Sprint gearbox, later model different?

[Galileo]

Not important, just an idle question, my replacement gearbox (with OD) from a late model Sprint has a slightly different casing to my 1975 one, a steel plate on top of the selector remote, and where there are blank raised circles there are hex heads. Did they change the design as time went on?

[PaulB]

The internals are the same. I know the plate you mean, not sure of its purpose.

[zombeh]

The whole selector cover should be interchangeable as an assembly, some of the bits inside it changed over the years but I would have thought 75 would be late enough to be the same as a late one.

I think the cover relates to something on not a sprint (there are various bits that go in the top for the Americans, it might be for ease of assembly of them?). The round flat bits at the front are where the 3rd/4th inhibitor switch (the front one) and reverse switch (the next one) used to be before they were moved further back. The third one which likely has a bolt in it is for the 2nd gear overdrive inhibitor switch. I would guess that this is a homolgation thing for using a wide ratio gear set and not being allowed to drill extra holes in it later.

[Jon Tilson]

Earlier top covers had a blanking plug for the 2nd gear o-d inhibitor switch as was used on TR6's, which used the same box pretty much. When this was dropped on TR's the top cover was no longer drilled at the factory.

Early boxes also had bronze gear bushes which were later changed to steel from 75/6 on.

Jonners

[Galileo]

Cheers for all of you replies guys! I should have done this right at the start, picture telling a 1000 words and all that!

My 'new' box on the left, original on the right, and apart from the large hex heads the casting appears much rougher on the new one, to the point were there is still sharp flashing on the top cover, and the strengthening webbing on the bell housing is also different. I should have propped the original one up at the back, it's not shorter, just a perspective thing.

It's odd that the (in theory, who knows what's happened to my car in 40 years!) older of the boxes has a top cover without drilled bits for the old reverse switch location, but the newer one does but with blanking plugs.

I'm going to carry on and put this box on, as since taking my original one off I've found out how much up and down movement there is in the input shaft, not quite a dick in a bucket but more than I would like!

[Carledo]

Hi, I have been reading your threads and comments for some time now and curiosity has finally got the better of me!

So what on earth is a Tiger Avon? Some sort of kit car? and if so have you any pics?

Just being really nosey!

All the best, Steve

[Galileo]

Steve, I had a plan, this great idea for a cheap sports car spurned on by thinking that The Prisoner's KAR 120C Lotus 7 was a really cool car, to build my own from scratch. Unfortunately it's on my disposal list because I ended up having no garage and if I'm really honest no time, which pretty much put paid to that merry venture. That was only after 2 years of planning and visiting manufacturers, kit car shows etc. and buying half a kit which is scattered around the house! Oh well...