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Reply to "Newbie looking reputable manufacturers"

Air-cooled cars are nice and can be very reliable. Anything from a 1915cc engine to a 2280 with dual carbs is nice. Look for reputable builders: CB Performance is pretty good and they say the sweet spot is 2110cc and about 150 horsepower.

Maintenance is not bad: annual oil change (with the special high-zinc oil of your choice), check/adjust valve lash and make sure your carbs are syched and have no clogged jets.

I converted an air-cooled car to Subaru using a 1995 Legacy as a donor. A bit of work but a nice result.

Maintenance for Suby: flush the radiator at least every other year, bleed the cooling lines at the beginning of the season, oil change once a year.

Air cooled advantages:

1. looks and sounds like the engine it mimics.

2. much support and love in the VW community

3. easy to put in and take out when required

Air-cooled disadvantages:

1. aftermarket parts quality is spotty

2. carbs, jetting, etc. can get tricky

3. cabin heat: scant at best



EJ22-25 advantages

1. modern design, at least 140 horses out of the box & revs to 6000+

2. Fuel injection means never having to crank the engine while pumping the pedal just right

3. torque curve is high and flat; no need for close-ratio gears & etc.

4. real heat

EJ22-25 disadvantages

1. modern electronics need to be set up. Lots o' wires & sensors & what-not

2. Water-cooled adds some weight and complexity

3. head gaskets can and will fail if you don't remember to change the antifreeze regularly and bleed the air out of the system

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