Whenever you get into a clasisic Volksie van, always change gear. Not the van's gear, your gear. Slow down and relax: never be in too much of a hurry. Never. Ever. It's part of the reason driving a T2 makes you smile. You can't hurry. This beast will never win a race. Just accept it and relax. People will wait for you. After bringing this to mind every time you start him up, there are also some practical things to remember with a T2 van and its gearbox.
Firstly, it's a long way from the gear stick back to the gear box. This means that there is a lot of slack in the system. Finding a gear can be an act of faith. We upgraded our linkage, so for a T2, it is nice and crisp.
Secondly, there are a few specific tips that are very useful for a modern driver to remember in a classic VW.
Going into first gear is for when you are stationary (or at least rolling very slowly).
Reverse is reached by pushing the gear knob down hard, moving it left from neutral, and then gently pulling backwards toward the middle. It's almost like drawing a back to front "7" in the air. This is true for our van at least. It will go into gear going straight back, but you will get less synchromesh grind if you pull the stick gently toward yourself as you go into gear.
You never know for sure if you've reached your goal until you lift the clutch pedal.
Practice makes perfect. This old technology is robust and forgiving.
Lastly, there are only four gears, and the engine has less power than a modern car. You will probably have to 'over rev' compared to what you are used to.
Like so many things in a classic VW van, the lessons above can be applied to life in general, but that's probably best dealt with in another post.
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