Suby tranny

Stan: The deal I'm in for my trans is from Jimmy Sartwell, the cat who made Cory's transmission and did a lot of (or all?) his chassis work. He works at a place called Acme not far from Carlisle. They ship container loads of buggies from there; quite the awesome place. He's taking my project as a side job.

Hooked me up with a late model trans in trade for my '69 model, which will go in a trike that needs the flipped R&P treatment. The stock gears in mine are likely staying put but for the usual welded 3rd & 4th & whatever boilerplate treatments you see in mid-grade rebuilds. Super diff, stronger side cover and the 3.44 gear kit came to $420 with shipping. He said he'll build the thing for me over a weekend for about $400 more, plus or minus a couple of small parts.

So if he's true to his word--and all I've heard about him from Cory and another local VW guy is that he is true and reliable--I should be in and out of my gearcase for under $850 plus my core. That seems like a decent deal for a man of my modest means, and needs.

This is not a high-g build. I plan to keep running my 165-80s front and rear & have no ambition for the strip. The stock Soob dynos fairly flat 110-120 foot-pounds at the rear wheel from 2000-5000 rpm, so it should not mind those gears at all in my 1850-pound car (with me in it). 

Theoretically, of course.

Tom, my heat comes through the bulkhead between the seats like yours but I have removed the hoses and plugged the ports to get more air to the jugs. When I actually have it hooked up I get adequate heat but I only use the top in emergencies, like Carlisle. I really hate driving with the top up. I can handle the cold.  I worked outdoors in New England all my life and have plenty of warm clothes.

I don't really hate you guys....much

Tom - I forgot about your posting this awhile back along with some pictures, if I recall correctly.  My bad.

Lane - you're right about the anemic defrost.  Like the heat, in practice it's more like a suggestion of a pleasant idea than anything else (although have to say it worked when it was in 20s and the two siberian huskies in the car were steaming up everything). 

Sorry about the threadjack - don't want to get between trannys and the guys who are interested in them.

Tom, mine is like yours with the heat coming through the bulkhead between the seats. It actually is not bad when I have it hooked up but I usually have the hoses removed and the ports plugged to get more air to the jugs. And ,like you, I hate to drive it with the top up. Pretty much, if I need a top, heat and defrosters I'm driving the wrong car. The top is tight and in excellent condition as are the side curtains but it's only for rain emergencies as far as I'm concerned. (like Carlisle).

Cold I can handle. I worked outdoors in New England year round all my life and I have plenty of warm clothes.

I don't really hate you guys.......much

Ed, you've got a PM, or Dialog,... or whatever it's called.

I'm running a 3.30 1st, 2.07 2nd, 1.30 3rd, and .93 4th with a 3.44 R/P, ZF LSD.

First in mine is said to be 3.78. I can't imagine noticing any difference between that and 3.80, but supposedly the shaft and fears are a bit stouter than the ones I'm running now.

Slip of the finger there. That should be:

1st: 3.10

2nd: 2.07

3rd: 1.30

4th: .93

3.44 R/P

Sorry for the confusion.

Trans done and home. Total cost about $1100, not the <900 I was led to believe.* The difference was a couple internal parts needed to make the core right. Sartwell told me what was happening as he did the build. He's a straight shooter. I think if I'd had him redo mine (an older box which I know is 100 percent good) I'd have been much closer to $900.

*Mostly by my optimistic nature.

Sand off the high ribs and polish them -- it looks cool. Talk to Dale if you need to exchange a used core (and keep your good one)