----- Original Message -----
From: "julian burden" <julian.burden@VIDEOTRON.CA>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, July 12, 2002 5:17 AM
Subject: Re: [South Carolina Trip] or why I love my Vanagon/Westy

Actually, one other thing I've done to the van was to fit Vanagains "shifter
kit" - about US$27 and about 30 minutes work. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - our van
shifts beautifully now (although I do have to push the shifter down to get
it into 1st - must look at that).

Presuming you are talking about a 5-speeder...
...perhaps you are meant to push the lever down (into the floor) to get 1st
(certainly you are to select 'G' on a Syncro), as well as reverse. This is
not a bad idea as the habit of changing down into 1st on the fly, just
pushing through the box and relying on the syncromesh, is not a particularly
great idea - unless you double-declutch on the way - and d-dc quite well
too - ask the 1st motion shaft bearings and those gears, I think they will
agree - this is a heavy vehicle and the engine has a fair rotational inertia
too.

Clive Smith
'88 Syncro Transporter