There is nothing inherently unreliable with the Triumph A-Type overdrive.
In 24 years of racing with one, I never once had a mechanical failure. I
was using an overdrive when I won the runoffs in 1990 (just ask Vic
Skirmants!) The only overdrive problems I encountered were electrical - a
bad solenoid, and a short in the wire going to the on-off switch. (And I
misassembled one to the gearbox one time - but you can't blame that on the
overdrive.)
-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Sohl [SMTP:billsohl@smtp.interactive.net]
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2000 2:19 PM
To: Gt6steve@aol.com
Cc: fot@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Racing with overdrives
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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