Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Interesting

I saw the 6 speed ratios in the earlier thread (first doesn’t look great). Do we know the 5 speed ratios or have I missed them? The Caterham site doesn’t seem to divulge any info on them.

Thanks
Gavin

jono wrote:For anyone interested in ZF, Wayne Lee is your man (based a few miles from me and probably the World's leading authority - even ZF in Germany call him for advice!):

https://www.motorsporttransmissions.com/home

Correct. All my rally car mates have had their original ZF boxes rebuilt by him. He is also the remanufacturer for new boxes (note - some parts from the new boxes are not interchangeable into the original boxes)

Interested to see the current price in an earlier post!

RobertMaulden wrote:

jono wrote:For anyone interested in ZF, Wayne Lee is your man (based a few miles from me and probably the World's leading authority - even ZF in Germany call him for advice!):

https://www.motorsporttransmissions.com/home

Correct. All my rally car mates have had their original ZF boxes rebuilt by him. He is also the remanufacturer for new boxes (note - some parts from the new boxes are not interchangeable into the original boxes)

Interested to see the current price in an earlier post!

I know Wayne personally and he's a top bloke (go the same pub).

I used his courier account to send a 2000E box and diff to the USA a few years ago, to SENC I think.

gav wrote:Interesting

I saw the 6 speed ratios in the earlier thread (first doesn’t look great). Do we know the 5 speed ratios or have I missed them? The Caterham site doesn’t seem to divulge any info on them.

Thanks
Gavin

I found this article on the Caterham box which states the below -
https://lowflying.lotus7.club/2015/2015 ... earbox.pdf

Mazda 5 speed ratios are:
1st 3.136
2nd 1.888
3rd 1.330
4th 1.000
5th 0.814

However if you look deeper these are the exact same ratios as the mk1 mx5, so don't know if they are accurate, tread with caution .etc

Ianashdown wrote:Not wanting to hijack staggmutt’s thread on the 5-speed conversion I thought I’d start a new thread.

The Ainsin AX6 transmission, used in the MX5

Do you mean the Aisin AZ6 Gearbox Ian?
Not intending to hijack your thread and trying to bring it back on course!

Cheers,
Innes

Yes, that would be the ‘donor’ unit, if Ainsin will play nicely with us. Then new bellhousing, maybe 3D printed, and new tail casting. Everything in the right place, right length etc.

At least that’s the target!

Ian

jono wrote:Has anyone considered the Caterham 6 speed? - a lovely box with great ratios.

Don’t forget that 6th gear is 1:1 so you won’t have an overdrive with no improvement for cruise, and as said, you might as well go for a Voight’s 5 speed.

(It was designed by BGH for Caterham for the relatively undertorqued 1400/1600 K Series powered Caterhams in the 1990s - a delight to use with those engines.)

englishmaninwales wrote:

jono wrote:Has anyone considered the Caterham 6 speed? - a lovely box with great ratios.

Don’t forget that 6th gear is 1:1 so you won’t have an overdrive with no improvement for cruise, and as said, you might as well go for a Voight’s 5 speed.

(It was designed by BGH for Caterham for the relatively undertorqued 1400/1600 K Series powered Caterhams in the 1990s - a delight to use with those engines.)

Ah, yes I'd forgotten the direct final ratio.

I had a 1.4SS with the 6 speed box and it was so much fun. ISTR it was designed by Mark Kinman, the gearbox guy who got arrested for making guns on the side. Using some LR parts

Indeed, a very nice combination.

I have THE 6 speed Mazda box, removed from the prototype car (Oxoblue's Sprint) which has been fully modified and re- engineered to fit the Elan. It has the Mazda modified integral bell housing and gear lever turret position, to fit exactly where the original 4 speed gear lever was positioned.
Currently it is out of the car, so if anyone needs any externally visible details or pictures, I'd only be too pleased to share.
PM for details.
Cheers,
Phil.

What is the current status of this project?

As above

l10tus wrote:As above

Did anyone contact you about photos and dimensions and is the box still out of the car?

No, seems interest has rather wained, the gearbox is still out of the car. I've been assembling the "ancillary equipment" meantime ( starter, Speedo drive/ cable, clutch, new oil seals, gearbox mount, bell housing adaptor plate, so-on) ready to install.

Seems the design was done by the Meir's, but engineered by "wiggy ??" of Spyder.

I am informed the idea, concept and knowledge of the engineering works was then either passed or sold to Spyder, via Wiggy. However, when he parted company with Spyder the project was shelved.

I did ring Spyder recently to enquire about the project, but was told by them that there was no-one at the company now who was familiar enough to progress it, and the project was 'no- more', they could not confirm ANY details.
So, as to if there were detail engineering drawings/ plans, or wether it was all in said persons head, remains unanswered.

Not sure if it's covered by any complicated ownership/copyright issues.

This information may not be accurate or indeed, correct in any details, it's just my semi-informed take on it, speaking to people involved.

If you need any details I can supply, please fire away.

Regs,
Phil.