Porsche 901 (911/912/914) transaxles have the same shift pattern as the 5-speed Vanagon. For that matter, the shift pattern is fairly common in performance oriented cars such as the DeTomaso Pantera, Ford GT-40, BMW M1, Ferrari Testarossa, etc. Just to name a few. If you do not like that shift pattern, you would need to install a 915 or G50 Porsche trans instead. 

If you start getting into those sort of cubic dollars, you might as well put a Porsche motor in there ala' Porsche B32.

BenT
sent from my electronic leash

On Jan 12, 2012, at 5:21 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM> wrote:

> 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
> -----