VWAR Old forum !

I built this car for my wife as she is not able or willing to drive with a conventional manual transmission. Since the beginning it's purpose has been a collection of all of VWs best early technology (in my opinion at least). I've easily installed a type 3 Full automatic 3pd trans, 1776cc Fuel injected dual port, AC, and stock heat with blowers. I have been driving this for several months now and have had no problems. I would think I would find more people on here who have done these type of conversions. If there are or if someone else is interested, fell free to email me.

Hiya Bastard,

Well, I'm certainly interested!  I've always been told that such a transplant was full of hazards.  The tranny would not fit between the type 1 forks, there would be problems with fitting the half-shafts, etc.

How about making a few general comments (here on this forum) on your procedure and some of the problems you ran into and how you solved them?  I'm sure there are others here who would like to know how you did this.

I didn't run into any problems per say. I didn't have anyone tell me it wasn't possible, so I dived in head first. I started with a 73 Super shell and I do mean shell. No wiring, brakes, shifter, etc. Simply a rolling chassis with suspension, steering, and a dash with a rats nest in the glove box. Being a southern car and probably well taken care, there was no rust to deal with, just ugly baby sh*t yellow (not stock) paint. This was my first beetle and I decided to do it the way I wanted it and that was it. I threw around many options like a type 4 or a subaru and finally came to what would be the most "logical" choice for where I lived and the car's intended use. Let's face it, nobody likes clutch to gas clutch to gas driving in traffic jams (which I encounter a lot). Your trans suffers and so does your left leg. Not to mention gas and break brings us back to the go kart feeling we all love. Now to the "technical" part. I didn't modify my trans horns. I made a template from the rear mount on a type 3, fabricated a mount and welded it between my trans forks. I cut a section out of the tunnel from a t3 and welded into my car to mount the t3 auto shifter. I realize that I could have made a template for this too, but the tunnel piece only cost me $20.  I couldn't find an automatic pedal assembly, so after looking at a friends Automatic fastback, I realized I could modify a manual pedal cluster by bending over the clutch pedal and welding on a piece across the two pedals and another piece about halfway up the pedal arms to help the two move together. I think this is kind of what VW did themselves (mass produced or course). There wasn't a shift rod in my car to deal with, but I did find the little inspection plate on the front side of the tunnel where I believe one could be pulled through. I bought a new pair of IRS axles for a bug and went to install them and they didn't seem to fit right. They seemed like there were each about a cm too long, so I took them to a machine shop and had a cm removed from each and the splines extended to match. I figured this would be best left up to "pros" rather than me killing them with a hacksaw and a dremel tool. I rebuilt the junkyard transaxle myself with a few special tools and of course a rebuild kit. Bentley manual for a type 3 is very detailed for the automatic trans. My trans didn't need to be rebuilt, but I didn't know that until I had it apart. I have a good list of companies for t3 automatics. If there is anything I missed, please just post a reply or email and I'll respond ASAP.

I forgot to mention that you can also use a universal reversible 3/4 spd
cable shifter from B&M or Hurst. The type 3 shifters and cables are getting
ever so hard to find. The B&M shifter works great and has a racer look to
it. I prefer to use the type 3 shifter because it looks like it belongs in
the car. The aftermarket shifters are reliable and range from $100-$300.
Definitely worth it if you can't find a t3 shifter, not to mention its shiny
new appearance.

Did you have to modify or change anything to get the front of the transmission to fit to the tunnel, or did it go in just like the old manual transmission?

Hello, I'm Robin from Santa Fe, New Mexico. I liked this idea so much I invested $5000 in it. I had a 65 bug that needed a new tranny and still had the tired original engine. Well, I talked my mechanic into undertaking my project. He tried very hard to talk me into a later body but I loved my car and went with that. The pan was replaced by a 69 bug pan to take advantage of the better brakes and we used the front axle and tranny for a donor 69 Fastback. He built a 1" steel frame inside the rear wheel wells to support the type III tranny. This tranny is bigger than the bug tranny so he had to weld a small box under the rear seat to allow for the additional height. I then put a 1776 into the car. The car I love is even better since I don't have to shift.

PS: I was unaware of the Auto Stick Shift vw bug. But yesterday I scored one (the ad said automatic bug - I was expectly something similar to my automatic bug) It had been taking apart and after rebuilding the engine the current owner lost interest in his project. I got my new project for only $400.

Hiya Robin,

Welcome to the group!

So many times I had been told that putting a fully automatic transmission in a Bug was impossible.  And now we have two who have actually done it!  Neat project!

