>I'm wondering how the engine replacements are coming along for those
>that have elected to do so.  I have been off the list for about four
>months so I have not seen any posts since then.  I notice that the
>Subaru engine folks have their own mailing list now.  I have three
>questions:
>
>1) How are the people that have used the Tiico (sp.) transplant
>doing with their Vanagons?  Installation problems? Maintenance
>problems at all? Can you recommend a shop that has done these
>installations with no fuss?

I can't see why (apart from blind prejudice) anyone would want to go
this route. The VW straight-4 was never a quiet or smooth engine (in
fact it's noisy abd coarse). When first released it was (in 1.3, 1.5
& 1.6 versions) a strong performer, but as it grew in size to 2.0 it
actually LOST power and becamne coarser. Australian car magazines
consider it a poor engine. The only good thing about it is it's
reasonably reliable. The 2.0 will move a van, but not much faster
than a healthy VW wbx, and no doubt slower than a nonUS-spec 112hp
wbx.

>2) Does anyone on the list have the Porsche 3.0 engine with the
>converter package from Martin Schneider (sp.) Personally, I think
>this would be the funnest and you could always sell the engine
>pretty easily if you got bored with it (if that's possible). What
>problems have they had with this installation if any? Any
>post-installation problems? Is the engine too strong for the tranny?

Marty Schneider's MSDS "Range Panzer" kit comes as a full
installation kit for the 911 engine AND G50 trans. He won't split a
kit to sell engine-only or trans-only parts (a pain, as I need the
trans parts... hey, if you want one half & I want the other, what if
we buy and divide a whiole kit??). Some reckon the VW
091/094transmissions can take a lot of extra power/torque. I don't
believe it. But Albins Gears in Australia makes the strongest
aftermarket gears (and include a thicker mainshaft) anywhere, and
will make ratios to order; about $1000 Australian or a bit more. I
don't trust the case, as if you strengthen the weak internals of a
weak trans, you then pass the failure point on... in this case the
case or diff sidecover.

>3) Has anyone done the VR-6 transplant?  From reading earlier posts
>over the years, I'd read about any and everything, but never about
>the VR-6.

Yes, the VW V6 (no longer called VR, I think, except possibly in USA)
is popular in Germany. Jurgen Gembler runs the bulli-forum and has
one, using a G50 trans. Another claims to have the V6 with its own
trans fitted!

>Any responses would be greatly appreciated.  My options are to
>rebuild the engine, and the options above.  I prefer not to go the
>Subaru route.

Why not? You get an extremnely reliable engine, and if you go for the
3.3 EG33 engine you get 250+hp as well, and the Porsche exhaust note.
This is the engine I've bought for my conversion. At least as
reliable as the Porsche, more power and more exclusive!
--
Regards
Andrew