Date:         Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:29:27 -0800
Reply-To:     John Anderson <wvukidsdoc@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Anderson <wvukidsdoc@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: 5 speed
In-Reply-To:  <CAJDR84ZexhEF=yhvAickNfs6EXhFtKv-sjRSFRc061AkX-zq_Q@mail.gmail.com>
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I agree with Bob fully here.  I've had two 5 speed 1.6's over the years, one in a full kit Westy.  I have never ever driven a slower van, including a friends barndoor.  But they are no harder to drive than a syncro which isn't hard, in fact I think they shift into low easier, as it is achieved somewhat differently in the original 5 speed.  As to their utility and complaints of needing a higher 5th, why???  What are you going to do with it with a 1.6 NA diesel.  I mean maybe if you are in Kansas it will get you somewhere downhill, with a tailwind...  For the vast majority of Europe where these were intended as utilitarian city delivery vehicles, or certainly for the bulk of US driving if you are bold enough to drive one (and even in 1983 you had to be plenty bold with the 40 seconds or whatever it was going to take to achieve the 55mph speed limit) you aren't going more than 55mph anyway.  Not if you want that little ole 1.6 to last more than 75k
 miles or so.
 
Now for those who were hoping to achieve more when they put on a turbo or dropped a 1.9 in there, or used one for a gas conversion, sure it was pretty useless.   Of course VW offered you different ratios for those in markets where those were sold.   For those who wanted to granny up some grades with what they had there is some utility.  Enough to search one out over a 4 speed, maybe not, perhaps only as Karl mentions if you wanted to give a syncro a run for its money, toss in a real clutch pack LSD and go.
 
John


----- Original Message -----
From: Robert Downes bobdownes@GMAIL.COM
 
it's so simple, in fact, that perhaps all the other happy 5sp owners on the
list just assume that everyone does itautomatically and the detractors are
just stubbornly attached to their "normal" shift pattern. well, just in
case there's some mechanic out there who curses at that lockout spring
every time he has to pull a 5sp into the garage, allow me to enlighten you:
any time you are coming to a stop, you put it in neutral, REMOVE your hand
a few inches from the shifter knob, and 'drift' it back towards the seat.
your hand's momentum makes the push past the lockout unnoticeable.

if i have calmed the fury of a single DV enthusiast here today, it has been
worth the risk of condescension.

humbly,
-bob