I agree with your choice, and fly VW myself.
If you don't mind a redrive, VW Gene Smith offers an
excellent version for type 1 VW which will turn a big prop and produce
100 hp at 200 lbs. installed. If you build it the cost is aproaching
$3000.00 bucks.
A direct drive (for aircraft like Texas Parasol, Teenie, M-19, or
VP-1 etc.) can be built for 700.00 bucks if you start from a good core.
VW type 1 is the most proven engine in the world considering it's
billions of hours time in ground vehicles and a lot of airtime as well.
No engine design ever built even comes close to the aftermarket
development data, performance data, endurance data, cost economics, and
parts availablility as the type 1 VW. ..........None.