various bits needed

[KayTee]

Hi !

I am looking for various parts for the completeion of my restauration.

Please dont hesitate to contact me directly.

Here's my list:

petrol tank + fuel level sender for live axle Cat; 4-speed 'bulletproof' gearbox; set of bench seats; alu rad + fan for BDA/R; engine mounts for dry-sumped x-flow; Smith's instruments à la Lotus S3; complete handbrake system from lever to rear axle; LSDed Ital axle; A-frame and trailing arms (rear)

 

Thanks ! - Karsten

[R2D2]

Which gearbox was fitted to your chassis?

 

I have a 3-rail 200E type which was fitted to Series 3 Lotus and early Caterhams, an Escort Sport fitted in the late eighties and an RS2000 type. They all need the gearbox mounting in a different place as Caterham modified the chassis rather than the mounting.

[KayTee]

I have 'both' mounting positions incorporated in my gearbox mounting 'bridge'. Bruce R. told me there were two different ones, and so they put two sets of sleeves into it, about 12 mm apart from each other.

I am not sure which of the 3 boxes you mention are couvered by this, I suppose it's the Escort and the 2000E 3-rail, but I am not all that certain about the latter. Does the RS2000 one vary from the Escort box in that regard ?

Strange!

[Maccers]

I am replacing the bench seats on my 7, will be picking it up from Caterham hopefully this weekend, and getting some adjustable single seats in the following weekend. Where are you located?? The car was built by Caterham in 1996, covered 10,000 miles since, so they are in pretty good nick.

RM.

[R2D2]

The difference in length from the bellhousing/engine face to the centre of the gearbox mounting lug on the tailshaft is about 3" (from memory) if you compare the RS2000 gearbox with the Escort Sport, and the gearlever is also further back along the tunnel.

 

My car is a 1989 short cockpit and was originally designed to have the Escort Sport Box (This box has an integral bell housing).

 

In the tunnel there is a steel "bridge" which carries a remote gearlever to connect to the gearbox.

 

The RS2000 box would bring the gear lever in the box closer to the correct position but I think it would still need a remote linkage.

 

Do you have the "bridge" in the tunnel.

 

Sorry for all the questions but I ended up buying two different gearboxes in an effort to get better ratio's and then found that I needed to modify the frame and re-fitted the original.

 

I can measure the boxes at the weekend if this helps.

[KayTee]

Well, my chassis does have the remote linkage bridge in the tunnel. I specified it that way for the rebuild (it had been hacksawed earlier - a long story).

The grearbox mounting bridege itself features 2 sets of bushes for the 2 alternate mounting points. I have reconfirmed this with Breuce @ Arch today, there are two different legths , one for the 3-rail and one for the RS2000/Escort Sport.

depending upon where the 'original' stick ends up I will either use the remote set-up or the gearboxes' very own.

What sort of box are those you can offer ? Straight-cut heavy duty ?

Thanks & Regards - Karsten

[KayTee]

So, back to the drawing-board ...

Does anyone happen to have a used Ford live axle for a Caterham for sale ?

 

How about an alu radiator (front mounted) for use with XF/BDA ?

 

Thanks ! - Karsten

[R2D2]

I have the following gearboxes:

 

2000E box with an alloy cable bell housing and a Cortina GT Remote, which is the box fitted to the Series 3 sevens.

 

Escort "Sport" gearbox with the inegral cast iron bell housing.

 

RS2000 Four Speed with straight cut Quaife gearkit fitted (2.5:1 first gear) known as the Clubmans Kit. I don't have a bell housing or gear stick. A Frame Engineering in Nelson Burnley sell a suitable Alloy bellhousing for £100 inc VAT, which is the cheapest around and Quaife sell a short quick shift gearstick suitable for the Caterham for £65 + VAT. The bell housing you would need would be a Sierra type not the RS2000 as this has the location for a starter on both sides and is too bulky.

 

I would think that if you have a 180bhp BDA, the Quaife is the best bet.

 

You could fit a gearkit to any RS2000 gearbox and the Escort Breakers that advertise in Motoring News sell these units for about £50 each but the standard ratio's are rubbish.

 

I see from your other posting about axles that you have similar problems to the one's I had last year when I built my car.

 

At 180BHP you probably don't need the Quaife half-shaft kit. I use one of these in a Mk1 RS2000 that I rally. This car has 200BHP weighs 900kg and has a 4.7:1 diff. In this form it was breaking standard half shafts for a pass time.

 

If you fit a Ford Axle and do have troubles there is you could always fit this kit as a "back door" even though it is expensive.

 

The front hub change you mention is quite cost effective and you will only have to change hubs, all the other parts are compatible (I woukd fit new bearings for convenience).

 

Merlin Motorsport have suitable Aluminium alloy hubs for £80 + VAT each and I think these would be a good idea as you also get a small reduction in unsprung weight which will help the front suspension out.

 

Hope this helps!