All across America, vanagon listers sigh miserably: Yale Jay Lubkin has
asked Bill Kennedy The Question again.  "Can you put a Porsche six in a 
VW van."  Yes! is the answer; some details are in the list archives.  A
well equipped shop could probably do it in a weekend.  The only part you
need that you don't cobble up is the special flywheel.  Width should not
be a problem, but height might be (in Yale's breadloaf), depending on the
induction system chosen.  (83-> Porsche engine lowest, carbureted engine
medium, 73->82 CIS engine tallest)  Also I would not want to do valve
adjustments on the front cylinders of a six in a breadloaf van.

Six cylinder Vanagon is a WONderful car.  Six cylinder breadloaf might need
better brakes; depends on how much advantage you take of the (roughly
tripled) horsepower.  I think the right frame of mind is to justify the
cost on the basis of how much fun the project (the conversion) will be, and
then take the terrific car that results as a happy byproduct.

At a Porsche swap meet a few weeks ago, I backed out of a parking space
past a pedestrian who then flagged me down and said "I heard the exhaust
and I couldn't believe I was hearing your van, till I saw the '3.0' badge.
Nice van."

Go ahead and do it; what were you going to use the money for anyway?  Food
and shelter?
B.
Wm Kennedy
kennedy@admin.njit.edu