Hi guys,
I have a quick question about the 356 Speedster replicas' Gear box.
Are all the gears easy to shift or are there some gears that are a little
hard to reach? I heard of some manual transmissions that have a third gear
that is a little too far.
Thank you so much.
Blasco.
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Very easy to shift. 95% are stock VW 4 speeds.
No problem here.
I can see if you have really short arms and the seat is all the way back, it might be a challenge...
There are plenty of good after-market shifters that improve that situation. It all depends on how much you want to spend. I really like my CSP shifter. I have the round knob (!) shifter with the reverse lockout trigger and bent shaft (!!). Quick, precise shifts and less of a reach than the stock shifter.
Original VW sedan shift levers were pretty straight, making the reach to third gear a bit of a stretch. Lots of kids I knew who had them found a way to put a slight bend in the shift lever to improve/reduce the reach (hold the lever between two 4" X 4" while a friend gently stands on it in the right spot). Fortunately, a bunch of companies saw what was going on and came up with shifters like the Vintage, Gene Berg's and Lane's CSP.
If the reach into third is a concern for you, simply find a lever with a comfortable bend in it to suit you. Lots of them out there.
To use a earlier stock shifter with the bend or added to a later stock shifter) you need to have the earlier shift rod in place that has a forward vertical slot cut in the rod cup that accepts the horizontal pin on the shifter ball this keeps the shifter from rotating or, remove the rod you have, use a hand held grinder or cutoff wheel to add the groove to the one in your speedster replacing the nylon bushing and checking the coupler condition while you are there.
There is a company in England that cuts the floor out around the shifter and moves it back 4-5". Then they shorten the shifter shaft the same amount. Sounds like a neat solution to the problem. VS bent my shift lever back for me but it is still a bit too much of a reach for third.
EMPI makes a quick shift kit that shortens shifter throw - made of cast aluminum and $7. Part ACC-C10-3598.
Frank....My VS was like yours so I went to a "Vintage Shifter". I still had to bend the shift shaft back a little but with the shorter shift travel distance it's PERFECT now.....Bruce
I also have the same problem, where I have to reach more than I should to engage 1st and 3rd. Henry, at Intermeccanica, had the same shifting problem while driving my car. The solution is NOT to buy another shifter, because that won't solve your problem. I started out with a CSP shifter and then tried a Vintage Speed shifter. 1st and 3rd shifts were a reach for both.
The solution was to modify my Vintage Speed by bending the arm more.
Photo of the Vintage Speed shifter before the modification:
Photo of my vintage Speed shifter after the modification
You guys ever think that maybe the issue is we can't reach anymore 
I too have the Vintage Speed shifter and I love it! No problems with reach.
I also have a Vintage Speed exhaust, carb linkage and air cleaner housings. They create top quality stuff!
Some folks have T-Rex arms. This guy has no problem with shifter (but maybe with steering wheel).
