Date:         Wed, 28 Feb 2007 17:58:38 -0800
Reply-To:     aatransaxle <daryl@AATRANSAXLE.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         aatransaxle <daryl@AATRANSAXLE.COM>
Subject:      Re: Syncro Automatic??
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=original

Small Car is in fact exploring the option of making a Subie auto work in a
van. Can't divulge details that we have discussed, but he is bent on doing
it and I think it would be a great option.
You cannot flip the newer tranny ring gears..only the 67 or so and earlier
units due to the way the gears are cut.
Daryl of AA Transaxle
(425) 788-4070
aatransaxle.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ronald Michaels" <rbm1024@NETSCAPE.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 4:40 PM
Subject: Re: Syncro Automatic??


> Hi -
>
> The question of how to put a subaru transmission into a vanagon has been
> around for a while.  I can think of three approaches.  One is to flop the
> ring gear over to the other side of the transmission.  Here is a link to a
> photograph of a Subaru manual transmission.
>
> http://www.turbomagazine.com/features/0305tur_subaru_wrx_gear_set/photo_07.html
>
> Note that the internal ribbing around the differential bearings does not
> look symetrical from side to side of the case.  The side that has the ring
> gear has more ribbing than the other side.  That tells me that flopping
> the
> ring gear mioght not be as simple as it would be for the old VW tunnel
> type
> transmissions.  Remember the days when people were putting corvair engines
> in busses.
>
> A second approach would be to put a set of gears on each side of the
> transmission similar to the old transporter axles.  I have seen a
> photograph
> of such a custom made gear set, but I cant find it now.  Unless the
> gearset
> is 1:1, matching the front and rear gear ratios could require another set
> of
> gears.
>
> A third method would be to make the motor run backward.  I believe that
> certain Chevrolet V8 engines could be made to run backwards by using a
> gear
> drive cam rather than a chain drive.  I dont know how this would work with
> te Subaru oil pump.
>
> I am not saying any of these are good ideas, just thoughts as to how one
> might approach the problem.
>
> Ron