If 1st gear's the only problem, just start off in second . . . it'll help if you always park heading downhill, but a type 1 in a late bus WILL start from a dead standstill on level ground in second gear. The clutch won't like it, but it'll work . . . for a while.
I know it'll take off in second 'cause Homer used to hang up in 4th. It happened once at the red light on Cloud Springs waiting to get on the on-ramp to I-75 north. That was FUN, but Homer did climb the on ramp and drive to Ooltewah to meet up with the rest of the club to drive over to the Taccoa show. We had planned on driving to Taccoa via Murphy, NC . . . too many stops and starts that way so I told everyone I was going the Interstate and I'd meet 'em there. Then, I merged onto I-75 south at Ooltewah . . . That was REALLY REALLY FUN. Oh, yeah, it'll pull a mountain in 4th gear too. That was the LAST thing that engine ever did, but it got me over the mountain. Well actually, the last thing the engine did was break the head off the #1 exhaust valve and drop in the combustion chamber at about 70 going down the back side of the mountain. Good thing the show was at the bottom of the mountain. I coasted all the way there, pulled over on the side of the road and waited 2 hours for the rest of the club to get there. Building an engine from a swap meet with borrowed money and borrowed tools in a dirt horse arena so you can get back home is REALLY FUN too. Sooooo . . . what I'm trying to say is all you MUST have is 4th, but 2nd and 3rd do come in handy. 1st? Take it or leave it.
