I'm a new member of this list, having seen the announcement of its
beginning on vanagon.com. I guess most members are vanagon.com as well?
I am gathering parts and information for my 84 Caravelle's upcoming
conversion. Currently it is fitted with a 174hp 3.8liter V6 from a VN
Holden Commodore (Holden is the Australian GM division). The 094 5-speed
was in the process of failing when I bought it, and I wanted to fit a
Porsche trans. However then I decided that as the heavy iron anchor causes
serious understeer, I should go to Subaru power.
I bought a 250hp 3.3liter EG33 engine from an SVX wreck in Japan. This will
be desmogged and run an aftermarket computer, so should produce 260hp or a
bit more. Engine cost $1250US; I could have had the computer etc from
another Jap wreck for a further $250US, but due to uncertainty as to how
well this would work (I know Hobert Kennedy of KEP is working on the SVX
electrics now, but the US wiring etc is unlikely to be compatible with a
Japanese-market engine system, and it could end up extremely expensive to
get fitted from scratch) I passed this up and just grabbed the ignitor for
$27.
As I have serious doubts about any VW trans to handle 200hp-plus I brought
a late-type (aluminum-case) Porsche 915 trans in from the States. I have
found out how to do most of the fitting of this to the van, but it will
need shifter, front mount and output flange adaptors fabricated. As VW
axles can break under severe loadings use of Porsche 930 CVs is judged
wise, and the 915 drive flanges, which accept VW CVs, need adaptor plates
made. After the trans is fitted I can measure things up and order
Sway-a-Way axles. This seems seriously fiddly. Nobody makes a full kit,
though Weddle sells SAW axles, 930 CVs, 930 stubaxles etc for a decent
price, it lacks shifter adaptor, front mount and 930 output flanges.
Does anybody have experience fitting one of these trans?
The Getrag G50 trans, fitted to later 911s, is far stronger and
better-shifting than the 915, and is just about bulletproof. I think I have
found a G50-Vanagon kit in Germany. Apparently it is complete, including
short-bellhousing trans, mount, shifter adaptor, CVs (G50-equipped 911s use
930 CVs), stubaxles, axles etc, all for DM4500 ($2250US). It was offered to
my by Claer Automabile through an e-mail intermediary who doesn't know
cars. Herr Claer is not on e-mail, says through this lady that I can reach
him by fax. However, though he speaks good Englisch, he doesn't reply
directly to my faxes, but passes them via his friend, who doesn't like it.
Has anyone else been in contact with Herr Claer?
The G50 kit will not cost all that much more than the 915 plus incomplete
kit, and when fabrication and labor are taken into account for the 915, the
supposedly bolt-in G50 kit may actually be cheaper, as well as much easier.
I need to claerify this business before I can make an order, either for the
Claer or Weddle kit. German Vanagon nuts and websites haven't been of any
help. Can anyone on this list help?
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin
New Zealand
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin
New Zealand
Molluscophile
69 VW Kombi-Corvair
75 VW Kombi (ex Toyota 3.5 V8)
84 VW T3 Caravelle GL/SVX
85 Mitsubishi Sigma Super Saloon 2.0
86 Toyota Corolla DX 1.8 diesel
89 Toyota Corona Select 2.0 diesel
