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Wed Nov 19, 2008 9:12 pm

Hello all! Just poking my head in here...I'm a little bit nervous about asking questions on forums because I feel it will certainly show my lack of car knowledge and I really dislike asking questions and getting condescending responses, BUT I've decided to go for it and see what's out there!

I have 1600 cc engine..in my 68' baja beetle...a while back i posted some pictures of her here! I haven't made any big modifications to her yet and I'm thinking I want to give her a new transmission because the gears are so hard to find! I'm also thinking about getting rid of the drum brakes, but that's another story! She has a good many miles on her I'm sure of it! :)

So I was just wondering what types of transmissions you guys use? What do you like? What would be a good deal...etc etc. I'll be primarily driving around in town in the mountains and MAYBE a few highway miles.
I would soo soo love to hear your suggestions! You can find pictures of the car on my flickr... http://www.flickr.com/photos/thechicgeek/ if you wanna check her out!
Thanks again and I apologize for such an elementary question in advance! :oops: :D

Wed Nov 19, 2008 9:34 pm

If the transmission itself shifts ok, no grinding and weird noises, it's probably fine.

You might want to replace the shift coupler under the cover below the rear seat, and replace the shifter bushing that's a little to the back of the shifter. These usually wear out and give you the hard to find gears problem.

Wed Nov 19, 2008 9:36 pm

thanks alot! I would've never have thought of that! Where's a good place to get that stuff?

Wed Nov 19, 2008 11:29 pm

2nd l_gangyi's suggestion. First place to check if have shifting problems is the shift linkage. You need to get a couple of repair manuals, as any newbie should. I would suggest a Haynes and a factory (Bentley) manual. You can buy them new or the first is pretty cheap on thesamba or Craig's List. Factory manuals are a bit more expensive. They give good pictures to help understand the situation, and repair instructions. I think the Haynes is the best to start with.

Another thing to check would be the transmission mounts - they might be bad, due to either age or hard use.

I wouldn't dive into replacing the transmission without making sure it is at fault. It's quite a job for a newbie, and not cheap. It requires removal of the engine, and 1968 was the first year of the independent rear suspension, so there may be a few 1968-unique items to deal with. Since you have a baja, there may be some PO (previous owner) modifications and possibly some damage due to hard use. If you do replace the tranny, plan on replacing the 3 mounts.

Try to find someone with a 68 bug (or possibly a 69-71) to compare yours with in terms of rear suspension, shift linkage, etc. 1967 and earlier bugs had completely different rear suspension (swing axle), so they aren't comparable to yours. Also, find a LOCAL club and LOCAL VW parts stores. Get some parts and accessories catalogs. I would recommend a West Coast Metrics one because of its pictorials and parts numbers to start with.

A final comment, carefully evaluate the status of rust, especially underneath the car, before committing to pricey repairs or improvements

Wed Nov 19, 2008 11:38 pm

^^ YES^^

and on that link I love that skid plate :wink:
and the air filter in that baja I did the same thing just with a K&N

Thu Nov 20, 2008 1:50 am

also check the shift rod bushing. its inside the tunnel, right behind were the shifter come out.
http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=VWC%2D211%2D711%2D197

Thu Nov 20, 2008 2:42 am

DO NOT compare you 68 rear suspension to a 69 up.. you have a swing axle... 69 up are IRS....

start off by replacing the shift rod bushing,, it's a PITA ,, but will fix the problem .. just use google you'll find a site on doing the job,, a bushing should only be a couple bucks ,, not 5 .. theres a little round wire ring that holds that bushing in place,, make damn sure you find it and install it,, that ring will not come with the new bushing .. if you lucky it will still be in place or hanging on the shift rod..

Thu Nov 20, 2008 10:02 pm

OOPS, memory cells slipped by one year on my earlier post . TOWD is absolutely correct that 1968 bug with standard transmission has swing axles and should be compared with 1966 and 1967 bugs.. My apologies. :oops:

One site with step by step description of how to replace the shift rod bushing is http://www.superbeetlesonly.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=6080

Thu Nov 20, 2008 10:48 pm

A gear oil change would probably help too.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 5:02 am

So to summarize:

1. I didn't know crap about these when I first started a couple years ago. I asked tons of very basic questions. And I got a few smart-ass answers. So what - how ya gonna learn? But FYI always try search function first.

2. You can get a good rebuilt tranny anytime you need it - from about $400 on up. Rancho is my preference, but there are more options.

3. Tranny swap is not trivial - Just installing one on a bare pan is a big project. Doing one tomorrow in my 65 bug. Setting aside the better part of the day (and I have done this before on the buggy not that long ago). You don't want to do it unless you have a good reason to do it. By the way, bug trannys last a VERY long time.

4. Get the typical stuff out of the way and see what you have. Remove side filler plug on tranny first, then drain it. Refill with proper Hypoid Gear oil. You can use Royal Purple or something like that which is supposed to make easier shifts, etc. I personally haven't seen the benefit.

5. Replace shift rod bushing and coupler. Grease the shifter ball when you put it back together. There are lost of posts on how to do these.

This should make a substantial improvement.