# [EVDL] Vanagon transmission swap



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Hello, it's my 1st post here as I just discovered your mailing list. I'm hoping someone might have an answer to this as my local EV group, SEVA (http://www.seattleva.org) was 100% sure. I have a 1992 vanagon with an automatic transmission who's head gasket just blew 2 weeks ago. I *was* going to look at another vehicle for my donor, but may be my vanagon would work so I can save myself some $'s 

I can probably do a transmission swap without too much trouble, but need to know if my vanagon has all the hardware attachment points for the manual transmission shift linkage....everything from the clutch pedal to the transmission. I plan on using a clutch to keep things smooth, so going clutchless isn't an option.

Does anyone know if my vanagon has the clutch etc. hardpoints for a manual transmission swap?

Thanks

--Ray

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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Hi there, and welcome to the LIST.
The first stop for you should be the EV Album. 
Why re-invent the wheel if someone has already been
there, done that?
I'm certain I've seen 1-2 Vanagons there. How they
connect, etc. is more than I have a clue about,
although I do know that some people put Subaru engines
into VWs for better reliability. Interesting!
If it were me, I'd keep the Vanagon for a camping
car, and do something lighter and more aerodynamic,
but that's just me.
peace, 



> --- Ray Gach <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> > Hello, it's my 1st post here as I just discovered
> > your mailing list. I'm hoping someone might have an
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Thanks for replying so quickly. I've been to the EV Album but only found one or two there and only buses, if I recall. I did find one on the web that was done for a conversion class, but it was already a manual transmission. 

Unfortunately, I sold my manual vanagon (to a fellow that actually was going to put in a Subaru motor<grin>) last year but kept my automatic as it was still good mechanically. But now that the engine (or lack there of) has come into the picture, I'm thinking it could be a candidate for my conversion....especially if I load it up with 24 Trojan-145s. There'd be plenty of room inside as I plan on only keeping one row of seats and I expect to go at freeway speeds only occasionally. It'll just be my daily commuter (30 miles/day) with the odd stop at the local feed store.

If I can't get a 100% clarification on this, I'll just sell it and go my original decision of a compact pickup for my donor 

Thanks again.

--Ray



> Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:09:13 -0700
> From: [email protected]
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: [EVDL] Vanagon transmission swap
> 
> Hi there, and welcome to the LIST.
> The first stop for you should be the EV Album. 
> Why re-invent the wheel if someone has already been
> there, done that?
> I'm certain I've seen 1-2 Vanagons there. How they
> connect, etc. is more than I have a clue about,
> although I do know that some people put Subaru engines
> into VWs for better reliability. Interesting!
> If it were me, I'd keep the Vanagon for a camping
> car, and do something lighter and more aerodynamic,
> but that's just me.
> peace, 
> 


> > --- Ray Gach <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > > Hello, it's my 1st post here as I just discovered
> > > your mailing list. I'm hoping someone might have an
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Vanagons are quite heavy. Are you sure you want to convert it to an 
EV? Range/performance will not be all that great.

If you must go Vanagon EV, you might want to consider buying a Vanagon 
with a manual tranny and blown engine, which is often the case due to 
head gasket issues. Should be easy and cheap to find.

While you can swap everything with a manual Vanagon into your 
automatic, it's a couple days worth of work. For instance, you have 
to pull the dash etc to replace the pedal cluster.

If you have additional vanagon questions, post them on the Vanagon 
mailing list, you can subscribe from vanagon.com







> Ray Gach wrote:
> 
> > Thanks for replying so quickly. I've been to the EV Album but only
> > found one or two there and only buses, if I recall. I did find one
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Yes, Vanagons are a bit on the heavy side, but again, I can really load up on batteries to compensate some. Edmunds.com has the curb weight at about 3,460lbs, but the real reason is that I already own it

But if it's not an easy transmission swap, I'll just sell it and start from scratch. I'll check the sites that Rich mentioned earlier and see what they have to say.

