Volkswagen: 73 ghia autostick or electric clutch, electric clutch, vw beetles

Question
I am looking to buy this ghia, it hasn't run in probally 20 years, body looks great, it has been sitting in a barn for the last 20 years, owner saids he had the engine running 7 years ago, but couldn't get the transmission to ingage.  I am familar with Vws, but not with this set up, it appears to have a regular looking stick shift, but a automatic type pedel cluster.  the owner tells me that the ghia has an electric clutch, I have never heard of that, he said that when you let off the gas, the clutch ingages. He said VW only made this set up for a couple years, and the VW mechanic told him that this set up is no good, and that it should be replaced with a manual set up.  what to do. First I need to know what I have autostick or electric clutch, and is it expensive to fix, mark

Answer
Hey Mark,

You have an Autostick, if it is stock VW.  This is an extremely valuable component and was made from 68-75 on VW Beetles, and all 68 on Ghias.

It works pretty simple:

1) You push the gear selector forward into 1st gear.  The switch on the gearshift actuates a control valve in the engine compartment.

2) All this little valve does is let air escape from a vacuum canister in the engine compartment to a servo by the clutch.  The servo literally 'sucks' the clutch lever back with vacuum, so you don't have to do it with your foot.

3) The car has a torque converter in it so when you are sitting at a traffic light, you can leave the car in 1st gear while its running and take off when the light turns green.

4) When you get to about 40 MPH, you simply pull the lever down to 2nd gear (the vacuum clutch does the same thing, so you don't need your foot) and away you go.

Again, it's not a complicated system.  Most likely there is a bad contact to that valve I was telling you about, or a leaking vacuum hose that is preventing the servo from 'sucking' in the clutch lever.

If you buy it, don't convert it. It's a pain to switch over, you are better off buying a manual if you want a stick shift.

Either way, best of luck with your decision!

Ron