Date:         Tue, 28 May 1996 12:13:06 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         jwakefield@4dmg.net (john wakefield)
Subject:      Re: VW Customer Relations & reality check

In a private post discussing Vanagon motor/transmission transplants in 
response to my desire to fit a 140 horse Audi 2.5 liter diesel TDI motor 
into my '83 diesel Westie, Wouter de Waal wrote:
  "Using the Audi transmission... possible, but idunno. Know of a guy 
that stuck a Citroen DS20 'box into his Kombi (read VAnagon), with a Ford 
3L V6. (very popular for conversions here). Then he found out he had 5 
gears in reverse and one forward :-) Being an ex-Citroen mechanic, I 
could have told him. Citroen engines, like most engines in the civilised 
world, turn clockwise if you look from the front. But the Citroen gearbox 
sits in front of the engine, so does the flywheel. The Maserati V6 fitted 
to the Citroen SM was specially designed / modified to turn 
anti-clockwise. Anyway, this guy fixed it by making a new cam and 
redesigning the oil pump to make the Ford V6 turn anti-clockwise. There 
was an article in CAR magazine. Dunno how long the thing lasted..."

  Well, I'd like any information available about what transmission 
options should be considered for this transplant.  The AUDI A6 salvage 
yard donors are few, but among their number, the 6 speed manual box will 
be common.  How about keeping it all together?  I think its 214 ft.- lb. 
1900 rpm torque peak could easily pull the tall gearing when just rolling 
along.

  Also, if someone is remarketing original Audi/VW bell housings with ID 
numbers removed to create a micro monoply so they can increase 
their profits, that's OK.  But unmasking those OEM parts origin is also a 
fair end-user group research project.  Reminds me of tennis.  Serve, 
return.

  John Wakefield