Does anyone out ther know the gear ratios of the "standard" transmission Greg puts in his Speedsters. Thanks
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I don't know for certain, but I'd guess-
1st- 3.80 or 3.78 (depending on the core), 2nd- 2.06, 3rd- 1.31 or 1.26 (again, depending on the year of the core), 4th- 0.89
Probably 4.12 ring & pinion unless the 3.88 was specified (which costs more $$$)
Thanks ALB I've been offered a 3.44 R+P but I'm unsure of the gear ratios.
Here's some info I gathered back when I thought my trans was going out and I intended to build a close replica of the BBAB gearboxes that were in the original Spyders and 356 Carreras. The middle set of numbers is what I got from Greg. (Probably the extra cost option ALB referred to.)
BBAB Gear Ratios: R&P 4.375
1st 11:34-3.09
2nd 17:30-1.76
3rd 22:27-1.22
4th 26:23-.88
VW R&P 4.12 1st: 380 2nd: 174 3rd: 126 4th: .89
From Greg:
3:88 R&P
310. 1st
193. 2nd
121. 3rd
082. 4th
The original Porsche Speedster gear and final drive ratios were:
4.28/1 Final drive
3.09 1st gear
1.76 2nd gear
1.23 3rd gear
0.89 4th gear
If anyone is interested, here are the part numbers from Weddle to make it happen. Make sure you're sitting down when you look at the prices.
Weddle 3.11/1.86
3.11/1.86 1/2 Main shaft WB-311186
3.12 1st gear idler WA-311I
1.86 2nd gear idler WA-186I
Thank you good information
The 3:44 R&P works well with a larger engine, and is great for cruising, what engine are you getting?
I’m getting the 2332 I believe but I’m concerned, I haven’t driven on a freeway for years. I don’t need or want high speed low rpm gearing. What I would like is a tall second gear
How and where do you want to drive the car and what's your budget? I think if you talk to Greg he'll talk you through your options with some expertise.
A tall second gear ala Porsche is something we all wanted but the cost of doing so is quite expensive, Long second is a complete change of gearing. @ALB, is our resident expert on gearing here and I think he will concur that a 3:44 and normal ratio box is a very good selection for this engine. It will give you 70mph at 3000 rpm which is where these engines need to run to keep cool at highway speeds.
Some people choose to go to a Berg 5 speed to get 4 close ratio and a OD 5th. Choices choices.
Thank you for your reply, I cannot imagine where I would do 70 mph, I’m looking for a tall 2nd for twisty back roads. Looking at gear calculators with the right combo I think I can get 50 mph at 4000 rpm in 2nd. How much it will cost is another issue.
@R Thorpe posted:Thank you for your reply, I cannot imagine where I would do 70 mph, I’m looking for a tall 2nd for twisty back roads. Looking at gear calculators with the right combo I think I can get 50 mph at 4000 rpm in 2nd. How much it will cost is another issue.
Despite being told my car had a "Freeway Flyer" prior to my buying it, I think my Spyder has a standard VW gear ratios listed above. One of the reason I considered the original Porsche BBAB ratios listed above is that the 3.80 first gear is pretty useless. Think "granny gear" in 50's pick ups. Depending on how "spirited" I'm driving, my 1-2 shift speed is 10-15 mph. If I'm rolling at all, or headed downhill, I start in 2nd.
That said, I find 3rd gear just about perfect for the type of driving you describe. And given where I live, most of the roads are up hill, and my 2.0L motor has plenty of torque to maintain 3,000 rpm, even going up a 6%-8% grade.
Id venture a WAG that less than 10% of my driving is 70< mph, and 4th gear/2500-3500 does that just fine.
Point being, I think you'd be fine with cheap, bone stock VW trans or Freeway Flyer. You'll just be using 3-4 rather than 2-3.
FWIW, that Weddle first gear/main shaft to get first gear from 380 down to 309 was ~$700 IIRC.
Thank you good advice. I want this car as a toy. I cannot imagine sitting on the 101 or 405 freeway between 18 wheelers and box trucks sucking exhaust in a small open car going 70 mph at any rpm. Cheers.
@R Thorpe posted:Thank you good advice. I want this car as a toy. I cannot imagine sitting on the 101 or 405 freeway between 18 wheelers and box trucks sucking exhaust in a small open car going 70 mph at any rpm. Cheers.
You haven't lived until you're sitting at a stoplight and can look over and read the writing on a bro-dozer's sidewalls. 
My my typical cruise is 30-40 mph up a mountain road in third gear. The highway up to this canyon is a 55-60mph cruise in 4th
Yikes
I have a 2019 custom built from Greg. 2332 cc engine. Standard transmission gears. 3.88/.89 rear end. Plenty of torque. When I am on the 405, I just stay the right and try not to hold anyone up. 70 is easy, and 80 comes up quick. Around town, plenty of torque in all gears. and 3rd is more than enough.
Make sure there ls not a big drop off in power between 3rd and 4th. Why is Greg now recommending 3.44 instead of 3.88??
