|Date: 8-9-93 12:44pm
|From: Dean Zywicki:dcrt:nih
| To: {british-cars@autox.team.net}:BITNET
|Subj: Update of search for 5 speed for 1500 midget
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Thanks for all of the helpful comments. I was on vacation last week
so I had lots of time to try to figure out what to do. I drained the
redline and filled it with castrol hypoid whatever. No change. I don't
knoiw exactly what happened, but once the car is moving, I cannot get
into 2nd gear. Sometimes it will grind, but most times I can keep
pushing and nothing happens. 3rd acts real strange. It goes in fine,
but the shift lever moves back and forth as the engine power changes
and it doesn't take much effort at all to pull it out of gear (with the
clutch engaged and the car moving etc., this is not a good thing).
So here's the story: I called Mini Motors Classic Coacgworks and
they do indeed offer a datsun 5 speed conversion for everything except
the 1500 motor. They said that if someone made a rear engine plate, it
would fit with no problem. The cost for a full kit is ~$1700, but can
be done cheaper if you like to go parts scavanging.
Pulling the old one and rebuilding again is not really an option I
want to pursue. My landlady would kill me if I had an engine out of the
car for an extended period again.
I found a gauranteed used 4 speed from an '80 spitfire, locally,
for $250. I could get this one and replace the synchros, layshaft and
bearings and front and rear bearings and have it ready to go in.
The big question of the day: Is there any way that a spitfire
overdrive unit will fit in a midget? The guy who has the 4 speed also
has an OD. I remember someone on the list talking about it a few weeks
ago, but I never heard the results. I've heard that it's pretty much
impossible, but I thought I'd ask anyway.
thanks,
Dean
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