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Mon Apr 09, 2007 7:03 pm

Did the autosticks actually work well?I have a complete setup on a chassis that I have been thinking about using in a TD kit car.I am not after performance,just smoothness of operation.Out of all the Beetles I have had I never drove an autostick.Problematic?big loss of power?any real reason I should not use it? I don"t even know how to drive one.Years ago I repaired vacuum problems with some that came into the garage,but they were owned by elderly people that lived in a nearby retirement community.

Mon Apr 09, 2007 8:07 pm

i have one, body off right now. but when i drove it it was fine...dont expect to beat anyone light to light....not really any acceleration to speak of. but it works fine. i kinds like it. i'm building a cruiser anyway. not a burner

Mon Apr 09, 2007 8:18 pm

keitholdcar,
A Kit car or Manx type thingy won't have provisions (bodywise) for the A-S reservoirs or lines unless it's a fender bolt on job. If in doubt, go manual.

They are easy to drive.

Most problems are related to lack of maintenance (vacuum/electrical/adjustments) or clueless previous owners :lol: . The darker side is that some A-S spares are expensive, available second hand only or extinct.

My opinion only!

Volkenstein

Tue Apr 10, 2007 5:20 am

Thanks,The tank and lines don"t bother me.I run a repair shop for equipment.I make a lot of tanks and such.The hard to find parts are what bothers me.This chassis has new vacuum can,axle shafts and a starter.It just made me think I ought to use it.

Tue Apr 10, 2007 6:35 am

Just me, but if you have the body off anyway in a kit car situation, it makes it that much easier to go with manual conversion. Sell the autostick stuff to peeps that need it for a good price and use that to convert to something that will not likely ever be a parts problem... stickshift.

Tue Apr 10, 2007 9:08 am

Hiya Keith,

Truth be told, the AutoStick was a very reliable transmission if, like any transmission of that era, it was well maintained. The fact that the torque converter "buffered" the clutch lead to exceptionally long life for clutch components. Shifting is smooth as long as all vacuum connections are correct and intact and the control valve is in adjust.

There is VERY little power lost in the transfer to the wheels. The AutoStick will be slower in acceleration, but just barely so. And the top speed is (according to VW) just 2 MPH less than a manual.

All of that being said, I think I'd look seriously at the whole idea. If you have all the parts, and you're inclined to do it that way........have fun. However, as has been mentioned, since everything is stripped down, you can convert to a manual. This is especially true if your pan has the all-important clutch tube running through the center tunnel. You might want to check that out. If the tube is there, it makes converting all that more attractive.