Gearbox casing differences

[tonyabacus]

My Elan S4 has reverse lights fitted but no switch on the gearbox, despite a lot of looking with mirrors and fingertips there does not appear to be a casting drilling for the switch, so my questions are,

1. Did all Elan gearboxes have a drilling for a reverse light switch switch
2. Were the drillings always in the same place, or were some gearboxes cast with a drilling on the side rather than the top
3. I remember somewhere on this forum a member saying their gearbox in an early Elan did not have a reverse switch facility
4. Is there any casting ID's to try and verify which casing is fitted
5. The switch I think is 28 x UNF thread size and not UNC, if so is this the same switch fitted to other British cars as I think some Land Rover models used the same switch, which are half the price of the Lotus part despite being the same switch

Thanks
Tony

[tonyabacus]

By coincidence another member S2Jay has poster some excellent photographs of a gearbox under the heading "S2 Gearbox Paint Colours".
The pictures show very clearly the top of the box which does not appear to have provision for a reverse light switch, however if others can verify my original posting I would be grateful.

It seems the gearbox fitted to my car may be earlier than the car itself which is 1970, although I would like to know when reversing lights became standard
Tony

[smo17003]

Photos in this topic show switch location viewtopic.php?t=23779&p=149017

I'm sure you are correct in saying the Land Rover switch is the same. Mine is a generic Ebay one, I'm sure it was advertised as LR.

All (UK) S4's should have reverse lamps in their rear lamps I believe.

[davidj]

My 1970 +2 has reversing lights but no switch on the g/b. However, I think it may have been changed by a po.

My 1966 S3 has no reversing lights or switch, so I guess the change came between 1966 and 1970. About '67/68 with the introduction of the S4?

I bought a reversing switch for my +2 before I discovered there was no hole in the g/b to fit it. However, a useful tip is to use it for an electric windscreen pump. My S3 had mechanical bellows in an aluminium canister attached to the rear of the light switch which had long ago given up functioning and I discovered the reversing light switch screws in as a direct replacement!

[Craven]

FWIW
No switch on green gearbox, never seen a grey one.
If anyone is thinking of adding the reverse switch, drill case, the end of reverse selector rod needs modifying as bottom one in pic.

[RichardHawkins]

Tony,

My car is an early 1968 S4, it has the S3 windscreen vent, radiator, and has a reverse switch in the gearbox.

Richard Hawkins

[tonyabacus]

Having checked again there is definitely no provision for a reverse switch on my gearbox, no drilling or one that may have been plugged. SO I am beginning to wonder if a PO has swapped out the gearbox, as the car does have reverse lights fitted with correct lenses for a late S4, mine being 1970 and so should have them .

I wonder if the gearbox casing has a casting number that may just verify its age and the model it came out of, does anyone know?
Thanks to all who responded
Tony

[gherlt]

I had a similar problem with my S4 (with reverse lights). I once bought a completely rebuilt gearbox, originally for my S1 puzzle, but I wanted to use it in my S4 because the shift from 3rd to 2nd gear wasn't nice and twice the lever jumped out of 3rd gear. And when it was positioned for fitting I saw that the reverse light switch was missing.
I asked Brian Buckland if it was possible to drill the hole for the switch and he said it was, but he would certainly not do it on a rebuilt gearbox as you would have to completely clean the gearbox afterwards.
So we took the old gearbox with the switch and had it rebuilt.

[SENC]

Having checked again there is definitely no provision for a reverse switch on my gearbox, no drilling or one that may have been plugged. SO I am beginning to wonder if a PO has swapped out the gearbox, as the car does have reverse lights fitted with correct lenses for a late S4, mine being 1970 and so should have them .

I wonder if the gearbox casing has a casting number that may just verify its age and the model it came out of, does anyone know?
Thanks to all who responded
Tony

Yes, there is a date-related casting number. I'll try to find my notes and some pictures later today and will post if someone hasn't beaten me to it.

[SENC]

First digit is the year
Middle letter is from A to M for month.
A = JAN
B = FEB
C = MAR
D = APR
E =MAY
F = JUN
G = JUL
H = AUG
No I because of confliction with 1
J = SEPT
K = OCT
L = NOV
M = DEC
END NUMBER IS DAY OF MONTH

Thanks to Ron and Alistair, who shared the above with me on a similar question a few years ago. You should find stampings on both the gearbox casing (between the ribs) and the tailbox extension. Will find pictures of mine and add.

[tonyabacus]

Thanks Henry and others for the information, especially the casting date codes, which I will check out at the weekend.
Tony