Hi,

I have an 85 Westy automatic.  I am planning a Zetec conversion (already
have the engine sitting in my garage, haven't bought the conversion kit
yet).  I am also thinking that I want to switch from automatic to manual
transmission at the same time.

I am thinking about getting this as a donor van:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=838265

It says it has a '92 Jetta Turbo Diesel Engine.

I wasn't able to find a lot of information on this conversion (by "not a
lot" I mean "none"--but this may just be because I don't know what to search
on to find that engine).  Does anyone know whether that conversion would
leave the transmission "as was"?

(I have contacted the owner, and he is going to ask his mechanic about it as
well--if the answer is "you just have to look", I hope to have that in a
couple of days.)

I also have a somewhat vague notion of rebuilding my auto transmission and
putting it in the donor van and getting the donor van running again.
 Although that is not 100% critical, I am figuring that potential into the
price.

From what I've read on thesamba and elsewhere, there are various issues with
the manual transmissions from various years.

On Wikipedia (at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Type_2_(T3) ), it
says:

"This was one of the few vehicles ever in which the automatic
transmission was tougher than the manual transmission, which was caused by
the fact that, up until the 1990 model year, the third-fourth gear synchro
slider hub was of a flawed design.  This could result in cracking, or even
breakage, causing the transmission to get stuck in 3rd or 4th gear.  A new
3-4 hub design less susceptible to stress fractures was implemented sometime
in late 1989, first showing up in early 1990 model year vehicles."

However the "Full write-up" link from the samba (below) says "The
transmissions from the 83.5-85 are considered to be stronger and don�t have
the concern of the 3rd gear selector hub failure."

Understand that I don't know what a selector hub is (I would naively guess
that it may be something that slides along a shaft to choose which gear is
driving?).  I just don't want it broken, whatever it is :).

Here are the threads I read from thesamba.com about transmission
conversions:

Full write-up on converting Vanagon from auto to
manual<http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=283352&highlight=convert+manual>
another thread about automatic to
manual<http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=355607&highlight=convert+auto%2A+transmission+manual>
more on converting
transmissions<http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=185788&highlight=convert+auto%2A+transmission+manual>

(I have a couple of private messages from people regarding this, which I do
not want to reproduce on the list without their permission in case they were
stating things informally and not the way they would want for posterity--the
general gist of them was (a) to consider that these particular automatics
are owner-rebuildable while manuals require special tools, and (b) they like
the manual for the zetec, because the auto doesn't really sync well in terms
of when it shifts and such.)

I would appreciate any information/opinions.

mike