TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu Oct 29, 2009 7:30 pm

Type II guy here wondering if you stylin Ghia folks could answer or know when the last year Ghias had a swing axle before going to IRS? I think I have a Ghia transaxle in my bus. The number stamped on the side starts with "AO" which might indicate a Ghia transaxle.

Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:02 pm

An "AO" gearbox is indeed from a Ghia. "AO" is from a 1970 car.

This is mine....

Maybe someone else can chip in with when they changed from swing axle but I think this was one of the last.

Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:23 pm

1968 should have been the last year just like beetles.

Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:55 pm

This is a list for Beetle gearbox codes "unless otherwise stated". I'd love to know if it's wrong. I removed this box presonally from a '70 Ghia for the better 4th gear ratio. Seems to indicate that '70 was the change over year for Ghias. ??

AA 1200 4.375 From Chassis No 0 981 810
AB 1300 4.375 Up to 8/70
AC 1500 4.125 also some 1300 from 8/70
AD 1200 4.375 Limited Slip Differential
AE 1300 4.375 Limited Slip Differential
AF 1500 4.125 L.S. Differential >8/70; also some 1300 8/70>
AG 1200 4.375 Type 147 Fridolin
AH 1500/1600 4.125 IRS from 8/68 - 8/72
AK 1500/1600 3.875 Type 181
AL 1500-1600 3.875 Type 181 with LSD
AM 1300 4.375 Saloon and Cabrio from 8/70
AN 1600 3.875 Karmann Ghia with IRS from 8/70
AO 1600 4.125 Karmann Ghia from 8/70
AP 1300 4.375 LSD from 8/70
AQ 1600 4.125 LSD 8/70 - 8/72
AR 1600 3.875 Karmann Ghia with LSD from 8/70
AS 1600(GT) 3.875 From 3/72
AT 1600 3.875 1303s and Cabrio from 3/72
AU 1600 3.875 1303s and Cabrio from 3/72 with LSD
BA 1300/1500 4.375 Semi Automatic form 8/68 - 8/70
BC 1300/1500 4.375 Semi Automatic form 8/68 - 8/70 with LSD
BE 1600 4.125 Semi Automatic form 8/68 - 8/70
BF 1600 4.125 Semi Automatic form 8/68 - 8/70 with LSD
BG 1300 4.125 Karmann Ghia Semi Automatic from 8/70
BH 1300 4.125 K. Ghian Semi Automatic with LSD
BJ 1300 4.375 Semi Automatic from 8/70
BK 1300 4.375 Semi Automatic from 8/70 with LSD
DA 1500/1600 4.125 Type 3 Swing-axle up to 8/68
DB 1500/1600 4.125 Type 3 Swing-axle up to 8/68 with LSD
DC 1500/1600 4.125 Type 3 IRS from 8/68
DD 1500/1600 4.125 Type 3 IRS from 8/68 with IRS

Fri Oct 30, 2009 6:27 am

rustfree1967bug wrote: 1968 should have been the last year just like beetles. No. 1968 was the first year for the Autostick, which was on the IRS.

Fri Oct 30, 2009 6:36 am

Gary wrote: rustfree1967bug wrote: 1968 should have been the last year just like beetles. No. 1968 was the first year for the Autostick, which was on the IRS.

In the USA 68 was the last year for swingaxle, except as Gary noted the auto stick's in 68 are IRS.

The swingaxle was used for many years past 68 in other world markets in Beetles and some of the Ghia.

Since his 70 is in UK that might explain why his is a swingaxle.

Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:46 am

Karmann_65 wrote: This is a list for Beetle gearbox codes "unless otherwise stated". I'd love to know if it's wrong. I removed this box presonally from a '70 Ghia for the better 4th gear ratio. Seems to indicate that '70 was the change over year for Ghias. ??
No, model year 68 and later autostick beetles and ghias were IRS and model year 69 and later manual transmission beetles and ghias. See:

Quote: AH 1500/1600 4.125 IRS from 8/68 - 8/72
^
August 1968 is the beginning of model year 1969 for U.S. spec beetles and ghias. This denotes manual transmission beetles and ghias using the 4.125 ring and pinion.

Quote: AN 1600 3.875 Karmann Ghia with IRS from 8/70
^
August 1970 is the beginning of model year 1971 for U.S. This denotes the beginning of the 3.875 ring and pinion in IRS ghias. (U.S. IRS Beetles got the 3.875 ring and pinion later, beginning in the 1973 model year, hence the 8/72 end for the AH 4.125 IRS above.)

Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:51 am

Aug 67- July 68 (68 year production) Ghias in the USA manual trans were swingaxle. Only 68 auto stick were IRS. I have owned 3 68's manual trans USA spec that were all swingaxle.

What I was saying/thinking is that some Euro or other non USA Ghia's may have been swingaxle. I know Beetles were.

Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:19 am

keifernet wrote:
What I was saying/thinking is that some Euro or other non USA Ghia's may have been swingaxle. I know Beetles were.
True. The U.S. was the first to get IRS beetles and ghias largely in response to Ralph Nader's "Small On Safety" attack on VWs and Corvairs.

Fri Oct 30, 2009 5:31 pm

thanks everyone. I think mine is a 68' from a ghia that someone put into my bus. It goes faster and I did have a tip of one of the shifting forks come out with the oil some years ago and it was bronze and I was told that the forks changed from steel to bronze in 68'.

Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:33 pm

Quote: No. 1968 was the first year for the Autostick, which was on the IRS.

What do you mean NO? 1968 was the last year for swing axle in beetles and ghias. 1969 went irs. [/code]

Mon Jan 24, 2011 2:28 am

Hm things are not completely clear to me after reading this topic.

Should an american spec ghia convertible from 1969 with manual gearbox be IRS or swingaxle?

Mon Jan 24, 2011 3:44 am

keifernet wrote: Aug 67- July 68 (68 year production) Ghias in the USA manual trans were swingaxle. Only 68 auto stick were IRS. I have owned 3 68's manual trans USA spec that were all swingaxle.

1969 with manual gearbox US spec should be IRS.

Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:24 pm

Is your AO trans irs or swing? I had what I thought was an AO case and it ended up being a A0 (zero).

Wed Jan 26, 2011 11:48 pm

where does one go to find a list of gear box codes ? my 64 ghia has a code of 28 right above the part number 113301103?

Thu Jan 27, 2011 1:56 am

Friedpotatoes wrote: where does one go to find a list of gear box codes ? my 64 ghia has a code of 28 right above the part number 113301103?

Try here: http://www.midsouthvw.com/TechTips/tech_tip_TransaxleCode.htm

and here (scroll down to the very bottom of the page): http://www.vw-resource.com/transaxle.html