In a message dated 3/22/02 9:26:07 AM Eastern Standard Time,
mrpants@MINDSPRING.COM writes:

> If you're gonna go this route, I'd suggest the olds 350. Bore it 30 over and
> drop in some knuckleheads. If you trick it out right, the 350 can approach
> the 455 in hp, while having a higher redline, and the parts are SO much
> cheaper.
>
>

Mr Pants, i disagree..i think the best American engine for the vanagon would
be the Aluminum bock Buick V6.    Wont reduce your stock vanagon tranny to a
gearbox full of metal chunks, , and a kennedy adaptor is already available
for this application..  plus i've seen it already, on 2 occasions..   spoke
w/ owners, and they said the conversion was pretty easy.  some engine lid
height mods required, tho (as w/ most american engine conversions).
saw a guy at Litchfield Conn show a few yrs ago who had a '83.5 GL with the
Buick V6 in it. he was pretty pleased..
chris