Date:         Wed, 19 Mar 1997 02:00:36 -0500
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Leavitt <mleavitt@tiac.net>
Subject:      Re: 82 Vanagon gearbox swap ?

janetda@cris.com wrote:
> 
> Aparently a Porsche gearbox is almost a drop in, go to >
> http://www.automatrix.com/~skip/volkswagen/, and read about doing it

 [IMHO] I'm afraid that after reading the archive on replacing the stock
bus tranny with the Porsche 5-speed, I must disagree on it's degree of
difficulty. It seemed a bit too labor intensive for my taste. With all
the fabrication and parts matching involved (good luck finding
affordable/available Porsche parts), I have to wonder if it wouldn't be
easier to rebuild a stock 4-spd gearbox with different gear ratios for a
taller 4th, or shorter 1st. I'm not stating that this type of
modification is definitely possible, I really wouldn't know, but I'm
sure that it would be simpler than *that* little rainy day project. 

 Turning less RPMs at highway speeds would sure be nice in my Westy, so
how about it people, does anyone know if you can throw a taller 4th into
an air-cooled Vanagon. 
 I sure wouldn't mind revving 3rd a little longer/higher to accommodate
a taller 4th providing improved gas mileage and less engine noise on the
highway. 

Regards,

Noel Leavitt
                               VOLKSWAGEN
                               _--````--_
                             / _--````--_ \
                           / /  \ \  / /  \ \
       '81 Vanagon Westy  | | \  \ \/ /  / | | '68 Sunbug Autostick
                          | |\ \  )--(  / /| |                  
             (named Vana) | | \ \/ /\ \/ / | | (named Rachel)
                           \ \_\  /  \  /_/ /
                             \ _``----``_ /
                                ``----`` 
                               1937--1997