[oasis]

Originally Posted by Sandeep

Making a front mount is no big deal

For who?

Originally Posted by Sandeep

and the shift rod is a peice of cake if you use 2 U-joints and a piece if steel tubing.

For who?

Originally Posted by Sandeep

When I did my 914 trans swap ...

Ah, now we're getting somewhere.

Originally Posted by Sandeep

If you are using a T4 engine, why not use the gearbox that was meant to go with that engine ?

A 914 has a 5-speed. So does the one-year 912. All other Type IV's came with four-speeds, however -- the 411, the 412, the Type 2 (bus), and the Type 25 (Vanagon).

To answer your question beyond the fact there were more Type IV's with four-speeds than five-speeds, not everyone has a garage and/or the know-how to be doing a DIY conversion.

I don't.

Also, not everyone wants to do a full-on conversion requiring special modifications.

Again, I don't.

The more threads I see in the Transmission folder posing questions about this, that and the other thing with regards to any Porsche tranny, the more I want to shy away from it. I am not a DIY'er. I won't be spending a month of Sundays tweaking this and converting that.

Now, I will say I would prefer a five-speed all things being equal. And I would have no problems paying more for it. I even prefer the 2-5 H-pattern truth be known. (I test-drove many 914's before buying a Fiat way back when.) When I owned my Vanagon, I often wanted to take it to a fifth gear.

But it has to be something straight-forward to install and straight-forward to maintain.

I wish I had the know-how you guys have so my definition of straight-forward would be the same as yours. I don't. And I won't be shipping my car across the Atlantic anytime soon either. That would be nonsense.

Originally Posted by Sandeep

I rarely use first gear in my beetle anyways ... I've got enough torque to start off in second ... and only use first to play with the Ricers at the lights.

So in effect, you have a four-speed, too. I'm just kidding.

BTW, all VW's with four speeds are overdrive in fourth. And I'm not offended by differing opinions becasue I fully understand there are differing perspectives from mine. I would prefer my opinion based on my research not be called nonsense. I want to be talked into a five-speed when the day comes I get my 2270 or similar.