I'm about 1/2 way through a MAJOR rebuild/garage respray of the 76' (been off road in pieces for about 6 months) and I do have lots of pics to throw into a long thread, but now I need some techanamickle advices on the gearbox from your good selves.

I have a brand new 33 tooth Quaife on its way to find a new home in my trannie. I didn't want the 37.

1: Is it easy enough to fit it myself, or is this really something I should leave to the better equipped workshops

2: Any recommendations for GOOD gearbox work in Perth? If I must go this route I'd consider having it freshened up while it's apart. 40 years of meshing/crunching/squishing/grinding has probably taken its toll. this could be a good excuse to drop in some Albins gears

Try Transfix, they are good (I do have a mate that works there...)

Transfix in Rockingham? Are they VW friendly/specialists? I'm assuming most normal transmission shops will look at a 76 transaxle and excuse themselves from the room. I'm a fair way NOR, but thanks for the tip, Bob.

Yup, in Rocko (Day rd). I was asking my mate about puting LSD in my baja and he reckons they have rebuilt a few VW boxes.

Maybe you could call one of the Porsche specialist in WA.

Who ever does it will have to have the VW shims and some special tools
for setting the preload on the tapered bearings,
and also crown wheel backlash.

yeah thats right. Thats why I never bothered getting any of mine rebuilt in the past as no one locally knew how to do it nor the tools.

send it to Baker Engineering in Melbourne and have it fully rebuilt.....plus a ratio change

Get a freight quote fro transdirect.com,
and send it to someone who knows what they are doing on the east coast.

Surely there are VW trans guys on the west coast?!

theres a AVD member over there into off road racing........he would be sure to have a contact?

"dessert moose", i think it was

Hi

Unless any re builder over there has a very good reputation, your better of sending it too dangerous.

He is meticulous, it might cost a bit in freight but it will be done correctly.

Steve

the vw gearbox guy here in perth is a vw mechanic/wreckers in occonor... or u could try arnoldi,vw porsche specialist......

cheers guys, I might have to look into the whole shipping thing if there's no hardcore specialist over here in WA. Only just got the first coat of primer on the shell today after six months of prep, welding and general mucking around. I have pictures of the whole process, so sooner or later I'll have to get my ass into gear and splash them about in member's rides or paint and body. Bottom line is (despite the cool new removable rear valance) once it's together again I don't want it off the road again for a looooooooooooooooong time. I miss driving Hoobs wayy too much.

I'm slowly coming to the opinion that people who build gearboxes are scared to guarantee their workmanship.

with the gearbox out and some of the crud cleaned off it I have noted two things:

1: I am glad i bought 4 new cvs 'just in case', as the ones that came out are pitted and worn pretty badly. one of them looks different to the others (taper on the inner part different to the others), and one was almost dry, and what was left of it was packed with what looks like orangey brown wheel bearing grease.

2: I am still no closer to having it rebuilt, despite mumbling things to people over here. One guy wants 1k plus parts. is this realistically 20 hours work? or just 10 hours of very very special work. I do not believe the job comes with a happy ending.

As far as parts go, I've bought gaskets, nose seal, bearings, 1st-4th synchros. oh yeah. and a quaife. and I'm looking at getting gears themselves. does one simply buy a new 1st and a new second, and if so how would these new sizes actually MESH with the existing stuff that's in there if they're different diameters?

I allow 15 hours for a stock IRS rebuild.

That being said, the final assembly is about 3 hours from start to finish with everything in parts on the bench.
This is after all the trial assembly, machining and checking.

Adding aftermarket parts takes longer. Some boxes I have done have taken up to 40 hours.
My own bus box has 60 hours in it, which includes some parts manufacture and modification.

Unless you can find NOS VW gears,
that is the only source I can think of for replacement gears for your particular type of gear box,
but Albins makes any ratio you might want.
They are normally sold in pairs, or sets,
but I have found nearly all VW cogs WILL mesh with others of the same ratio,(due to their excellent quality control),
but this MUST be double checked during the final assembly

righty, so my current ratios according to the AH 3867881 stamp are:

4.125 r&p

1st 3.78
2nd 2.06
3rd 1.26
4th 0.89

suggestions for ratios? 3.3 1st 1.85 2nd 1.26 and a .80 4th?

also this is gearbox has two sideplates, and from my dusty memory banks I believe the single sideplate version is supposedly tougher. Thoughts? idea is to close up the ratio a bit, by making 1st and second taller, and give a better cruise rpm. third is a really nice gear already.

IMO a taller 1st, taller but closer 2nd, leave 3rd, and slightly lower 4th, say a .93......then use a 3.88 diff so the final drive ratio still gives you a good highway cruise speed.

worth building this into a 2 sideplate box? are these sideplates worth a dribble of piss?

http://vwparts.aircooled.net/IRS-Heavy-Duty-Side-Plate-IRS-Beetle-Ghia-T3-p/5...

All comes down to whether you are trying to build the best gbox possible (within reason), or the best using as many of your existing parts ?

I want one that I won't be pulling back out again any time soon. I HAVE existing parts, but if they're not worth using to achieve this end, I won't. I want a really nice gearbox that will complement the engine; ie something tough, well built, and fun to use without being something I worry about going wrong one day at an inopportune moment like halfway across the Nullarbor (again).

Not planning on beating the 5h17 out of it, but it's likely to see the occasional drag start and burnout, and will be USED on spirited drives. Bottom line is while it's out and in pieces I'm looking to make it a lot better than it was.

stay chooned folks... tings, zey are heppening wis ze box

Any updates Pete ?