Date:         Wed, 29 May 1996 12:34:51 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Tom Forhan <tforhan@usa.pipeline.com>
Subject:      Re: Power for the (Syncro) Vanagons 

Greg said:
>Has anyone heard of or considered a VR6 transplant?

I think the impetus behind the Corrado is that the 4cyl VW gas swap is pretty well 
worked out, if you use a diesel bellhousing. The engine is tilted to fit, and you can 
use the diesel vanagon oilpan, which is already designed for the tilt. Otherwise, you 
have to make your own. The Corrado G60 engine is the most fully developed version
of the inline 4cyl VW block. Maybe the V6 will fit in the space, but we have no
information on the mate-up with the trans.

(Actually, the last time we went this nuts on this specific topic, last fall, we had two 
machineshop equipped volunteers ready to mill oilpans out of billet aluminium -or was it 
magnesium  :-).

Another concern on this topic, dear to syncro owners, anyway, is fording depth. Stock is 
about 12". Factory turbodiesel syncros (see the report at: 
gopher://halfdan.med.umn.edu:70/0R2091609-2103530-/Miscellaneous/Vanagon/95_List_Archives/vanagon.95.04 )
lost several inches of fording depth compared to wasserboxers because the water on the 
exhaust system cooled things down and the turbocharger could not take the temperature 
gradient. Of course, the G60 is a supercharger, belt driven, not a turbo unit, so
you avoid this particular problem.

Tom F.