Core Hunting

[Clatter]

My foray into transaxle building is beginning..

One thing i know from other projects, is that having good OEM core parts can be a lifesaver.

My Beetle has had several transaxles through the years,
And one thing i do know about them,
Is that the 3:88 is the right setup for my street use.
The way a 4:12 trans has you rowing through three gears before you're even through an intersection sells me all by itself.
A light Beetle with a big motor can easily pull the taller gears.

Plus,
My car being IRS, and any potential other cars i might get as well,
Not to even mention how the later boxes are stronger,
Makes the later transaxles the right ones.

This focuses my hunt on the SSCs, both regular AT, and shift-rib last transaxles.
Problem is, me and everyone else...

Notice how much more the rebuilders are getting now for the later transaxles?
This is also spilling over to the junk market;
Tweekers on Craigslist are trying to get $300-500 for untestable cores.
Late Beetles (when they do still show up) at the Pick-N-Pull yards have the transaxles gone within one or two days.

So,
This brings me to my question.. (finally )
Are the earlier transaxles good for parts for a guy who is into later IRS transaxles stuff?

Obviously, if you see an IRS bus transaxle, of any kind, for a decant price (like $300-400 or so) get it.

But what about all of these swing-axles i see for $50?
Are these worth getting and stripping down for parts?

Mind you, taking off to go drive across town,
Haul it home, clean it up, and strip it down,
Increases the cost quite a bit, even if the price is low.

Are these earlier boxes great sources for more gently-used nice re-usable OEM parts,
Or incompatible light-duty doesn't-fit junk?


Let me know your thoughts.
There are a half-dozen cheap swing boxes,, within 20 miles for sale,
but i think I'm being baited..

[Casting Timmy]

6v - good chance of getting the 1.32 third
bus with gear reduction - some have a 1.22 third
Both above can have keyed 4th gears. Sometimes these years have the metal caged bearings, but I like the single spaced better than the double spaced factory stle. Swing axle diff shims are something else you can save as well as some minor hardware. I get them if they're super cheap like $20 or so, but now would probably buy just the gear I need instead of breaking it down.

Early IRS can have a good 1-2 slider, but that's getting harder. 1st and 2nd idler, maybe good cones pressed on the gears. Keep the shims. Some have fine tooth 3-4, which is good I think for low powered vehicles as they're more efficient. Also have the 113 3-4 shift rail for converting late boxes.

SSC, this is usually what I go for. Better diff gears, better main shaft, usually 3-4 slider is better. Nose cone is beat in and gear carrier is probably loose for the bearing and shift rail for 3-4


Zig Zag Case, I am lucking into these more lately, later years have double ring side cover and the case is a little stronger than the SSC. I throw away those trans mounts with these and they are so flexy.