This is a brand new EMPI crate engine built by VW racing legend Jack Sacchette for Texas Air Cooled. Each unit is built from new parts including EMPI long blocks, AutoLinea aluminum cases, AutoLinea dual port cylinder heads, Mahle pistons, and more.
These engines can be ordered in three primary configurations for Type 1, Type 2, or Type 3 applications. All engines are hand assembled in Southern California and there is no core charge – engines ship ready to drop into your car.
This pair of illustrations offers a fascinating look inside a VW engine and 4-speed manual transmission. It’s remarkable just how enduring these designs would be. Image courtesy of VW.
History Speedrun: Texas Air Cooled
Texas Air Cooled is based in Katy, Texas – it’s a dedicated parts supplier for air-cooled Volkswagen and early air-cooled Porsches. The company was founded in 2016 as Texas Air Cooled, LLC, and it mostly serves owners of VW Beetles, Bus, Karmann Ghias, Type 3s, Type 2s, Vanagons (pre-1992), and Porsche 914s. Its customer base is truly global, mostly consisting of restorers, mechanics, and enthusiasts looking for stock or upgraded replacement parts.
The Texas Air Cooled catalog includes engine rebuild kits, pistons, crankshafts, cylinder heads, tins, carburetor kits, ignition components, seals, clutch systems, body hardware, and even full crate engines. The business operates a warehouse in Katy and an office in Houston, offering same-day shipping and local pickup by appointment.
The vintage VW and Porsche communities are famously tight-knit, and Texas Air Cooled has developed an enviable reputation for its personal customer service directly from the owner, Ricky.
The EMPI Zero Mile Crate Engine Shown Here
The engine you see here is a brand new unit built for Texas Air Cooled by VW racing legend Jack Sacchette. He assembles each engine by hand in Southern California using new EMPI matched and approved parts and components.
The parts list is impressive, and it includes new AutoLinea aluminum engine cases, AutoLinea dual port cylinder heads, OE-style OSVAT valves, seats, and an EMPI proprietary 3 angle valve job performed on a Rottler valve machine at EMPI in Anaheim, California.
The engine you see here is a brand new unit built for Texas Air Cooled by VW racing legend Jack Sacchette. He assembles each engine by hand in Southern California using new EMPI matched and approved parts and components.
Inside the engine you’ll also find a stock-type cam with .334″ lift, 250º duration, Mahle pistons, Standard Thrust cam, rod, and main bearings, 35.55 mm intake and 32 mm exhaust valves, high performance rockers, and an Elring engine gasket set.
These engines are now available to buy direct from Texas Air Cooled on their eBay store here, the engine shown in this article is selling for $5,445 USD.
Images courtesy of Texas Air Cooled
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
