I Bought a 81 Vanagon AT today to go in my rail (winter project). I'm hoping it want be that much trouble to install. Its 3/4 to 1" longer than my sedan trans. I need a flex plate for it. I'll post pics when I get started. I know I'll be asking a lot of Any advise is welcome.
Tony
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh20 ... i2/AT1.jpg
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh20 ... i2/AT2.jpg

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Tony

I found a flexplate on e-bay, I e-mailed about it and this is what he said, " No, the crankshafts are different between the two engine so this flexplate will not work. A type 1 automatic flexplate will also not work because the mounting for the torque converter is not the same. The only thing I can think of is welding the center portion of the type 1 flexplate into the Vanagon flexplate." Is it the bolt pattern that is different ont the crank? Does anyone have any other ideas on this? I really would like to have a AT, but I don't want to spend a fortune on either.
Tony

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Tony

I asked questions and looked around for 6 months while debating whether to do this or not for my wife's buggy.
You need a type 1 autostick flexplate and the one that came with the auto. You can drill out the rivets holding the center section of each flexplate, and put the type 1 center section onto the flexplate that came with the auto. There is a guy in London who did this conversion a few years ago. IT will pull you, if you keep your buggy light and run a BIG motor, at least a 2387, according to him. You are gonna loose at least 25% of your HP, and you need to externally cool it. He had a 2500 on a 14-1500 lb. buggy and could do some moderate climbing with it. The best vanagon auto tranny to use for this is the cast iron housing one with the pump on the nose cone. This pump will circulate the fluid thru an external cooler. The guy I'm referring to did not run his externally cooled, but said it got really hot and figured it would not last for too long this way.
If you dont have the one with the pump, they can be tapped for external cooling.

Another man has put one in a fairly heavy buggy, with a smaller motor, and it pulls it around pretty good on main trail riding type stuff.

It does work , just not the ideal thing for really rough stuff or hillclimbing.

There is another option which Bruce just had done to his wife's buggy, its like an autostick/manual hybrid. Pretty cool and works great, but it will take some coin to do. Not a ton, but it aint free.

( I finally told my wife to just try it with a six rib, and if she still didnt want to deal with a clutch after a ride or two, I'd do the conversion. She did killer driving with the clutch and said she wasnt giving up none of her HP for an auto after going up the trails Willie led us on during her first drive! )

I might still do it on a buggy just to say I did, since I got the tranny and axles laying around. Maybe a street rail...hmmmm?

Good luck with your project!

Larry

I found both flexplates for about $180 together. then cost my axles & cv joints, and then... can I use my sedan starter on the AT? Thanks for the info.
Tony

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Tony

I think the type 1 starter will work. ( Not for sure, I was gonna use the vanagon starter, or try to if it would turn her 2276, the van was a 1.9L water pumper). I know you can use an automatic starter on a three or five rib bellhousing, but I think thats the auto stick starter. Somebody chime in here that knows for sure, please.

You do know that the full auto tranny uses different length axles on each side, right? The joints are same as typeII (bus). You can put same length axles on each side, but it will set your motor and tranny to one side a little bit.

Larry

Yes something was said about that no problem. I need to 2 axles & 2 bus CV's and can still use my Sedan CV's on the wheels I hope. It will be a while before I start anything, but I'll be collecting the parts I need. Its been a long day, had a heart cath today at about 3:00 pm didn't have to any stents thank the Lord. Having surgery on my ankle again Sept 16 and that will keep down for about 2-3 months (no weight ankle)
Tony

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Tony

Tony,,glad you doin well,,good luck with the ankle,,,I can help you with some of those other parts as well,,,,

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If your clutch ain't slippin,, you probably got it adjusted right!!!!!

Good news about the stents!! Hope you recover quick form your ankle work, too.
Man, I thought I had troubles!

Larry

we tried a auto in my buggy when it was a regular buggy and the foward clutch pack kept going out it would not take the abuse but that was just me. it would not last the weekend
but try it you never know
and that was with a cooler

Freddy from GA added cluthes to his forward pack. Had to do some machining I think.

Guy from London, (Rick, the same guy that built Mark's Predator) did not and he climbed often with his. How heavy was that buggy, RR? Ricks was a pretty light inline two seater.

Larry

aint one axle a little shorter on an automatic? or one a little longer

Scroll back up 7 posts.

Larry

Ain't that the same thing?..........

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Gary

Turbo VW Sand Racer
Polaris Ranger



"If you don't run into the Devil every once in awhile, you must be going in the same direction!"

Davis Motorsports FaceBook Page

UPDATE
Went to the Dr down at UAB wednesday Hoping to get a walking boot,but instead put me in another cast with a walking cast shoe for 4 more weeks. At least I can put some weight on it with crutches.
Anybody need a Fully AT?
Tony

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Tony

How much? I could use one for a spare and I'll be in Bama over the holidays.