12 replies to this topic

[England_expects]

I have just bought a gearbox from ebay, and wondered if anyone could help me?

It has a long aluminium 'box' coming off the rear of the gearbox, can I convert the gearbox to my current (1980s) rod arrangement?

[philc]

I have just bought a gearbox from ebay, and wondered if anyone could help me?

It has a long aluminium 'box' coming off the rear of the gearbox, can I convert the gearbox to my current (1980s) rod arrangement?

sounds like you have a remote box, the long box acts as an ultimate engine steady. this should fit though you will have to cut a little out were the gear selector goes and drill a whole to fix the mount. also i think these have a better gear change more positive

[England_expects]

Thanks, is it easier to take the part the rod fits into in my current gearbox, and bolt it onto the ebay one?

[fikus01]

i dont think you can mix n match these gearboxes!! if you could it stil wudnt be worth it! remote boxes are quite rare so mite fetch a bit on ebay!! if u have rod then stick with it!!

[Guess-Works.com]

Can you fir a rod change to a remote box.... No quite simply..

Will a remote fit into a late model mini, yes with a bit of fiddling to the tunnell.. however would you want to... Not IMO.

Remotes are not that rare, just not everyones up of tea, and realy for the period rebuild.

Out of interest, why did you buy that particular box, was there something in it which you wanted, eg GT or SC gears, or was it just local and cheap ?

[vasi]

Actually you can fit a rod mech to a remote box.

However, your gear pattern will be like this.

3 1
|- |
4 2

A most interesting drive and an excellent theft deterrant.

[dklawson]

Remotes may not be rare over there but they are hen's teeth over here... at least good ones.

I started to gnash my teeth when I heard you talk about putting the rod-change selector on the remote box. Please don't.

[England_expects]

Local (but not cheap) so it must be alot of bother then? It was to be a spare
I did not know the gearbox had a 'remote', but thought if you could swap it, I would get it done.
From what vasi said, the major difference is in the way that the 'remote' selects the gears?

[vasi]

Please take my previous post with a pinch of salt. It will work, but will be horrible to drive.

We initially made this mistake with the GTM except in reverse, hooking up the existing remote gearstick mech to a rod box. As originally it came with Cooper S running gear and we took that out and fitted an MG lump. Doh!

Just out of interest, what is the casting number on the box, and if you don't mind me asking, what you paid for it?

Edited by vasi, 27 November 2006 - 11:23 PM.

[Guess-Works.com]

Vasi, I would just like to understand how you managed to put a rod change mechanism onto a remote box, basically as the diff housing is completely different, and there's no where to put the selector through into the box ??

[dklawson]

Adding to what GuessWorks said, it's my understanding that the differential housing is line-bored as an assembly to the gearbox. This means it's not even a good idea to put the diff housing from one gearbox onto a different gearbox. That's not to say it isn't possible... just that it's an invitation to leaks among other things.

I thought the shape of the rod-change diff housing was significantly different from that used on the remote. Am I wrong?

[Guess-Works.com]

Not only the diff housing, but also the gearbox casting... In a rod change, the gearbox case also has a change in casting for the seletor rod to pass through which also houses the spring, sleve and ball for the selector. obviously in a remote the selector mechanism takes the same route as for a magic wand which is up and over the diff and into the case on the LHS (looking from the back)

[vasi]

Vasi, I would just like to understand how you managed to put a rod change mechanism onto a remote box, basically as the diff housing is completely different, and there's no where to put the selector through into the box ??

On a GTM with a remote box, the extrusion is cut. Inside is the selector rod. A bar is attached to go down and under the plant, into the tunnel and to the gearstick. So we fitted a rod box and kept the stick, not thinking. And we had the odd gear pattern. Obviously we've corrected it now but the same principal will work in reverse.

Try not to get so excited. As I already said, it's a point of principal not a recommendation.