Can't the crossbar be mounted on the frame a little further forward or
aft?  You don't have to use the stock bolt holes, do you?  Couldn't you just
use a stock bar and fabricate 2 engine mounting plates to meet it?
  IMHO, it seems like making the entire crossbar from scratch is the harder
way of doing things..........there's more than one way to skin a cat, right?

Mike B.

----- Original Message -----
From: "neil N" <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, March 15, 2008 8:41 PM
Subject: Re: Building carrier (load bar) Square or rectangular tube steel?

> For sure. Further back. The Fox mount brackets end up being more or
> less in the middle of the block lengthwise.
>
> And for others who might use the Fox brackets in this application, I'm
> pretty sure that getting them from an automatic tranny will save a
> little work. The manual tranny has one bracket with provisions for
> clutch cable. That extra metal needs to be removed. Plus some removed
> near bottom LH side for plastic coolant elbow to clear (Jetta ABA
> 2.0).
>
> Neil.
>
> On 3/15/08, pdooley <psdooley@verizon.net> wrote:
>> I'm pretty sure the stock WBX bar is not adequate for an inline swap.
>> The I4 motor and oil pan cut way too far down into the WBX load bar.
>>
>> I just fabbed a load bar from scratch for my I4 swap.
>> I seem to remember needing to locate the bar further back to accommodate
>> the
>> Fox engine mounts; another reason to just start from scratch.
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
>> Of
>> Mike Riley
>> Sent: Saturday, March 15, 2008 8:00 PM
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Subject: Re: Building carrier (load bar) Square or rectangular tube
>> steel?
>>
>> any pics of a I-4 type engine using the stock cross bar for mounts on the
>> web somewhere?
>> mike
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> > Date: Sat, 15 Mar 2008 13:33:38 -0700
>> > From: Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
>> > Subject: Re: Building carrier (load bar) Square or rectangular tube
>> > steel?
>> >
>> > Just look at a waterboxer rear engine cross bar for inspiration.
>> >
>> > It's rectangular tubing.
>> >
>> > Also, of course, it's not loaded in the 'flat' plane, it' loaded in the
>> > 'vertical' plan if you follow me, which is stronger.=20
>> >
>> > I even just USE waterboxer vanagon rear engine mounting cross bars for
>> > =
>> > other
>> > engine installations - I put one under an SVX engine - worked tres =
>> > perfecto.
>> >
>> > =20
>> >
>> > They're a bit heavy but super solid, and already the right length - =
>> > ..one of
>> > my fabrication rules .....( wood construction too ) ...when you find 'a
>> > fitter' , you have to use it.=20
>> >
>> > =20
>> >
>> > Plus rectangular is so much easier to work with, having flat sides, for
>> > drilling holes in, bolting or welding things too, etc.=20
>> >
>> > =20
>> >
>> > Another tip- build it 'in place' .
>> >
>> > Get the engine where you want it.
>> >
>> > Put the bar under it, make cardboard templates for the brackets you
>> > need....cut those out on the work bench, set those in place on the
>> > van/engine/bar , tack well them. Take the bar out, weld on it more, out
>> > =
>> > it
>> > back in to check the fit, etc.
>> >
>> > Scott
>> >
>> > www.turbovans.com <http://www.turbovans.com/> =20
>>
> --
> Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia - "Jaco"
> http://web.mac.com/tubaneil
> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
>