My 5-speed had New Zealand-made 4th & 5th gears; 5th was a 0.63 ratio, which worked quite well...until its hardening began to peel. I don't know what my diff ratio was, but I suspect it was the fragile 4.83 as stated in Australian "Wheels" magazine's 1984 roadtest (my Caravelle is the same 2-tone blue paintjob and dusty-blue velor upholstery as the tested vehicle). Shelleys VW in Port Elizabeth, RSA modifies transmissions for engine transplants, as stock units had been stripping 3rd & 4th gears. By the way, a columnist in "Wheels" magazine stated that the real car of the century wasn't even on the list. His nomination: you guessed, the VW Type 2. He really lambasted the whole charade as not including such vehicles, but the Type 2 was so far ahead of its time in 1949, had fully-independent suspension and started the whole peoplemover thing decades before any other manufacturer (and Renault has the gall to claim the Aspace to be the first!). It was all things to all people. Andrew |
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