Date:         Fri, 21 Jan 2000 07:31:38 -0800
Reply-To:     Ari Ollikainen <Ari@OLTECO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ari Ollikainen <Ari@OLTECO.COM>
Subject:      Re: sportamatic transmission
Comments: To: BenTbtstr8@AOL.COM
Comments: cc: easoars@email.msn.com
In-Reply-To:  <ac.4a50ee.25b98cc4@aol.com>
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At 5:19 AM -0500 1/21/00, Benjamin Tan wrote:
>Hi Andy,
>
>I'll have to dig up my Porsche reference out of storage. But from what I can
>recall. the Sportomatic is similar to the VW Autostick. Has a clutch plate
>like a manual which is actuated by a switch when you move the shifter. It's
>more like an automatic clutch pedal rather than a true automatic.

        And, as I recall, lacks one speed the lack of which is made up
        by the torque multiplication of the torque converter.

        I had an AutoStick Beetle which was a fun car to drive EXCEPT for
        the ugly possibility of warping heads due to overheating from
        the lack of transmission fluid cooler. On a summer cross country
        trip with ambient temperatures in the 100s we managed to get
        new heads UNDER WARRANTY at both ends of the trip. Oh, and the
        high heat of the trans also caused vapor lock...


>The only thing that stands out in my mind is that Sportomatics always sell
>for substantially less than 5-spd cars. At least that's the case in Northern
>California.
>
>pmail me if you need more detailed info.
>
>Ben
        Me too...


       OLTECO                    Ari Ollikainen
       P.O. BOX 3688             Networking Architecture and Technology
       Stanford, CA              Ari@OLTECO.com
       94309-3688                415.517.3519