914 V8 Transmission options, Will VW bus or Vanagon work ??? Options

[OHWOWBill]

I would like to run a VW trans for several reasons !!! Stonger and more gear options available cheaper than for the porsche !!! Has anyone done it and what box would be the best ??? Early vanagon w/6humps ???Flip the ring and pinion and put what ratios I want and have a stong 4 speed instead of a weak 3 speed ???

Bill

[jimkelly]

the 930 4spd box is one of the strongest boxes for a 914 v8 - it can be flipped or run inverted.

what kind of HP will you be running and what size rear tires?

good luck with your question though.

jim

[Cap'n Krusty]

I would like to run a VW trans for several reasons !!! Stonger and more gear options available cheaper than for the porsche !!! Has anyone done it and what box would be the best ??? Early vanagon w/6humps ???Flip the ring and pinion and put what ratios I want and have a stong 4 speed instead of a weak 3 speed ???

Bill

If Bus and Vanagon trannies are so strong, how come we sell so many rebuilds? Granted, the total numbers are pretty low as these fall out of our customer base, but we still sell 4-5 a year. Our Porsche customer list is far larger than our Bus/Vanagon list, yet we do maybe one 911 tranny every 3-4 years and only a couple of 914 trannies a year. Maybe because the VW trannies are weaker? Maybe because the Vanagon trannies blow up 3/4 gear on a regular basis and the rebuilders have had to devise a fix, which is only partly effective? Might be ........

The Cap'n

[Rotary'14]

I recall reading in some of Kennedy's original conversion literature that they rated a "built" VW trans as equal to a stock 914 trans in terms of HP capacity. I would suggest forgetting the VW trans and look for other options. It has been awhile tho, and you can take what I say with a grain of salt. Just my .02

-Robert

[Dr Evil]

With the shift linkage you would have to devise for a VW box you might as well move to a 915, 930, or G50. A 901 box from a 914 is rated at 300 ft/lb of torque. Torque is the box killer, not HP. This rating is subject to how well the box was maintained prior to your getting it. For high torque apps I would recommend an inspect/rebuild at the very least. Another consideration is the rest of the drive line. 914 CVs are the weak point in the equation if your box is healthy. Thus, if you put a lot of tq into the box and have fat meat on for tires you run the risk of shattering a CV joint when you get on it. You can fix that by having less meat on your tires, or by installing thicker drive shafts with beefier CVs (these options are discussed elsewhere). If you do install stronger CVs and axles though, you run the risk of blowing your box as you have now made it the weak link. This all depends on box health, though.

[marks914]

I have been running a re-geared with no 1st 914 trans for about 8 years now, no problems, and I am running substansial power through it. Just don't rev it up and pop the clutch. I beleive that the CVs are the waek point and would go before the trans.

Save the dough for other stuff. For the price of a 930, yo can build several stock boxes up.
Mark

[RJMII]

http://www.kennedyeng.com/vw_por.htm

We are now manufacturing an adapter kit to install an LS series engine to the Porsche 996.

Rumor has it the 996 trans is the same as the BoxsterS 6 speed... only the BS trans is turned around to run the proper direction.

[messix]

did'nt i see over at club that Lord Brad was doing a ls1 boxster convertion? pretty sure he got the plate from r/h

[charliew]

I think he also has someone in TX. working on a t4 boxter tranny adapter

[OHWOWBill]

I have been running a re-geared with no 1st 914 trans for about 8 years now, no problems, and I am running substansial power through it. Just don't rev it up and pop the clutch. I beleive that the CVs are the waek point and would go before the trans.

Save the dough for other stuff. For the price of a 930, yo can build several stock boxes up.
Mark

All you guys have given some great advice and I think the 914 box is the one to use for my purposes !!! I will try to get some pics so you can see where I am at this point !!! Still getting it all mocked up and the body done but it looks there will be a finished car some day !!! I will get with Dr. evil and get my 914 box ready to go !!!
Thanks again
Bill

[Dr Evil]

Better hurry, winter is coming and I am retiring in June (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[charliew]

I think you really mean starting a new profession. Car guys never retire unless they loose their minds.

There's a Dr., I think maybe a cardiologist in FL. that has done many writeups on motor oil to enlighten the less educated.

[Krank]

O.K. so the general consensus is to use a standard 901 tranny...now which one the 4 speed or the 5. I am looking at using one of my Buick/Olds 215s + the 901 but I can't seem to find (strong) opinions on which to use. The only comments have been made is about 5th gear being an overdrive...what about 1st to 4th. It seems a given 1st is a waste in the 5 speed. But how is 1st - 4th vs 2nd to 4th + 5th?

[Dr Evil]

Lock out 1st, and install a flipped H in the original 5th gear spot thus creating a 4 speed box.

[charliew]

Keep this in your subconsious for posterity. If you keep your car long enough and decide you really want to drive it like most high performance cars. You will probably end up with a audi or boxter tranny with cable shift I bet. Oooor if you keep it long enough and go with 400hp or more it will eventually get a sequential or variable speed tranny.

Course if the idea is 9inch tires Dr. Evil's solution will be a great getting it going package if you drive like a reasonable 40 year old car enthusiast.

[Krank]

Keep this in your subconsious for posterity. If you keep your car long enough and decide you really want to drive it like most high performance cars. You will probably end up with a audi or boxter tranny with cable shift I bet. Oooor if you keep it long enough and go with 400hp or more it will eventually get a sequential or variable speed tranny.

Course if the idea is 9inch tires Dr. Evil's solution will be a great getting it going package if you drive like a reasonable 40 year old car enthusiast.

At 50(+) I still seem neither reasonable nor an OLD car "enthusiast". More like "what a rush, man, feel the ride". This combo is just because I have a spare 215 around, have access to a fairly good roller (74), used to have a VERY nice 73 (from a time before computers) and would like to have another. This seems like the easiest route to go for this one. The next one will be the one with a 365 HP 3.5L Ford ecoboost as soon as wrecks become available. With 350 ft. lbs. of torque it seems the 901 would almost handle it but......that would be with the wife driving it. Any more opinions on 4 or 5 speed?