>I have seen a number of members postings and vendors sites that talk about
the I4 conversion.  The only one that I have yet seen that doesn't have the
engine protruding into the van or modification of the deck lid is the
tiico.  Why?  What is different about their conversion than other companies
/ homebrew conversions?
>--

There are two differences between the ones that protrude and ones that
don't.  Using say a 1.8L VW it will not protrude if using a diesel
bellhousing or something equivalent that mounts the engine at something
like 54 degrees.  Using this same engine mounted at the 15 degrees that it
was mounted in a Golf or Jetta and you protrude.  The other major
difference is the confiquration of the intake and exhaust manifolds.  This
is why the 2.0L crossflow as used in A3 and A4 Jettas protrude because even
at 54 degrees mounting angle the intake manifold sticks up out of the
engine bay.  Tiico uses a 2.0L block that has the intake and exhaust on the
same side, just like the 1.8L engine in the A2 Golf/Jetta.  The engine is
mounted at the 54 degree point and so the engine doesn't protrude.  One
additional benefit of the Tiico is that the intake manifold was
specifically made for the application and doesn't hit the wall of the
engine bay.  This of course is the same as those used on the SA Vanagons,
so I don't see why someone couldn't start importing these things for us.
If you could get the manifolds and a diesel bellhousing or adapter plate
you could pretty inexpensively install a 1.8L VW or 2.0 Audi bubble block
without much difficulty at all.
Hope that clears somethings up,
Dave K.