Hey Dwayne
There is a fair amount of difference... hard to compare! The type 1 as used in the Bug is 1600cc... I don't remember the HP. The type as used in the 411, 412, bus and 914 Porsche are 1.7L, 1.8L and 2L and has an all aluminum case as oposed to the mag/alum case of the type 1. The type 4 case also weigths 14lb more. The type 4 1.7L and 1.8L have the same crank, but different heads. The case is the same for the 1.7L, 1.8L and 2L. The 2L has a differnt crank with a 71mm stroke, and what the call Porsche heads(actually 1.8L heads with larger valves and better flow as well as plug location).
The type 4 914 Porsche will put out 100HP at 4900RPM... not to bad! The type 4 is a more robust HD type of engine that holds its torque well, and never needs align boring at rebuild. As a result of the mag/alum the type 1 case does not hold torque at all, and has a tendency to crack behind the #3 cylinder when the stroke in increased above the stock stroke and it must be align bored at each rebuild. There are many differences that I have not listed here, those are the most important.
Check out the web site, lots of good information there for both the type1 and type 4:
http://tunacan.net/t4/

Having said all that, if I had to do it all over again... I would go with the type 1 engine! What!! Stay with me now... I will try and qualify that! When I made the decision to go type 4 the main reason was the case and the cracking behind the #3 cylinder at the flywheel when the stroke was increased above the design stroke. Since then... much development has taken place by people such as Great Plains, AeroVee, and Revmaster. I would say that Great Plains has done the most with the various engine combos available. Now having said that... I would go with a 2270cc Type 1 engine with a 1.6 redrive. it can put out about 100-110HP. This engine can be had with an all aluminum case(+14lb) and Nikasil coated cylinders(-10lb). and zero timed... all new parts, not to bad since they have not made the Bug for many years. You see the type 1 engine is in such high demand that new parts are produced in plants in Mexico and Brazil at very resonable prices and readily available. The type 4 parts are not as readily available and cost about a third as much, but still are.
Now when it comes to redrives up untill a year ago only Great Plains had the only belted redrive to be used on the type 1. It was to be mounted on the pulley end and 5.5" above the crank. The prop rotated CCW from the pilots chair... which there is nothibg wrong with that, as props are available. Since then there is a fellow producing a geared planetary redrive in 1.6, 1.8 and 2.1 versions. The redrive mounts on the flywheel end and will work on both the type 1 and type 4... same bolt on setup. It adds a little more weight but is a little more practical. The 1.6 rotates the prop CW from the pilots chair, while the 1.8 and 2.1 rotates the prop CCW. The redrive is coaxial with crank,,, thus no offset above. The engine installs like a direct drive, anbd the carb can be installed below the engine. There are many positives to this setup... even for the type 4 engine, I since decided to switch to this type of redrive. Its basically a bolt on setup.
I hope that this addresses your question, if you need more info, please let me know...
Ron

G'Day Dwayne
Its not the HP that you need... it's the thrust(torque) that is develped from the higher RPM's. I don't know what the RPM range is of the 2270cc engine with the 1.6 redrive... you will get more thrust with the 2.1 and larger prop... the HP is just a by-product of this increase in thrust. Check with Steve Bennet at Great Plains and get his specs for that engine with the different redrives.
My engine type 4 gives the following torque:
3400RPm = 101.64 ft-lb direct drive 62" prop
4900RPm = 141.4 ft-lb - 83HP 1.6 redrive 72" prop
5400RPM = 186.7 ft-lb - 91.5HP 2.1 redrive 84-96" prop
So you can see how the torque is developed at the higher rpm's that's needed for... say takeoff power!
Hope I did not confuse you...
Regards Ron

Hi Ron
I was always under the impression that torque increases as hp increases.I will email steve and get his thoughts as well.I'm fairly certain that I'm going to go with the vw with the redrive.
I have a Question,where are you buying your 6061 sheet from?I tried Leavens in Calgary but they don't carry it.I'll order in from Demel out of Pentictin.I like to try and support locally but theres not alot of options in western Canada.
Thanks
Dwayne