6 speed gearbox for the Elan

[Mazzini]

Anthony, if you have a read through some of the stuff already on here you will probably get the impression that the 5-speed "Lotus" box fitted to the +2 can be something of a swine to change gear with. As Alex and many others have found, this is not always the case; I don't know why this should be. The guts of the box came from the Austin Maxi, that had a cable-change mechanism!
Fitting a 3.55, or 3.54 diff is certainly worthwhile and relatively easy.

My modern car has six gears, I'm always trying to stuff the Elan into fifth or sixth from fourth!

I couldn't agree more. I and I suspect many of my fellow Elan owners, even after decades of ownership, still reach for a non existent fifth gear.

Alex Black through his long and distinguished engineering background has been able to come up with a very elegant solution. I would have liked to have gone down the same path, but I don't have the time or anywhere near the engineering skills, so I opted for one of Alan Voigt's five speed boxes, it has a GBH Geartech set of ratios with the 2.66/1 on first, which is very close to the original close ratio gear set.

And how is it????

I don't know as the car is still in bits, but hopefully by early next summer I'll be able to draw a conclusion. A gentleman call Bob (a member of this forum) had a Voigt box fitted a few years ago and he spoke of it so highly I thought I just had to get one.

All the best,

[AnthonyBelcher]

Hi there

I am on holiday at the moment soaking up some sun so have plenty of time and have just finished reading Alex's 21 pages of posts and I have to agree that as an accountant I have nowhere near his mechanical skills. So a ready made solution is for me too. I found Alan Voigt's five speed box on the internet and wondered if it was any good as his website says little.

I have only had my Elan for three weeks and I think I need to get to know it a little better before leaping into changes. I tend not to use motorways now I am retired as I have more time to get to places. So I don't know if a 5 speed would warrant the cost. especially as I bought the car before asking or telling my wife.

Good luck with yours and I certainly look forward to how things go next summer
Regards
Anthony

[bcmc33]

I couldn't agree more. I, and I suspect many of my fellow Elan owners, even after decades of ownership still reach for a non existent fifth gear.

That's where I came in after 30 years being Elanless and used to company cars. When I re-entered the Elan world I was always looking for 5th.
Now with the Lotus 5 speed in situ, its good to go up to 5th when in traffic going at 50 mph (2000rpm). I've only travelled a couple of times on the motorway - too easy to top 100mph when the Twink is singing to you.
When deciding which 5 speed to use, my heart ruled my head as the Lotus box has good affinity to my car - being the same age. My head said Type 9 with modified 1st gear.

[foggy]

I was just checking up on my other hobby car, and found these lads in UK have something quite close to what you'd like.

http://www.alfaholics.com/2012/10/alfah ... version-3/

[fastcat7]

Hi,
Reading this old thread has anybody ever produced a successful 6 speed box conversion for the Elan or is the Caterham 6 speed an option?

Thanks in advance

Fastcat7

[trw99]

Ken and Neil Myers have a development 6 speed box. I'm not sure where they are with it but it's certainly been in train (like that pun?!) for over a year now.

Tim

[englishmaninwales]

Hi,
Reading this old thread has anybody ever produced a successful 6 speed box conversion for the Elan or is the Caterham 6 speed an option?

Thanks in advance

Fastcat7

Vicki
I don't think the Caterham box is really going to help you at all. Caterham designed the 6 speeder to fix the 1.4/1.6 Supersport K series' significant lack of torque and only developing any useful torque and power in the range 6-7.5 k rpm. It has a very close gearset and a 6th gear ratio of 1:1. The gearbox dimensions are exactly the same as the Ford Type 9 and interchangeable with it in the Caterham 7 (without modification to gearbox, chassis, bellhousing (Caterham's own), clutch, flywheel and spigot bearing). They also coupled it to a slightly longer diff ratio of 3.5 or 3.7, compared to the standard 3.9.

I think there is nothing to gain fitting this gearbox, notwithstanding the fact that it won't fit the Elan without extensive modifications.

I have no experience of Voight's modified Type 9, other than having a long telephone conversation with them, but it might be a better consideration. IMO it would be best if fitted with a BGH long first (2.66) semi close gear set, with an over drive 5th 0.84. It is an expensive option (2k plus cost of gearset). They claim no chassis modification needed, but there is a thread on here about this gearbox, claiming this is not correct and that there is a casting error in the Voight's modified tail housing. Do a search.
Cheers
Malcolm

[elansprint71]

Hi,
Reading this old thread has anybody ever produced a successful 6 speed box conversion for the Elan or is the Caterham 6 speed an option?

Thanks in advance

Fastcat7

No and no, unfortunately.

[JHE007]

Hi,

I wrote to Spyder Cars about the 6 speed gearbox conversion and here's response:

Hi John,

Yes we are almost ready with the six speed to go into production we have not advertised this
as we only want orders we can complete in a reasonable time frame unlike many companies.

We are offering the gearbox conversion as a supply and fit only form the outset, this may change when we have
completed a number over the first 12 months or so.

I will get this conversion on the website when we are ready to sell, I estimate we will be ready to take order in about 4 weeks before we have the first customers cars in to fit.
We are taking deposits now for the conversion.

If I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate in contacting me.

Sean Reeve
Managing Director

John

[Sea Ranch]

Definitely exciting! Four weeks from when?

[Spyder fan]

Definitely exciting! Four weeks from when?

Pretty much four weeks from now.

I'm going to Spyder next week and can report back on progress.

[Sea Ranch]

Thanks, Allan.

[Spyder fan]

The first Spyder 6 speed conversion will occur in 3 weeks time, and will be to their S4 demonstrator fitted with a standard Twincam engine and of course a Spyder Spaceframe chassis. Prospective customers can try the demonstrator soon after this and orders will be taken, there's no waiting list at the moment and the first customer conversion could happen within a month of the demonstrator being ready, or sooner if you don't want to wait for the demonstrator to try before you buy.

Kits for self installation won't be happening this year, but may well happen next year.

[Sea Ranch]

And the make/type/style of gearbox? Are we talking specialty sequential shift box, or modern production car part or?

[Spyder fan]

And the make/type/style of gearbox? Are we talking specialty sequential shift box, or modern production car part or?

Discussed here http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/elan-mods-f31/speed-gearbox-now-available-from-spyder-t33557.html