[Vwdiesel] Need advice on purchasing a vw pickup

[raymond greeley]

Hello all, I am looking to purchase a vw pickup and wondered if there where some structural weaknessesunique to this smaller truck. I have seen some in the scrap yards that seem solid, with good drive trains(i purchased the engine trans of one)  and wondered if maybe they where prone to some unibodytwisting from overweighting.
While my none human cargo would be around 200 -400lbs, sometimes it could reach 800+/-
I have several drive trains and so I am good on parts.
Several other swaps i have seen that has my interest.One is a ranger sized pickup (full frame) with a MB 4cyl swap that was getting 32-36 mpg. this sort of swaplooks interesting as it is bigger and by keeping the trucks transmission, one could make it a 4 wheel drive. I have read accounts of people putting the 3.9 cummins in fuller sized pu's, say 1/2 or 3/4 ton, though i can'tseem to verify the mpg's. 
I don't have time for a bigger project at the moment and so the vw pick up is the best solution. Here in chicagothey are few and rotted to "yard art" 
I am open to travel for one, either project or driver.
ray