VW Trike / To fully automatic

Hi all, I’m new to any of these forums , I have a Vw trike with the intention or completely rebuilding from the ground up . but due to my disabilities I have realised that I won’t be riding a manual again, i have been told that it is possible to put a full automatic in my trike, It’s ok listening to people who don’t have a trike ‘ saying yeah no problem at all’ but I would rather get the opinions of people in the know, I’ve been told a Subaru full auto will go in with out to much persuasion, I’m no mechanic by a long way but some of my family can throw a spanner around, 😜 . Any info or just pointing in the right direction would be greatly appreciated Cheers all 👍Rob

welcome rob. i'm not much help but here in the states not many Subaru/vw units around. but a vw auto should be able to be made to work as in the 70's/80's they were popular with auto trans. maybe some members from down under can help as i have read several postings about subaru parts being used with vw.

good luck

[QUOTE=Rob Chaos;853520]Hi all, I’m new to any of these forums , I have a Vw trike with the intention or completely rebuilding from the ground up . but due to my disabilities I have realised that I won’t be riding a manual again, i have been told that it is possible to put a full automatic in my trike, It’s ok listening to people who don’t have a trike ‘ saying yeah no problem at all’ but I would rather get the opinions of people in the know, I’ve been told a Subaru full auto will go in with out to much persuasion, I’m no mechanic by a long way but some of my family can throw a spanner around, 😜 . Any info or just pointing in the right direction would be greatly appreciated Cheers all 👍Rob[/QUOTE]

The wishbones on a 4 speed are 4 inches too narrow to accept the Type 3 full automatic. You would have to cut the existing wishbones off and use 2- 1/12"x 1/4" wall tubes welded to a 1/4" steel plate supported to the rest of the tail section. You also have to create a front trany mount on torsion tube. That way, the trany is bolted to the frame and the vw engine will hang from the trany, just like the 4 speed. My company has built 100's of these and the work perfect. You will not have rubber trany mounts, but that's ok. Good Luck. KEEP-ON-TRIKEN Dick

[QUOTE=Gorilla;853522]welcome rob. i'm not much help but here in the states not many Subaru/vw units around. but a vw auto should be able to be made to work as in the 70's/80's they were popular with auto trans. maybe some members from down under can help as i have read several postings about subaru parts being used with vw.

good luck[/QUOTE]

Thanks 👍Ive been told the same thing about an auto vw box but have been advised they are rare now and also not very reliable, I have the chance of buying a complete Subaru automatic car but don’t want to commit to it incase the automatic won’t go in the trike, ive seen lots of Subaru trikes but manual . unfortunately I won’t be able to use a manual any longer ☹️ And I want to keep my trike. , I have head of all sorts of auto engines being used , even fords , I don’t mind a bit of spending to get it done but I am on a budget. Thanks for your reply, Cheers Rob 👍

[QUOTE=MR TRIKE;853524]The wishbones on a 4 speed are 4 inches too narrow to accept the Type 3 full automatic. You would have to cut the existing wishbones off and use 2- 1/12"x 1/4" wall tubes welded to a 1/4" steel plate supported to the rest of the tail section. You also have to create a front trany mount on torsion tube. That way, the trany is bolted to the frame and the vw engine will hang from the trany, just like the 4 speed. My company has built 100's of these and the work perfect. You will not have rubber trany mounts, but that's ok. Good Luck. KEEP-ON-TRIKEN Dick[/QUOTE].

Cheers Dick 👍 it sounds very expensive, 😜 like I say I’m a bit if a novice when it comes to mechanics I’m relying more on family and friends with a lot more knowledge than me , I just need some advice on what engine ie Subaru or whatever auto engine is possible, As I said though I’m on a budget . If any one out there knows of even a rough idea of cost to put an automatic engine in it would be greatly appreciated, I’m thinking that I may be off the road until next year until my budget goes way up ☹️Nice one Dick 👍

Welcome to the forum Rob. Also welcome to the world of one-off (bespoke?) fabrication that is VW trikes.

Some of your solutions may well come from the land of OZ. Here are a couple of sites to start you off:

[url]https://www.alldrivesubaroo.com.au/gearbox/subaru-reverse-drive/[/url]

[url]https://www.alldrivesubaroo.com.au/gearbox/subaru-transmission/[/url]

The first problem you will encounter is the VW is (from front to rear) transaxle -engine while the Subaru is engine-transaxle. Turn the Subaru drive train around and install it in the VW frame and you get 1 speed forward and multiple speed backwards! I'm also going to assume that your donor Subaru has a computer controlled drive train. This adds another level of complexity to the project.

None of this is insurmountable. It just adds to the learning curve. Can you post a picture of your trike frame so we can see what you are working with? That might help with future suggestions.

