Steve,
I hope there are some answers to the question you
asked. Seems to me the first order of business for
any Vintage Racer is making the car and drivetrain as
"bullet proof" as possible. That to me goes hand in hand
with your comments below. The added cost and complexity
and probable failures of using OD doesn't make sense to
me either.
Cheers,
Bill Sohl
VTR Odd Magazine Editor
> From: Gt6steve@aol.com
> Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2000 18:33:55 EST
> Subject: Re: Racing with overdrives
> To: RodsINTOMG@aol.com
> Cc: FOT@autox.team.net
> Reply-to: Gt6steve@aol.com
> In a message dated 1/24/00 7:19:51 PM Pacific Standard Time, RodsINTOMG
> writes:
>
> << >>
> Steve,
>
> I'm curious. I can't guess why you would want to race vintage with an
> overdrive gearbox. First, they are about 25 lbs heaver than a standard
> gearbox (at least in the MGB). Do you seriously run out of gears on the race
> tracks that you race? Do you get up into the dangerously high RPMs like
> 6,500 or 7,000 or more on the straights of the tracks that you frequently
> race?
>
>
> I have an MGB with and early standard gearbox converted to close ratio with
> an MGA twin cam gearset. I run a 3.9 rearend on long tracks like Thunderhill
> and either the 3.9 or the 4.3 on tracks like Sears Point with the 4.3 on
> tracks like Laguna Seca.
>
> I know that the MG car company ran very tall gears and perhaps an overdrive
> in the early '60s at places like LeMans with the long 2 mile plus straights.
> But vintage, where do you need it?
>
> It seems to me if you have your car camed correctly you should make most of
> your power at the top of the RPM band (say 6,000 to 7,000) and thats where I
> would want to be at the end of my longest straight in top gear. Simply
> adjust the final drive to do it.
>
> I'd like to hear your thoughts and those of anyone on the list on this
> subject.
> >>
> Hi Rod, Sorry it's taken me so long to respond.
> My GT6 is running a 3.89 rear which works out about perfect for most of the
> western tracks at the end of the straightaway as you said. I'd like to be
> running a 4.11 to launch out of the tight twisties a little better. Vegas
> comes to mind as a 4.11 track. My thought was to exploit the OD as a way to
> legally have a five speed to accomplish this. That's my official story.
> The truth?? A friend just bought a five speed cheater box for his GT6 and
> it's galling the HELL out of me to think he has an advantage.:-}}
> Thanx for your observations and take that flamesuit off. Bye, Steve
>
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