How hard would it be to install a Kombi 2ltr gearbox and engine into my 62 swingaxle baja? Is it worth it in terms of reliability (most inportant!) and cost (2nd!) and then performance? This sounds like the most practicle and cheap way to improve my rear suspension.

It isn't easy, it isn't worth it and it isn't cheap :P

Damn. then what is?

I've heard that Kombi 2ltr gearboxes are extrememly strong and take a lot of punishment.

I'm confused now.

I just want a engine gearbox IRS that can take a lot of punishment and not break and is reliable.

[Edited on 19-2-2004 by Boozer]

It all comes down to cubic dollars. The more you can do yourself the less that will be. The best thing you could do is to get more clearance and drop your tyre pressures right down, experiment to see what works.:thumb

Boozer, start building another car as what you are asking will mean virtually a total rebuild of yours.

some guys have used split bus reduction boxes to get extra ride height on swing axle cars.
You could try that, there's lots of them around, just keep an eye out for a stuffed split with the tranny still there.
Not sure how strong the gears are but it would be a heap cheaper and you get bigger brakes to boot.
It would also lower your final gearing allowing you to run bigger tyres.

What do ya reckon guys?

This was an option i first looked at- even went so far as getting the reduction hubs. EVERYone I spoke too advized against this for many reasons- not safe being the biggest. At the moment I am doing as ibmoknegawsklov has suggested till I have the time and materials for an IRS conv.

[Edited on 27-4-2004 by Mad Manx]

a 2lt would be a great thing as 1600s are guttless piles of shit get a 2lt put a 210 or 215 1800 fly wheel on it grind out ur bell housing make an exuast and ur in bussiness trust me 1600s anit worth the time of day they have no touqe and if u want to get anyware offroad thats step put a type 4 in it i have a 1600 and my mate has a type 4 i know how bad it is and if u put irs dont put a 2lt box in it i have heard about all the bullshit about 2lt boxes there good and all but in a road kombi put a 1600 kombi box in it there about half the price everyone has got 10 and the most inportant thing is that they are alot lower geared which is what u want in the bush

if ya can weld it can be done....

got a couple of late posters in this thread.

1600 3-rib kombi gearboxes can take a lot more abuse than a beetle box, and are certainly good value for money. If you have alot of HP and torque (like me) then you won't need the 1600's low gearing, you will need the 2lt's strength instead. Trust me, I don't need anymore low speed torque.

For a good run-down of the various gearboxes I suggest reading this website, this guy has a lot of experience.
http://www.geocities.com/Baja/Dunes/9702/transtalk.html

bump

i'm not aiming for anything crazy and am gonna build a baja from ground up but, what if you used a 1600 box with a 1800 kombi engine with upright conversion? Just bouncing around ideas here.

1600 box ? as in a kombi box which would mean that u have to do the irs thing if u are staying with the swingy i use a 1200 swing axle in mine its the lowest with out going to the split case box which anit strong enough and as old as the hills with 31inch tyres on mine it does about 3500 at 110kph which is still to high for me i need lower gears for were i take mine but an 1800 will fit just the same as a 2lt but they will allready have the flywheel u need but u will still need to grind out your bell housing and an upright kit would be a good thing i will use one on mine it sortens the motor heaps look at a type 4 and think of it with none of that shit on the front which will mean that can make the cage short which means that u can go up steper things with out bashing it on the ground have fun dude :blah:blah:blah:blah:blah:blah:blah:blah:blah:blah:blah

yeah i'm going to do an IRS conversion anyway, i just want ideas, opinions and what you would do.

alright it all depends on how crazy offroad you want to go and how long you want your clutch to last the 1600 box is the way for me if i had irs but it all depends if u want a good high way cruzer or an animal offroad as we dont have low range so the lower the gears the better but if all your beast will do is beach and a daily driver it dont matter to much i think a 2lt box is still abit high even for the beach its a bit of go with what works for you all u need for the beach is hight and a bit of touqe its easy as to drive on the beach if u cant get anyware on the beach that 4wds can and alot more theres somthing wrong i was at fraser at easter and went everywere right to the top and all the tracks and had no problem aside from me trying to make new tracks over really big dunes and failing but at least no one else made it as far as the two vws did