Here's a Corvair guy gushing over the Oettinger WBX6 - article says 700 of them were built.  140-180 hp!

http://www.corvair.org/chapters/lvcc/lvcc_newsletters/lvcc_2014_01_fifth_wheel.pdf

James
Ottawa, ON

> Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 08:50:42 -0400
> From: georgejoann@GMAIL.COM
> Subject: Re: difference's between model years
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> 
> Two more cylinders?  Lipstick on a pig.  Same old same old cooling system.
> If you have got to have a six cylinder boxer, there's Subaru.  If you want
> a stocker, well there's that, too, but keep an eye on that temperature
> gauge.
> 
> Geo/ATL
> 
> On Mon, Sep 29, 2014 at 8:32 PM, James <jk_eaton@hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > There's nothing wrong with the Wasserboxer that another couple of
> > cylinders wouldn't have fixed... which even
> > VW may have realised, since they had Oettinger develop the WBX6 for our
> > beasts.  Then, they dropped it.
> >
> > Somewhere on-line there's a British review of an '87 or '88 T25 (as the
> > Brits called the Vanagon) with the Oettinger six.  Among other advantages
> > (140 hp!) they noted an improvement in fuel economy from 21 mpg (imperial)
> > to 26 mpg.
> >
> > Like a few other features on the Vanagon, a tale of VW missing the mark
> > for the North American market.  But with more than 6 million sold in
> > Europe, I can't blame them for not worrying about another 10,000 a year
> > sales here.
> >
> > I'd love to find and install an Oettinger WBX6 - but I'm sure it's a pipe
> > dream.  Did any every get brought over?  I doubt the engine was ever
> > homologated for the USA, so it have to be a private import.
> >
> > James
> > Ottawa, ON
> >
> > > Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 15:36:01 -0400
> > > From: georgejoann@GMAIL.COM
> > > Subject: Re: difference's between model years
> > > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > >
> > >  Did anyone mention bigger brakes in the later models?
> > >
> > >  I would also argue that VW never put an adequate motor in that model.
> > > IMNSHO, that waterboxer thingie should never have happened.
> > >
> > >   I am racking up miles on a used Canadian I-4 ABA engine of unknown
> > > pedigree that's a workhorse. Apply gasoline, change the oil every once
> > in a
> > > while, filters, plugs, cap rotor, and drive it.  A couple of bottles of
> > > Subaru  OEM coolant system conditioner, P/N SOA63571 took care of
> > > occasional coolant adds.
> > >
> > >  Will most likely be at Circle Yer Wagens this weekend, Seveirville,
> > > Tennessee, USA at the fairgrounds, in a beat up split window sporting a
> > > Mass plate out front.
> > >
> > > Geo/ATL
> > >
> > >
> > > On Mon, Sep 29, 2014 at 3:01 PM, Roland <syncronicity1@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > > There are 3 things I really like about the later Vanagons (an '89
> > Bluestar
> > > > was our family car with 3 kids for 10 years):
> > > > 1.  power door locks -- I cannot imagine my wife walking around the
> > van to
> > > > lock it and then unlock it each time she went running errands with the
> > > > kids.
> > > > 2.  the Carat models with jump seats and the fold up table -- a huge
> > value
> > > > add to the experience of Vanagoning.
> > > > 3.  the fiberglass bumper cladding -- I know it is personal taste, but
> > I
> > > > think it improved the looks.
> > > >
> > > > Honorable mention -- power passenger side window, makes it much easier
> > to
> > > > tune the airflow.
> > > >
> > > > For the most part, these features are all on my current Vanagon I still
> > > > very much appreciate them.
> > > >
> > > > Roland
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Fri, Sep 26, 2014 at 9:39 AM, Higginbotham, David A. <
> > > > dhigginbotham@hazenandsawyer.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > I know that it is accepted that the later year vanagons are better
> > than
> > > > > the earlier vanagons, why? Not wanting to open up a can of worms
> > here,
> > > > but
> > > > > I am curious what were the various improvements made to the vanagons
> > > > > between 1980 and 1991. Is there a comprehensive list somewhere that
> > > > someone
> > > > > has compiled that lists these changes? I vaguely remember something
> > > > > mentioned about something like this here on the list a number of
> > years
> > > > ago
> > > > > but I have slept since then.
> > > > >
> > > > > David Higginbotham
> > > > > 82 Westy (back on the road WHOOHOOO!!)
> > > > > Silk Hope, NC
> > > > >
> > > >
> >
> >