  torque range shifts. These two
> approaches do give added power but would maintain the integrity of
> the
> engine. In either case, increasing RPM  adds even more power , but
> raises the strain on the rotating assembly considerably and shortens
> the
> life of the engine.
>
> Am I wrong?
>
> John Rodgers
> 88 GL Driver
>
> Damon Campbell wrote:
>
> >All i'm doing for now is increasing the bore and
> >stroke... the engine will end up with a 2.3
> >displacement.  Turbo is way (way) down the road...
> >assuming i can even get this put together correctly
> >:-)  None of this that i am doing is revolutionary, by
> >any means.  There are people doing crazy things with
> >water boxers - far exceeding these minor mods.
> >
> >It looks like i am going to stick with hydraulic
> >lifters, though.  I am not going to be running higher
> >RPM (my ultimate goal is to get enough oomph to run
> >higher gear ratios/lower rpm comfortably).
> >
> >It seems as though the proponents of the mechanical
> >lifters tend to be rooted in more of a racing school
> >of thought.  This is still a (somewhat) daily driver,
> >so just "having it work" is appealing.
> >
> >Thanks for the input, all...
> >
> >actually, one other question: what is the best way to
> >maintain the compression ratio when increasing the
> >stroke?  The current working solution seems to be
> >machining down the tops of the pistons - which seems a
> >little excessive.  Any suggestions on this one?
> >
> >Again, thanks,
> >-Damon
> >
> >
> >--- Craig Oda <craigoda@COMMUNITYBUILDERS.INFO> wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Stan, when went down to Damon's garage to check out
> >>his engine, he
> >>mentioned that he was increase the stroke of his
> >>engine and I think
> >>getting a hotter cam.  I'm not sure what he's doing
> >>about the valves,
> >>but he did have a turbo charger on his shop table
> >>which he indicated
> >>that he was going to hack on, so I think he's going
> >>to run it at higher
> >>than normal RPM.  Just FYI.
> >>
> >>-- Craig
> >>
> >>Stan Wilder wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>Unless you're going to run big valve heads and want
> >>>
> >>>
> >>to run your engine at
> >>
> >>
> >>>higher than normal rpms, I'd stick with stock.
> >>>
> >>>
> >
> >
> >=====
> >'84 Westy (Sparky)
> >'65 Kharma Ghia (Dharma)
> >
> >__________________________________________________
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> >
> >
> >
>
>

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