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4 speed 'box - anygood for road use?
cjwood23 - 21/12/12 at 08:02 PM

Guys,
Have seen a couple of cars I'm interested in.
Both ex-sprint cars and both have 4 speed boxes fitted.
Car will mainly be used on the road, so is it worth sticking with the 4 speed?

Thanks

snakebelly - 21/12/12 at 08:22 PM

depends on what your going to do, just as a sunday toy probably not an issue, as a long distance cruiser i think the change to 5 speed would be worthwhile. Also depends on what engine its hooked up.

cjwood23 - 21/12/12 at 08:46 PM

Will be weekends and odd track day.
Engines are 1.7 crossflow and 1.8 zetec.
Guessing a swap would be fairly straight forward.

perksy - 21/12/12 at 09:27 PM

If they are Ex sprint cars and have 4 speed box's it would be worth knowing what ratio's are in the box and what ratio the diff is ?

It may be they were built for 'point and squirt' driving rather than more normal use

Know of lads who use 4 speed box's and they are ok with them but personally i'd like the use of a fifth gear for more relaxed cruising on runs out etc

chillis - 21/12/12 at 11:03 PM

quote:
Originally posted by cjwood23
Guys,
Have seen a couple of cars I'm interested in.
Both ex-sprint cars and both have 4 speed boxes fitted.
Car will mainly be used on the road, so is it worth sticking with the 4 speed?

Thanks


What spec are the engines? tuned and lairy or stanndard?

For motorway cruising you'll want the 5 speed, if its an occasional road car and trackday hooner then the 4 speed and the right diff ratio will work just fine.
I have run 2000e 4 speeds on tuned xflo's tuned 2.1 pinto's and zetec. They work fine.
Lairy tuned engines won't want to pull the 5 the gear on a ford 5 speed unless you're above 100mph or running a super low diff - though a stock zetec works well with 4 or 5 speed.

gazza285 - 21/12/12 at 11:05 PM

I had a Mk 1 Escort with a hot Crossflow, four speed Rocket box and a 3.89 diff. Ace car on the twisty stuff, but bloody horrible over 60mph.

Paul Turner - 22/12/12 at 09:20 AM

My first 7 was a 1700 x-flow with a standard 4 speed Escort Sport gearbox, 3.6 diff and 185/70 13 tyres. At the time I thought it was brilliant. about 3,800 rpm on the motorway at 70 and great flexibility for overtaking. Any issues with the standard 1st gear were somewhat masked by the 3.6 diff and tall tyres plus the sport box had closer ratios than other Escorts.

24 years later my 7 has a 2 litre Zetec, BGH 5 speed box, 3.9 diff and 185/60 14 tyres. Its brilliant, about 3550 on the motorway at 70 mph and great flexibilty for overtaking. No problem with 1st since the BGH box and nice close ratios.

Spot the similarity.

The main difference is the cost, the BGH box would cost more than the entire reconditioned Escort engine, box and axle cost me plus there is zero extra driving pleasure on a nice Sunday afternoon blat.

Its not progress but we think it is.