Hope this helps.

Automatic stick shift would probably be the quickest easiest and cheapest option?

[QUOTE=Rob Chaos;853520]Hi all, I’m new to any of these forums , I have a Vw trike with the intention or completely rebuilding from the ground up . but due to my disabilities I have realised that I won’t be riding a manual again, i have been told that it is possible to put a full automatic in my trike, It’s ok listening to people who don’t have a trike ‘ saying yeah no problem at all’ but I would rather get the opinions of people in the know, I’ve been told a Subaru full auto will go in with out to much persuasion, I’m no mechanic by a long way but some of my family can throw a spanner around, 😜 . Any info or just pointing in the right direction would be greatly appreciated Cheers all 👍Rob[/QUOTE]

wondering if the disability is your legs.... is so how about a booster to help push the clutch?

As VW never put a full auto in a type 1 (beetle, Ghia, ect)....then any conversion to a full auto will be considerable work.

The conversion to type 3 VW parts mentioned above is the most direct path there. Cut weld and fab required. It is best if you start with a type 3 rear frame section......in the same way the trike was built on a type 1 rear chassis......you would start with a full auto type 3 chassis. As said above you can fabricate from scratch the parts to modify the existing type 1 into a type 3 set up.

If you get a type 3 auto trans.....then get the axles with it.....they are not the same.....are unequal lengths. The full auto trans is fairly robust.....they are just old and will have to be rebuilt with hard to get parts.

The Subaru diff flip works well.....but I have never seen one for an automatic. Call subarugears and see if it is possible.

If you are across the pond..... then find some local folks/groups/clubs that play with VW stuff.

There very well may be other choices that are not here in the USA....... such as Audi and Skoda transmissions. They are both VAG and are heavily related cars.

So am gonna go off on a wild tangent here.

If you you have to rebuild the engine....find a trans and do weld fab work........why not just go with something else? Pick a little front wheel drive car with an automatic and hack the front off and weld fab that to your trike front.

I may soon have to stop riding my current VW trike due to Medical issue also.

So I feel your pain.

That is why I am trying to concentrate on my Chevy V6 trike now. It will be an automatic.

Back when I was building my VW trike someone mentioned to me about using both foot and hand controls.

He had shown me some type of setup that allowed both to operate. Its been a long time ago and on another forum but I think he said they did such a ting on small airplanes (I could be wrong about that)

I did not go that route but maybe you could. I did not research it much but again maybe you can.

Thanks all for replies and suggestions, much appreciated 👍 I have been searching around over the last few months and have come across a few posts and suggestions from other people saying to use the Subaru engine and automatic gearbox in my vw trike frame with a Kennedy adapter, As I’ve said I’m not the best on the spanner’s my nephew is the one doing the majority work for me . Has anyone else even heard of this being done or if even possible? As I said I can get a complete Subaru automatic car running and driving, don’t want to waste time and money if it can’t be done , I hope that makes sense to you all 😂 think I’ve read and watched far to much over the last few months and getting a bit lost now , 🤪😜Cheers all 👍

[QUOTE=Fowler;855268]

That is why I am trying to concentrate on my Chevy V6 trike now. It will be an automatic.

Back when I was building my VW trike someone mentioned to me about using both foot and hand controls.

He had shown me some type of setup that allowed both to operate. Its been a long time ago and on another forum but I think he said they did such a ting on small airplanes (I could be wrong about that)

I did not go that route but maybe you could. I did not research it much but again maybe you can.[/QUOTE]

A & J Mobility.......Wisconsin ....Maybe that will give you some ideas...:Shrug:...

I'm not sure but I think the Kennedy adapter only adapts the Suburu engine to the VW transmission. It give you a more powerful engine with reliability, but that won't solve your problem of installing an automatic.

I am not sure what parts you are trying to put together...

The Kennedy adapters are not something that makes a trans fit a different chassis.

They are engine to trans adapters...ie......put a Chevy trans on a Ford.....or a subie engine on a VW trans......ect.....they have all kinds of combinations.

But ALL of the chassis modifications will be up to you to design and build.

So then...... Heavy modifications to your type 1 chassis (cut/weld/fab) needed to fit a VW or subie trans......with the good news being others have done this mod and you might could find some guidance/advice.

One combo could be.

Modified chassis.

VW auto trans

Kennedy engine adapter

Subie engine....a smaller single overhead cam fits best.

Another combo

Modified chassis

Subie trans modified to reverse rotation.

Any of the subie engines.

This is assuming the auto subie trans can be Made to reverse rotate. I have never seen an auto done.....I have seen the standards reversed. You will have to research what can be done with the auto.

Can you post a picture of your trike frame so we can see what you are working with? That might help with future suggestions.