85.5mm + 87mm Barrel Spacer Kit (0.090" Thick) - Type 1 Engines

Cylinder base shim set for aircooled VW Type 1 engines fitted with standard 85.5mm cylinders and pistons.

These precision-engineered shims fit between the cylinder barrel and crankcase to increase deck height and reduce engine compression ratio. By spacing the cylinders further away from the crankcase, combustion chamber volume is increased, allowing accurate setup of compression and piston-to-head clearance during engine assembly.

Cylinder base shims are commonly used when building stroker engines, correcting deck height after machining work, compensating for flycut cylinder heads or setting up custom engine combinations during blueprinting.

Designed for use with standard 85.5mm barrels found on 1600cc Type 1 engines, these shims are suitable for Beetle, Bus, Karmann Ghia, Type 3 and other upright Type 1 engine applications.

Manufactured to 0.090″ thickness (2.286mm), making them suitable for major deck height correction and larger compression ratio adjustments.

Sold as a set of 4, enough for one complete engine.

We recommend carefully measuring deck height and calculating final compression ratio before final engine assembly. Always ensure cylinder seating surfaces are clean and flat during installation.

Specifications:

• Fits 85.5mm cylinders/barrels
• Thickness: 0.090″ (2.286mm)
• Fits standard 1600cc Type 1 engines
• Quantity: Set of 4
• Fits between cylinder and crankcase

Applications:

Aircooled VW

• VW Beetle, 1960–1979, 1600cc Type 1 engines
• VW Splitscreen Bus, 1960–1967, upright Type 1 engine applications
• VW Baywindow Bus, 1968–1979, Type 1 engine models
• VW Karmann Ghia, 1960–1974
• VW Type 3, 1961–1973, upright Type 1 based engine applications
• VW Type 181 Trekker, 1968–1983
• VW Buggy and Baja models using 85.5mm Type 1 engines