George,

If you have a van with all the parts to convert to std. then all you are
looking at is time.  If you've never pulled a dash and or brake booster and
pedal assembly it'll probably take you atleast two 8hr days to convert your
auto.  But, you still have to yank all the stuff out of the parts car.  If
all the parts are ready to go and we  start early, we can convert from
automatic to 4or 5-speed in about a long 10hr day.  It's not hard, or really
technical, just alot of steps.  Unless you were gonna change to a 5-speed, I
wouldn't bother do it.  We do many auto to 5-speed swaps, people love them
but I'll be honest...very$$$$$$.   I'd sell the parts car or part it out for
cash...then go to a junk yard and for $275.00 or so you can buy a golf/jetta
automatic from '85-'92 and just swap over your vanagon differential.  You'd
need a few gaskets, but as far as time and expense you'd be so far ahead of
the game with under 5hrs. labor total and that includes R&R on your tranny.
Besides, the golf/jetta valve body will be an upgrade anyway.  You'd
definitely e-mail me back singin' the praises of smoother shifting with
better shift points.  If anybody is interested, pmail me and I can go over
all the steps in depth to do either of the conversions.  Oh, bye the
way...you couldn't pay me enough anymore to go from 4-speed to automatic
we've done many and I'd rather pick gum off of the bottom of my
shoe---Thanks Jon
----- Original Message -----
From: "George Goff" <THX0001@AOL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2003 7:41 AM
Subject: Re: Automatic to manual conversion...

> In a message dated 4/18/03 2:02:30 PM, okartguy@HOTMAIL.COM writes:
>
> << any ideas would help >>
>
> JJ, my man, if I were in your shoes I would not even ponder the situation;
I
> would buy the '86, swap the transmissions and never look back.
>
> George