5 speed or not ?

[Jayrz]

So yeah,

I can't sem to make up my mind. My 64 MGB has a ruined 2nd gear synchro and the box needs to come out.

Doing kind of a "period performance car" with the thing so I am thinking strongly about repairing the 3 synchro box in it,,,, but would really like to have the datsu box too.

opinions?

 

[rick_ingram]

Will the Z-car transmission fit the transmission tunnel without major modifications? That would be my only concern with your vintage of MGB. I would try to make as few irreversible modifications as possible on early cars.

Would an O/D gearbox fit your needs? (Realizing the potential rarity of the early O/D boxes)

 

[bob67bgt]

Z car has a shifter location that will require a cut on the tunnel and a whack with a hammer up by your foot. The T9 kit Hap sells should fit with no problem. ....I use a borg warner T5 from a 4 cyl mustang in my Mk1 cars but there is no kit available. Bob

 

[Steve_S]

5-Speeds work well but will often lower the resale value of a Mark I car. Of course this only matters if you plan to sell it at some point. The deal killer for me is that it changes the feel of driving the car. I like that vintage, mechanical-feeling gearbox in the early cars. Full syncro is nice for a daily driver, but carving a canyon is much more fun to me with the original period bits.

 

[vagt6]

5-Speeds work well but will often lower the resale value of a Mark I car. Of course this only matters if you plan to sell it at some point. The deal killer for me is that it changes the feel of driving the car. I like that vintage, mechanical-feeling gearbox in the early cars. Full syncro is nice for a daily driver, but carving a canyon is much more fun to me with the original period bits.

I think Steve hit it right on the head: all of his points are valid. Inevitably, the 5 speed will make it drive more like a modern car. But, is that what you really want?

Regarding "never" selling the car: although most of us would love to believe that we'll never sell, we definitely WILL <span style="font-style: italic">someday</span> (our estate when we kick the bucket, etc.). You never know. Another good reason to keep the car original.

Rebuild the gearbox and add an overdrive if you can. Overdrive totally transforms these cars and there's nothing like the sound, feel and *click* of shifting into overdrive! Plus, it never fails to wow uninitiated passengers. Most importantly, if done correctly the rebuilt gearbox will last for tens of thousands of miles, or more.

Stick to period mods (i.e., mods that were generally available in the car's era), they don't change the "feel" of the car and will INCREASE, not decrease the value (and feel) of your LBC.

You can't go wrong with period mods, period.

 

[bob67bgt]

Its all about opinions. If YOU want a 5 speed then do it.If your car is about resale then you are in the wrong game.YOU need to enjoy your car and the heck with what the next guy thinks. If you get a 5 speed with ratios close to what MG had then the 5 speed is a great way to go. The last GT i purchased has a Datsun 5 speed in it. First gear is very tall and it changes the feel of the car. My T5 conversions feel about the same as a early trans. Click, click ,click into the gears! Its still better than a standard 4 speed! Syncro first will not effect the way it drives on a nice twistie mountain road! Just keep it on the road and maintained and we'll all be happy with your decision. Bob

 

[Rick_Stevens]

Its all about opinions. If YOU want a 5 speed then do it.If your car is about resale then you are in the wrong game.YOU need to enjoy your car and the heck with what the next guy thinks. If you get a 5 speed with ratios close to what MG had then the 5 speed is a great way to go. The last GT i purchased has a Datsun 5 speed in it. First gear is very tall and it changes the feel of the car. My T5 conversions feel about the same as a early trans. Click, click ,click into the gears! Its still better than a standard 4 speed! Syncro first will not effect the way it drives on a nice twistie mountain road! Just keep it on the road and maintained and we'll all be happy with your decision. Bob

x2.

It's your car, do what you want with it.

OD or 5-speed, either one is a great addition. Easier (maybe cheaper, maybe not) to find a good 5-speed swap. I love the Datsun box, but as noted - check with Hap first. The Datsun DOES require some mods to the earlier cars.

 

[SteveTR]

There are enough opinions here to form a committee.

I make a motion that you find a car with a 5 speed and drive it. My TR3 will have a Bill Close modified 5 speed. There are several options within your options. The difference between a standard standard 4 speed is both redundant and magical compared with that of a Nissan or Toyota transmission.

All in favor of the above motion signify with...

But know this - with all my puffery on the TR3 I am going modified restoration, and with my newest purchase - a 1957 MGA Coupe I am going stock throughout.


Good luck,

Steve

 

[billspohn]

I have both stock and 5 speed boxes in my MGs. I prefer stock.

 

[PAUL161]

If was me and of course it isn't, I wouldn't put any other tranny in it if I had to cut and modify the tunnel, which in the earlier models were narrower than the later ones. The cost, I believe, will be about the same as putting in the one that came with it when new and as others have said, changing the tranny will change it from it's original driving experience. I prefer an old car to drive like an old car. That's why I bought it.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

I think anyone who drives a 5 speed MGB on the interstate immediately falls in love with 5 speed, it opens up one more way to use our cars, in my opinion a 5 speed is a more viable choice than a factory OD, the 5 speed is just better. When I looked into getting in the 5 speed business I thought about alot of things, most of them being not having to cut on the car, or modify alot, the T9 kit is the way I went, it's bell housing is a exact copy of the front of a MGB transmission case so it looks stock from under the hood, it lets you use all MGB clutch components including a MGB clutch disc, you don't have to modify a flywheel, and that opens up the option of having a aluminum flywheel (which I'm doing on my car), it also let you use your normal clutch hydraulics, and no modificatiton to the chassis whatsoever. As far as lowering the resale value on a Mark 1 car, I guess maybe if you doing concourse shows, but tell me if you buy one of these cars to drive, and you're looking at two equal cars for the same money sitting side by side, which one would you choose, the 4 speed or the 5 speed?

