gearbox options.....

[jason61c]

Looking ahead to my next build i'd like to know what other gearbox options are out there and being used apart from the G50 etc? or could you get a used box for 2k ish?

[MSPV12]

The transaxle is the big issue with mid-engined cars such as the Ultima etc. You can easily pay twice the cost of a good engine for the right gearbox. IMO, £2K won't do it, not if you intend to have any reasonable power level.

I am not a rich man by any means, but had to shell out £9k for a decent box and all that goes with it to do the job properly. If you are on a tight budget, then Renault UN1's, Porsche 915's or an Audi boxes can work well. G50's sit well in the mid-range budget zone.

HTH

[jason61c]

MSPV12 said:

The transaxle is the big issue with mid-engined cars such as the Ultima etc. You can easily pay twice the cost of a good engine for the right gearbox. IMO, £2K won't do it, not if you intend to have any reasonable power level.

I am not a rich man by any means, but had to shell out £9k for a decent box and all that goes with it to do the job properly. If you are on a tight budget, then Renault UN1's, Porsche 915's or an Audi boxes can work well. G50's sit well in the mid-range budget zone.

HTH

I take it the other box's cant cope with the torque of a huge HP motor? I'd be looking at 500 max with my potential budget. Either used LS or similar.

[MSPV12]

I'm about to get r*ped on this, but 500TQ is too much for a G50 if you expect it to be trouble/maintenance free. It can be done, people have done it. My advise though would be to only run road tyres on less than 8" rims though.

I have 14" wide rears on slicks and decided that I needed a hefty trans to take just shy of 490lbs Tq reliably. Even then I couldn't afford to go to the top shelf of what is available.

The really sad thing is that G50's have gone through the roof price-wise thanks largely to Ultima builders IMO. They are nothing special, just old boxes from old P'Cars.

A Renault UN1 will do just as good a job at an averagre 300BHP, but doesn't carry the G50 mistique and hiked price tag. Quaffe offer upgrades to beef them up too. That is, if your budget is low.

My advise would be to spend more on the trans than the engine.

[khm]

different car same set up - i am using the elite txl300, lot of money but 6 speed sequential dog box, so far so good !! but not done a lot of miles yet ?!?!
http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f...

Edited by khm on Thursday 23 September 08:30

[MSPV12]

I looked at Elite. That's a nice box.

[martinlaw]

Hi, ihave been running a getrag 6 speed box with my Ultima GTR with 525bhp and 500lb or torque with no problems for 3 years now (including track days). these boxes have a better and smoother gear change than the G50 which i had in a Ultima Sport (they are also centre shift which i prfer).

I have been told these boxes will handle up to around 600bhp and 550 torque.

i have a spare box which i will be advertising soon for around £2000 if you are interested?

If you go for the sbc engine or ls and dont use a recommended box, it will end up costing a lot more for adaptor plates, starters etc.

Martin.

[Joe T]

Have a look at this thread

http://www.pistonheads.com/xforums/topic.asp?h=0&a... choices (again)&mid=0

Mate of mines fitted a ZFQ to his LS7 powered GT40, comes in at about £6500 I believe

[GarethGTR]

Hi

I am just about to buy a 96/00 for my LS7 ultima....but I have read that I may have issues.... can anyone comment?

Gareth

[spatz]

go with a G50 and install a longer 5th gear, suits the car and engine perfectly ! Have the same combination

[GTRCLIVE]

Joe T said:

Have a look at this thread

http://www.pistonheads.com/xforums/topic.asp?h=0&a... choices (again)&mid=0

Mate of mines fitted a ZFQ to his LS7 powered GT40, comes in at about £6500 I believe

Not any more price nearer 8K now.....

[GTRCLIVE]

GarethGTR said:

Hi

I am just about to buy a 96/00 for my LS7 ultima....but I have read that I may have issues.... can anyone comment?

Gareth

Ignor the forums, you need to speak to California Motorsport, there the experts...

http://www.californiamotorsports.net/

Rogers a nice guy...

[khm]

my elite is geared for 203 mph in top, but with the drop gears you can get what you want
makes 80 mph about 2300 rpm :-)

Edited by khm on Tuesday 28th September 10:27

[GTRCLIVE]

khm said:

my elite is geared for 203 mph in top, but with the drop gears you can get what you want
makes 80 mph about 2300 rpm :-)

Edited by khm on Tuesday 28th September 10:27

Yes but Elite don't recommend that box for any American V8 over 400lbs... and there TXL700 which is designed for V8's has a diff to crank centerline so high you'd have a ridiculous drive shaft angle. I was waiting for this gearbox but was very disappointed when they finally sent me the Drawings, its really only a race car box...

[khm]

GTRCLIVE said:

khm said:

my elite is geared for 203 mph in top, but with the drop gears you can get what you want
makes 80 mph about 2300 rpm :-)

Edited by khm on Tuesday 28th September 10:27

Yes but Elite don't recommend that box for any American V8 over 400lbs... and there TXL700 which is designed for V8's has a diff to crank centerline so high you'd have a ridiculous drive shaft angle. I was waiting for this gearbox but was very disappointed when they finally sent me the Drawings, its really only a race car box...

i'm running 740 nm which is over 600 lbs/ft, the drive shafts do look down from the box to uprights but not excessive

[GTRCLIVE]

1Lbs is 1.355NM...... so that's 546Lbs. Would be nice to see how long it lasts, they might just be playing it safe. Do you know of any other people with running the TXL300 ?? How many road miles do you do in a year ? and how many have you done so far ??

I only got to here about the TXL700 when I nearly ordered the 300, but they told me to wait for the better box to finish production.

[khm]

they say the box is good for 600, only time will tell, think i am the ginuea pig LOL it's only the 2nd 300 thats been made, but i wanted a sequential box & didn't want to spend hewland money so it was a risk but decided to go with it. was originally going for rs6 motor with hybrid turbo's but a- couldn't get one & b- the elite said box would definetly not take that !! alot would have sold you the box then said oh well !!
so far only done 1 track day as still sorting the car, hope to do more next year & get it IVA'd & road legal