*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
>
> > It is my understanding that the Diesel Vanagon
> > that was available for one year only here in the
> > States (1982)......... <<
>
>He is correct.  Wrong year there- should be '83.

        My Vanagon 1.6l Diesel was purchased new in New Jersey in May of '82.  No 5 speed was then available.  While I was in the Netherlands last year I rebuilt the engine and at the time looked around for a five speed because I thought I might achieve a higher top speed that way.  I was advised that the 5 speed transmission that would fit the little Diesel was considerably less reliable than the 4 speed and to stay away from it.  I ended up going to 16 inch Syncro wheels and  tall 205R16C tires.  This setup bumped the top speed up and brought fuel consumption to around 30+mpg
        The US military in Europe owns thousands of mid and late eighties transporters and busses and they are being sold for next to nothing as they are being replaced, (mostly by Ford cargo vans).

Joe

'82 Caravelle Diesel

stef@cuci.nl
stef@lobo.net
stef@hempco.org