Greetings lists (apologies for any duplicate ... network problems ... again)
Had a look at an early 1600 Vitesse Convertible (comm. HB 8346 CV) on
Saturday. Drove 8 hours to go and see it. It's in VERY, very bad shape.
Rusted , in bits and incomplete. Pretty scarce though. First one I've ever
seen for real. Gearbox looked useable, though it's non-o/d. (gearbox number
HB 17764).
Can such a gearbox be used with a GT6 Mk1 engine(KC 8617 E) without
modification ? Any issues with clutch, clutch release mechanism and slave
cylinder. If so, which flywheel, clutch, clutch slave cylinder , clutch
release/thrust/throwout bearing carrier and bearing must be used ?
Also, can the Vitesse 1600 non-o/d mainshaft be replaced with the o/d
mainshaft and d-type overdrive from a Spitfire Mk1 -Mk3 o/d gearbox ? FWIW
part numbers for Vitesse 1600 and early Spitfire overdrive mainshafts appear
to be the same (o/d mainshaft part number for both models = 208142 and
d-type o/d unit part number for both models = 306553)
If this Vitesse 1600 gearbox can be used with my GT6 engine, and can be
converted to overdrive using early Spitfire o/d parts, I might just give it
a go . Have to convince my bank manager , er .... wife, first.
Might even be possible to use the Vitesse 1600 gearbox in the Spitfire4 (aka
Mk1). I know the bellhousing must be changed to the Spitfire type. Anything
else ? Pro's and cons ?
It seems that the Vitesse 1600 and GT6/Vitesse 2 L (Mk1 and Mk2) gearbox
gear ratios are very similar. Only first and reverse gear ratios differ
between the gearboxes. The Vitesse 1600 gearbox also has no synchro on first
gear whilst the GT6/Vitesse 2 L (Mk1 and Mk2) gearboxes do.
The Vitesse 1600 ( Sports 6 in USA) and GT6/Vitesse 2 L (Mk1 and Mk2)
gearbox gear ratios seem to be much closer together than the 2000/2500/2.5
PI saloon gearbox gear ratios. It would seem beneficial to use these
Vitesse/GT6 ratios with the six cylinder engines.
Am I correct? Is the Vitesse 1600 gearbox weaker than the saloon box ?
Chris de Wet .
PO Box 472 , Ifafi , 0260 , South Africa .
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