Yes Saintman, The Daff 44 variomatic worked with two rubber belts, which put a lot of people off, although I never actually knew anyone who had to replace the belts, mind you in fairness I never actually knew many people with a Daff 44. It was a simple automatic system the gear shift that went back for the car going forward and forward for reversing back and a neutral position which you only ever used if the car was being worked on, the the gear was always in gear. Basicly CVT transmissions were based on a similar system.
It was not so easy to get small automatics back in the 70s and especially second hand ones. I liked the Daff 44, in fact I had two of them. Apparently they had the peculiar ability to go just as fast backwards as they did going forward, although not being a stunt driver I never actually put it to the test.
The other piece of useless information is that the person who designed the 44 also designed the Triumph Dolomite.
I later had to move away from them as although I could get car insurance for a Daff 66 (basically a 44 with a nose job and a bigger engine) I could not get car insurance for the Volvo 66 which was basically the same car with a Volvo badge and heavier bumpers. Although the 44’s were relatively cheep to buy new or second hand, once Volvo took them over and re-badged them, the cost of servicing/repairs and parts were all priced at Volvo prices.