What i did today...

[chrisryder]

Went for a drive (for the first time since fitting my home made stub stack) and it feels great! Came home beaming! The improvment could be partly due to re-setting the tappets too! much quieter and smoother, i can hold onto 3rd gear to just past 50mph, where i used to change up no later than 45mph. Not sure what rpm that equates to, will have to look up what the gear ratios are!

Very pleased with my motoring at the moment, except for my slightly erratic fuel pump. It's one of these lovely blue-topped german electronic ones. I took it apart the other day and found that one of the non-return valves doesn't seem to be functioning properly. One valve seems ok, i could blow through one way and it'd be fine. The other valve, if blowing through it at a constant pressure, the valve opens, and then flutters. it's really weird, and i can't seem to figure why! I'm guessing it's this that's making it pump erratically, as it's effectively drawing petrol into the chamber, and then pushing it back down the feed pipe, meeting no resistance so it pumps away merrily.

[AntB]

what welding did you have to do?

did you make your own prop? i was planning on buying one for ease!

did you have to cut the floor much to get the tail of the box to clear? that's my biggest worry!

the prop came as part of the kit from the company i bought it all from. the guy who made the parts has since retired.

as far as i can remember i didn't need to cut the floor at all.

the only thing which needed welding was two 5mm plates to allow the capri geabox mount to be fitted. plates came as part of the kit as well. gearbox mount came from a scrapyard. but then there were more capris being scrapped in 1996 than there are now!!

[chrisryder]

i'll be biting the bullet and using the off-the-shelf bits. i dont fancy cutting the floor much, as the 5-speed may not stay in there forever! it's really destined for my 2-door project, but that's nowhere near completion and it seems a shame to have the 5-speed knocking around doing nothing!

[ASL642]

... and you're of course itching to try it out

[AntB]

i'll be biting the bullet and using the off-the-shelf bits.

i always weigh the cost of off- the- shelf parts against my time. i have plenty of work on and no free time, so i'd have to be able to either work a) phenomenally quickly of b) be able to fabricate a part of highvalue to justify the time spent.

not much chance of a) or b) happening tbh

[chrisryder]

same here, i'll usually have a go making things myself, but i've only got myself a week free (next week!) without needing the car so i've got to fit it all in there!

[morriskid2010]

I too will be fitting a 5 speed box, along with a new engine, over the easter like you Chris, although I don't have the luxury of a week off! I will be trying trying my best to get it done in two weekends, so who knows if I will have time!

I bought a new gearbox cover in fibreglass from Jonathon at JLH, so about 30 screw holes to mark and drill . For a gaiter I've bought a leather Sierra one for £6 from eBay. The only thing I'm worried about is if the gear lever position will be too intrusive.
Oh and also I got a shortened handbrake because they apparently collide in 4th with standard length....

Let us all know how you get on! We might be able to compare experiences!

P.S. I managed to get hold of an old copy of that Catia CAD that was mentioned earlier in this thread, but have no clue how to use it yet .

[chrisryder]

i've postponed the five speed fitting for a bit actually. i fitted a 3.9 diff instead for the time being to see if that makes my life any better! i figured the diff would be an easier job and if it makes the car nicer i've saved myself a lot of time and money, and if it isn't what i wanted then i've only wasted a day not a week!

i finish uni early in may so i'll be running the 3.9 for a month and if i don't get on with it i'll fit the five speed when i break up!

let me know how you get on!

the 3.9 has only 'undone' the loss in gearing my wheels gave me. the wheels came with tyres smaller than a standard minor, so it made my speedo about 10% optimistic! with the 3.9 it's spot on! which means when the speedo says i'm doing 70 i'm flying (relatively) down the motorway instead of only just overtaking lorries!

[AntB]

The only thing I'm worried about is if the gear lever position will be too intrusive.
Oh and also I got a shortened handbrake because they apparently collide in 4th with standard length....

From memory, only when the car is in fourth and the handbrake is on. Which didn't happen too often.