Five speed transaxle and rear seats

[1950split]

Hi,

I am going to fit a 5 speed transaxle in my 58 bug. With the Berg 5, I need to mod the firewall panel Under the bench for the more cumbersome nose of the box (meaning I need to make a hole for it and build a "box" to close it).

I would like to keep my rear seats and do minimal mods to the original rear seat as it is still covered with the original cloth which is in exceptional shape.

Has anyone that has encountered this situation pics of the mods he did to fit the rear seats with a 5 speed gearbox ?

It is painful to "cut" the original seat, therefore I want to make it the less invasive as possible and the cleanest I can.

Many thanks for your input !

Phil

[Trevor P]

Sorry to tell you, but on an early car there's real no way around putting in the Berg 5 without modifying the seat bottom. My last pic shows the area I had to cut away some of the frame work in order to clear the box section I built into my 57. It doesn't show the finished product, but I ended up cutting out the centre bar and making 2 that go front to back on either side of the box section area (if that makes sense?)
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53 Canadian standard oval
56 Wolfsburg PG/SG
57 Oval, 2332 & Berg 5
70 911T
91 Westy

[smkn_vw]

Yep rear seat has to be modified or lifted couple inches (more with a box cover). Here's some pics from my 59' bug. I don't use a rear seat but out of curiosity I tried fitting the rear seat and it sits on the trans towards the front edge. I used a dremel tool to cut the hole and went through several cutting discs, the cutout is 3" x 8" and centered.

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"So didja?" -Bob Hoover

[1950split]

Thanks for your replies.

Ouch I thought that I would have to cut the seat as you did.

I first thought I coud bend up the bottom of the frame in order for it to match the shape of the box but it will be probably pretty tough..

[plash]

Off topic a little, I'd like to hear more about the pro's and cons of the 5 speed.
73 karmann ghia is my project car...haven't decided on engine size but it'll be substantial.

[Howard 111]

It's a PRO if you want a nice cruiser with less drop in the RPM when shifting.

CON mostly for hot street, or drag car, you have one extra gear to go through. Each shift, 4 or 5 speed, disrupts applying the HP for a split second.
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1973 Karmann Ghia
Turbocharged, Fuel Injected
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=531270

[plash]

To Howard111
73 kg turbo And Efi...id so like to pick your brain.
What size engine and how much boost? How much hp are you
getting and and and....So Many Questions

[Glenn]

I have a 2180 with a Berg 5 in a 74 Beetle. It fits real easy.

Drives like a dream.
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

Member #1009

#BlueSquare

[jason]

I have a friend that put a 5 in a 59 ghia. Dimpled in that area is all it needed. Seat wasnt effected.

[-Alex77-]

I have berg bus 5-speed on my 1972 beetle. I dont know much the nosecone differs from type 1 berg-5, but i will soon find out. Looks like it might need some clearancing at firewall panel.

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Lasercut parts and CAD design

[plash]

Might be a silly question but is there a reason no one is using the 5 speed from a 911?

[Howard 111]

Plash, click on the link in my post. I've run 12lbs of boost, but a change of springs in the waste gate doubles that. I've never tried it. It scares me now at 12lbs. I've never had it on a dyno, so no idea about the HP.
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1973 Karmann Ghia
Turbocharged, Fuel Injected
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=531270

[Glenn]

[dnielsen]

[Bruce]

[Bill Schwimmer]

To answer the original question, you can put the back seat in without cutting the seat frame. My '59 has a small sheetmetal bump for the clearance, no bigger than it needs & the seat frame I gave a small bend in the center. The cross bar that the front of the seat sits into, I slotted to move it as far forward as I could. Seat bottom goes in just barely. Hope this helps. Bill

[-Alex77-]

Mounts are available, but there is little bit more fabrication than fitting berg5.

901 trans is not much bigger than berg5 type 1, but 915 is bulkier.


Yeah, unfortunately 901 had dog leg 1st, probably meant more for tight corners with shifting between 2nd 3rd gear, than fast drag starts with 1st and 2nd gears.

But the the early ratios of 901 and 915 are pretty good for big engine ( +2200cc) vw's. All 901's and early 915 ones had 4.43 r+p and 1st gear usually 3.09 on 901's and 3.18 on 915's. Fifth gear usually between 0.72-0.79.

http://www.gboxweb.com/901specs.html

http://www.gboxweb.com/915specs.html

But vw transaxles have bit better syncros, they dont rely friction like 901 and 915. Smoother and faster shifting with vw transaxle.

[GTV]

I drove a 69 Beetle with a 901 trans (and a stock engine) on and off for a few months probably 10 years or more ago. The dogleg 1st was weird at first, but once you get used to it... absolutely fantastic. Rowing between 2nd and 3rd on twisty mountain roads was pure bliss.
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