"Healey 5-Speed"/Pete Delaney Contact

[Bob_Spidell]

Yikes!!! Did that breakage happen during shipping, or on the road/track?

 

[WHT]

Hi Bob,

It was sent to me without adequate packing and the transmission rolled around in the box during shipping. The input shaft punctured completely through the box 8 times (no idea what it hit or the damage that was caused). When it arrived, the input shaft would not turn. I was told by Driven Man to take both hands and it would turn with sufficient hand force. Later, I found it would not shift into first gear.

After dealing with Driven man over problems like missing kit parts, the wrong kit parts and snarky comments from Their Technical and Return Department, I decided to take it to a well known local Tremec shop for inspection and repair if needed; at my expense.

This decision was partly made because I did not have a secure box to send it back. When I voiced my concerned that (i) the original shipping box was not in good enough condition to return the transmission and (ii) I wasn't sure how to build a skid for it, the return manager said: "What do you want me to do? Drive over to your house and pick it up for you?". I was also told once you buy a transmission, it becomes your transmission and it will not be replaced. So, I would have to live with any additional damage caused by not shipping it back in a secure box and being blamed for causing more damage. All of the responsibility was put on me.

The local Tremec shop said they thought the damage was likely caused by the synchronizer keys being installed incorrectly and then the gears were pressed into place, breaking the rings and spacers. Additionally, they said the input shaft/ bearing (and other shafts) did not have the correct preload. The Tremec shop said the transmission, modified by Driven Man for the Austin-Healey, showed very poor assembly in their opinion.

After seeing the condition of the transmission, I could not imagine sending it back and having the same tech work on it again.

Regards, Bill

 

[Guido36]

Bill’s horrible experience is a reminder only ro buy retail parts with a credit card with strong customer backup and guarantees. I bought my McCleod 5 speed for my Healey through a highly reputable distributor, on a credit card. Let the credit card company duke it out with the supplier.

 

[Rob Glasgow]

I would hope Driven Man will respond to this forum with how they will make this right. When you’re a firm suppling parts to a very passionate and small community of customers, to not do so would seem like a poor business decision.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

Hi Bill,

It sounds like the tech broke the box when he pressed the gears on, yet assembled it anyway? Unbelievable.

I thought the name 'Driven Man' sounded familiar: I'd checked them out for a possible Tremec swap for the Getrag in my Mustang. There are reported issues with the Getrag, at least older in versions, and I'd had a Tremec in my '08 Mustang and was very happy with it. But, so far I've had no issues with the Getrag and I'd rather spend my money elsewhere (the Mustang doesn't get driven much these days anyway).

One thing about driving older cars, like Healeys, is that you tend to learn how to 'baby' a gearbox (they're not for 'speedshifters'). I've always remembered Mario Andretti's comment that he 'treats the shift knob like an eggshell' and Norman Nock's advice to 'always pass through neutral' (which I assume to mean no straight shots from second to third).

 

[PAUL161]

My T9 5speed can be shifted pretty quick and has a very short throw, but I soft shift it and it shifts beautifully without any strain on anything. The original transmission is in perfect shape and has never been abused, just wanted an extra gear.

 

[WHT]

Hi Paul,

I installed a Type 9 (T9) 5-speed transmission in our 1951 MG TD five years ago and it has worked perfectly. It was purchased from Hi-Gear Engineering in the UK and the kit was wonderful to install. Like you, we wanted a 5th gear for cruising.

The Hi-Gear kit was extremely well engineered and included every part required including the transmission fluid (which gave the EPA a hissy-fit and required me to file forms for importing hazardous materials).

(i) All parts were carefully checked off in the kit and all of the parts were there, (ii) all of the parts fit exactly as designed and intended, (iii) Hi-Gear included a very detailed and technically correct set of instructions and (iv) the transmission and other kit parts were carefully packed and protected for shipping. It was a night and day different experience than the Driven Man kit!

The owner of Hi-Gear and his wife are amazing people to deal with and they do a terrific job engineering, modifying and shipping transmission kits.

Regards, Bill

 

[Michael Oritt]

"Of course a Toyota gearbox is better than the original but then you aren’t driving an Austin Healey"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More accurately, you'll be driving an Austin-Healey with a Toyota transmission versus perhaps simply owning (but not driving) one with an Austin-Healey transmission.