Despite all the myths surrounding the old Volkswagen Type 2 Bus, all the flower children and hippies smoking in their cabins in a haze of “legal tobacco”, it wasn’t the most fun thing in the world to drive. Heck, even driving up a fairly steep hill is enough to make you turn on your hazard lights.
But what if you want a timeless classic style without any flaws? What if you actually want to go fast in an old VW Bus?
Well, if you’re a self-proclaimed old-school VW fanatic like John Henns, you’ll tear out the internals and swap them for tried-and-true American V8. This is not the first Volkswagen Type 2 bus John has owned. He had a habit of taking vintage V8s and making them much faster than any designer could have dreamed.
But how can someone take a historically weak classic VW Bus and turn it into something fun to drive? Yes, starting by taking the stock Volkswagen B4 drivetrain and immediately throwing it in the recycling bin. Hopefully, it can be reused on other VW Bus projects in the future.
Advertisement
The 5.2L Aluminator Swap
In the case of the 1958 Volkswagen Bus, a 1.2-liter engine would belt out approximately 36 horsepower. The lack of aerodynamics of the Bus combined with a shortage of power meant a much slower pace than modern traffic. Facing the obstacles of building a performance flat-four engine and replacing floor pans, the owner of this 1958 Volkswagen Bus took a much different approach.
Opening the side door open reveals the air-cooled engine has been replaced in favor of a Ford Performance Aluminator 5.2 XS. This is not the first, nor the last V8-powered Volkswagen, but this one takes the cake on the Ford spectrum. The Aluminator engine jumps the power from 36 to a whopping 580 naturally aspirated horsepower. The original transaxle setup was replaced with the 6R80 transmission with a driveshaft going to the custom rearend.
Add a set of Wilwood six-piston front brakes up front and a four-piston unit out back, and you’ve got the recipe for the fastest Type 2 Bus we’ve seen in a long time. The bright blue interior and exterior, contrasted by the 19-inch HRE alloy wheels, are just the icing on the cake.
Congratulations to John Henns for his wonderful creation. We hope to catch this one in any setting aside from competition!
Photos: Volkswagen Bus Departs Air-Cooled Ways With 5.2L Aluminator Swap ( Ford Muscle – Website )