I'm glad you made the switch, most people want to go the other way. I've
got three '90 Vanagons, two autos and one manual. The autos are a real
pleasure  to drive, although they do use more fuel. I'll be ordering the GOWesty
cooler  soon. At 175,000mi I'm guessing I'm on borrowed time with the stock
set-up. The  three speed is a great transmission. I've got an 01M four speed
auto in a '98  Golf and it's a total piece of junk.

Dale  Ward
Shrewsbury MA
Mr. Negative Energy
Sometime LiMBO Club House  Keeper

In a message dated 3/23/2011 9:32:26 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
86westy@GEOEXPLOITS.ORG writes:

This is  mostly for general interest, but I recently got my '86 Westy back
from my  mechanic. It's a long story; he was supposed to undercoat it, but
he
got  carried away, stole my 4 speed transmission and replaced it with a 3
speed  auto :) The swap was kind of free-to-me, but I did spring for a  few
additional goodies. My point? After driving the standard and fearing  those
groggy automatics for the last 9 years of Westy ownership, I'm so so  so so
pleased. Perhaps I'm getting old, but for city driving, it's so  smooth and
sublime :) Reading about the potential problems with the stock  tranny
cooler, we opted for one of  those
Go-Westy<http://gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=4481&category_id=&categor
y_parent_id=>aftermarket
coolers.  He also rebuilt the axles and installed a gas tank
sealing kit/hoses etc.  New front shocks, and a new Rad from BusDepot
rounded
out the job...Just in  time for  spring...

Tom
http://www.tomrowsell.com/2011/03/switching-to-glide.html