Hi fellow bugmen! I'm still green here in the forum, so please accept any goofs on my part....(I am certainly not green in real life, though!)

I have a 1962 sedan which is nicely restored, looks & runs good, etc. However, the engine (a long ago trasplanted 1300cc)is showing its age a bit and it would require a valve job and probably new rings. Doesn't seem like much.
But as I always wanted to soup it up somewhat I was wondering which way to go and would appreciate some advice. As I see it I have two options: fix-up the present engine as needed and at the same time give it some more pepOR to get a brand new , larger displacement enginefrom one of the known suppliers.
What I am looking for is something around 50HP, maybe slihghtly more if its a new engine.

Any good ideas??

Thanks,
Lars

 

Lars, I would suggest that you get a used 1600 engine from a 1967 or later Bug,or a bus engine from 1964 or later. The 1300cc is an odd ball size engine (small dia. piston, long stroke) and the 1600 will accept larger pistons.
The problem you will encounter by doing just a valve job and new rings on any engine with a lot of miles, is the bottom end will not live very long with the added compression. A rod bearing or main bearing will be the first to fail. A stock 67 enging will get you just over 50hp

 

The 1300 cc engine came out in 1966, it was 50 hp, it had
77mm pistons, the 1967 had the exact same engine, but had 83mm pistons which gave it 53 hp. In 1968 the same engine again but had 85mm pistons and 57 hp, The metal in the 1968 engine block changed and would let the head studs pop out of the block
they were not a great engine, but the internal parts would fit into
a 1967 block, you can also install the 1968 internal parts into
the 1966 block, but you have to have the block cut larger at the
cyl holes.