quickshift for spitfire/herald
Discussion
GinG15 said:
hi togehter...i´new into triumph things...more expirience in old ford.
anyway: i´m searching a quickshift gearlever / conversion kit or a pictured instruction how to convert an early (´64) spitfirebox with a quickshift gearlever.
thanx in advance for your help.
I can help anyway: i´m searching a quickshift gearlever / conversion kit or a pictured instruction how to convert an early (´64) spitfirebox with a quickshift gearlever.
thanx in advance for your help.
There's one for sale, used once only, in the Club Triumph Secretary's Notes. PM me and I'll send you the chap's contact details.
Aaron
Never seen one for sale in 20 odd years of being involved in small chassis Triumphs. TBH I can't imagine why you'd want one either! The early 3 rail box in your var should have a quick and positive change. If it isn't then you might want to look at renewing the nylon bushes in the gear lever pivot. If you really must have a shorter gear lever action I think your only option is to take a hacksaw to the lever and have a couple of inches off it!
"If you really must have a shorter gear lever action I think your only option is to take a hacksaw to the lever and have a couple of inches off it!"
this will shorten the lever, but will not result in a shorter travel. thats the common misunderstanding.
a quickshift is a lever where the actuating ratio has been modified: By raising the pivot point on the shift lever, the amount of throw is reduced considerably. That means you get shorter, quicker shifts!
e.g.: old fords (escort, cortina, capri, anglia)...even a (new) original ford gearshift was very precise, a good compromize between daily driver and racy,also set certain standards in the 70ies, you´ll find rose-jointed quickshift levers for around 40pound in all major parts-catalogues.
same is for Mini´s...you can buy them of the shelf between 30 and 50pound.
this will shorten the lever, but will not result in a shorter travel. thats the common misunderstanding.
a quickshift is a lever where the actuating ratio has been modified: By raising the pivot point on the shift lever, the amount of throw is reduced considerably. That means you get shorter, quicker shifts!
e.g.: old fords (escort, cortina, capri, anglia)...even a (new) original ford gearshift was very precise, a good compromize between daily driver and racy,also set certain standards in the 70ies, you´ll find rose-jointed quickshift levers for around 40pound in all major parts-catalogues.
same is for Mini´s...you can buy them of the shelf between 30 and 50pound.
There is no specific quickshift for a triumph box.
As mentioned shorter gear leaver makes the shift harder, longer lever makes it easier to an extent but no where as good as a quickshift. you can always fit a type9 with a quickshift but the ratios are crap.
Spit lever is very easy to modify.
This is my spitfire gear leaver, it is 3" longer and with a 1.5" offset to the drivers side, this is because i cannot straighten my arm enough to reach first due to a previous accident.
As mentioned shorter gear leaver makes the shift harder, longer lever makes it easier to an extent but no where as good as a quickshift. you can always fit a type9 with a quickshift but the ratios are crap.
Spit lever is very easy to modify.
This is my spitfire gear leaver, it is 3" longer and with a 1.5" offset to the drivers side, this is because i cannot straighten my arm enough to reach first due to a previous accident.
a lengthened lever will reduce the "force" you need to put in the gears, but wont change the throw....what i´am after is a shorter throw.
a real quickshift works "only" by changing the lever-ratio. this means you need to move the pivot point further up: you need to modify the lever, as well fabricate an extension wich goes on top of the gearbox.
by the way: the mini-levers looks quite similar the triumph ones....
http://www.minisport.com/mini-spare-parts/info_MSL...
a real quickshift works "only" by changing the lever-ratio. this means you need to move the pivot point further up: you need to modify the lever, as well fabricate an extension wich goes on top of the gearbox.
by the way: the mini-levers looks quite similar the triumph ones....
http://www.minisport.com/mini-spare-parts/info_MSL...
I know what your after and as i already stated it is not as good as a quickshift, but a quickshift for the spitfire/herald box doesnt exist.
The triumph gearbox isnt too complex, you should be able to make one, changing the pivot point on the selector rod is the difficult part within the close confinement of the gearbox tunnel if your using it in a spit or herald.
Converting something like the KAD one for a mini may be possible, but its definately gonna be a custom job.
The triumph gearbox isnt too complex, you should be able to make one, changing the pivot point on the selector rod is the difficult part within the close confinement of the gearbox tunnel if your using it in a spit or herald.
Converting something like the KAD one for a mini may be possible, but its definately gonna be a custom job.
Edited by mattius on Friday 30th December 00:14
no..no...i´m not racing...so i dont want to do all this hassle, modifying my car to get a T9 in. i "only" want a shorter travel using the existing box.
by the way: the T9 is cr*p, compared to the ford 4-speed boxes. with a quickshift lever fitted, fast shifting from 2nd in 3rd often results in getting into the 5th.
also the ratio´s would not match with the small triumh engine.
anyway...lets talk about triumph boxes.
by the way: the T9 is cr*p, compared to the ford 4-speed boxes. with a quickshift lever fitted, fast shifting from 2nd in 3rd often results in getting into the 5th.
also the ratio´s would not match with the small triumh engine.
anyway...lets talk about triumph boxes.
