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Spitfire Need HELP on Spitfire Tranny upgrades

MarkCraig

Freshman Member
Offline
Morning,

I need some help and suggestions, I am a new memebr and haven't hobbied with British cars since the early 80's, so my knowledge base is very outdated. I have purchased a 1972 Spitfire that has been an SCCA race car since the early 80's. The tranny is stock and is shot. I need some suggestions and direction on what is available and what you folks have used to replace the stock trans and what holds up the best. I have found some vendors that use TR7 internals in a stock Spitfire case, as well as 5 speed conversions using a Sierra Type 9 Ford tranny. The 5 speed sounds interesting, pricy though and doesn't come with close ratio gears that are very beneficial for racing purposes. The TR7 conversion is supposed to be very strong as compared to stock and does have close ratio gears and is a lot less money too!

Anyway I need to know whatever is available and hear from some of you that may have already done the research and done it the wrong way already, hopefully it will save me making the same mistakes etc!

Mark @ DPPI
 
I have heard of using a Ford and Toyota 5 speed to replace the original tranny but no-one I know runs either of these. I have always been scared off by the price. Not so much by the price of the tranny but of the components to make it fit. You can find an original 3 rail on e-bay pretty cheap but they are expensive to ship. If you can find a Triumph or British Car Club near you you will undoubtedly find someone with a 3-rail sitting in their basement or garage that they would part with cheap. I have a J-Type overdrive in my Spitfire and have a spare on hand as well. I think the 1972 would use a D-type OD. These are pricey even on e-Bay. I have seen them go for anything between $300 and $1200. The price reflects a level of dependability. $100 get you a OD that looks good but is mostly untested. $1200 should get you a completely rebuilt OD. You can also fit a Volvo OD onto the Spitfire and they can be had for a little over a $100 on e-bay. Be aware that the Volvo OD requires a new output shaft and adapter plates. It also has a 25% OD rather than the original 23% OD ratio (I think).
 
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