From:    Andrew Fox <afox@CNR.COLOSTATE.EDU>
>Also realize that top speed in an auto tranny vanagon is around 60
>mph, unless you have big tires or feel comfortable running it over 4000
>RPM.  Top speeds on hilly freeways are about half that.

I disagree.
I own 2 '89 autos (non-westy) and both run around 68-70 at 4000 rpm with
stock 14" rims and 205/14 Michelins and stock 2.1 engines, one with
189,000miles.    Heck, second gear winds out to 50mph at 4200rpm.  I've
driven one every summer for the last 4 yrs. from Southwest Missouri to
Dallas Tx (cat transport to Stan's neighborhood) at runs of 70mph-80mph with
no speed/rpm related problems.  This drive begins in the Ozarks (hilly
terrain) and runs through some hills in Eastern OK towards Tx.  On hills,
I'm slowed similar to a stock vanagon with manual trans (I drove one the
first year I began this trek) and I see no disadvantage with the automatic
transmission vanagon other than perhaps a perceived slower 0-60mph time (3
forward gears vs. 4).  I believe Frank G was going to explore the gearing of
the automatic in his quest of ideal engine swaps and transmission
selections.  I look forward to his findings and will search the archives
accordingly.

John, I think one can create a clean conversion with the right amount of
parts but it would be costly if you're not DIY.

JB

ps...andrew, what you askin' for the westy?