Do be aware that the AutoStick is a far cry from the automatic transmission you now have.  It's probably best described as a clutchpedal-less transmission.  Lots of unique parts and "unique behavior".  If you should need either parts of advice, this is a good place to come looking.

Good luck with your new project!

Hi Robin,
I didn't know it was possible until last week when there was a Beetle with fully auto from a type 3 for sale on ebay in Australia...
and now there are two more We all know about....
Type 3 automatics are very rare in Australia... more so than the  auto sticks .. I keep finding more people in Australia with auto sticks every month... so they are not as rare as I thought...  although still a long way from being as common as manual beetles...

Lee  68AutoBug

:roll: Hi guys, before i start better to tell you thatr I have a T3 based Trike so no problems in the fitting dept. Only problem I came across was that I needed new crackcases so bought a complete beetle 1600 engine. The fun began when I tried to mate up the torque converter to the plate on the end of the crank. The crankcase doesnt have the cut out in it that allows you to fit the three bolts!. So apart from using drills and hacksaws to cut a cut out in I drilled a 0ne inch hole in the top mounting flange and accessed the bolt holes through there. It seems to have worked ok. Hope this comes in useful. This is the first time I have touched  VW engine and the most technical tool I own is a blood big hammer. Keep smilin guys cya.

Sounds like an excellent Vehicle...
but its too late.. I have spent lots of money etc and lots of time on this Beetle to start again...
Type 3 automatics are not all that easy to find.... in Australia..
a bit like Auto Sticks only rarer...
Good to see that it can be done and that parts are still availabe in the US.

Adding Air Conditioning is going to be a big enough job for Me to tackle..
I am mounting the compressor on the RH side of the carburetor..
All the compressors I have seen photos of have them mounted on the Left Hand side... I am changing the position of the oil filler to where the original fuel pump was located...  that is probably the biggest change.. I have mounted My breather hose to that location at the moment..
http://community.webshots.com/user/vw68autobug
http://au.msnusers.com/MyrestoredBeetle/shoebox.msnw?

Lee Noonan -- 68AutoBug -- Australia --

Hi

Was very interested to find infomation on VW Beetles that can be fully automatic. You said you've managed to build one, when was this? Please could anyone spare a moment and tell me all what I need to no, as Im wishing to atempt this soon as I have just bought a 1970 manual 1303S. I need a full automatic as Im disabled and use a wheelchair but can drive. Mad about VW's mostly Beetles. Please Help!!!!.

Phill  :D

Hi Phil,
I hope Bastard Bug can reply to You soon.
Where are You located?
The AutoStick Beetle has only 2 pedals, and You move the gearshift with your hand it doesn't change itself as in fully auto cars.
So, maybe an auto stick would be OK for You. I know of a fellow in the UK who cannot use a clutch pedal because of an accident, collected all the parts for the Auto Stick and installed them in a kit car porsche 356..  So He could drive it....
The full Automatic from the type 3 cars has a few problems that make it slightly harder to install, but it can be done.....
Best Wishes from Australia... Your 1970 Beetle would be a 1302S..
the 1303S with curved windscreen was made in 1973-75...

Lee Noonan -- 68Autobug -- Australia --
http://community.webshots.com/user/vw68autobug

Hello, Phil
I can't get real technical (because my mechanic converted my bug) but I can tell you some of the modifications he had to make. The biggest part of the project was building the steel frame to support the bigger automatic tranny. It fits up into the wheel wells and is made of 1" square welded steel. He also had to cut into the pan under the back seat because the auto tranny will not fit under without some additional space. He had to cut the hump between the seats to fit the auto shifter. Then he had to make the round hump square so the shifter would sit flat. Then we didn't have a manual to help with sycronizing the gears so it was by trial and error but we got it. It was alot of money and work to do but it was worth it to drive my 65 bug. I named him Otto (for Automatic).

It would be much simpler (and cheaper) to find a nice auto stick bug if that will work for you.

Good luck on your project.

Robin

Quote from: BEETLEMADHi

Was very interested to find infomation on VW Beetles that can be fully automatic. You said you've managed to build one, when was this? Please could anyone spare a moment and tell me all what I need to no, as Im wishing to atempt this soon as I have just bought a 1970 manual 1303S. I need a full automatic as Im disabled and use a wheelchair but can drive. Mad about VW's mostly Beetles. Please Help!!!!.

Phill  :D

---------------------
HI
I got a stick shift `70 last year..I`m also a wheelchair user.I have made my own gas/brake handle in it.So far it works great....
I also got a `53 shell to fit on it....Of course a fully automatic would be fine but I think a stick shift also would do the job....