Urgent help needed with gearbox fitment issues...

[pig-pen]

He all.
Hoping someone here can help with some experience.

A long rambling story, apologies in advance.

So I have a '55 beetle with a tuned 36hp motor, which also has a doghouse fan conversion.

everything was going great, running the OG split-case trans, motor all good.

then one morning the trans decided to go into reverse and forward gear at the same time and I took out the engine and box to reset the hockey stick. At that time I put in a kennedy stage 1 clutch.

Again, it seemed like the problem was fixed. I drove it a few miles after missing most of last summer, and parked it up in storage for the winter. This spring i went to wake her up, and the trans was totally locked. I had driven it into the spot and it wasn't touched... but the shifter just would not move. I have no clue why this happened.

It is at this point I now realise I should have spent the money and had that box rebuilt. But I didn't. Stupid!

So my buddy had a 1300 box, good and shifts nice... so I put that in. I used a solid mount at the front, to avoid the low slung problem that happens with a bus nose cone... That all went really well, fit nice.

But then, putting the engine in was a real struggle. Its in but there are problems. It is sitting much higher than before, and if I were to guess, its also closer to the firewall than before. A bit of cutting and welding got the exhaust to fit again, but my problem is that the front engine tin is all out of shape because its being distorted by the engine position, and the doghouse exhaust tin will not fit at all. It used to just slide in and bolt up.

Also, my set up was VERY tight to the engine lid, and now it wont shut due to the engine sitting in a new high position.

does anyone have any experience of this?

How did you fix it?

I am now thinking that the bus nose cone would have been a good idea if it makes the engine sit lower... cos this is way too high right now.

Could I put a rubber pad between the front hard mount and the body? what about customising the gearbox cradle to make it sit a little bit lower??? slot the holes?

Please help!!!

thanks!
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1954 L227 Type 113
1964 L31 Type 265

[EVfun]

You fix this by putting the Bus nosecone on the tunnel type transaxle. The frame was changed in 1960 so that the transaxle was mounted at an angle to reduce the rear camber. The "low slung problem that happens with a bus nose cone" only applies to the 1960 frame. The location of the shift rod on the transaxle changed on Bug (but not on the Bus.) The Bus retained the lower shift rod location used on 1959 and older Bugs.

I thought I would toss in a picture of the one year only 1960 Bug splitcase transaxle nose cone. Note the raised position of the shift rod used, in part, to lower the transaxle in the frame. This one sits in my garage, an extra from a parts swap.

EDIT: the Bus shift rod location is lower.
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[esde]

I've used a bus nose cone on a half dozen cars and never had the low slung problem you are having. And, as noted, a 60 car is a PITA as it's different than all the rest.. but your 55 should be easy.
I'm super curious as to how the split case trans is locked up..
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modok wrote:
Bent cranks are silent but gather no moss. I mean, ah, something like that.

[pig-pen]

[pig-pen]

I think I wasn't totally clear...

the front mount i have used is this...

https://www.heritagepartscentre.com/uk/ac3019520-gearbox-front-mount-adaptor.html


I am guessing it is garbage and causes alignment issues.
_________________
1954 L227 Type 113
1964 L31 Type 265

[EVfun]

[esde]

[pig-pen]

so really annoying... I had my doubts but was told by a highly reputable vw transmission specialist here in the uk that this was the way to go. I even had a bus nose cone sitting on the bench.
so... trans out again then. and now its at home on my drive.
this sucks.

so not withstanding a few perspective issues this diagram explains what is happening? and basically the nose of my trans is sitting low as a result?

do I have that right? and so making my engine sit abnormally high...
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1954 L227 Type 113
1964 L31 Type 265

[EVfun]

[KOMBI NIKO]

[VW_Jimbo]

What do the rear transmission mounts look like? They can be adjusted a little bit to help get the nose cone pointed in a better direction. Are you using the rear stock crosspiece? Or an aftermarket unit?
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[pig-pen]

So to report, bus nose cone fitted and motor went straight in no fighting. everything is much better, although engine is still higher than before. but not as insanely high as with that dumb plate adaptor thingy.
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1954 L227 Type 113
1964 L31 Type 265