356 Transmission?

Does anybody know if it is possible to transplant an original 356 transmission into a swing axle frame speedster? I have never been crazy about the way the vw transmissions feel and thought maybe a Porsche unit would be better. I tried a search and couldn't come up with anything.
JD

VW was the OEM supplier to Porsche for the 356 transmission, so I would be surprised if the Porsche model was any different/better.

Depending on who built your transmission -- assuming it isn't bone stock and that it's a split-case unit -- you should be able to pick and choose gears from any number of Bug trannies to make your gearbox "feel" better.
What do you want it to do? I can ask my engine/tranny/genius friend Jim to help with some specific recommendations.

Ditto to what Ted and Cory said. I read here that VW and old Porsche 356 engines are interchangeable but the transaxles are a little different and may need some fabrication to make them fit from one brand to the other.

I'm in the midst of the reverse, putting a VW transaxle into my 356. The bell housing mounts from the Beetle will match up to the 356 transaxle bell housing area. The 356 transaxle hangs from a hoop rather than mounting to the frame horns like a VW. None the less, you can attach VW rubber mounts to the 356 and bolt it to the frame horns just fine.

The forward mounts on the 356 transaxle are very different from those of a VW. They are wide and come off of the nose cone and bolt to the torsion housing using large round bonded metal/rubber mounts.

You would either have to fabricate matching mounting points on the VW housing, or possibly use a VW nose cone on the 356 trans. I'm trying to figure that part out right now.

The 356 coupler for the shift rod is different and stronger, but could be used as is if you could locate a 356 shift rod and splice/weld it to the one from the VW, or use the 356 rod and 356 shifter mechanism.

From what I've been able to check out and measure, you can use the 356 axle tubes along with the VW axles and bearing housings so everything will eventually bolt up.

Everything is workable and adjustable and can be made to fit witha bit of cutting and grinding EXCEPT the forward mount. THAT requires actual fabrication.

Still, over-all. Not too hard of a swap . . . so far . . . I'll let you know how the VW into 356 works out, If it does, then the 356 into VW is possible

Thanks for the replies, I may try the shift rod and coupler mechanism from a 356 if I can find one. My complaint with beetle trannys whether they are in a speedster, dune buggy, or bug is that they always felt fragile and imprecise, kindof like sticking a broom handle into a bucket filled with seashells, if that metaphor works for anyone.
Thanks again.
JD

which I guess begs the next question: would a 356 shifter/rod/coupler mechanism transplant into the vw tranny, and if so would that improve the shifting?
JD

JD, I've unsuccessfully tried three different transmission combinations on my own, each a little further from VW stock. Finally, in a fit of logic, I went to a guy who knew a guy who used to be the guy people took their stuff to for work. I'm now working with his son (the genius I mentioned above) to return my gearbox to a semblance of new.
My advice is not to tinker with the tranny by yourself, but perhaps instead as a team. You tell the guy what you intend to use the car for, how you intend to drive it and whether or not the budget is a factor. He either dives into the books to research which gear combinations are best for you or he puts a complete unit in from another source.
That said, I'm happy to let Jim go the mix-and-match route -- but he's been doing custom work for himself and others for 25 years -- and I haven't heard of any mechanical complaints.
He told me once that the split-case VW tranny and its parts (linkage, nose cone dimensions, placement, etc.) is the most versatile VW/Porsche option available. He recommends shopping around for a shift lever you're comfortable with and machining it to the best fit for your car and so on. If you want off-the-shelf stuff, there are pages and pages of ads in the VW magazines.
Porsche stuff is probably -- IMHO -- more expensive than what most of us here really need. I'm well over $30K into my ride, with a third of that money having been spent trying things out and discovering they needed to be "fitted" or scrapped.
It adds up quickly. I'd find a VW guy close to home and ask him/her to have a look.

Jeremy, contrary to your hunch, VW transaxles are very strong. Maybe the cars you've driven had worn shifters and/or bushings. A $7.00 German shift rod bushing makes a huge difference in the way the shifter works and feels; a lot of people don't service these.

Most transaxles have worn out shift linkage. For about 10$ I replaced the nosecone bushings and hockey stick which made a world of difference. For another $20 I got a secondhand EMPI shifter, cut it down and then reduced the throw. Some of the best money I

good advice, I will give it a shot!
JD

JD,

A properly modified VW type I transmission is good to about 200 hp per some of the transmission folks...properly modified would include a super diff or equilivant, strengthened transmission side plate(s),steel shift forks, etc. Also, lots of burnouts and general abuse will shorten the life, as will a less than well supported engine and driveline. For example, if you spin the wheels and the car hops up and down....you need to fix it, before you break the tranny....or more. I would not try to substiutute a 356 transmission for a VW for sake of improving reliability.....I think you might be less reliable, and 356 parts cost far more than do VW parts....and that includes transmissions, gear sets, ring and pinions, etc....

it isn't so much for reliability, but just for a better shifting feel, and gear selection, but as it has been pointed out here, perhaps some new bushings and a new shifter might be the the ticket!
JD