Jim Ruiz
Westchester, CA 90045
Nice video, A spyder is much lighter than a speedster though.
The 3.44 R&P puts the stock second gear right about where you want it, and makes your 3.78 first gear into something other than a hill holder.
I've often sung the praises of this combo. I do feel it's the best, most cost-effective option for a stout over-2 liter engine in a Speedster or Spyder for general driving. But the gear spacing is the same as any Bug still. It's a wide ratio box, and that's that. If you're set on making a canyon carver and really don't care about your over 70 mph cruising rpms, it's not the best choice.
You want a 3.88 with .92 4th (or even a 1-1 4th?) and the close ratio 1-2 gear set. Or a 5-speed.
Break out the Benjamins.
Speedsters came from the factory with a few different standard gearing combinations through the years- a '54 with a 1300 (still a VW split case gearbox with 4.375 r&p?) was different from a '56 (1500) which was different from a Carrera GS (which of course was different again from a lightweight GT). And you could special order your car with any gearset you wanted if you had a special purpose in mind. That said- what was common in pretty well all of the combinations was a 4.28 or 4.43 ring and pinion with (what the VW world considers) a longer 1st (3.18 and 3.09 were usually used but there was a longer 2.75 and even a 2.54 available) and 1.76 (most common?), 1.61, 1.93 or even 2.13 2nd. In the link below the first example is standard gearing for a 1956 Speedster (taken from a sales brochure) while the 2nd is the low cost Type 1 version with the 3.44-
http://www.teammfactory.com/ca.../0/0/3600/3600/1/0/2
A custom mainshaft (1st and 2nd gear, 3 pieces) from Weddle will run somewhere over 1,000- $1100 + (last time I looked). Ed's suggestion of pairing a 3.44 r&p ($400) with stock type 1 gears is the most economical way to achieve that 'long gear' feel in 1st and 2nd. If you don't need the higher speeds the .89 4th will give then a .93 (what the Beetle came stock with the 3.88; the Karmann Ghia was able to carry the longer 4th with a 1600 because of it's more aerodynamic shape). This has the added benefit of shortening the 3-4 spacing a little, which will be more fun to drive, and you'll still be able to cruise at over 70mph comfortably.
@R Thorpe- If you're not interested in highway cruising, but still want the P 1st/2nd feel- substitute 3rd and 4th gears in the chart with 1.39/1.00, or even 1.48/1.04. A closer 3rd/4th will give your car a whole new feel
!
The problem with a 4 speed is there are always compromises. If you want it all- the solution is a Berg 5; yeah, it's expensive, but until you've driven one... Al
Thank you, great information
AL, at some point I'll be building another transmission, so I can swap it rather than take it apart. I'd rather have an axle-to-axle complete spare unit, so if I break anything I can just swap and use the car after a day of work.
I have some spare transmissions, so 1-2 is taken care of. I'll need all new bearings, another 3.44 final and a Super Diff. Then I'll need the custom Weddle 3-4 gears and sliders. Weddle now makes splined synchro hubs, so 3rd and 4th no longer need to be welded. They're more expensive than regular hubs, but about equal if you factor in the welding.
After our recent sojourn to the North Carolina mountains, I've got a good handle on what my car needs. First and second are spaced pretty well, I wish they were both slightly taller, but not into spending an extra grand on this transmission. Third and fourth are too tall, at 1.26 and 0.89. Great for highway cruising, but somewhat lacking in the mountain uphill/downhill work.
There were times when 2nd was too short and 3rd too tall. And likewise when going from 3rd to 4th. It wasn't a lack of power, just the gearing not allowing the motor to stay on it's powerband. FYI, my motor has 140 plus torque from 3000 to 6500, peaking at 147 around 3700 or so. A darn flat torque curve, one of the flattest I've ever seen.
So I'm going to forget about the TBD(torque biasing differential) as when underway in 2nd through 4th on mountain roads it's unnecessary.
I've settled on a 1.39 3rd and a 1.04 4th. This gives VERY even and closer spacing to all 4 gears, and equal percentage drops between each gear.
Thanks to AL, and to Stan. Stan was in front of me for a lot of the NC road running. He's got a stock 1-2 and a 3.44 final, plus a 1.30 3rd and a 0.93 4th. Nice gearing for sure, but I want to keep mine a little shorter.
My gearing is a compromise 4-speed for the way I intend to use the car going forward. I'm 99% sure it's my final 4-speed for this car, and is as good as 4-speed gearing can be for my purposes.
I was surprised how well it did in the mountains, but mountain work is not the bullseye of my target. It's as good as it can get for an "all-arounder" with a 2+L engine, and is 100% adequate for interstate travel. With this permutation of transaxle I didn't use my ZF LSD, and I didn't miss it a bit.
I drove Danny's car, and I'm aware of his intended use of it (as a mountain/autocross tool). What he is proposing will be nearly ideal-- good enough, in fact, that I may copy it should I carry through on Project X.
Thanks, Stan, I figured you might agree on my choices. And I agree with yours, you've got a great all-rounder setup in your car.
When is Yoda gonna chime in?