who said it's a dream to drive ?
it has a few advantages over a 4 speed..
the three  I mentioned.

it's also 'difficult' about first gear.
Funny that VW did it that way ..
don't know what they were thinking..a 2WD drive version of the Syncro trans
perhaps..

woulda been nice if 2nd wasn't quite so high .
and they called it 1st,
and the what is now 1st in a 2WD 5 speed..coulda called that G or L ..
then things would be fine..
you'd have an OK 4 speed, like a syncro does..
with an extra low grawler gear below those 4 ratios., called G ..or perhaps
L.

but for 2WD ..
I suggest put more energy into getting a subaru 5 speed with a reversed R &
P.
I don't know how well they shift and work ...
but at least 1st is really first, and it's where it should be, forward and
left like any normal manual trans.
and 5 nicely spaced ratios ........I assume.

people put in Porche 911 5 speeds too...
that's a natural ..turns the right way ..and likley plenty tall enough and
close enough ratios.

Scott
----- Original Message -----
From: "ralph meyermann" <ralphmeyermann@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2012 4:46 PM
Subject: Re: 5 speed

>I don't wanna go crazy but just off the beaten path!!
>
> Velma 82diesel 1.6 na westy
>
> On Jan 12, 2012 6:38 PM, "Jim Felder" <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Right. The five speed is a dream to drive. This is an example of how one
> uninformed opinion propagates into "fact."
>
> Jim
>
>
> On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 5:55 PM, Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@q.com> wrote:
>
>> You had a granny gear, or a ...