The Cal-look Lounge

Hi

I start thinking about a new transmission, so
I would like to hear if somebody has a good advice for me :)

I have a 2,6L typ4, which in race trim gives around 250hp.
My car is a sort of buggy build on a beatle floorpan with IRS. The complete weight is around 600kg plus passengers.
It is going to be used for street and maybe a bit of track.

I have been looking at the following possibilities:
t1 transmission build to this use, like Rancho, KCR, and I am sure there is a lot of suppliers that I dont know.
G50, but they seem to become a bit rare, and expensive.
Using a Subaru transmission, with conversion kit. It looks to be some work, but it should not be a problem. I am just thinking if this could be a stable longterm solutions as some of these standard transmission from the factory a build are build for power in that range.
I think Reanult has build one that is also able to converted. But I dont know anything about that. So I dont think that will be my choice.

Please let me hear some suggestions

Bus 091. Do you really need 5 speeds with a light car?

It would just be Nice to have, when cruising for a long distance. To aviod to high rpm at the motorway.

That's my point, with so much torque and a light car you can get away with a tall geared 4 speed.

Unless you are after E.T.'s.

Yes I see your point,  :)

How about an 091 based 5-speed out of a later Type 25/T3/Vanagon (or whatever you call the 80's ones in your part of the world!)? They're a side-shift not nosecone shift but might work?

The Vanagon 5-speeds are really just a 091 4-speed with the addition of a crawler 1st gear, more like a close set than an overdrive set. The 1st is also in the same plane as reverse, so getting from 1st to 2nd is a PITA if you street racing your 4G63T Transporter against a V8 at the lights for a few seconds (or so I've heard........). Side shift linkages just add more complexity for little result possibly?
Top gear ratios and the 4.57 diff are the same as the 2L 091s too, well close enough anyway.

 If you have a well set up clutch package a Type 1 trans will hold up fine . I have a type 1 swingaxle  in my 66 turbo (366 rwhp) bug and have had great luck since installing a RLR rev 6 double disc clutch but there are many combinations that will give the same results. I heard that Rancho has a conversion kit to install a bus diff in a type 1 irs transmission , very beefy looking. Mike McCarthy

I have over 300 HP in my car -- So far 901, 915, 001 trans have failed -- I have a 091 living in the car with a .77 fourth and wished that I had went with a .70 as the R&P in the 091's are way low (no such thing as a 3.88 or 3.44 for the buses) -- My clutch is a Kennedy dual disc with a stage 1 that doesn't slip -- wish I could afford a RLR -- The G50 trans is HUGE and just doesn't really fit in a VW with the torsion tube still in place -- -- The only way a 001 based trans with a 5 speed will live unless you put super skinny tires with no traction on the car LOL unless there are some killer parts out there I don't know about, Mike having success with his a bright spot -- Mike Lawless runs a 002 drag racing, but again, bus R&P's --------- Good Luck

the 092 side shifts I heard of some off road mid engine guys having good luck but again High R&P ratios --

The Guy from Subrugears begged me (offered some killer deal) to try one of his 5 speeds, but without a track record and knowing a lot of Subaru guys blowing their trans, I didn't want to try that route.......

Heeymann. Long time no see

In your case I think the G50 would be the optimum choice.

T

Hey Torben

I might call you one day.

The interest for vw starts to grow again :D

It must depend on how you drive. My car gets almost 200 hp at the rear wheels and still has the original trans in it from almost 50 years ago!

I also use a std. Trans, but I am quite sure it Will break if I start pushing a bit more.
So I will start searching for a better solution. I am not in an hurry, I will just start to do a bit of homework :D

Yes me too. Since my clutch cross shaft failed in July I thought it's a good time to replace the transaxle too and ordered a Pro Street with 3.88 RP from Rancho. They had a 8 week lead time so I'm still waiting for it to arrive. http://ranchotransaxles.com/vw-transaxles.html

A Pro street will not handle 250 hp and brute torque if you use them, or 200 for that matter. A 9 tooth 1st/2nd will handle 210 hp/270 Nm torque for quite a while, even if you dragrace with it every once in a while.
If you drive like a grandma and never use the power, almost anything will hold. But I´m sure Jakob wohn´t  ;)

T

Some people can break a crowbar in a sandbox. My guess is that drag race starts with good tires are what breaks parts. Also a stiff clutch will help break things too. Same as engines, if you lug it you will break parts too. The other thing in my favour is that I have a turbo which doesn't have the power spike of a high CR NA engine. I've been babying my stock trans and it's barely holding up. Makes a whine when lifting off the gas in 3rd and 4th. :o