Don,
Just FYI, Foreign Auto Supply in Harpswell, ME and the Autobahn Society
in Georgia both do in line 4 cylinder conversions on a regular basis.
Tiico is gone and not mourned.

Hope this helps,
--
Thanks,
Ken Wilford
John 3:16
www.vanagain.com
Phone: 856-327-4936
Fax: 856-327-2242

On 11/13/2010 11:42 AM, Don Hanson wrote:
>    You are right, Mark.
>
>    That is the drawback--either way, ...shops are expensive.  I know of none
> that specialize in or even advertise for inline gas VW to Vanagon
> conversions, in the US anyhow.
>
> I said in my post to Anthony..there is no kit like, for example,  the
> Bostig/Zetec.  There is no Small Car or Kennady engineering Kit..though K.E.
> does offer an adapter of some sort that I am not familiar with...There is
> the recent start of an inline list on Google Groups...just getting
> going..but no big vocal base of knowledgeable experienced swappers like for
> the Subie motors..
>
>   I don't even know if Tiico still is in business.
>
>   Using the figures posted for rebuilt WBX motors and heads, however, plus
> the shop time to exchange the motors, etc..I'd *guess*  if you did find a
> shop with a VW and Vanagon savvy knowledgeable and willing mechanic who
> wanted the work, you'd spend less having them install an inline and you
> would have an 'argueably' better motor when done with the conversion.  I
> guessed "1/2 the cost" of the $4000 motor, + remove and replace...using the
> hours and cost of my own recent work to the inline in my van, working as a
> total neophyte without air tools or a hoist or even a good tools set...And
> putting in a large 'fudge-factor', too..
>
>     When I post Inline rap, I always get hammered.  That's OK...I am going
> off my own experience and second-hand experiences related to me by other
> happy (and some few not so happy) inline gas Vanagon people.  It's easy to
> say.."That won't work..." and people do say that..but I've found it works
> pretty well in my case and for most everyone else I know of, too.....
>
>    I don't really imagine any numbers, Mark.  I just guestimate, from my own
> 'backyard jackstand mechanic' experience messing with my van and its' inline
> install, that any decent shop could easily match or go under the cost of a
> "remove, rework and replace WBX" with a 'remove WBX, install inline' job.
>   Once that was done, you might expect to have fewer ongoing motor-related
> expenses...
>
>    Finding a shop to do the work...that seems the hard part...And, if I were
> a shop, myself, I might be reluctant to take on one of these swaps.  If I
> had plenty of other work, work right out of the "Flat Rate" Book, why bother
> with something unknown?  You gotta pay the rent and 'sure thing' jobs pay
> the rent...
>
>    Let's not start with a debate of relative merits of the various engines,
> though...I'd rather move on to "Tires"...or maybe "which oil is
> best"...(grin, said in good cheer, grin)
>
>    Don Hanson
>
>
> On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 7:34 AM, mark drillock<mdrillock@cox.net>  wrote:
>
>> Don, please list all the shops you know of that will perform a decent
>> conversion from wbx to an inline VW for the kind of numbers you imagine.
>>
>> People who do their own conversions can manage it fairly cheaply when
>> they have the time and skills to do them as well as the time and
>> inclination to round up all the pieces. The inline 4 is one of the least
>> expensive ways for self conversions to be done. That assumes you place a
>> low value on your own time, as many do. Shops on the other hand are
>> another matter in my experience. They want to get paid!
>>
>> There have been self converters here with inline 4 gas VW engines since
>> before I arrived. There would be even more except that a lot of attempts
>> fail to give happy results within the allotted time. It is harder than
>> you think.
>>
>> Mark
>>
>>
>>
>> Don Hanson wrote:
>>
>>>    ......
>>>
>>>
>>>    When I see "these" expense estimates to repair/replace the WBX motors
>>> and
>>> compare them to what I've encountered myself or read about from others, it
>>> 'pencils-out' that even starting from scratch, an inline VW  is a much
>>> less
>>> expensive alternative.  Like probably around half price,  even the first
>>> time out, including gathering all the diesel van parts needed and having
>>> someone else do the work.
>>>
>>> ...........
>>>