Date:         Tue, 5 Sep 2000 21:02:32 -0400
Reply-To:     ed <edevinney@ANENT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         ed <edevinney@ANENT.COM>
Organization: Pismo Beach Institute for Advanced Leisure Studies
Subject:      Re: Thinking swap?  Engine options are only half the
              story...Whatabout the transmission...
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Robert Lilley wrote:
>
> When you are thinking about engine options also factor in 'The transmission' as part of the package.

Yep, sure did!  My Syncro has a fine stock trans, and if it needs
rebuilding, well, they all do.  A 5-speed would be nice, but wasn't an
option.  One of the reasons I didn't do anything more than a NA 2L I4
(ie, 1.8T, 1.9TD) was because the cost of a beefed trans had to come
right up front, I doubt a stock Syncro trans will like 150lbs/ft of
torque from near-idle :-)

[...]

> If you are thinking about spending bucks to go to Tii conversion I4, you will spend @$5000+ for the engine + ??? for labor.  Add a close ratio tranny to make up for the lacking low end, add another @$2000 on top of what you have spent and you would pay for a WBX rebuild w/mods, SA 5 speed, hoses, and many other parts towards a restoration (Which I did).

I came in about 4500 installed, after sale of the leftover bits.

[...]
> While you can swap to the Tiico 's kit, you would then need to spend more money to make it run better at low end: cam, intake and other changes to make better power at low speeds OR live with having to rev the engine, which can then shorten it life....

Point well made, but I suspect the 2L Golf motor will run forever
shifted at 4 grand.  The low end is not marginally worse than the stock
WBX in my experience, it's just *so* much better when revved that
lugging it isn't as much fun.

As mentioned, I think the built WBX is a great idea, but it wasn't for
me.  I'd do it long before I'd do a Subaru, though (and I _love_ that
engine), and do thank you for your exploration and evangelizing.

ed