what's it like to drive an automatic? FAQ

jamesdagg

I will be looking at an automatic Bay Window Hi Top Westy with propane, not sure of the year yet. In excellent shape.

How are automatics to drive?

jim
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'72 FI Westy
'71 Super rear inside defrost vents no longer available

vdubin92GTI · Samba Member Joined: November 30, 2005 Posts: 33

real fun!! no gears popping out...just put in drive and gooooo! Very Happy

krautwaggen · Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 2:55 pm Post subject:

The only automatic bus I've driven drove great, but then the engine crapped out. It was my girlfriends...she didn't love the automatic then, but I think she wishes she had it. We did an engine transplant and shortly after she found a much more solid bay with a standard trans and had everything (but the automatic) swapped out. Don't let it stop you from buying it...that's for sure!
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Half Bus, Half Truck, What the _______?

Pinetops · Samba Member Joined: March 24, 2007 Posts: 2987

Do those old auto transmissions shift fairly smoothly?
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"A rolling bus gathers no rust."

Air_Cooled_Nut · Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 3:55 pm Post subject:

I know the Type III and Type IV automatics do! Don't see why the Type II would be any different.
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Toby http://www.aircoolednut.com/
Did I mention that I'm an original Darksider?
'72 VW Squareback, 2007cc, GB 5-speed, rag top; '76 VW Riviera Penthouse Sundowner 2.0L; 2015 Audi S5 Cabby w/Stage II APR; '06 Ducati Sport Classic 1000; '14 Ducati Diavel Strada
The First Invasion

MikeHill · Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 4:11 pm Post subject:

My last bus was an automatic and I never had any problems with it. I only missed the ability to downshift into third going up hills. I remember leaving a rest area in CT. that was at the bottom of a big hill. I floored it for the long uphill climb. By the time we got to the top I was going maybe 25 MPH. For the next few years we owned that bus we never stopped at that rest area again...
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77 bus, 2.7 liter Corvair/PowerGlide

Brown_Bus · Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 5:41 pm Post subject:

we had a Vanagon Westy that was automatic...drove and shifted fine...
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'76 L20A marino yellow Westy

calebmelvin · Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 5:53 pm Post subject:

I would love to have an auto someday. Anyone in the area want to let me drive theirs? Cool

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Caleb
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kinsey · Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 8:19 pm Post subject:

Islamorada is an automatic.

2.0 litre with fuel injection. Drives like
a charm and easily cruises at 100kph which is
60mph on the highway. Gas consumption isn't
that great - 20 mpg, but she is a thrill to drive.

Kinsey
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IT'S NOTHING THAT A FEW DAYS
IN "THE KEYS" WOULDN'T FIX

Islamorada Blue- '78 bay window
"The Spirit of Margaritaville"

vwbusbusvw · Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 10:00 pm Post subject:

I had a '78 automatic a few years ago. Just a passenger Bus, the thing was a cruiser. It would do 70mph on the freeway, arm out the window at all times, drinking coffee in the morning with no problems, hand on my girlfriends leg.
But... catch a hill at the wrong speed, and you're screwed - small price to pay for the easy cruising.
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1994 Dodge Neon w/supercharged 1500dp

OMVWC

Mr. Loaf · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 3:59 am Post subject:

I sure liked the 78 automatic in my 72! There's a lot less turbo lag when you have to shift gears. I do know that pan gaskets are difficult to find for an automatic and if you need one rebuilt you will be looking a while for a builder that knows what they are doing.
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Never drive faster than your Angel can fly
$24,100 was too hard to resist.................

1977_L63H_P27 · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 4:17 am Post subject:

We've only driven the '77 twice, and didn't think we would like an auto, but it was a very smooth and effortless drive. I think we're gonna' like it fine Smile

. Peace!
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77VWBusDude · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 4:34 am Post subject:

My parts guy said the auto's are supposed to have a special rev-limiting 5000 rpm rotor for the distributor. Looks flat, like a disc. I just use the cheap standard one, the other's kinda pricey, lol.

Test drive it. I can't really comment because I think mine needs to be rebuilt. It sometimes shifts rough into 3rd, but usually only when it's warm. If I'm lead-footed with it, it shifts pretty good, it's just kinda rough when I'm pussy-footin' around Razz

The torque converter delivers power nice and smooth, pretty bulletproof trannys, from what I've heard(about my '77's anyways, not sure about the earlier years). I beat the crap out of it delivering pizza(it's my back-up ride)and it never misses a beat. It just won't die, lol.

WhirledTraveller · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 7:28 am Post subject:

Mr. Loaf · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 7:47 am Post subject:

Yep, Turbo lag. Manual trans: 1st gear shift, 2nd gear shift, Turbo is in, 3rd, gear shift, turbo slows down, turbo comes up, same with 4th. With my automatic I could start in 1st, turbo is in, move lever to 2nd, turbo hasn't skipped a beat and finally hit 3rd at 85 mph, Still going up to 109 mph and more but I ran out of road! Oh, check out my gallery, you will see what I am talking about......
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Never drive faster than your Angel can fly
$24,100 was too hard to resist.................

77VWBusDude · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 2:52 pm Post subject:

I had a turbo automatic Supra and I know what you're talking about loaf. I've been looking at getting another one. It ran so awesome, the torque converter spooling up when the turbo wasen't Twisted Evil

theizzardking · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 2:58 pm Post subject:

so is this what your motor cost you?
$24,100 was too hard to resist.................
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"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin
'71 westie "the wanderer"

Emeritusx · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 3:37 pm Post subject:

Mr. Loaf · Posted: Fri May 15, 2009 2:43 am Post subject:

I did not bid on my Bus when it was on Ebay, I was the seller! I had about 60% of what the Bus sold for in it. I set a reserve on the Bus at 19,000 and never really thought it would sell. 3rd day of auction it was there! I did get nervous and thought that maybe I shouldn't let it go but when it hit the 24 I decided it was time. I hit a lot of wrecking yards and swap meets looking for parts to sell to help pay for what all the Bus had. To give you an idea of how diligent I was, I actually bought a complete speedometer cluster, fuel gauge and correct clock at my last swap meet. Got the whole unit for $10.00! Clock went off to Canada as I already had one. Sold the clock for 17 times my buying price and it worked too. And, back to the original post, I LIKED the automatic!
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Never drive faster than your Angel can fly
$24,100 was too hard to resist.................

pyrolorde · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:41 am Post subject: Bay window automatic

Hi. We have a '73 automatic (camper) with the stock 1700. Sure, you may be doing 25 MPH at the top of a long hill, but you'll be doing 25 MPH at the top of a long hill with a manual trans, too :^D

We haven't had a problem with ours, it shifts great, and most people are like, "Woah! An automatic!". I'm a VW tech and all of the old-timers I work with say there were never really many problems with them. I currently have our motor out for a rebuild and was considering a manual trans conversion, but I decided keep the auto since it has treated us very kindly thus far.

Erik


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