Finally got my rear-end in gear

[aircooledtechguy]

So I spent this morning with my cutting wheel, grinder and other implements of destruction getting the Porsche 912E (923) trans mocked-up on the IRS rear assembly. I went ahead and mocked everything up so that I could ensure it all fits and so far, it does.




Mods include:

- Porsche 912E trans using the stock mount w/ 914 CV output flanges.
- Porsche 914 rear brakes using modified T-3 hub flanges.
- Stock VW axles w/ Porsche 914 inner CVs.
- Trimmed and shaved upper bump-stops (to allow for wider tires).

Future mods include:

- Adjustable spring plates (in my possession)
- Urethane bushings (in my possession)
- 3/4" rear sway bar (still gotta get one)
- Koni rear shocks (in my possession)
- Much wider rear wheels and tires (7"wide wheels w/ 205 or 215 series tires

I'm still mulling over the possibility of slightly narrowing the rear-end track so I can stuff wider tires in the back w/o having to resort to custom wheels at www.stocktonwheel.com. Everything fits so nice as it is, I almost hate to make a change,. . .ALMOST

[supaninja]

Looking good dude. How are you going to address the shift linkage issues?

[aircooledtechguy]

Looking good dude. How are you going to address the shift linkage issues?

Four little words: I have a welder!!

Seriously though, I have modified a shifter for 5th and reverse. The type-3s have a nice little panel under the shift coupler that I think was made for this conversion so no cutting will be required on the body. I'm going to attach it like folks do in a bug when going to a bus trans. The front is a little unclear at this point. I could further modify the Porsche shifter to use the stock bug shift rod, but I would loose some adjust-ability that I gain with the Porsche shifter so I think I'm going to have to move the shift hanger back toward the rear use the Porsche shifter that I've modified. It should prove interesting, but not too bad.

[Piledriver]

The bottom access panel on a T3 does look made for the swap.

I keep thinking about using a 914 trans (diff flipped) in mine, but I have yet to take a ruler to the mounting ears to see if they would clear the inner IRS pivots, and if not, if a simple shave could make it happen. I'd have to use a cable shifter, but the "hard" bits are common enough in junkyards.

I so want a 5 speed again... The gear spacing on the stock T3 trans is just a tiny bit too wide for the engine to really sing like it wants.

For better or worse I have too many projects to probably get to it this year or next.