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RE: Yeeeeeeee-ha!

To: spitfires@autox.team.net
Subject: RE: Yeeeeeeee-ha!
From: Davies William-qswi646 <William.M.Davies@motorola.com>
Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2001 11:19:14 +0100
> -----Original Message-----
> From: T. .R. Dafforn [mailto:td214@cam.ac.uk]
> 
> The OD seems to be more weight, more friction and more things 
> to go wrong. And
> its a bugger to get to when it does...
> I think I'd much rather go for the twin webers (should be 
> arriving soon!!), and
> other tweaks that are, how should I say, traditional.

Hmmmmm.....
Well I can't let all of the overdrive-bashing go unanswered. Having owned
and driven a multitude of different Triumphs since my first Herald in 1989,
I have experienced cars with and without overdrive as daily transport. Off
the top of my head, those equipped with overdrive are as follows (in
chronological order of my ownership):

1964 Mk1 2000 - A-type overdrive. This was my first overdrive equipped car,
owned for about 18 months between 1991 and 1992. I covered about 20,000
miles in this one - overdrive failed with a burnt secondary winding to the
solenoid. From memory, this cost about 50 UKP to replace and about 15
minutes under the car. This was the only problem involving the overdrive.

1964 Herald 1200 - D-type overdrive. Daily transport from 1994 to 1999, I
covered around 35,000 miles, only the last 5000 being with overdrive
following conversion after the non-od box expired (the unit fitted was
secondhand with no known history). The best 5 hours I've ever spent working
on a car! Totally transformed the high speed (well, relatively high!)
cruising ability. Economy improved though not scientifically measured, no
noticeable drop in performance. No problems encountered.

1973 Spitfire MkIV - D-type overdrive. An original low mileage car, I
covered 12,000 miles bringing the total up to 35,000. No problems
encountered.

1968 Triumph 2000 - A-type overdrive. Bought in late 2000, my wife and I
have done around 5000 miles so far without incident, at least not as far as
the overdrive is concerned! 

So that's my experience. The only (in Triumph terms) overdrive I've not used
is the J-type, but I don't believe they are considered any less reliable
than the As and Ds I've had. While there are many matters to address in the
overdrive/non-overdrive decision, I would never let reliability be an issue.
I only wish it were a traightforward conversion on my early Heralds......
        Cheers,
                Bill.

---------------------------------------------------------
                            This Message sent by: 
    ^================^ 
   /                  \     William Davies 
  /                    \    Total Triumph Enthusiast 
 __ __________________ __ 
/  \  ______  ______  /  \  1959 Herald 948 Coupi Y128
\__/  \     ||     /  \__/  1959 Herald 948 Saloon 
|    A \____||____/ A    |  1960 Herald 948 Saloon 100% Original
| =  H              H  = |  1961 Herald 'S' 
=====U==============U=====  1961 Herald 1200 Coupi
\________________________/  1968 2000 Mk1 Saloon (the Wife's car!)
 | |                  | |    
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