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Date:         Sat, 28 Nov 1998 13:00:07 +0100
Reply-To:     Raimund Feussner <rfeussner@GMX.DE>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Raimund Feussner <rfeussner@GMX.DE>
Subject:      Re: Repowering madness, is this workable?
Comments: To: Mailing list vanagon <vanagon@VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I havenīt seen a mid-engine vanagon yet, but I saw a beetle with golf/rabbit engine in a VW magazine (anyone interested in photos?). I guess it would be possible in a vanagon,too. This would be much,much work and with the V6 TDI, the rear seat cannot be used, because the engine is too high. In my opinion it would only be a fun-car. It would be without use concerning normal daily purposes (No bed when camping, no rear seat...). But pickups or crewcabs would be funny! Perhaps the 1,9ltr. TDIs fit in height, but I am not sure about that, although they need less space (installed 90° to driving direction)

Raimund (And I cannot imagine how to shift manually when you are sitting in front of the engine and the tranny behind it)

Audi V6 in T3-Limited http://kfz.freepage.de/rfeussner

>I've got to ask, even though I know this may sound strange. Has anyone >repowered a Vanagon with a complete front wheel drive auto's motor and >transaxle by just making it a mid engine installation? That way, nothing gets >turned from the factory power train's original design. It wouldn't know it's >driving rear wheels instead of front wheels. Why not just reverse the body's >orientation compared to the engine/transaxle package instead of redesigning >the power delivery system? > >When I look at the space under the rear seat, it appears to be suitable for an >engine mounted there. How far forward would it intrude into the floor space? >Maybe this is workable. > >Thoughts of a 140 hp Audi A6 TDI with 6 speed transaxle, mounted where a >Westy's recently blown gas motor and automatic sit, loom large in my head. I >know it would no longer be able to go 129 mph as it can in the A6. I also >know the 0 - 60 in 9.8 seconds that it does in the A6 would be a thing of the >past because the A6 weights about 225 pounds less than a Caravelle, but it >should still be a respectable 10 second figure. I also know it could no >longer yield 44.4 mpg at 74.4 mph (5.3liters/100km @ 120 k/hr) as it does in >the A6, but with slightly taller Westy tires, that former 33.0 mph/1000 rpm >that it gives in the A6 might drop from 2275 rpm at 75 mph to more like 1900 >where it still has plenty of power but has a slightly lower BSFC and even >lower smoke level. > >Or, for a lower deck height, a front wheel drive 110 hp diesel TDI motor with >5 speed transaxle could go there for a lot less cash and without importing the >drive train from a european salvage yard. > >Talk to me. What do you see as the costs and benefits to this kind of >approach? Would it screw up the interior too much? >John > >Audi A6, 3219 pound curb weight, 140 hp. TDI 6 speed test in >Diesel Car April 1995 shows these 6th gear acceleration times: >30 - 50 mph = 18.1 seconds (starting from 900 rpm) >50 - 70 mph = 12.1 seconds (starting from 1500 rpm) >


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