Rear facing starter & 4-speed box

[dchw1975]

Hi,

Is it possible to fit a 4-speed box onto a coil engine with rear facing (non-bacon slicer) starter? or would you have to put a smaller modern starter in place rather than original?

Cheers

David

[Dave Mann]

       
  starter.jpg (Size: 33.94 KB / Downloads: 373) You mean like this? Yes however it is no 5 minute job as you can see. Unless you want to go trialing or do hill starts with 4 up there is little benefit in fitting a 4 speed box which just gives you a lower bottom gear and still have the gap between third and top similar to that between second and top. it is only worthwhile if used with a closer ratio gear set, but not a nippy set which is too close for a heavy saloon, talk to Andrew Bird. There is also the speedo drive to deal with, I made an adapter (shown in one of the photos) to bring the drive out vertically.

[Mark R]

I realise your original question said non bacon slicer but I always understood a bacon slicer starter was the remedy to make a 4 speed box work with a 3 speed engine.

[Douglas Alderson]

The conversion can also be done as detailed in the below.

http://www.da7c.co.uk/technical_torque_a...ersion.htm

[dchw1975]

Hi Everyone

Thank you for the info on conversions you have done yourselves or writeups of others doing so. The main reason for this is that yes I want to take the '32 special I am building trialing and I have a surplus of exisiting well running and adjusted 4-speed boxes already (2 totally ready to just be slotted into a car and one case with a complete set of innards) so buying a new 3-speed box seems a little overkill when I can change them over. Dave, your conversion looks really nice, can you conirm that you utilise the standard starter motor mounting please?

Thanks!

David

[Malcolm Parker]

The only 4 speed box I would use for trialling is the crash 4 speed as fitted to the first LWB saloons. The ratios are very low, ideal for trialling.  The later synchro boxes are not as robust and would be suspect for trialling.  The 3 speed box is pretty bomb proof and is the best bet for trialling, it is also lighter.  It tends to be noisier but if the engine is screaming at 5000rpm in first gear you won't hear it!

[Dave Mann]

Yes it's a standard unmolested starter mounting. I should add that the layshaft flange will need thinning to clear the chassis front crossmember. As it's a special you will probably get away with turning the speedo drive through 180 degrees, I made the adapter because I didn't want to hack the propshaft tunnel about. Also I screwed the gearbox oil filler in tight and cut the square off to avoid cutting the floor, oil level and oil filling being done through the gear lever hole.

[Austin in the Shed]

The only 4 speed box I would use for trialling is the crash 4 speed as fitted to the first LWB saloons. The ratios are very low, ideal for trialling.  The later synchro boxes are not as robust and would be suspect for trialling.  The 3 speed box is pretty bomb proof and is the best bet for trialling, it is also lighter.  It tends to be noisier but if the engine is screaming at 5000rpm in first gear you won't hear it!

I'd agree with Malcolm on the choice of box,and 1st is very low if that is what you want 4.4 on a crash and 3.3 in a three speed.I think just about everyone running a 3 sp however needs to lower 1st or the rear axle or wheel size unless you have a powerful engine with lots of torque.
This is another way around fitting a four speed,especially if you have a long or low scuttle and wish to use a remote gear lever.It was based on a 4 sp Eltos type top and does need a fabricated selector/gear lever thing.

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[Dave Wortley]

I did this mod in about 1990 on my Ulster replica (or whatever is your preferred terminology.) I wanted to use a 4 speed Super Accessories box but keep it looking more like original (except it is fairly obvious). I ended up using 3 4 speed box lids altogether after messing up 2 of them. Cheap and easily replaced at the time. It involved cutting off the top turret which holds the gear lever and rewelding further towards the drivers side. I also had to crank over the part of the gear lever inside the box to mate up with the selector forks and the swinging interlock.  The body of the starter motor just clears the gearbox top with plenty of filing of an arc shape in the alloy gearbox top. Also the centre 1/4" BSW screw under the motor is not used and the tapping in the gear casing is plugged. Not really worth all the effort but works OK and has been used like this for the last 29 years.

[Hedd_Jones]

Wouldnt it just be easier to make a custom starter mounting?, moving it over a smidge. Couple of laser or water jet cut profiles (in whatever metal you like), then some hammer work to fill in the gaps and some magic blue light. And bingo