12 replies to this topic

[Bloggsworth]

I put this on the technical thread and was reminded that this was the place to meet the men who knoweth all things motorsporting:



My brother races an historic 1,500cc Ford engined Lotus 7 in Canada and is having gear linkage problems. He says that the car has a "Modified Triumph linkage", which puzzles me, I would have thought the Lotus Cortina would have been the one - Have I forgotten something, or has anyone any info as to whether my brother is correct, and if so, where to go to get spares etc?

[Mistron]

S2 (and maybe S3) used a Triumph remote assembly mounted onto the Ford box via a cast 'wedge'. Not 100% sure the model of Triumph the change was sourced from, but I'll have a look in 'Ortenburger' Legend of the Lotus seven, which I think gives details, but it's probably a Herald? Lever was obviously cut down by Lotus, and then again by most owners!

Edit- if it's a 1500 I assume it'll be a S2. for assistance you could try simplesevens.com, but I think xanthos cars do some spares for S2s, though most will have the 2000e box by now. I think the reason for the change was simply ergonomic / economic - the ford linkage was longer, and it was cheaper to make the adaptor than modify the ford linkage

Edited by Mistron, 04 October 2010 - 18:55.

[Cirrus]

I've built a couple of Caterhams, and the four speed gearbox had a couple of steel plates (with the appropriate bushes etc) either side of the lever coming out of the gearbox, to transfer the gearchange movement to a secondary gear lever that was nearer the driver. Perhaps that's the sort of arrangement on your brother's car

Edited by Cirrus, 04 October 2010 - 18:48.

[AJB]

I'd try Redline Components in Caterham who are Caterham Cars' Appointed Historic Parts Specialist and the only Official parts distributor for the Lotus Seven. Tel 01883 346515. They really know their stuff.
Alan

[Bloggsworth]

I e-mailed him for engine/gearbox details and chassis number etc., he replied that "He didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition" - Well, nobody does....

[Mistron]

You can see the adaptor on the 'cortina box in this photo:
http://www.simplesev...s/sevNaes16.jpg

[M bennett]

You can see the adaptor on the 'cortina box in this photo:
http://www.simplesev...s/sevNaes16.jpg

Yes Lotus needed an extended gearchange for the Lotus 7 before the Ford GT extension became available. They took the gearchange extension (From a Herald I believe) and grafted it onto the Ford three rail 'box using a cast wedge adaptor. I have built up one of these for an S2 7 and it takes quite a bit of fiddling to get it all to work. The main problen was lack of "throw" of the Triumph linkage to properly engage the Ford gears in particular reverse gear. As I recall, it was a few years ago, there was fettling and filing to increase throw and new detents to be positioned for reverse gear. We did get it working OK and the car is still in use today. If it is all too much trouble what about the Ford remote gearchange which is robust and excellent?

[Mistron]

maybe this would be of use? it's on the right side of the pond.

http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item230af0ca16

[philthefluter]

If you are interested I have the Ford version of this linkage, came out of my 1965 S2 seven and fits direct onto the 3 rail box. The markings are wyf j4076 116e 7k006b. I'm moving house so its a garage clearout item, it was working fine in 1980 when I rebuilt the car and fitted the 2000e box, its been on the shelf since then. My email is pwoods121@ntlworld.com.

Phil

[Bloggsworth]

I'll ping my brother and ask him if he is sorted - At the moment the intelligent Canadians are trying to sort out the ramifications of being banned from singing the proper words for the Dire Straits song Money for Nothing as it appears that the Canadian Broadcast Standards Authority has had a common sense by-pass, and this could have all sorts of ramifications, for instance, adverts for Happy Meals are an insult to the hetrosexual community, as the word "Happy" is directly interchangable with "Gay" according to the NEW OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY (1823 Edition) In use by the Canadian authorities...

Edited by Bloggsworth, 17 January 2011 - 10:05.

[bradbury west]

OT a bit. Is it true that S2 Sevens must have Standard 10 rear axles for originality for racing?
Roger Lund

[Bloggsworth]

If you are interested I have the Ford version of this linkage, came out of my 1965 S2 seven and fits direct onto the 3 rail box. The markings are wyf j4076 116e 7k006b. I'm moving house so its a garage clearout item, it was working fine in 1980 when I rebuilt the car and fitted the 2000e box, its been on the shelf since then. My email is pwoods121@ntlworld.com.

Phil

Thanks for the help, apparently it's the Triumph one that fits his car, and that they've found some bits with which to make up a new linkage.

[Mistron]

OT a bit. Is it true that S2 Sevens must have Standard 10 rear axles for originality for racing?
Roger Lund

I'd think it might well be, as the later Ford ones on the S3 give a wider rear track.

The standard axles are not exactly robust for racing though, so I suspect the casing may be all that you'd retain?