--Ray


> From: [email protected]
> To: [email protected]
> Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 17:01:42 -0700
> Subject: Re: [EVDL] Vanagon transmission swap
> 
> Vanagons are quite heavy. Are you sure you want to convert it to an 
> EV? Range/performance will not be all that great.
> 
> If you must go Vanagon EV, you might want to consider buying a Vanagon 
> with a manual tranny and blown engine, which is often the case due to 
> head gasket issues. Should be easy and cheap to find.
> 
> While you can swap everything with a manual Vanagon into your 
> automatic, it's a couple days worth of work. For instance, you have 
> to pull the dash etc to replace the pedal cluster.
> 
> If you have additional vanagon questions, post them on the Vanagon 
> mailing list, you can subscribe from vanagon.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>


> Ray Gach wrote:
> >
> > > Thanks for replying so quickly. I've been to the EV Album but only
> > > found one or two there and only buses, if I recall. I did find one
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Well...

It seems to me that it would have the hard points. They usually make as
much stuff the same as possible. Makes it cheaper to manufacture if you
can get away with one set of dies, etc.

Best bet would be to take a look and see. Pull up the carpet and see if
there is a spot for the shifter. Might have a plate bolted/welded in
place to cover the hole.
Does the manual vanagon use a cable for the clutch or hydraulics? Seems
to me hydraulics would be easier.

> Thanks for replying so quickly. I've been to the EV Album but only found
> one or two there and only buses, if I recall. I did find one on the web
> that was done for a conversion class, but it was already a manual
> transmission.
>
> Unfortunately, I sold my manual vanagon (to a fellow that actually was
> going to put in a Subaru motor<grin>) last year but kept my automatic as
> it was still good mechanically. But now that the engine (or lack there
> of) has come into the picture, I'm thinking it could be a candidate for my
> conversion....especially if I load it up with 24 Trojan-145s. There'd be
> plenty of room inside as I plan on only keeping one row of seats and I
> expect to go at freeway speeds only occasionally. It'll just be my daily
> commuter (30 miles/day) with the odd stop at the local feed store.
>
> If I can't get a 100% clarification on this, I'll just sell it and go my
> original decision of a compact pickup for my donor
>
> Thanks again.
>
> --Ray
>
>
>
>> Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:09:13 -0700
>> From: [email protected]
>> To: [email protected]
>> Subject: Re: [EVDL] Vanagon transmission swap
>>
>> Hi there, and welcome to the LIST.
>> The first stop for you should be the EV Album.
>> Why re-invent the wheel if someone has already been
>> there, done that?
>> I'm certain I've seen 1-2 Vanagons there. How they
>> connect, etc. is more than I have a clue about,
>> although I do know that some people put Subaru engines
>> into VWs for better reliability. Interesting!
>> If it were me, I'd keep the Vanagon for a camping
>> car, and do something lighter and more aerodynamic,
>> but that's just me.
>> peace,
>>


> >> --- Ray Gach <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>
> >> > Hello, it's my 1st post here as I just discovered
> >> > your mailing list. I'm hoping someone might have an
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

You might try getting contacting Otmar (http://www.evcl.com/914/ ).
He builds and sells DC controller to a lot of us.
Eariler in life he worked on VWS. He has connected two Vangons to one 
long one.

Robert Salem
vw pickup. 240 volts, z2k, kostov 11"








> Ray Gach wrote:
> > Thanks for replying so quickly. I've been to the EV Album but only found one or two there and only buses, if I recall. I did find one on the web that was done for a conversion class, but it was already a manual transmission.
> >
> > Unfortunately, I sold my manual vanagon (to a fellow that actually was going to put in a Subaru motor<grin>) last year but kept my automatic as it was still good mechanically. But now that the engine (or lack there of) has come into the picture, I'm thinking it could be a candidate for my conversion....especially if I load it up with 24 Trojan-145s. There'd be plenty of room inside as I plan on only keeping one row of seats and I expect to go at freeway speeds only occasionally. It'll just be my daily commuter (30 miles/day) with the odd stop at the local feed store.
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Wow! I found my answer in less that 5 minutes at the www.Samba.com site:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=283352&highlight=vanagon+transmission+swap

But
this may be a bit more than what I expected....transaxle changes,
electrical changes, some hydraulic changes...and some of this involves
removing the entire dash <sigh>.

So I may just look for a small truck as a donor.

Thanks
to everyone for the help in getting this info to me. As soon as I start
on my conversion, I'll start a post on the EV Album and start a webpage.

--Ray
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