Dating a Classis VW gearbox
No letter prefix — pre-1967
Early gearboxes do not have the later letter-prefix identification system, so determining their exact original application can be difficult.
Two-letter prefix + serial number — 1967 to August 1972
Gearboxes from this period use a two-letter gearbox code followed by a serial number. The letter code identifies the gearbox type, but the serial number is not a manufacture date.
Date-coded gearboxes — August 1972 onwards
From August 1972, VW used this date-code system on Type 1 and Type 2 gearboxes, and it continued on the later T25/T3 gearboxes. The numbers following the gearbox code indicate the production date: the first two digits are the day, the next two the month, and the final digit the year within the decade.
Type 1 and Type 2 example
AS 15053
15 = day
05 = month
3 = 1973
T25 example
ABH 17107
17 = day
10 = month
7 = 1987
Reference note: Specifications are intended as an identification guide. Many VW gearboxes are now decades old and may have been rebuilt or modified, so internal ratios should be verified where critical.
Type Code Application Gears 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Final drive Notes
Type 1 AA 1200 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.89 — 4.375 From chassis 0 981 810
Type 1 AB 1300 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.89 — 4.375 Up to 8/70
Type 1 AC 1500 / some 1300 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.89 — 4.125 Also some 1300 from 8/70
Type 1 AD 1200 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.89 — 4.375 LSD
Type 1 AE 1300 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.89 — 4.375 LSD
Type 1 AF 1500 / some 1300 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.89 — 4.125 LSD; up to 8/70 / some 1300 from 8/70
Type 1 AG 1200 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.89 — 4.375 Type 147 Fridolin
Type 1 AH 1500 / 1600 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.89 — 4.125 IRS; 1500 from 8/68, 1600 8/69–8/72
Type 1 AK 1500 / 1600 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.89 — 3.875 Type 181
Type 1 AL 1500 / 1600 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.89 — 3.875 Type 181 with LSD
Type 1 AM 1300 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.89 — 4.375 Saloon/Cabriolet from 8/70
Type 1 AN 1600 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.89 — 3.875 Karmann Ghia IRS from 8/70
Type 1 AO 1600 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.89 — 4.125 Karmann Ghia from 8/70
Type 1 AP 1300 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.89 — 4.375 LSD from 8/70
Type 1 AQ 1600 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.89 — 4.125 LSD 8/70–8/72
Type 1 AR 1600 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.89 — 3.875 Karmann Ghia with LSD from 8/70
Type 1 AS 1600 4 3.78 2.06 1.26 0.93 — 3.875 Type 1 from 8/72
Type 1 AT 1600 4 3.78 2.06 1.26 0.93 — 3.875 1303S/Cabriolet from 8/72
Type 1 AU 1600 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.89 — 3.875 1303S/Cabriolet with LSD
Type 1 BA 1300 / 1500 3 2.06 1.26 0.89 — — 4.375 Semi-auto 8/68–8/70
Type 1 BC 1300 / 1500 3 2.06 1.26 0.89 — — 4.375 Semi-auto 8/68–8/70 with LSD
Type 1 BE 1600 3 2.06 1.26 0.89 — — 4.125 Semi-auto 8/70–8/71
Type 1 BF 1600 3 2.06 1.26 0.89 — — 4.125 Semi-auto 8/70–8/71 with LSD
Type 1 BG 1300 3 2.06 1.26 0.89 / 0.93 — — 4.125 Karmann Ghia semi-auto from 8/70; 3rd 0.89 before 08/72, 0.93 from 08/72
Type 1 BH 1300 3 2.06 1.26 0.89 / 0.93 — — 4.125 Karmann Ghia semi-auto with LSD; 3rd 0.89 before 08/72, 0.93 from 08/72
Type 1 BJ 1300 3 2.06 1.26 0.89 / 0.93 — — 4.375 Semi-auto from 8/70; 3rd 0.89 before 08/72, 0.93 from 08/72
Type 1 BK 1300 3 2.06 1.26 0.89 / 0.93 — — 4.375 Semi-auto with LSD; 3rd 0.89 before 08/72, 0.93 from 08/72
Type 2 CA / CC 1600 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.82 — 5.375 1968–71
Type 2 CB / CD 1600 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.82 — 5.857 1968–71; mountain ratio
Type 2 CE 1600 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.82 — 5.428 1972–75
Type 2 CF / CH 1600 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.82 — 5.857 1972–75; mountain ratio
