I�ve been pondering the 7.3L Turbo Diesel swap too.

The problem with, say a 7.3L Ford 4x4 swap, is that there is a transfer case
to get power to the front wheels of a Ford as opposed to the AWD system
found in the Audi.  You would have to use the engine, transmission and
transfer case and figure out a way to make it so the output power to the
�rear wheels� is disabled and 100% of the power would go to the front
wheels.

Personally I think the AWD system is the way to go.  Audi V8s are getting
cheap - LOTS of power there and it would be simpler to do that swapping in
that POS Ford / Dodge / Chrysler stuff.

David Marshall

Fast Forward Automotive Inc.
4356 Quesnel-Hixon Road
Quesnel BC Canada  V2J 6Z3

http://www.fastforward.ca    mailto:sales@fastforward.ca
Phone: (250) 992 7775        FAX: (250) 992 1160

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-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Sudhir H. Desai
Sent: November 17, 2003 7:27 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: "conventional" transmission for a mid-engine conversion

i know one of our resident germans has performed a mid-engine swap on his
van using the audi longitudinally mounted v6+transaxle (which normally
powers the f wheels) and shifting it back to the r wheels as a unit.  i am
thinking of going the non-german way yet again, and using either ford or
chevy components in a mid engine swap.  to keep cost down, i would need to
use a ford/chevy transmission.  my uncertainty is that the output shaft on
the transmission will not directly bolt up to the input shaft on a rear
diff.  or, if i use a "driveshaft" of sorts, it would bind constantly from
being at a not-normal angle.  the other option in my mind would be to slide
the rear end further back, thereby extending the wheelbase of the van, but
that brings up another set of problems.. namely sheetmetal fabrication.

anyways, if poeple have comments/suggestions, please reply-all, for flames
just pmail me to keep them off the list ;)
TIA.
~sudhir