I haven�t seen a mid-engine vanagon yet, but I saw a beetle with golf/rabbit
engine in a VW magazine (anyone interested in photos?).
I guess it would be possible in a vanagon,too.
This would be much,much work and with the V6 TDI, the rear seat cannot be
used, because the engine is too high. In my opinion it would only be a
fun-car.  It would be without use concerning normal daily purposes (No bed
when camping,  no rear seat...). But pickups or crewcabs would be funny!
Perhaps the 1,9ltr. TDIs fit in height, but I am not sure about that,
although they need less space (installed 90� to driving direction)

Raimund
(And I cannot imagine how to shift manually when you are sitting in front of
the engine and the tranny behind it)

Audi V6 in T3-Limited
http://kfz.freepage.de/rfeussner

>I've got to ask, even though I know this may sound strange.  Has anyone
>repowered a Vanagon with a complete front wheel drive auto's motor and
>transaxle by just making it a mid engine installation?  That way, nothing
gets
>turned from the factory power train's original design.  It wouldn't know
it's
>driving rear wheels instead of front wheels.  Why not just reverse the
body's
>orientation compared to the engine/transaxle package instead of redesigning
>the power delivery system?
>
>When I look at the space under the rear seat, it appears to be suitable for
an
>engine mounted there.  How far forward would it intrude into the floor
space?
>Maybe this is workable.
>
>Thoughts of a 140 hp Audi A6 TDI with 6 speed transaxle, mounted where a
>Westy's recently blown gas motor and automatic sit, loom large in my head.
I
>know it would no longer be able to go 129 mph as it can in the A6.  I also
>know the 0 - 60 in 9.8 seconds that it does in the A6 would be a thing of
the
>past because the A6 weights about 225 pounds less than a Caravelle, but it
>should still be a respectable 10 second figure.  I also know it could no
>longer yield 44.4 mpg at 74.4 mph (5.3liters/100km @ 120 k/hr) as it does
in
>the A6, but with slightly taller Westy tires, that former 33.0 mph/1000 rpm
>that it gives in the A6 might drop  from 2275 rpm at 75 mph to more like
1900
>where it still has plenty of power but has a slightly lower BSFC and even
>lower smoke level.
>
>Or, for a lower deck height, a front wheel drive 110 hp diesel TDI motor
with
>5 speed transaxle could go there for a lot less cash and without importing
the
>drive train from a european salvage yard.
>
>Talk to me.  What do you see as the costs and benefits to this kind of
>approach?  Would it screw up the interior too much?
>John
>
>Audi A6, 3219 pound curb weight, 140 hp. TDI 6 speed test in
>Diesel Car April 1995 shows these 6th gear acceleration times:
>30 - 50 mph = 18.1 seconds  (starting from 900 rpm)
>50 - 70 mph = 12.1 seconds  (starting from 1500 rpm)
>