I'm not even qualified to read his bio on the NASA site!  =)

Frank's pretty smart and his posts are fun reading.

On Wed, Oct 8, 2008 at 8:41 PM, Jim Arnott <jrasite@eoni.com> wrote:

> And yes, Frank is a REAL engineer.  Rocket Scientist type.
>
> <http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/projects/spacewardbound/mojave2007/bios/
> grunthaner.html>
>
> I suspect that Dr. Grunthaner is more than passingly familiar with
> Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design.
>
> A real engineer.
>
> His '82: <http://members.shaw.ca/albell/notable_vans.html>
>
> Jim
>
> On Oct 8, 2008, at 7:21 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
>
>  thanks, maybe I'll remember this time ' Grun- thaner. '
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Jake de Villiers" <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>> Sent: Wednesday, October 08, 2008 7:17 PM
>> Subject: Re: Audi Turbo motor swap
>>
>>
>>  Frank Grunthaner is the guy you're looking for.
>>>
>>> On Wed, Oct 8, 2008 at 6:54 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <
>>> scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>  re your last line there.........
>>>> then that means you'll have to do a 50 degree install.
>>>> it's doable.
>>>> I think what you want to know is 'how can I do it without endless
>>>> custom
>>>> fabrication
>>>> or getting into an unsolvable corner' .............something like
>>>> that.
>>>>
>>>> you know about that conversion shop that does 1.8T Passat type vw
>>>> engines
>>>> in
>>>> vanagons ?
>>>> Sacramento, Ca area. Forget their name right now.
>>>> I think their conversions are upright though, not 50 degree.
>>>>
>>>> there are a lot of advantages to keeping the engine at about 15
>>>> degrees
>>>> like
>>>> it was in the car it came from.
>>>> Quite a lot.
>>>> I haven't done an upright conversion, but I'd like to do one,
>>>> just to see
>>>> how good I could get it, how low I could get it, and how much I
>>>> could
>>>> leave
>>>> the oil and oil pick-up, turbo installation, etc. alone.
>>>> Some people use 'other' turbo exhaust manifolds and an adapter so
>>>> they
>>>> can
>>>> get the turbo higher........especially for a 50 degree install.
>>>> It's very doable.
>>>> I'd do one.   Not the most 'drop in' engine conversion, but they
>>>> have
>>>> been
>>>> done, and are very doable. It's just one system at a time.
>>>>
>>>> "not a torque monster' ...........hmm. Turbo gas engines are
>>>> fun.  I'd
>>>> expect it to scoot pretty well.  Just not at 1,500 rpm.
>>>> All the issues are solvable.
>>>> I get his last name not quite right all the time ............Frank
>>>> Garunther..........( last name is very close to that )
>>>> he's done a audi turbo engine ............at 50 degees I think.
>>>> He's a
>>>> real
>>>> engineer/nut ........
>>>> takes an engineering approach like you wouldn't believe.
>>>> He has even done in flight video inside a diesel oil pan testing
>>>> baffle
>>>> configurations and what the oil does, and stuff like that. I
>>>> think he is
>>>> actually an engineer too.
>>>> google him.
>>>> he's way into it, and I am certain he has done an Audi gas turbo
>>>> engine
>>>> in
>>>> vanagon.
>>>> Scott
>>>> www.turbovans.com
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "TJ Hemrick" <x53gunner@GMAIL.COM>
>>>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, October 08, 2008 4:38 PM
>>>> Subject: Audi Turbo motor swap
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>  No, I'm not trying to start another flame war.  Seriously, I've
>>>> searched
>>>>
>>>>> the
>>>>> web on and off over the past few months for people who had actually
>>>>> swapped
>>>>> an Audi 1.8T motor into the ol' Vanagon but haven't stumbled into
>>>>> anything
>>>>> definitive.   Not that any of mine are actually running right
>>>>> now, but
>>>>> that's beside the point!  I've seen pleny of other swaps and yes
>>>>> the
>>>>> Zetec
>>>>> is the coolest gas conversion going but I've got access to a
>>>>> very low
>>>>> mile
>>>>> 1.8t engine with harness.  Yes, I know it's not really a torque
>>>>> monster
>>>>> of
>>>>> a
>>>>> motor but I'm really looking into how difficult it's going to be
>>>>> with
>>>>> the
>>>>> orientation of the turbo (oil lines and all), intakes and of
>>>>> course I'm
>>>>> sure
>>>>> we could start a side war on the mounting angle issue.  As for
>>>>> me, (with
>>>>> all
>>>>> due respect to my trusted source in the great white north - aka
>>>>> David
>>>>> Marshall) I'm NOT modding my deck lid come hell or high water.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>
>>>>> TJ
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Jake
>>> 1984 Vanagon GL
>>> 1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
>>> Crescent Beach, BC
>>> www.crescentbeachguitar.com
>>> http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27
>>>
>>

--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
Crescent Beach, BC
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27