Hello everyone



I am very excited about doing the rotary conversion on a 68 bug i'm restoring. I like the idea of being able to add a/c to it and the extra power along with the reliablity. The summers here in texas are pretty hot and my wife would appreciate the a/c. What I need to know is if anyone has any pics of a conversion they have done, including where they put the radiator as well as which engine to use, 12a or 13b. Parts availability should also be considered for future repairs. Any help or wisdom would be very much appreciated. I have found a couple of other sites but am still researching whatever I can find.





Thanks in advance

Frank

Any rotary should fit. Kennedy Engineered Products makes a great adapter plate. I have seen pics of the radiator in the rear, in place of the rear seat. But the most common is up front with a small hole cut under the bumper. There are many ways to get the air out, most involve some welding. You will need to cut holes in the front trunk. You can run the water lines under the running boards.

If you are anywhere near Odessa/Midland, come on by and take a look at my rotary powered Porsche 911. It will give you a good idea what needs to be done.

Thanks for the reply. I wish I was able to come take a look at it but am located near houston. I am kinda leaning toward placing it in the fron and maybe going with the european front clip which has the hole in it already for the airflow. Do you know if the parts for the 12A are still readily available?

I think parts are readily available for 12A and 13B engines. It will probably be easier to find a good 13B though. There are others on this site that know a whole lot more about what is available than I do.

Cutting holes is probably less work than changing the clip. Also if you make a mistake you can always change the clip later.

You have a point there. Maybe even an oval cutout to match the bumper just below the trunk lid, some drain holes in the belly of the front clip and an airdam to keep the air from blowing up through the dash. The old brain is working now. Just need a day or two off to get started hunting an engine down!

I've never done the conversion, but alot of people are using the S4/S5 N/A motors for the swap. There are parts available in the Parts for Sale section of this forum. But if you are talking new, there is not much out there. And if there is anything, they are very expensive.



Post pictures of your bug. I would like to see it.

I'm doing a rotary conversion in my baja some time next year in Feb (after the threat of snow has passed lol). I could build you a built to order 12A. It would be a good running engine with a wide smooth power band. Carbed, of course. No electronics to deal with. Just igniton mainly. That's how my baja's engine is going to be. Simple, reliable, fun.

I did the conversation with a 12a. Good 12a parts are becoming harder to get, so I recommend getting a 13b. My baja is around 2500 pounds and runs very well with the street port 12a. I used my GPS in the desert and got around 98MPH. I would love a little more power.

Is that a 3 rib or a 5 rib?

Its a 3. The Right Gearbox (Riverside, CA) built it for the RPMs of a rotary.