I know what a quick shift is, otherwise I wouldn't have specified the fact that one didn't exist and refer instead to a shorter gear lever action. If you chop 2" off the top of a lever you will indeed shorten the distance your hand moves as you change gear. Though, as I also said, I'm not really sure why you'd want to...
Comadis said:
"If you really must have a shorter gear lever action I think your only option is to take a hacksaw to the lever and have a couple of inches off it!"
this will shorten the lever, but will not result in a shorter travel. thats the common misunderstanding.
a quickshift is a lever where the actuating ratio has been modified: By raising the pivot point on the shift lever, the amount of throw is reduced considerably. That means you get shorter, quicker shifts!
e.g.: old fords (escort, cortina, capri, anglia)...even a (new) original ford gearshift was very precise, a good compromize between daily driver and racy,also set certain standards in the 70ies, you´ll find rose-jointed quickshift levers for around 40pound in all major parts-catalogues.
same is for Mini´s...you can buy them of the shelf between 30 and 50pound.
this will shorten the lever, but will not result in a shorter travel. thats the common misunderstanding.
a quickshift is a lever where the actuating ratio has been modified: By raising the pivot point on the shift lever, the amount of throw is reduced considerably. That means you get shorter, quicker shifts!
e.g.: old fords (escort, cortina, capri, anglia)...even a (new) original ford gearshift was very precise, a good compromize between daily driver and racy,also set certain standards in the 70ies, you´ll find rose-jointed quickshift levers for around 40pound in all major parts-catalogues.
same is for Mini´s...you can buy them of the shelf between 30 and 50pound.
There are two distinctly different types of linkage, the 3 rail which the OP will/should have on his early Spit, and the single rail fitted to later MkIV and 1500s. The photo of the modified gearstick has a ball on the end - therefore a later gearbox, and of no consequence to the original post. (These gearboxes are not directly interchangeable.)
A well known racer (who wrote a very good book on how to prepare your Spitfire for racing) spent a great deal of time and effort attempting to perfect a quick-shift using expensive Mollart rose joints. It was a waste of time, and he settled for ensuring the existing system worked properly, eg lubrication and new bushes.
There are better things to do with a 1964 Spitfire than re-invent square wheels!
A well known racer (who wrote a very good book on how to prepare your Spitfire for racing) spent a great deal of time and effort attempting to perfect a quick-shift using expensive Mollart rose joints. It was a waste of time, and he settled for ensuring the existing system worked properly, eg lubrication and new bushes.
There are better things to do with a 1964 Spitfire than re-invent square wheels!
Yes the lever in question is a 3 rail lever, however the same mod can be done to either lever so it does have relevance to the thread! Its a well known mod through the ages to lengthen or shorten the levers of all the triumph boxes.
While we're being pedantic its not a 1964 spitfire the op has the gearbox in, im assuming its a ginetta by the username.
Why do that annoying cryptic thing with your posts, im assuming you mean John Wolfe?
Im of the same opinion as him, i've spoken to quite a few of the spit racers i don't think any of them here or stateside have issues with the shift, its really not bad in comparison to some cars.
Even the works cars used std gearboxes of some sorts.
The box i have just built is my favourite for the Spitfires, its an 1850 gearbox with a modified spitfire input shaft nice crisp shift with the best ratio combination you can make out of std triumph components.
While we're being pedantic its not a 1964 spitfire the op has the gearbox in, im assuming its a ginetta by the username.
Why do that annoying cryptic thing with your posts, im assuming you mean John Wolfe?
Im of the same opinion as him, i've spoken to quite a few of the spit racers i don't think any of them here or stateside have issues with the shift, its really not bad in comparison to some cars.
Even the works cars used std gearboxes of some sorts.
The box i have just built is my favourite for the Spitfires, its an 1850 gearbox with a modified spitfire input shaft nice crisp shift with the best ratio combination you can make out of std triumph components.
Edited by mattius on Sunday 1st January 23:26
so i will first try to improve the original system by using new bearings, joints, bushes etc.....refering to the below picture from Rimmer Brothers:
can i undo the top-cover, incl. gearstick, rods etc. at once?
as i said b4, i dont have access to the lever /extension housing from inside the car by removing the tunnel. the only access is from the enginebay, where its relatively easy to reach the extension-housing bolts.
is it necessary to pay attention in which gear position i remove it (0 or any specific gear engaged?)
can i undo the top-cover, incl. gearstick, rods etc. at once?
as i said b4, i dont have access to the lever /extension housing from inside the car by removing the tunnel. the only access is from the enginebay, where its relatively easy to reach the extension-housing bolts.
is it necessary to pay attention in which gear position i remove it (0 or any specific gear engaged?)
Do yourself a favour dont try and rebuild it from the rimmers catalogue, buy a copy of this the workshop manual
http://www.tssc.org.uk/index.php?page=shop.product...
If its just the top extentsion your removing put it in neutral.
http://www.tssc.org.uk/index.php?page=shop.product...
If its just the top extentsion your removing put it in neutral.
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