 

[billspit]

I'm wondering in from the dark side, but most of the folks with Triumph's that have the 5 speeds love them. I have a Mk I Spit with OD and would rather have a 5 speed. I have a Type 9 transmission sitting around, but I need to come up with an adapter plate for a Spit. Checked with Frontline and they run about $350.

 

[billspohn]

tell me if you buy one of these cars to drive, and you're looking at two equal cars for the same money sitting side by side, which one would you choose, the 4 speed or the 5 speed?

Neither. I'd choose the 6 speed (stock MG box with OD on 3rd and 4th).

 

[Bruce74B]

tell me if you buy one of these cars to drive, and you're looking at two equal cars for the same money sitting side by side, which one would you choose, the 4 speed or the 5 speed?

Neither. I'd choose the 6 speed (stock MG box with OD on 3rd and 4th).

Me, too!

 

[Bob60]

I installed a Datsun 5-speed kit into my GT, straight bolt in, no body mods, everything fit. Absolutely transforms the car. I can cruise at 80 all day long. The car originally had an OD that was developing problems, the usual fixes (oil, o-rings etc. did not fix it), so it clearly required a rebuild. For slightly more than the price of a rebuilding the OD, I installed the Datsun kit. As far as resale - my feeling is - so what; after all, we're not dealing with Ferraris here. I'm not convinced a 5-speed greatly diminishes resale anyway. I also agree with Hal - two equal cars side by side - I'd take the one with the 5-speed. One final note - the factory OD consists of three systems: mechanical, hydraulic and electrical. A 5-speed eliminates two of those.

 

[PAUL161]

I think anyone who drives a 5 speed MGB on the interstate immediately falls in love with 5 speed, it opens up one more way to use our cars, in my opinion a 5 speed is a more viable choice than a factory OD, the 5 speed is just better. When I looked into getting in the 5 speed business I thought about alot of things, most of them being not having to cut on the car, or modify alot, the T9 kit is the way I went, it's bell housing is a exact copy of the front of a MGB transmission case so it looks stock from under the hood, it lets you use all MGB clutch components including a MGB clutch disc, you don't have to modify a flywheel, and that opens up the option of having a aluminum flywheel (which I'm doing on my car), it also let you use your normal clutch hydraulics, and no modificatiton to the chassis whatsoever. As far as lowering the resale value on a Mark 1 car, I guess maybe if you doing concourse shows, but tell me if you buy one of these cars to drive, and you're looking at two equal cars for the same money sitting side by side, which one would you choose, the 4 speed or the 5 speed?

I didn't know they had a 5 speed that would drop in without modifying the tunnel on the older Bs. What make is it Hap?

 

[Steve_S]

tell me if you buy one of these cars to drive, and you're looking at two equal cars for the same money sitting side by side, which one would you choose, the 4 speed or the 5 speed?

Neither. I'd choose the 6 speed (stock MG box with OD on 3rd and 4th).

Me, too!

Me, three!

As far as resale - my feeling is - so what; after all, we're not dealing with Ferraris here. I'm not convinced a 5-speed greatly diminishes resale anyway.

If we were talking Ferraris then we wouldn't care about losing money! I do care about resale value if I don't plan to keep the car forever.

 

[Jayrz]

Ultimately the decision is going to involve the funds available weighed against keeping the originality of the car. If I drop a grand into the original it can be like new and likely won't ever wear out again given the amount the car is going to be driven but I am stuck without that 5 speed all synchro feel. If I go datsun the stuff that needs to be cut, well that kinda turns me off, and don't really want to go that route.

Best solution is the T9 kit because the car does not have to be altered and can easily be put back to original,,, but dang! So much friggin money!Wonder if there is a way to buy the T9 kit without the trans if I source my own gearbox because they are a little rare over here but certainly not unobtainable here in Denver.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Paul it is the Borg Warner T9, used in several Fords in the Europe, but only the Merkur here in the states, there are a couple of input shaft lengths, so no guarantee one you would find is the right one for the conversion. It wroks in the early cars, and the shifter comes out in the stock location, the early cars do hav asmaller tunnel and it is a little tighter, but it work fine, I plan on putting one in my 67 GT, which is a small tunnel car as well. They make two different bellhousings as well one for the the 3 syncro cars, and one for the 4 syncro cars, so you use all your normal MG clutch stuff.

This has been a good deal for me so far, I've sold three conversion kits in about 6 weeks, I'd love to sell one to a member from here, so I could send Basil a commision check for the site

 

[Mickey Richaud]

tell me if you buy one of these cars to drive, and you're looking at two equal cars for the same money sitting side by side, which one would you choose, the 4 speed or the 5 speed?

Neither. I'd choose the 6 speed (stock MG box with OD on 3rd and 4th).

Me, too!

The '73 B that I restored for Janet came with the factory OD. While a 5-speed is a great option, it's hard to beat the "cool factor" of switching on the OD and watching the tach numbers drop!

However, if it hadn't come with the factory OD, I'd be tempted to go with Hap's option.

Mickey