Hi All,

Just posting latest progress. Not a bad finish....








Rob

How did you get it that nice??

I sprayed it. Takes more prep but is really quick to do once set up. Spent a lot of hours cleaning it too, jet washed it a couple of times and used Gunk to clean it.

Pretty happy with the finish, the whole engine is going to be as clean so set the standard now!

Going to paint the diff casing and the end cap black to make it a bit different, block is going to be black and going to paint the top end components blue I think, maybe red????

Cheers

Hope you etch primed it first. Nothing worse than painted alloy components where the paint starts flaking off all over it, looks terrible.

Used a special metals primer thats for alloys, so should be ok... It took a long time to dry but the hammerite has taken to it well.

I hope you sorted the leak first ?

what happened the Gearbox? is this from your daily Fiat Coupe?

Had one a few years ago, Forged with a GT28RSR 320hp was a rapid thing until it let go at 160!

I was concerned I hadn't sealed it up very well, when I attempted to split it open for inspection a few weeks ago. Redid it. This time I am sure it's not going to leak.

This is my next stage of the locost build. This gearbox is a five speed 20vt, (would like a 6speed, maybe it this one pops) and was running well with no issues when I broke my donnor coupe. I am still working on the design for the locost, so the winter job is a complete rebuild of the engine. Funds are limited though, so it's going to take as long as it needs, (slow) have to do the work myself and can't aford all the bits I need straight away. But should look sweet when finished. I am a bit anal when it comes to detail, hope the finished car shows that.

I never really drove the coupe when I got it, but the lad I got it off said it was rapid and he had it 8 years. So with a few tuning goodies and a remap - in a car that weighs 600kg, should be interesting......

Rob

Hi,

Over the weekend i asked some questions on the Fiat coupe club forum about my gearbox, i got back these comments:


"afaik early boxes are reputed to be the stronger

any box should ideally be inspected, especially if its an unknown one.

all boxes are the same in principle, pitting on shafts can lead to hydraulic erosion and ultimately shaft or bearing failure, baulk rings wear and dont grip, synchros (springs) weaken and teeth wear. oh and casing can crack, rare but possible, especially in higher torque engines when the shafts splay on hard take up"


I thought it was interesting that the earlier boxes are thought of as being stronger yet harder to work with..... Any one on here had any issues with this box? I know there are a couple of fiat people on here.

The other interesting thing I noted was casing can crack, obviously they can, i know this, but i noted on part of my casing there are like ripple lines in the surface, they don’t look like casting marks i have ever seen, is this doe to the torque trying to rip the box open as mentioned above?

My gearbox casing does not show signs of cracking and hop it has life left in it, if it does ever go (Santapod one day?) i may invest in a later spec 6 speed box.

Rob