5 spped gearlever position

[stuartgb100]

Getting close to swopping out a 4 speed box and engine for a 5 speed and new engine.

Occurs to me that the 5 speed gearlever may be in a different position, resulting in a different transmission cover unit within the cockpit.

Can anyone confirm, please?

Regards,
Stuart.

[john.p.clegg]

Stuart

Is that the Lotus five speed box or Ford?

John

[jimj]

No it`s in the same place assuming it`s Lotus or Voight.
Jim

[stuartgb100]

Thanks for the replies.
Yes, the Lotus 5 speed.

So, position the same, then ?

Regards,
Stuart.

[peterako]

Hi Stuart,

I'm 99% sure the 5 speed Lotus Gearbox lever is in the same position as the 4 speed.

I have seen poor Sierra gearbox conversions placing the lever too far back....

Peter

[CBUEB1771]

I'm 99% sure the 5 speed Lotus Gearbox lever is in the same position as the 4 speed.

The Service Parts List does not indicate any changes to the center console between the late +2S and the S130 so any differences in gear lever location between the Lotus four and five speeds must be quite small. The gearbox mounting bracket locations are different. Current replacement chassis have two sets of weld nuts to accomodate both. I think there may be a service bulletin in the archives here that details the location of the five speed bracket attachment points.

[NickD]

The 5-speed lever is in a slightly different position - about 1.5" further back.

The factory bulletin detailing the conversion lists the parts required and these include a new tunnel top for both the Elan & +2 (although part of the reason for this may be to replace the round Elan gear lever gaiter with the rectangular +2 one).

See http://www.lotuselan.net/publish/lpb_fi ... conv.shtml

I modified the gearlever when I converted my elan, to an arrangement similar to the 4-speed lever except that the lever is attached to the front (rather than the rear) of the tube containing the rubber bush at the base of the lever. This mod was sufficient to fit within the existing tunnel top and round gaiter.

[NickD]

The 5-speed lever is in a slightly different position - about 1.5" further back.

The factory bulletin detailing the conversion lists the parts required and these include a new tunnel top for both the Elan & +2 (although part of the reason for this may be to replace the round Elan gear lever gaiter with the rectangular +2 one).

See http://www.lotuselan.net/publish/lpb_fi ... conv.shtml

I modified the gearlever when I converted my elan, to an arrangement similar to the 4-speed lever except that the lever is attached to the front (rather than the rear) of the tube containing the rubber bush at the base of the lever. This mod was sufficient to fit within the existing tunnel top and round gaiter.

[john.p.clegg]

Stuart

While you're playing with the 5-speed box could you measure the input shaft diameter and count the number of splines for me?

Thanks
John

[CBUEB1771]

The 5-speed lever is in a slightly different position - about 1.5" further back.

The factory bulletin detailing the conversion lists the parts required and these include a new tunnel top for both the Elan & +2 (although part of the reason for this may be to replace the round Elan gear lever gaiter with the rectangular +2 one.

Thanks for retrieving this Parts Bulletin. It is interesting that my 1976 edition of the Elan +2 Service Parts List covers the five speed box but not the "z" revision of the tunnel top cover. I am sure many here have seen the excellent article by Victor Hollnagel of the Danish club regarding modification and installation of a Lotus five speed box in his Elan. This article is posted at the Golden Gate Lotus Club web site:
http://www.gglotus.org/ggtech/elan-5spd/elan-5spd.htm
Clearly the five speed box gear lever is further back than the four speed version. I would guess the difference to be closer to three quarters of an inch from the photos in the Hollnagel article. The Hollnagel mods to the shift lever sound essentially the same as yours. With this modification is a new tunnel top cover still needed? It looks as though this mod puts the gear lever right back in the four speed location.

[stuartgb100]

Thanks to all for the help and interest - much appreciated !

Interesting to note that Lotus advocated a little pipe bending to make the original manifolds fit - hadn't considered that problem (and hadn't budgeted for new manifolds either).

Clive asked a couple of questions :

Best I can see, the input spigot is 15mm dia, and the driven plate (easier to count) comes to 25 splines.

Regards,
Stuart.

[john.p.clegg]

Stuart
Sorry meant the splined shaft not the spigot,could you confirm 1 1/16" od 15/16" id..

Sorry

John

[stuartgb100]

John,

Sorry. My mistake.

Taking measurements is a little tricky with the bellhousing in place, but I have a spare box tucked away (sans 'housing).

Can it wait until the weekend ?

Regards,
Stuart.

[john.p.clegg]

Sorry for the delay...been away...yes,no problem it's just that I measured my input shaft but another poster disagreed....just to double double check..

John

[stuartgb100]

John,

You have a pm !

Regards,
Stuart.