Automatic conversion in 62 beetle fully auto or semi auto ?

[automaticsamba01]

can anyone tell me which one would be the easyest to do I fitted a type 3 auto in to my samba but I havent had mutch experance with the semi auto I do have a 69 semiauto beetle to strip for parts or is it worth just swaping the 62 on to the 69 floorpan the 69 has an engine fire so the wireing has fried also I would prefair  the 62 compleat with pan as wish to keep the age related reg and chassy number thanks phil

[Crasher]

I not sure what you want to do, do you want a semi auto 62?

[volkenstein]

A little confused. A Samba to me is a 23 window Bus!

If you want info on a beetle swap, you'll have to do serious fabbing/cutting 'n' shutting to get a Type 3 Auto into a beetle. A guy here in Aus has done it. www.aussieveedubbers.com and search for a post by "nbturbo" in the members rides.

A 62 body on a 69 pan would mean you'd have to chop rear body mounts and re-weld them back on.

The easiest (though not without body chopping) would be to stick the drive train from the '69 back into the '62. You can test fit the gearbox to the frame horns to see if it fits (use the S-A tranny front mount!)

You would still have to chop the body holes for the fluid lines and canisters into the '62.

I would suggest if all this looks daunting, just use the S-A motor (minus all the semi-auto specifics which you'll tuck away and save for sale!) onto your existing (or get yourself a better manual) gearbox.  If you look in the "for sale" section I think Raysor was looking for UK S-A gear.

HTH
Volkenstein

[automaticsamba01]

Thanks for the info volkenstein sorry for the confusion it was quite late last night when I tryed typeing my questions. I should have explained I have a disabilty and I am ristricted to drving autos , and yes I have just sucsessfully converted my 23 window samba using a type 3 full auto , this gear box looks less complicated having fewer ancilaries than a semi auto , but having the 69 as a doner car the parts wont be a problem allthow I do have a type 3 box as a spair for my samba , your suggestion of swapping the drivetrain from the 69 to the 62 sounds like a good idea , has any one atempted this before and is their any more indepth information any were ? sorry im not very good with computers  and typing, im a beginer . Thanks for the info phil

[volkenstein]

Phil,
    You'll be breaking new ground. Everyone wants to go the opposite direction! :shock:

Dimensions will be the main factor and personal preference will have a large say. Is the '69 OK or a rust heap? A '62 would be link pin/swingaxle combo, whereas the '69 is Balljoint/IRS.

Let's take putting the drivetrain into the '62 as an option.

You'll need to convert to IRS. A bit of cutting/fabbing/shutting will have the torsion tube suitably modified. You can use the rear suspension of the 69 as a donor.

Next you will probably need to beat the frame horns to clear the IRS and weld them up.

I don't know what is required to allow the gearbox to fix into position after this.

Naturally the donk will bolt to the trans, but is the '62 say a 40Hp 1300? This may affect the apron/seals etc etc. I don't know.

You'll then be up for modifying the shift rod, drilling/cutting holes to allow the Semi Auto stuff to route through and fit, unless you custom make the ATF tank and vacuum reservoir. Then plumb it all together. Then wire it up.

Big job but doable. Register yourself on www.shoptalkforums.com and in the transaxle section post the question about will an S-A trans fit into 62 frame horns and what mods would be required explaining that you must have an Auto or Semi Auto gearbox.

If the 69 Pan is in great nick, I'd be tempted to mount the '62 onto the '69 Pan. Still a lot of fiddle farting but less so than trying to transplant back to the '62 (No need to convert to IRS!)

Everything I've seen points to the fact it is achievable (people whack 1600TP's onto 6Volt swingers with letting the 12volt flywheel self machining the necessary clearance) with work or $$$'s.

HTH
Volkenstein

[68AutoBug]

Hi,
I would also be thinking of using the 1969 chassis into the 1962 body...
so, all the Autostick work has been already been done for you...
One of the locals just put his 1976 chassis into his 1964 body...
this was a manual though...
Balljoint front end.... Disc brakes...
IRS rear axle.... bit of work welding in the IRS to the early chassis...
although it has been done before...
fitting a type 3 auto transaxle would be major work in My opinion...
although I've spoken to two people who have done this conversion in a beetle... One owner said it was a lot of hard work...
the other owner said it was easy...??
I would believe the first answer....

Best of Luck

Lee -- 68AutoBug -- Australia --

http://community.webshots.com/user/vw68autobug