Have a friend he is parting a trike, said it hasn’t run in 10 years or so but it has a built 1800 with a bus trans. I’m not that into it but have a line on an engineless Ghia so maybe it’s a match? So what’s the engine and trans worth in ten years not running condition ?
Ten years not running is not a big deal to vws, if kept with oil. No coolant to corrode etc. Replace fuel pump, fuel lines, and check out tye clutch. Adjust the valves, verify oil pressure when cranking and youre off to the races.
Not sure if you can put a bus trans in a ghia, but should be able to trade for a standard one from a buggy guy.
A built 1776 was about a dollar a cc years ago. Likely higher today. No engine rebuilds as easy imho. Huge cans mean more maintainace, as is tradition.
Is the 1800 motor type 1 bug based or 1800 bus / 914 based
The bug motor will have the normal fan shroud with the fan generator in it ,
The bus motor will have the fan on the front of the crankshaft,
One more thing is a bus gearbox is not the same as a Ghia gearbox , it's larger and very low geared , plus if it's a 1968-79 gearbox it has CV joints , Ghia has CV joints from 1969 to 1974, but they are not the same size.......
Probably more than you care to know......
There is an adapter mount to put a bus trans in a Type 1 chassis. I remember seeing it in Mid America Motorworks back when I was an ACVW driver. I'd assume it's a 002 box? They're plenty tough for a T1 engine but are geared a bit low for highway cruising on stock tires.
I had a tube frame buggy with that bus trans and 2 liter type 4 motor ,
It used a bug rear subframe so you needed that adapter kit,
The kit had a nose cone adapter bracket , a strap mount over the bell housing. And special shorter axles ,
Worked great in a buggy but you would really have to hack up the Ghia rear seat area and mount the shifter rod above the center tunnel.,..
Didn't the early T1 bus have reverse rotation with gear box's at the wheels ?
Nah, standard rotation trans with portal axles. That was just the early swing axle busses.
In reply to chandler :
If you decide to pass I’m interested. I need a bus trans for my Baja bug and the larger 1800 would be a nice improvement too.
You can also get an adapter kit that positions the transmission at a slight downward angle so the shift rod can run in the tunnel, but it does need to be shortened (I cut one in the middle, welded some threaded rod to one side and a nut to the other... add a jam nut and you have an adjustable length rod). It also required some notches be cut on the inner part of the frame horns to clear the wider forward portion transmission. I ran one in a super beetle with a turbocharged subie engine behind it back in my collage days.
$500
If it has a reconstructed/homemade title, that's worth something. I built my trike from an older trike. The only thing I used was the front forks, down tube, and title. Saved a lot of time and paperwork not having to get everything inspected.
Not to hijack but anybody in need of a complete non running Super Beetle? Rusted floor pans but also includes entire floor pans transmission tunnel and complete front suspension from another 74 Super Beetle. Located in central Mississippi. Probably 8 or $900. Body in good shape. All good glass . Belongs to a friend of mine that was going to use it as a project but took a different direction. He was going to use just the body front cap but decided not to chop up a complete car as he located another body only
Nugi said:...Huge cans mean more maintenance, as is tradition.
Is this still talking about cars?
Just my pointless juvenile input 
Found out a bit more, it’s a super beetle block with what he referred to as JC Whitney parts on the bore and rebuild. Bus trans. He wants $1000 which is more than I want to spend on an engine that I’ll probably never do anything with. If anyone is interested it is in Gettysburg and I can get it next week and bring it back to NW Ohio and probably bring it on to Louisville/Indy/Toledo/Youngstown etc...
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