replacement gearboxes?

[marcevo1]

Hi - new to the forum

looking for a replacement gearbox and bellhousing for a 2.2?

any ideas of what does / doesnt fit? and what sort of costs? where from

the box isnt actually for a lotus - its for a chevette (stop the boo's!) - a 2300 slant 4 which shares the same block details albeit not in alloy! - lotus did all the development work for vauxhall (as well as sunbeam)

any advice appeciated - i cant afford a zf as all the sunbeam / escort rally boys have made them too expensive on ebay

I already have a ally bell housing off a 'lotus spec' 907 - dont know if anything will bolt straight onto that?

many thanks

marc

[Markexel]

If its an Excel with 2.2. 912 engine bulit after 1983 its not vaux ,but toyota supra

Mark

[Skeggy]

Talk to Mike Taylor - www.lotusbits.com

[marcevo1]

If its an Excel with 2.2. 912 engine bulit after 1983 its not vaux ,but toyota supra

Mark

are the two interchangeable? ie if i got the full toyota box and bellhousing would that hook up to the slant 4 / 907 block

propshaft is no problem as i need to have one built up anyhow

marc

[marcevo1]

Talk to Mike Taylor - www.lotusbits.com

cheers - just emailed him earlier from work

helpful bunch you lot on here!

[Markexel]

Cant remember but when i did the clutch on my 85 excel iseem to remember seeing an adaptor plate inbetween bell housing and engine{912}

Might be wrong there its its 20 months ago .

Anyway u can bet a ponud to a pinch of salt that the toyota box will be much better than the vaux unit.It has one of the best gear changes u will come across

If u get one from mike taylor ask him if theres a plate ,but acording Lotus manual theres differnet primary shafts spigot bearing setups

Mark

[bash]

Have you tryed a bellhousing on your block yet ? Its a common misconception that the blocks are similar bar the alloy, have a look at the distributor position on a Vauxhall slant 4 compared to a Lotus for a start. I know some Vauxhall experts have put a Lotus 9 series twin cam head on a Vauxhall slant 4 block but I also know that it required a great deal of modification and machining. It might not be as simple as you think.

[Redexcel]

I'm pretty sure there is no adaptor plate for the Toyota box to mate to the Lotus block. The bellhousing is a Lotus-only part made especially for the application. Unless the Lotus and Vauxhall blocks are identical at the interface, you would struggle to fit any gearbox from a Lotus. That's not to say it's impossible, given enough money.
I think your best bet would be a Sunbeam-Lotus gearbox if you can get one at the right price.

PS Do you know which application the bellhousing you already have came from? Lotus used at least 3 different boxes in the Eclat/Elite/Excel range (ie RWD) over the years

[Lotus-e-Clan]

Hi - new to the forum

l
the box isnt actually for a lotus - its for a chevette (stop the boo's!)

marc

kewl

I love the look of them -- is it a genuine HS or a HSR?

[marcevo1]

Hi - new to the forum

l
the box isnt actually for a lotus - its for a chevette (stop the boo's!)

marc

kewl

I love the look of them -- is it a genuine HS or a HSR?

just a replica but seam welded / turretted etc to works spec

http://www.exellmotorsport.co.uk/Chevet ... %20v2.html - shows the build - engine now 2300 sohc with 140bhp at the wheels (180bhp at the flywheel - not bad for 8v's)

update on the gearbox - got a toyota box and lotus bell housing off mike - fits lovely - just had to convert to hydraulic action and cut a bit out of the tunnel to get it to fit.

best of both worlds - cheap and reliable

and unlike the zf's light action !

marc