Can you fit an S1 gearbox in an S3?

[mark three]

I may be able to put my hands on a gearbox from a Series 1 Esprit which I'd be looking to fit in my Series 3. Will this fit? Could the clutch be a problem as the 2.2 engine has a beefier clutch than the S1?
Thanks
Mark

[mike.griese]

The biggest issue will be the placement of the clutch slave cylinder and clutch fork. On the S1, the slave is mounted at the top of the bell housing. On the S3, it was relocated to the side of the bell housing.

The bell housings are not interchangeable, as the openings for the output shafts and housings were machined with the bell housing mounted to the gearbox housing - they are a matched set. The iternals are interchangeable, so you could take the S1 bits and put them into your S3 gearbox housing. You will probably need to change out a spacer in the gear stack and for the differential spacing, but that's not a big issue.

Mike

[wedg1e]

Errr... my S3 has the clutch slave on the top of the bellhousing... it's a C35 box (early 84).

[mike.griese]

Interesting - my '83 has the slave cylinder on the side...

Mike

[mark three]

Thanks Mike
I did get a dirt cheap S1 gearbox in the end and was hoping to change the bellhousings over as they are different to allow for the heavier duty clutch clear ance on the S3. I thought I'd be okay as my C35 is an early one with the clutch slave cylinder on the top.
Mark

[Esprit2]

mark three said:

(Snip)... and was hoping to change the bellhousings over as they are different to allow for the heavier duty clutch clearance on the S3. I thought I'd be okay as my C35 is an early one with the clutch slave cylinder on the top. Mark

Mark,
The bell housing and gearbox are match-machined as a pair. Once matched, it's a unique fit and they are mated for life. You cannot swap bell housings without sending it and the gearbox off to be re-machined together. It doesn't matter if they are old-style or C35-style, top slave or side slave. Matched sets only.

Tim Engel

[Esprit2]

wedg1e said:

Errr... my S3 has the clutch slave on the top of the bellhousing... it's a C35 box (early 84).

mike.griese said:

Interesting - my '83 has the slave cylinder on the side...

Mike, you have a Federal Turbo which is unique from an S3... which never came to the USA. Folk are pretty cavalier about mixing terms, saying "S3" when really referring to a Turbo... or "Turbo S3". But the S3 and Turbo were separate and distinct models.

S3 = naturally aspirated 912, top-mounted slave cylinder on C35 gearbox, non-Federal.

Turbo = Turbocharged 910, side-mounted slave on C35, all markets in various forms.

Tim Engel