Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1998 03:32:54 EST
Reply-To: Jwilli941@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Todd Hill <Jwilli941@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Audi Trannies running in reverse again?-reply
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG writes:
<< Experts like Todd are on the list have rebuilt more than
enough transmission and could shed some light on the subject.>>
Damn! Next thing you know I'll put out my own CD! Call it
'Todd Hill's Pontifications' or something like that! Now if I could
just get my head through the door.........
<< It is amazing that Audi and VW parts are so alike.>>
So alike, yet so different. Automotive cousins you might say.
<< I have come to the realization that VW isn't going to support
the Vanagon forever. >>
For some strange unknown Teutonic reasoning VW has treated
the United States market like an unwanted step-child for many,
many years. Heck, even the Canadians got the Syncro Passat!
I'm sure you've seen the A3 Jetta TDI station wagon Syncro
thats available in Europe (or so the brochure tells me) and those
South African Vanagons with their engine/transaxle choices!
*IF* VW had stuffed in the inline 4 cylinder and a true 5-speed
into the Vanagon they'd still be selling them today down at
the local autohaus. No! Make that a VR6 5-speed Syncro!
With the Westy package you wouldn't be able to keep them
on the lot. They would just roll the transport truck onto a side
street by the dealer and sell them that way. Pssst.... Hey
buddy! Wanna buy a Syncro??
I will continue to support the Vanagon, at least the transaxles
for now, as best I can for the foreseeable future. I know of a
son of a VW swap meet friend (sounds like a movie plot) that
is running a combo of Audi gears in a Vanagon transaxle
case (with lots of machine work and welding) right side up
in a mid-ship mounted sandrail. As we've been posting back
and forth lately about how the 091 style gearbox cannot
be run right side up in a mid-mount application because there
is not enough room inside to flip the differential (breathe) I
am wondering why you cannot use the same technology to
make a rear mount 091 5 speed with Audi internals? I'll be
checking into this but do not expect to have any answers
until after Thanksgiving.
I don't have a Vanagon myself (for now anyway) but am very
interested in Michael Sullivan's TDI conversion into his Syncro
Westy. I will do his gearbox for him later next year with a
custom 3rd and 4th ratio. So all I need now is a donor Syncro
Westfalia with a blown motor and transaxle! Or how about a
2WD Westy so I can install an Audi/091 combo 5-speed
transaxle into with a tall 5th. Anyone got one that they need
towed out of their yard??
-Todd Hill
VolksWerks Transaxles
Olympia, WA