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"Healey 5-Speed"/Pete Delaney Contact

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Blue964

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I'm in the process of trying to put together a package - for myself! - of a five speed gearbox conversion for my Mk2 3000. I can get the gearbox and someone to fit it but seem to have hit a brick wall finding Pete Delaney who took over the Smitty conversion kit which is my preferred route - all purists look away now!
Has anyone out there been in contact with Pete recently or knows of anyone who has. I got one email from his wife about six/seven months ago and that was all.

Any help or news would be much appreciated. I'm currently running a centre shift box with straight cut gears but the whining is driving me nuts!!
 
Derek, While that might be true, I think most everyone who has commented on changing to a 5-speed says it was a vast improvement. While I've certainly enjoyed my Healey for the past 56 years, I've always thought the gear change could be improved and if my transmission were to fail, I would go with a Toyota or Tremec unit.
Of course, I would keep the original unit just in case the next owner wants it as it came from the factory. Just as I have done the the original starter and oil filter.
 
Blue--

You are not the first person reporting difficulty in reaching Delaney. I believe Pete lives in North Carolina where there is a very active chapter of AHCA and perhaps if you contacted someone in that club you might have some luck.

In any case stick with it--the Toyota 5-speed conversion is great. I installed a Smitty's conversion in 2002 and have not regretted it for a minute.
 
Michael Oritt said:
Blue--

You are not the first person reporting difficulty in reaching Delaney. I believe Pete lives in North Carolina where there is a very active chapter of AHCA and perhaps if you contacted someone in that club you might have some luck.

In any case stick with it--the Toyota 5-speed conversion is great. I installed a Smitty's conversion in 2002 and have not regretted it for a minute.
Click to expand...

Ditto:encouragement:
 
Thanks guys for the input!! Looks like I've opened up the same old can of worms Derek...I just want to really enjoy my Healey more, it's the fourth one I've had over about a forty year period and the gearbox still doesn't get any better! - and I'm afraid I find overdrives a pain, I've got too used to five speed boxes on Alfas etc. I'm going back to my roots here......
I'll certainly try the North Carolina chapter route, thanks Michael.
 
Found Pete Delaney! Thanks for the input to all.
But also stumbled across a guy in Belgium who does the same thing. Choices!!
Still want to go ahead with it although I agree it's not everyone's way to go.
Cheers!
 
"why it is always Toyota gearboxes that are installed?"
-----------------
Specifically--Because those are the transmissions the conversion bell housing is designed to accommodate.
As to why Toyota was chosen as opposed to Nissan or others I would venture a guess that it has to do with the brand's popularity and the various units' availability.
 
I may be wrong but I've always understood the reason for Toyota transmissions is they were one of the few with detachable bell housings (as well as being very common) - most newer trannies have integral bell housings and cannot be easily adapted to another engine.
These days other options exist like Tremac, but in the '90s when I made the change, there were no other games in town.

Dave
 
red57 said:
I may be wrong but I've always understood the reason for Toyota transmissions is they were one of the few with detachable bell housings (as well as being very common) - most newer trannies have integral bell housings and cannot be easily adapted to another engine.
These days other options exist like Tremac, but in the '90s when I made the change, there were no other games in town.

Dave
Click to expand...

I am guessing we are going to have to change to some other gearbox, due to the lack of Toyota transmissions available and the price has gone up considerably over the last few years. If I come by a large junk yard, I stop to ask if they they have any. Most of the time they say "nothing that old".
 
TodE said:
I am guessing we are going to have to change to some other gearbox, due to the lack of Toyota transmissions available and the price has gone up considerably over the last few years. If I come by a large junk yard, I stop to ask if they they have any. Most of the time they say "nothing that old".
Click to expand...

Cape International sells a kit (with transmission) that uses a Getrag from a BMW (I don't know which model): https://www.cape-international.com/shop/drivetrain/gearboxfivespeedconversionbn4bj8244-detail

The Tremec T5 would be a good choice. Volvo guys are able to adapt it to their bellhousing with an adapter plate, a much simpler solution than recasting a new bellhousing: https://www.cape-international.com/shop/drivetrain/gearboxfivespeedconversionbn4bj8244-detail Don't know if it's possible to do this with a Healey. A brand new T5Z is available for under $2k, so it would be cost effective if an adapter plate could be fabricated.
 
DerekJ said:
Not going to install one myself but I’m curious to know why it is always Toyota gearboxes that are installed?
Click to expand...

Derek - The Toyota W-Series 5-speed is a strong, well engineered, light weight unit that was very reasonably priced ($300-$400) at the breakers a few years back (I bought a few). Vintage race groups here in the US allow a replacement transmission with the same amount of forward gears as the stock unit (4-speed + overdrive = 5-speed). Under race conditions, the Toyota gives you the performance of straight cut gears and no awful loud screaming winding sound, just the sweet song of the big six.......

 
Blue964 said:
Found Pete Delaney! Thanks for the input to all.
But also stumbled across a guy in Belgium who does the same thing. Choices!!
Still want to go ahead with it although I agree it's not everyone's way to go.
Cheers!
Click to expand...
Any chance you could please pass on contact details for Pete Delaney? I'm in Australia and looking to source conversion kits for our customer cars.
 
The W-series boxes are popular in applications other than our Healeys. Check out "Martin Crawlers" who uses them extensively for rock-climbing applications.

Best--Michael Oritt
 
Having purchased a T-5 from Driven Man, I wish I had absolutely made every effort required to find a Toyota transmission and buy one of Pete's kits. Pete can sometimes help you find a good transmission.

Regards, Bill
 

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