Date:         Mon, 21 Nov 94 10:59:08 EST
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "William R. Kennedy, NJIT CIAT, 201-596-5648" <kennedy@admin.njit.edu>
Subject:      Berg short-shift for Vgon

Installed subject yesterday.  Vgon is still no GTI to shift, but it is better;
shorter reach for third, etc.  Berg's ad does not note (but the directions
sealed tightly with the parts do) that the part is available in 12mm or 14mm
sizes.  Measure your shift lever diameter before ordering.  The 14mm is usable
on the 12mm shift, but looks like it might chew the plastic parts over time,
so I'm going to ask Berg for the right one to retrofit.  12mm would not work
at all on the 14mm, which I guess is why they send 14mm if you don't say any-
thing.

I had also had lots of noise from the bushing that the shift shaft slides in
right over the gas tank.  Other messages here have made it clear that dropping
the gas tank is a job for your worst enemy, so I put silicon glide stuff on a
swab on a skinny three foot rod.  With the belly pan off and a good flashlight,
you can just see well enough to get the swab in to the area of the bushing.
Make sure the shift is in 1st or 3rd, so that the part that slides in the
bushing is to the rear, that is on your side of the bushing as you look from
the belly pan area towards the front.  Blessed quiet when you're done.

Also figured out how to use a $3.25 gas tank strap instead of a $35 Porsche
911 muffler support strap, but this is useful only to people who have 6cyl
Vanagons AND are incredibly cheap.  Contact me if this fits you.
B.