[ChopStix]

Well, I had not seen the Subaru 5 speeds for Vdubs prior to your post. So obviously that would be very high on my list. (In fact that might put me over the top for buying one.) Beyond that I would go with a VW stroker 2.3L w/EFI, and IRS w/4 wheel disk brakes. If installed in a bug, I would go with no fenders for 10" wide 17" tires/wheels, w/coil overs, and adjustable sway bars. I would swap the bug center for the Baja twin headlight nose, and run shotgun exhaust like the white one below. I really liked the 3 door wagon, but it sold so fast that I never had a chance. I did bid on it, but it was well beyond my price range the next day.... Since we are talking "what-if's", I prefer the wagon over a bug. But the 3 door wagons are few and far between in my world. So I would take a baja bug as my second choice done up as described above.

Here are 3 of the 4 bugs that I tried to buy:
(I don't have pictures of the others)