My wife and I did all of our Thanksgiving traveling in our Saturn
Wagon and even though it's a fine car we were lamenting the fact that
we weren't in our Westy.  Part of the reason that we weren't is
because it needs a new oil cooler, which I'll be doing soon.  But we
also tend to take the Saturn for these types of trips just because its
faster.

I know that there is a lot of talk among type 2 enthusiasts of all
kinds about the "attitude" that has to accompany owning/driving one of
these things and not being in a hurry.  But sometimes when schedules
are tight speed helps out.

So, I was thinking about how to make the Westy go a little faster, and
naturally my thoughts turned to engine conversions.  I've seen a lot
of talk about various conversions on the list, but before buying the
vanagon I gave little thought to the automotive world and my ignornce
still shows through.

How do I go about an engine conversion?  Do I just get an engine and
then order that adapter kit from Kennedy Engineering or Hetlef
Hanschke (sp?)  and go to it or will I need other stuff?  Where do I
find an engine?  How much is it all this likely to cost.

I've heard that there are Porche engines that I could switch to that
would allow me to stay air cooled--which ones are these?  Do I just
walk into a Porsche dealer and ask them to order one?  If I want a
used one is there some sytematic way of trying to track one down or am
I just looking at spending months of my life wandering through salvage
yards?

If I want to go to a Subaru engine or an Audi 5 cylinder or some other
water cooled is it possible to do this--how hard/expensive would it be
to add a radiator to my 1980 Vanagon?

I guess what I'm looking for is the total low down on engine
conversions for the ignorant.  Or perhaps the question I am truly
asking is this:  What's the cheapest simplest way for me to get my
vanagon to cruise at 70mph? (or at least stay above 55 on hilly
interstates?)

thanks,
mac
==
Residential Life Coordinator,
Berea College

80 Westy (the Turtle)
97 Klein Mantra (Dr. Livingston)
93 Bridgestone XO-2 (Zippy)
91 Bridgestone MB-2 Fixed Gear (Earnest)
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