Type 2 CG / CK / CL 1600 / 1700 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.82 — 5.375 1972–75
Type 2 CM / CN 1800 4 3.80 2.06 1.26 0.89 — 4.857 1974–75
Type 2 CP / CT 2000 4 3.78 2.06 1.26 0.88 — 4.571 1976–79; 091
Type 2 CU / CV 1600 4 3.78 2.06 1.26 0.82 — 5.428 1976–79; 091
Type 2 CW / CX 1600 4 3.78 2.06 1.26 0.82 — 5.857 1976–79; mountain ratio
T25 / T3 DH 1.6 Diesel 4 3.78 2.06 1.23 0.82 — 5.43 To 31/7/82
T25 / T3 DK 2.0 Petrol 4 3.78 2.06 1.23 0.85 — 4.57 To 31/7/82
T25 / T3 DM 1.6 Diesel 4 3.78 2.06 1.26 0.85 — 5.43 To 31/7/82
T25 / T3 DS 1.6 Diesel 4 3.78 2.06 1.26 0.85 — 5.43 Early T3
T25 / T3 DT Petrol 44 kW 4 3.78 2.06 1.26 0.85 — 4.57 To 7/84
T25 / T3 ABB Petrol 44 kW 4 3.78 2.06 1.23 0.85 — 4.57 From 8/84
T25 / T3 ABD Petrol 57 kW 4 3.78 2.06 1.23 0.85 — 4.83 From 8/84
T25 / T3 AAP Petrol 70/82 kW 5 4.11 2.33 1.48 1.02 0.82 4.57 5-speed
T25 / T3 AAR Petrol 82 kW 5 4.11 2.33 1.48 1.02 0.82 4.57 5-speed; 40% limited-slip diff
T25 / T3 AAS 1.6 TD 5 4.11 2.33 1.48 1.02 0.82 4.83 5-speed; 40% limited-slip diff
T3 Syncro 6P 1.9 / 2.1 WBX 4+G 3.78 2.06 1.225 0.85 — 5.43 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling
T3 Syncro 6PA 1.9 / 2.1 WBX 4+G 3.78 2.06 1.225 0.85 — 5.43 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling; diff lock
T3 Syncro 6Z 1.9 / 2.1 WBX 4+G 3.78 2.06 1.225 0.85 — 5.43 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling
T3 Syncro 6ZA 1.9 / 2.1 WBX 4+G 3.78 2.06 1.225 0.85 — 5.43 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling; diff lock
T3 Syncro AAK 1.9 / 2.1 WBX 4+G 3.78 2.06 1.225 0.85 — 4.86 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling
T3 Syncro AAL 1.9 / 2.1 WBX 4+G 3.78 2.06 1.225 — — 4.86 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling
T3 Syncro AAN 1.9 / 2.1 WBX 4+G 3.78 2.06 1.225 0.85 — 4.86 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling; diff lock
T3 Syncro AGZ 1.6 TD 4+G 3.78 2.06 1.225 0.78 — 5.43 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling
T3 Syncro AHA 1.6 TD 4+G 3.78 2.06 1.225 0.78 — 5.83 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling; diff lock
T3 Syncro AHF 1.6 TD 4+G 3.78 2.06 1.225 0.78 — 5.43 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling; diff lock
T3 Syncro AKE 2.1 WBX 4+G 3.78 2.06 1.225 0.85 — 4.57 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling
T3 Syncro AKG 2.1 WBX 4+G 3.78 2.06 1.225 0.85 — 4.57 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling; diff lock
T3 Syncro AKK 1.6 TD 4+G 3.78 2.06 1.225 0.78 — 5.83 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling
T3 Syncro ALE 2.1 WBX 4+G 3.78 2.06 1.225 0.85 — 5.83 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling; diff lock
T3 Syncro ALK 2.1 WBX 4+G 3.78 2.06 1.225 0.85 — 5.43 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling; diff lock
T3 Syncro AND 1.6 TD 4+G 3.78 2.06 1.225 0.85 — 6.16 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling; diff lock
T3 Syncro AVF 1.6 TD 4+G 3.78 1.88 1.225 0.78 — 5.83 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling
T3 Syncro AVH 1.9 / 2.1 WBX 4+G 3.78 1.88 1.225 0.85 — 5.43 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling
T3 Syncro AVJ 1.6 TD 4+G 3.78 1.88 1.225 0.78 — 5.43 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling; diff lock
T3 Syncro AVK 1.6 TD 4+G 3.78 1.88 1.225 0.78 — 5.43 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling; diff lock
T3 Syncro AVL 1.9 / 2.1 WBX 4+G 3.78 1.88 1.225 0.85 — 5.43 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling; diff lock
T3 Syncro AVM 1.9 / 2.1 WBX 4+G 3.78 1.88 1.225 0.78 — 5.83 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling; diff lock
T3 Syncro AVN 1.9 / 2.1 WBX 4+G 3.78 1.88 1.225 0.85 — 4.86 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling; diff lock
T3 Syncro AVR 2.1 WBX 4+G 3.78 1.88 1.225 0.85 — 5.43 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling; diff lock
T3 Syncro AVS 1.6 TD 4+G 3.78 1.88 1.225 0.78 — 5.83 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling; diff lock
T3 Syncro AVU 1.6 TD 4+G 3.78 1.88 1.225 0.85 — 6.16 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling; diff lock
T3 Syncro AVV 1.9 / 2.1 WBX 4+G 3.78 1.88 1.225 0.85 — 4.86 Syncro; G 6.03; viscous coupling