There should be a rule about talking about conversions on this list"

The rule should be:

"If you ain't DONE IT or (at least)DRIVEN IT, then you don't get to TALK
ABOUT IT".

Without actual experience with one of these conversions, most of what
appears here is useless chatter.

Go DO ONE or DRIVE ONE.  Then tell us what you think.

I drove an I-4, and I-5, and a Subaru.  I chose the Subaru....

I chose for the torque increase, not necessarily top speed (although I find
it hard to keep under 80 on the fwys.

I drive my Vanagon in the mountains for flyfishing.  I was embarrassed most
of the time for being in the way (with the wasserboxer)and exhausted after
a trip from trying to find the right gear to keep going uphill. The new
engine happily pulls all the way to 6800rpm, so finding the right gear/rpm
for climbing is no sweat.  The wasserboxer died at 5000rpm in third, and
there wasn't enough torque to hold 2nd without slowing down another 10mph.

The stock van would go 75 on the flat (if I wasn't into a headwind).  Its
climbing the hills that embarrassed me.  The only thing slower than me was
an older VW bus.

No more!  I'm happy.  I can climb any hills I want and I can keep up with
the cars sport utes on long grades (in 4th no less). I have a shortened oil
pan and no clearance problems. Both my former Vanagon mechanic and also the
local Subaru mechanic are happy to work on the van (although neither has
needed to so far)

There are million OPINIONS out there.  Lets hear from those with experience.

Warren Chapman
90 Syncro Westy "SP" (Subaru Powered)