Phil Babcock wrote:
> As we have discussed I have a Toyota T-50 in my 72 Elan Sprint. However
> you mentioned recently that several people make close ratio gears for
> this box. Could you please forward info on these people.
Also, Keith Gustafson wrote:
> Phil, what gears are in the T50 from the factory? does it have a 'stump
> puller'1st gear? What [stateside] does a T50 come out of?
First of all, check the chapman-era archive files. Search on T-50, and T50.
I think you'll find that there is some useful info already there.
I have accumulated a bunch of miscellaneous info myself, about the T-50.
I'll transcribe some of that information into this message.
Here are some useful URLs, for reference:
1) There is an excellent description of swapping a Toyota 2TG with the early,
short tail housing T-50, into a Spridget, at:
http://www.team.net/www/mg/tech/midget/engswapa.html
2) Toyota gearbox information (including T-50 ratio information, although I
can't say whether it is definitive) at:
http://www.students.tut.fi/~k124476/dataBySubject/gearboxes.html
Next, some potential sources for T-50 Close ratio gearsets that I know of
are:
1) TRD (Toyota Racing Development) Japan
2) Quaife, England
3) Housman Autosport, Ontario Canada
4) Hollinger Engineering, Melbourne Australia
Now, I should point out immediately that there is a relationship between
Quaife and TRD, on T50 parts, and I am *still* not sure who builds what gear
sets, in the TRD catalog. It may well be that Quaife build all of them.
Oddly enough, I got a comment from the guy who runs TRS USA, in North
Hollywood, to the effect that the Quaife T50 dog box is extremely difficult
to shift. I was amazed by this, because everything I have heard about the
Quaife _Ford_ dog 'boxes has been very good, to the extent that supposedly
they are quite roadable if you double clutch.
When pressed, the TRS USA guy said that he used one in a group A car, had
lots of trouble with it, and when he talked to Quaife they told him it did
*not* use their standard dog ring design but rather a *Toyota* dog ring
design that had too many dogs. WOW!? Toyota imagining they could do a
better job of designing dog rings, than Quaife? <shudder>
Anyway, the relationship between Quaife and TRD appears quite complex,
and I am not really even sure which gear sets are dog ring sets and which
are synchro sets, in the TRD catalog.
The Quaife thingy is a straight cut, dog 'box. It is a very serious
gearbox, for very serious applcations, and it has a heady price tag.
I *believe* it uses a modular layshaft, which means ratio swaps should
be possible, and that the mainshaft gears run on needle rollers.
The two available TRD ratios that I know about, are:
2.63 1.6 1.38 1.00 0.86
and
2.34 1.60 1.20 1.00 0.89
The Quaife ratios that I know about, are:
2.347 1.733 1.379 1.144 1.0
Just a quick note on Housman Autosport. I believe this may be the place
to go, for those of us here in the States. They appear willing to recut
your existing gears (which, I hope, means less $) and they come
recommended from two independent sources. I've never contacted them.
It's on my to-do list.... :-)
Finally, Phil Babcock wrote:
>Unfortunatly I don't know what gears ratios I curently have. The prev.
>owner said they were the standard. He also stated that the close ratio
>gears were too close and that if I were to change I should go with the
>Euro gears as they were a good compromise.
I am ass-u-me-ing standard means:
3.587 2.022 1.384 1.00 0.861
By my thinking, 3.587 is awfully stumpy...
Actually, I would very much like to find out what close ratio gears were
available from Toyota, for the T-50. I didn't even know such things were
ever delivered. Do tell!
The factory close ratio gears were too close!? Hmmm, I would find that
surprising, considering that we are talkin' about a 1400-1500 lb car here.
My thinking is that a 2.50 1st and a 0.86 5th, with a 4.11 RER, is about what
you would want for an Elan. Maybe tighter for a 7, because it is lighter,
right?
I'm running out of steam now, so I'm going to wrap up this message.
Regards,
Erik Berg
PS> If you never use first gear going around a corner, your first gear
is too low, eh?
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