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Jan 30, 2022 15:23:57 GMT
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Sitting here in front of the fire doing notverymuch I was idly contemplating returning my 1600e to the road. Taken me 35 years, but hey, I don't like to rush these things.
Considering the price of a type 9, or mt75 gearbox, I was wondering if it's feasible to fit an MX-5 gearbox on the back of a ford Kent 1600 engine? Anyone done it? Does it make much difference if it's a 5 or 6 speed box? I know I could make an adapter up, but is the bell housing integral to the box, or removable? I'd like to keep the original hydraulic clutch for simplicity if possible
Cheers all
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Ritchie
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 765 
Club RR Member Number: 12
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Idle MX-5 gearbox musingsRitchie
@ritchie
Club Retro Rides Member 12
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Jan 30, 2022 17:15:36 GMT
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Quite a popular conversion now on fords.
I can’t tell you the details but if you have a look on the Retroford website there’s some parts and info.
Bellhousing is integrated.
1st is very low on the 6 speed and the rumour is the 5 speed is stronger but not sure how true that is.
I’m planning on putting a 6 speed behind a zetec in my escort.
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,844
Club RR Member Number: 174
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Idle MX-5 gearbox musingsstealthstylz
@stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member 174
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Jan 30, 2022 19:01:50 GMT
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They're no better than a standard Type 9 ratio wise (i.e first gear is curse word). I've just refitted a Type 9 with a long first gear fitted into a Mk2 Escort for a guy, it's a million times better than the MX5 box ratio wise.
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Jan 30, 2022 19:25:38 GMT
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You can buy adaptor plates off the shelf, they have an integral bell housing. On the mk1 you can move the gearstick position fairly easily, the mk2 has 2 positions it can go in with a bit of work.
There is a smaller clutch disc used on the 1600 which can be made to work on the kent flywheel.
You can get off the shelf props from dave mac for escorts, I'm sure they would make a longer one for a cortina.
The boxes are tough with a great shift feel, and still plenty around for not much money.
For not much more money you could buy a scrap mk2 1.8 mx5 and put the engine in as well giving you a twincam cortina.
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Last Edit: Jan 30, 2022 19:32:18 GMT by kevins
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Jan 30, 2022 19:39:39 GMT
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They are very long and there’s a great offset chunk of metal on the tail housing where the power frame (or whatever they call it) bolts up in the MX5. That is a PITA. You can hack most of it off though the underlying metal tends to be riddled with porosity. This was my winter project last year….. sideways-technologies.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/8925-mazda-gearboxes-some-bstard-told-me-it-was-impossible-so-i-had-to-do-it/#commentsIt was very involved though TBF I probably was being stubborn about the shift position. Nick BTW, only today I found a piece of MX5 gearbox (bearing spacer) amongst a heap of Suzuki gearbox parts. It can only have come from this gearbox and may explain why it’s rather noisy in the indirect gears……. |
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1967 Triumph Vitesse convertible (old friend)
1996 Audi A6 2.5 TDI Avant (still durability testing)
1972 GT6 Mk3 (Restored after loong rest & getting the hang of being a car again)
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Jan 30, 2022 20:06:18 GMT
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Thanks all, it's never going to be a record breaker, it would just be nice to have the extra gear to make it a bit more civilized on long journeys.
A mate is putting MX-5 running gear into a MK1 estate, but I'm quite attached to the Kent, and I know they're out of the ark, but they just run forever.
And the price of a type 9 now is more than I paid for both my MK2's!
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