Concerning 4x4, my Audi donor was a quattro, too.
I disabled the rear ouput shaft by welding the torsen diff so it became a
solid shaft and took one gear out so that there is no connection to the rear
output shaft. Now the torsen diff behaves like a nomal gear wheel and the
rear output doesn�t move.

The rear output can be seen on www.vwbus-online.de/feussenr/mittelmotor.htm

I don�t know anything about U.S. 4x4 with a transfer case between
transmission and rear diff that gets the power back to the front wheels (BMW
ix and Touareg style)

Raimund

----- Original Message -----
From: "David Marshall" <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2003 6:18 PM
Subject: Re: "conventional" transmission for a mid-engine conversion

> 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
>
> - Vanagon Accessories and Engine Conversions
> - Vanagon, Transporter and Iltis Sales and Importation
> - European Lighting for most Volkswagen models
>
>
> Due to the large volume of email  we  receive,  PLEASE  include  previous
> emails when responding.  This will allow us to read the complete dialogue
> in one message and will result in quicker and more  accurate  responses.
>
>
> -----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
>
>