Hi.
Quick question: Is this a Samurai or a Tracker/Sidekick?
If Tracker/Sidekick, definitely send pics! That has to be an interesting-looking transplant!
If Samurai:
It probably had a hitachi carburetor which had an Engine Control Module (ECM). If not, it had a Throttle Body Injection (TBI) system also with an ECM. I don't know if they shared the same intake, so if someone slapped a carb on the TBI intake, that may be part of the problem.
One cheapo-idea is to find an old Toyota or Hyundai Pony carburetor and slap it on to get stuff working.
There are links to several carb articles - two of which are the Pony and the Toyota - at the Beta version of Ack's FAQ which might help you figure out what to do. This link is in my signature - just click on the yellow button to go to the Beta Site.
If the VW carb is not a total loss, you might be able to get it running just as easy. Post some pics and any information that you have (model numbers, etc) on the carb and maybe we can help you though this.
Who knows, maybe we can add another carb to the list of workable Hitachi replacements!