[Healeys] Throttle? linkage

[Linwood H Rose]

When the Aussies were in the U.S. beating the heck out of us a couple  
of years ago on various race tracks around the country, I noticed that  
most of them were using cables for their throttle control. Of course,  
they were RH drive cars so the set up was a little different but I  
decided then and there that the the simplicity of the cable control  
(as used by the Healeys in my Bugeye by the way) just made all the  
sense in the world as compared to the Rube Goldberg mechanical  
linkage. No one has successfully defended the design of the mechanical  
linkage system to me and believe me I tried to get justification for  
leaving the car as original before I decided to switch to the dark side.

I looked into several variations - Cape International, DMD and Denis  
Welch.

Denis Welch makes a high quality (read as very expensive) throttle  
cable mounting bracket for a conversion from the original mechanical  
linkage. I did not use the complete Welch kit but I did use the piece  
located on the intake manifold. It is a well engineered design and  
looks like it belongs there. The bracket is obviously made for racing  
as it provided for dual cables in case one were to snap under stress.  
I don't use both, but I do carry a spare cable in the boot. I  
incorporated a stainless steel sheathed throttle cable from Lokar.  
Fellow enthusiast Jack Brashear gave me some help on the optimal  
design for the accelerator pedal lever to which the cable is attached.  
I lengthened an original BJ8 lever to get the desired result. I  
installed a firewall bracket for the cable assembly.


The whole process is very simple and works like a charm. A throttle  
stop against the pedal lever or on the pedal itself is a good idea so  
as to avoid over stressing the cable or linkage.

This link will take you to a number of photo images I have collected.  
These show various methods of devising a cable approach to throttle  
control. Some are RH drive cars, some LH. John Trifari's car is a 100.  
The final images are taken of my own set up. I hope they prove useful  
to anyone who may join those of us who have "switched-over."

http://gallery.me.com/linwoodrose#100528

Cheers,

Lin
1960 BT7 "The Bloody Beast"
1959 AN5 Bugeye