3 speed SA trans?

[BFB]

anyone ever heard of building a three speed swing axle?
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"how am i supposed to torque the rear wheel nut to 250 ft lbs??? " - clonebug
An interesting thing happens in forums where everyone starts parroting the same thing and "common knowledge" takes over.
Most experts aren't.

[oprn]

I have been wondering if an auto stick transaxle could be changed over to a 3 speed manual. Not sure why one would do that though... maybe for a VW trike?
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Our cars get old, we get old but driving an old VW never gets old!

[Dusty1]

[NJ John]

I always wondered if some wacky beetle owner ever rigged a clutch cable to a semi-auto and drove it as a full manual.
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1973 standard, yellow, lowered, 3” narrowed front, 1600 blo-thru turbo w/single dell 15.4@86, so far
11.41 et buggy. Long gone
Let’s go O’s! Let’s go O’s!
https://www.youtube.com/@AirSpooledGarage

[b-man]

If you have so much torque that 3 gears are enough then simply choose whatever 2nd gear you want to use as your low gear, whether it’s a stock or aftermarket ratio and just skip first gear.

In 1979 I built a 1969 Squareback with a 1964 Buick V6 (225ci 155hp), the transaxle had a 3.88 R&P and .82 4th, otherwise all stock gearing. I would regularly drive it using 2nd and 4th only while driving around town.

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1956 Dove Blue Panel
1966 Velvet Green Single Cab
1957 L41 Black Oval Window Beetle

[NJ John]

Look at all that odd fire horse power. Was your car in the KEP catalog back in the day? I remember pics of a bunch of Buick powered VW’s in it.
_________________
1973 standard, yellow, lowered, 3” narrowed front, 1600 blo-thru turbo w/single dell 15.4@86, so far
11.41 et buggy. Long gone
Let’s go O’s! Let’s go O’s!
https://www.youtube.com/@AirSpooledGarage

[oprn]

The old 225 V6 was indeed a rough running SOB! One of the mechanics at the shop I worked at put one in his split window panel. I don't recall which it was the clutches or the transaxles that kept failing so he sold it. That would be back in about '73.
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Our cars get old, we get old but driving an old VW never gets old!

[oprn]

[b-man]

I put quite a few miles on the ol’ Fireball V6 and it wasn’t particularly rough running at all. It was a good running engine out of a wreck I bought for $350 back when V6 engines were few. All the engine needed was a new timing chain set. My car wasn’t featured in the KEP catalog.

If you respected the transaxle it was plenty durable, mine had a Super Diff and an aluminum side cover along with welded 3rd and 4th gears. The KEP 1700 clutch was more than up to the task.

I learned a lot about engine swaps and body work, it was as a fun project and a great freeway cruiser.

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1956 Dove Blue Panel
1966 Velvet Green Single Cab
1957 L41 Black Oval Window Beetle

[oprn]

My cousin's husband owned his own auto repair shop and had one in his salmon fishing boat. He told me that is nearly drove him crazy listening to that offbeat idle as he trolled for fish. He explained that it was literally a cut down V8 was why it ran so rough and not a purpose built V6 like we have today.

I suppose some people just got used to them...
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Our cars get old, we get old but driving an old VW never gets old!

[FarmerBill]

[EVfun]

[Dusty1]

My '64 Buick Special was one of my truly memorable beaters. Bought it from a junkyard for fifty bucks. Drove it from NYC damn near to Canada all summer, 22mpg @ 70mph. Sold it at a profit when the leaves turned. The family who bought it got a few years out of it.

[NJ John]

Boy, we ruined this thread. I had a built even fire 231. Vibrated like crazy. Ran 15.4 at the track in a 77 Sunbird. Could do 8k rpm burn outs and sounded like 2 Harley’s. Crappy oiling system, yet GM kept pushing it along with turbos and eventually superchargers. I was Mr. 231 for way too long.
_________________
1973 standard, yellow, lowered, 3” narrowed front, 1600 blo-thru turbo w/single dell 15.4@86, so far
11.41 et buggy. Long gone
Let’s go O’s! Let’s go O’s!
https://www.youtube.com/@AirSpooledGarage

[oprn]

[BFB]

[oprn]

Ya - I could see a 3 speed working on something like that. Hardly long enough runs to use more than 2 or maybe 3 gears.
_________________
Our cars get old, we get old but driving an old VW never gets old!

[NJ John]

I have an 83 year old customer, just told me that he has a Buick Grand National, that he bought new. It has a built 4.1 and he has a 270 something cube V6 in his living room! He comes to my restaurant on a scooter.
_________________
1973 standard, yellow, lowered, 3” narrowed front, 1600 blo-thru turbo w/single dell 15.4@86, so far
11.41 et buggy. Long gone
Let’s go O’s! Let’s go O’s!
https://www.youtube.com/@AirSpooledGarage