Date:         Thu, 6 Feb 1997 16:46:26 -0600 (CST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Thoreau <spwhite@artsci.wustl.edu>
Subject:      Changing tranny in 80 vgon options (fwd)

below is my original post to the type2 listserv, here is my update:

i found 2 , yes two, 1985 vanagons at my local salvage yard. 
one is a complete burnout, no tranny, has shortblock. 

the other has the tranny(yaay) and all the other parts id need, save for
the hockey sticks for the shifter lever. Half shafts are gone, all
sheetmetal is there, has a shortblock...

neither have ecu's or heads.
both have front headlight assy's and grilles ( i think...)
both have radiators

id like to get these vans parts to y'all (except the ones i need) ill be
going there again tomorrow or saturday.

i will confess that id like to make a little money to cover time etc. but
ill be reasonable. id especially like to trade for parts i need 
(aircooled muffler, ba6 furnace unit, weekender rear seat, good bumpers,
hockey sticks for shifter if i decide to do the swap..)

if the 85 trans wont fit/work i guess that ill just fix my auto.

let me know if you all need anything, ill take orders and see what i can
scrounge up...

take care,

steve


repeated message starts here.......................

well, since i need to drop the engine in my vgon (8+hour job) to replace
the autotrans seal, and finding the seal and bearing has proven difficult
(ill have to go to 2 different suppliers to get both parts...) it seems
like vw may not be that comitted to supporting the auto in the vgon (seal
no longer available from dealer...)

a local bug-shop has said that swapping to a manual and dropping the
engine take about the same ammount of time.

so... since i prefer a manual anyway im going to local junkyards today to
see how cheep the parts are.  My questions are as follows...

1) is a v-gon with autotranny or manual more desireable for resale
2) what (if any) type 2 parts can i use. are the clutch/pedal/cable
assemblies the same. i/e what parts are vanagon specific and what parts
are the same on both.
3) are ther any gotchas that i might not think about when pulling parts or
preparing for this swap (can i get the flyweel on without pulling the
engine to undo the gland nut, do i need a different starter, is there
anything different about the engine management, etc.)

all this might be moot if i cant find the correct parts at a reasonable
rate, but it never hurts to ask ;)

thanks a lot,

Stephen White

 93 Corrado SLC - 87 Scirocco 16v (hurt) - 84 GTi (dead) - 80 vanagon (?) 
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     as long as you are looking for happiness, you will never find it	
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spwhite@artsci.wustl.edu               http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~spwhite
		CCA St. Louis Regional representative