For some reason I'm always shocked to learn that those are not rear engine. Again and again, over and over. I'm just not quite able to accept a front engine Beetle, even after all the years they have been that way.
Looks like whoever did the work did one helluva nice job.
Clean examples of those are getting pretty damn expensive and hard to find, especially the diesels with MT. Not unlike a Subaru Brat or a B210 in the regards of something we would have crushed a couple decades ago without a 2nd thought but have actual collector value today.
Many were non-turbo, even the turbos were sluggish but there are a few tweaks that can make quite a difference. At least so they can merge onto the highway and hold speed.
I had a nice 87 (IIRC) Fox diesel wagon non-turbo (two door wagon, yup) for a couple years and I was always foot firmly planted and rowing gears trying to keep it rolling. It was steadfast reliable and VERY cheap on fuel, and handy as it could swallow up a metric fuckton of groceries/firewood. Fully loaded up the pass nobody wanted to tailgate me for any reason haha. Try and find a decent Fox diesel wagon now.
Todays TDIs with a couple adjustments are actually shockingly snappy and get MPG the older diesels could never touch. That pic above as a 1.9 TDI/5sp would be pretty slick and mpg better than a Prius is well within reach.