European transmision gearing

[scirocco16v_1986@yahoo.com (Jeffrey Lowe)]

--- Ewan Hopkins <ewanhopkins@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Are you sure you were doing that speed? That's just
> short of 100MPH. 

Most definitely sure of the speed, because I
remembered getting passed at that speed like I was
standing still and saying to the guy with me "Holy
crap, I'm doing almost 100mph and these people are
blowing by me". You have to remember I was driving on
the Autostrade, that's Italy's version of the
Autobahn. Now what I'm not 100% sure of was my tach
reading, I say around 3200, could have been higher, I
just remember being impressed with the lack of
transmission whine that I have with my AGB tranny. 
Another note of importance on this is that I did most
of my driving the first day in 4th gear! This is
because the gear shift knob had R,1, 2, 3, 4, & E, I
didn't know what the hell "E" was and avoided it. I
wasn't about to throw it into "E" at 140+KM and hope
nothing catastrophic happened. Of course after finding
out that "E" was essentially our "OD/5th" I used it
and had the smooth sailing 160's I mentioned.

And once again, if the Golf Memphis only has a 40KW
engine in it then I'm extremely impressed with the
performance now. Just proves everything about the
European versions of our cars, from engines to
tranny's is so much better!

Also on the speed thing, I don't understand what would
be so impressive about driving at 100mph? I regularly
drove 140-150km in a Nissan 4x4 4 banger with MT tires
mind you, in Japan on the Japanese Expressway, never
felt like I was overdoing it, just keeping up with
traffic. Of course the speed limit was 80km, but
nobody did that.

Later...



> >Original message< <
> >From: Jeffrey Lowe <scirocco16v_1986@yahoo.com>
> >To: Dirk Schneider <Scirocco@t-online.de>, 
> scirocco-L 
> ><scirocco-L@scirocco.org>
> >Subject: European transmission gearing
> >
> >This could probably be answered by Dirk.
> >
> >When I was in Italy in 2000 I rented an 87 Golf
> >Memphis that hauled serious ass on the Autostrade.
> It
> >was a five speed with an 8v engine, but this thing
> was
> >really impressive. I effortlessly traveled at 160KM
> >with no engine/transmission whine, and plenty of
> balls
> >to spare. I do believe I was in the 3200 RPM range
> >while doing those speeds.
> >
> >My question is what transmissions where offered in
> the
> >87 Golf Memphis? And can I get one of these to work
> in
> >my 86 16V (AGB for now)? I'm sure it would cost a
> >fortune to have a tranny shipped from Europe, but
> >maybe I could just match all the gear ratios and
> build
> >a tranny that would be essentially the same.
> >
> >My current AGB tranny is getting on my nerves, it's
> >gearing just sucks for American highways. Driving
> at
> >75MPH(120KM) my tach sits around 3600+RPM and
> sounds
> >like its going to self destruct from whine. Long
> >trips, 1 hour or more, are not comfortable at all.
> >
> >And before everybody starts chiming in about
> swapping
> >out my 5th gear with a .80 or something, I like the
> >feel of the whole range of gears on that Golf, so
> I'd
> >prefer matching that if possible.
> >
> >Thanks...
> >
> >=====
> >Jeff Lowe
> >Garland, Texas
> >'59 Euro Spec Beetle (Waiting it's turn for resto)
> >'64 Type-34 Karmann Ghia (Got parts?)
> >'86 Scirocco 16V
> >'98 Ford Explorer XLT 4X4

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