Club 80-90 Forums

Well I have wrestled with the Cosworth Powered Crewcab for years and the main wrestling being what to do with it as I can not register it in France.

I have tried Ebay and it did not meet the reserve and I put it on here for a while.

The reality of the matter is, I love the crewcab, everything about it and it is such a clean crewcab that you would struggle to find another in as good condition. I really don't want to sell it but the engine is the problem (To keep in France).

My current throughts are to drop the full conversion of the the crewcab and sell it as a full conversion.

This would include, the fully rebuilt and reconditioned 2.9 Cosworth V6 24v Engine, flywheel and porshe clutch, KEP conversion, Porshe starter motor, 4 speed box, full gear change assembly, engine cradle, fuel tank and full wiring harness and exhaust system. All you need would be fuel lines and plus/negative and switched negative to the cosworth harness. Everything is there done for the conversion.

Then purchase the replacement stuff to take it back to a diesel powered geniune unit, take it across to France and live happily ever after.

Now consider how much an alternative engine conversion is going to cost you to fit, be it via yourself or paying others, and what unit would you go for. The common Suburu route or something different. Think of the length of time the conversion will take if you do it yourself, all those hours.

You can read the build thread on this conversion and its story from start to finish and you will see the time working this conversion out took and installing it correctly.

All I can tell you is my experiance of having this motor in the car, it is very very powerful, it is fast, you can light the back end up if you drive like that. I have sat in the fast lane of the motorway passing all trafic and still had plenty more under foot. My friend Aiden Talbot could build the ultimate 5 speed for this motor and it has so much power the revs at cruising speed on the motorway could be dropped right down if you desired.

So my question is.

If you are considering a conversion would this be up your street?

I have not put it all on the for sale section yet as I want to get feed back on my thoughts.

Should I just purchase a Diesel T25 in bad body and interior condition for all the parts and do a straight swap for all the stuff I remove then sell the full conversion or should I got for something like a passat 1.9TDi unit instead. (Meaning the pain of converting it to fit again)

Should I look to do a deal with someone and take all their stuff in PX for this conversion.

The full conversion, for everything removed would be around 3k if I put it up for sale fully removed.

Dickspanner

Oh and I would like some suggestions for a good powerful VW diesel power plant.

She will not be doing hard work, however she will be taking my 68 Cooper down to South of France at the same time of exporting her so 1000 miles towing 1 ton will be the first really demand on her.

After that she will be a utility vehicle to go camping and other adventures in South of France.

I could do with suggestions being based on VW standard units if possible of other VW units that will look fairly stock for French mot.

Dickspanner

Some of the French syncro boys have managed to get TDis past the control technique, I don't know how but worth contacting them through their forum, I also know of some scooby conversions in France, it can be done, and like Belgium anything maybe possible with a legitimate UK registered vehicle that is already converted; Mike Plompen got Syncronutz to cabriolet his doka, get it SVA'd and registered in the UK then reimported back to Belgium as a cabriolet and that was fine

Aiden, as you know mine is a very good conversion with no expense spared. I even have a fully report done on it by a rally car building company.
I took my T4 for a Ct and it failed due to not having steel wheels. It had the correct tyres (high load) and VW alloys but they wanted it to be 100% standard.
I just can not see it getting a ct with the cosworth motor in hence considering going back to a stock unit.
The crewcab would be worth more as well as 100% genuine.
I love the cossy motor and the power it delivers but think a standard oil burner would make my life easier.
Have you any contacts over in France who have ct'd a none standard?
Cheers
Dickspanner