Transaxle gearing

[Michael Henry]

Good day everyone. I have a chance to get a rolling VW pan, I think its a mid-late 50's pan. Would the transaxle be OK for vee racing? or would the gearing just be goofy and I would have to find somethng a lil later?

[Bill Bonow]

Best bet is to get the serial number off the transaxle. Compair the number to this list

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/...ssisdating.php

That will tell you a month/year of production. Split case gearboxes are worthless in FV (pre-'60)

[smsazzy]

I believe a split case was being run at this years runoffs by one competitor.

[Bill Bonow]

Corrected, almost worthless

[rickjohnson356]

back in the day....

I believe the split case trans was used for the Daytona high bank (one or two races per year)

[which Bill probably didn't run]

I did one time, but was faster running on the apron rather than up on the banking (NASCAR 3 & 4)!

someone with more ancient experience might be able to verify it for us, if needed, though.

I don't think it is used today at Daytona-- FV engines are much better now.

[butch deer]

The splitcase is legal but not otimum for todays tire dimeters & engine's. You can use the axle's,axle tubes, and a few other pieces so don't throw it all out. If I remember the distance from 3rd to 4th is quite a split and the gears are not interchangeable. I did run one at Daytona in 1969. (before the bus stop ) .
Butch

[DaveB]

I think Lisa Noble ran one at Road America this year. I don't know if it was the Run Offs or the national. They are lighter than the standard box, and have the lightest axles of any tranny.

Dave

[Bill Bonow]

"which Bill probably didn't run"

True, but I was ready to call it a "Daytona box" but thought not because (as Butch said) we're talkin' pre bus stop Daytona and there ain't too many left that remember the FV "Daytona box".

Michael,

I would suggest that you go out and buy a whole FV. Right now, you can get fantasic competitive cars for extremely low prices. For what you will spend to build a car from a "rolling VW pan", you would be nuts not to buy something ready to go. There are plenty of them here: http://www.sracing.com/ForSale/forsale.htm

[budawe]

The split case tranny components are much lighter, especially the ring and pinion assy. Lisa did run one on test day but opted for a traditional long box for the Runoffs. I recall another blue car running one for the entire week but the rpm drop from 3rd to 4th is too severe. The blue car was really pushing the revs in 3rd in an attempt to overcome this hurdle. I heard later he blew the motor.

[Michael Henry]

Blessings and Greetings to one and all!

Hey everyone thank you so much for the awesome and valuable information! To brother Bill Bonow, yeah I probably will buy one 'whole', but!, I'm still going to build from scratch though. Yes I know you good folks are thinkin I'm bloody well nuts at this point...thats OK! As to the 50's roller I'm gettin it anyway, I know where there is a 54 beetle body with everything there! Yeah baby!!!...sorry

Yes...I know just from 'hearing' you talk some of you have been around Formula Vees quite a while, this is a good thing! Because I like to ask questions, so be ye now warned...LOL Seriously though I catch on to things real fast, kinda been a knack I've always had. I also have been wrenching on VW's since I was 10...I will be 54 in Aug this year (Ahhhh!) I have been blessed these many years with the chance to build and restore many VW's in every capacity, I've helped build many Drag VW's and was involved in building a VW powered miget way back when, everything except Vee's....weird I know.

So all I really need to know are a couple of specifics really, [for now] like what is "Bus stop" and I know 'short & long box' has got to be in reference to transaxles. So A] what is the difference?...gearing I am assuming, and B] what year swingaxle would be competitive? Or what year [range] do I need to concentrate on? My forte' is building engines though...I build really solid dependable engines both stock and modified.

Anyway in closing good brothers and sisters again let me say thank you very much for your valuable input!

Ever in HIS service.......Michael

[problemchild]

A bus-stop is the device used to ruin a wonderful race track because modern race cars go too fast there. The "inner loop" chicane used at Watkins Glen is an example. They are also common when running "sports cars" on oval tracks, such as Daytona.

FVs have two possible final drives available to them, 4.375 and 4.125 hence the long and short box references. The split case final drive is 4.43 and is not commonly used.

[Bruce Livermore]

I recall another blue car running one for the entire week but the rpm drop from 3rd to 4th is too severe. The blue car was really pushing the revs in 3rd in an attempt to overcome this hurdle. I heard later he blew the motor.

He'd have been less likely to blow the motor if he'd kept the oil in it!