1.4K SS upgrade route

[Ol]

Currently I have a 1.4K supersport (134 bhp) with a standard type 9 gearbox, which I am happy with , except when driving it hard and trying to overtake. ☹️

 

The standard gear ratios frustrate me, especially as I usually have a passenger.

 

Frequent track days are a long term goal, but are too expensive at present.

 

I am familiar with the various gearbox and engine upgrade routes out there, but can't decide if it would be better to upgrade the gearbox first (and to what level of expense), or live with the gearbox a bit longer, and swap the engine for one which has more torque. (More satisfying if not necessarily faster.)

 

After looking fairly closely at the gearbox options, only a 6 spd (caterham or sequential) is ever going to do the 1.4k any justice, but as these cost as much as a tuned up 1.8K, they seem difficult to justify. It will take a while to assemble those levels of cash, which means no improvement for at least a year.

 

Alternatively I could try a half way option of a standard 1.8k transplant coupled to BGH gear ratios, with a view to upgrading the 1.8 later on. Does anyone know if 5 spds are adequate for this engine, or will I once again become frustrated with gearchanges. Also which would you change first, the engine or the gearbox? Bearing in mind that getting all the work done in one go is not a financially viable option, £600 - £1000 stints seems about right, especially as I don't have a serviced garage in which to do any serious work myself, such as lifting the engine out.

 

Bike engines don't really appeal, although they do neatly solve the gearbox problems at the same time.

 

Also being under 30 I am apprehensive about my would be insurance premium if I opt for a 190bhp K series. Is anyone happy to reveal how much their insurance rose following a serious power upgrade?

 

Thanks for any help with this, if I don't have a plan, I'll find it very difficult to save!

 

Cheers

 

Ol

 

(Apologies if this is more suited to the ChitChat area.)

 

[murph7355]

Ol

 

Definitely do the gearbox first.

 

1400KSS with a Caterham 6spd is one of the most pleasurable drives you will ever have. It really is a superb config and will make the car feel a damn site quicker and much better to drive.

 

You can occasionally get 2nd hand gearboxes through these pages. I may well be flogging mine (as I'm thinking of going sequential) at some point over the next few months, so be patient and keep an eye out for one.

 

Modified 5spdrs are also meant to be very good, but I've never actually driven one. The 6spd box is so good though it's hard to see how not to justify it.

 

As for power hikes and insurance, it depends who insures you. I'm with MSM (top firm) and they simply quote you on engine capacity and value. So your 1800 could be 130bhp or 250bhp and it'd be the same (if the value was the same).

 

You can get power hikes out of the 1400 too. Take a look at the DVAPower site. Many of these will work on a 1400K and don't cost *too* much. Your 1400 tuned to say 150bhp with a 6spd would be a gem.

 

What else do you have on the car? Adjustable platforms so the suspension can be set up are worth lots of power. 13" rims and good tyres the same. And both can be done for well under a grand.

 

If you have the std. exhaust (collector in the engine bay) you should bin that too. Again under a grand.

 

 

[alicat]

I agree *wink*

 

I have a 1.4K SS with six speed and it is great fun - only problem is trying to remember which gear you are in.

 

With the six speed it is easy to keep the revs just where you want them, and when blatting hard the close ratios are ideal. 😬 😬.

 

Can play great tunes with the engine

 

 

[CHRIS CLARK]

No Question................ Caterham six speed.

The 1400 was the reason why the six speed was developed/produced in the first place!!!

Lovely engine when buzzin' around the 5500--7000rpm.

[Joe 90]

Bad gear ratios will still be frustrating with a more powerful engine. You can get a close ratio semi-helical gear set for a type 9 5 speed gear box. I can't remember who makes it but road and race transmissions can supply it.

 

99,000 miles so far

[Alias]

I'm with all the guys here. I've got a 6 speed box on my 1400SS and it really makes the car. If you want to go for the engine upgrade, start with a 4to1 exhaust and go onto an Emerald chip, piper cams and throttle bodies with airbox (about £2k brand new and unfitted). For this price you would be better off looking for a VVC engine which suits the 5 speed box quite well.

 

As for track days, I've just done my first today and by the end of the session the only cars I couldn't keep up with were...

a) a Caterham driven impossibly fast and sideways by Mark (AKA F355 GTS),

b) a Noble M12

c) an Elise 111s.

 

I think that with a bit more experience and some decent rubber on the back (currently 7 year old Michelin road tyres!!!) I would have been able to outpace the Elise

 

Edited by - robf on 11 Oct 2002 21:35:43

[Ol]

Car already has a 4-1 exhaust, lsd, and has had 021r's fitted in replacement to the standard Pilots (Only wish I had done that sooner, the back end now stays in under minor acceleration around roundabouts in the wet. Get them swapped ASAP RobF, they make a huge difference). It was first registered in Dec 95, which I think makes it in the middle of some sort of specification change.

 

As I've only done one trackday so far, and can't justify the insurance hike to do more, I am not too woried about the suspension setup as the improvements that this would bring would be difficult to confirm on public roads, although I would ilke to go wide track at some point. My problem is one of straight line overtaking with a passenger uphill. The standard 7 handling means I could overtake on corners if I'm mad enough.

 

Like many owners I'm attached to the car, and so would rather upgrade than swap. But if I need more power to overtake lines of Rav4s, Vectras, and Vitaras,uphill in the peak district, how far can the 1.4K go, and will the replacement Supersport parts be usable in a 1.8 or VVC? Obviously the Emerald would be, but cams and TBs?

 

Also Caterham are selling off 1.4K lightweight flywheels for £100, will this significantly affect acceleration, and is it worth buying?

 

I realised the Caterham 6spd was developed for the 1.4K, but I thought these went for £1500 used. Didn't the new Caterham price include for fitting but relieve you of your 5spd, all for £2300. Swapping the gearbox is probably a £200 labour charge, which makes the second hand boxes of unknown condition as appealing as the new ones (£500 for a guarantee).

 

Does the VVC engine have so much more torque, that you don't have to keep it above 5500rpm in order to accelerate? I understand that fitting these is more awkward than with a standard 1.8K.

 

I'm also confused about Looms, do these need to be changed when placing a brand new engine in, or is my 95/96 loom going to need replacing simply to get an older 1.8K in?

 

It seems sensible to start saving for a 6spd, but presumably a sequential will give me more engine upgrade options later on as they can sustain higher bhp.

 

Cheers

 

 

Ol

[Mike Bees]

A lightweight flywheel might make a noticeable difference to acceleration in 1st gear, but you won't notice it in the higher gears. It's an engine out job to fit it, so if you're looking for performance increases on a budget then that alone really isn't worth the outlay.

 

The 1.6 & 1.8 are much torquier engines, certainly you don't need to keep a 1.8 over 5500rpm to be on the boil.

 

Mike

[murph7355]

A sequential gearbox is going to cost you an absolute minimum of 3k, and almost definitely somewhat more.

 

If you pay 1200-1500 for a used 6spd, you could sell your 5spd to part fund...

 

Have a word with DVAPower. The 1400 also attracts lower tax and there's something nice about having such a low capacity car that can blow most other things off.