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RE: Those transmission blues

To: "Ken Strayhorn" <kes@acpub.duke.edu>
Subject: RE: Those transmission blues
From: "john ruse" <hologothic@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 97 12:00:44 UT
Ken

As you are a 'do it yourself man'  you may be interested to know that I supply 
a fully comprehensive rebuild kit for your gearbox which includes ALL new 
bearings, gaskets, oil seals, synchro rings, layshaft, needles, mainshaft 
circlip for 55.00 bps PLUS 25.00 bps airmail from England.

I have been supplying this kit for nearly twenty years and it sure beats the 
other options on price.

If you need any further info, please contact me.


john

hologothic@msn.com  

----------
From:   owner-british-cars@autox.team.net on behalf of Ken Strayhorn
Sent:   22 April 1997 18:11
To:     british-cars@autox.team.net
Subject:        Those transmission blues


Friends -

Long-time lurker comes out of the shadows with a question. But first,
some background:

The other day I took my '72 Spitfire out for a run and on the way
home noticed a horrible "juddering" noise in 3rd gear. I parked it
in the garage and jacked it up. My first thought was that it was low
on gear oil, so I decided to go ahead and change the gear oil
while I had the car in the garage. When I undid the drain plug, about
6 or 7 roller bearings fell into my hands. Whoops.

So I called the local shop the next morning (Flying Circus in Durham, NC)
to see about a quote for a rebuild. They were honest enough to admit
that they don't do that many rebuilds, preferring to swap out for
a rebuilt transmission they buy elsewhere. But, since I do all
my own work, I am loathe to pay someone else several hours of shop
time for a simple swap job. I'm also sure I can't at present pay
$1,000 for a rebuilt trans.

However, there is another alternative. A few years back I bought
the engine and trans out of a junk Mk III Spitfire, mainly because
the engine had an "FK" serial number, proper for a '72 Mk IV Spit.
Apparently the PO had put it after the original engine in the MK III
had died. The trans that came with the engine was an "FD" series
trans, proper for the Mk III.

So my question is: Should I put that "FD" series trans in my Mk IV
Spit? I realize that I will probably have a number of other issues
to deal with, like misaligned bolt holes, but is there any thing
I should know about the "FD" series trans that would immediately
kill this idea (like, are they legendary for their feeble nature,
or any other known problem). Since they are both 1300 engines, I
figure that the power is about the same.

All info, tips, advice, etc, greatfully received.

Ken Strayhorn







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