Overdrive or five speed

[Alec Pringle]

Afterthought - the late Ken Tomlinson, who built all the 'works' LT77 boxes and probably knew more about the LT77 than everyone else put together, recommended Motul Gear 300 for road applications, and Motul Gear Competition for competition applications.

 

ATF is useless stuff in the LT77, specified by BL simply for its improvement to initial gear changing from cold, for the benefit of the limp wristed, and not for any sound or sensible technical reason.

 

Cheers

 

Alec

[Ben Freer]

Just to add grist to the mill Progresso. I have experienced both (but not in the same car!). I ran a TR6 with a J-type o/d for 10 years as my daily driver. I put in an extra switch so had o/d on 2,3&4. It was great fun and as long as the wiring to the switches on the gbox was not loose it all worked fine and never let me down. On the 6 cylinder with its grunt and sound I wouldn't be without it!

On my TR3 I have inherited a Toyota 5-speed conversion (and the"original" TR4 gbox and o/d which currently resides in the greenhouse). Would I swap it back? No. It works. The 5th gear is great for touring. It's a tough gbox which is why the PO swapped it out (for rallies and hill climbing). I didn't really miss it on alpine passes last summer, I just stayed in a lower gear on the hairpins and enjoyed listening to the engine revving!

So I guess it depends on how you use the car. The distinct impression I get from this forum is that if you use the car a lot you are far less likely to encounter problems with the o/d.????

[Motorsport Mickey]

Afterthought - the late Ken Tomlinson, who built all the 'works' LT77 boxes and probably knew more about the LT77 than everyone else put together, recommended Motul Gear 300 for road applications, and Motul Gear Competition for competition applications.

 

ATF is useless stuff in the LT77, specified by BL simply for its improvement to initial gear changing from cold, for the benefit of the limp wristed, and not for any sound or sensible technical reason.

 

Cheers

 

Alec

 

+1 for Kens work Alec, he built my TR7 V8 gearboxes and also my TR4 rear axles. Interestingly he was not a fan of the close ratio cluster on the LT177 and wouldn't fit one when I asked for it, "Nope" he said not enough advantage and those boxes with it fitted don't last as well as the standard unit's, you'll just have to drive it harder "

 

Mick Richards

[RogerH]

Hi Progreso,

a couple of years back I was passing through the Black Forest in Germany.

Taking the hairpins in 3rd and then with a little flick of a switch into 3rd OD in readiness for the next hairpin.

Another little flick and take the bend in 3rd again.

 

Didn;t have to change gear for quite some time. It was quite a pleasant run.

 

Roger

[Alec Pringle]

Hi Mick,

 

it was the close ratio boxes that grenaded themselves, dreadful things, but on Bert's ex-works rally cars they did offer a distinct advantage for stage rallies - but only when driven to the absolute limit. Bert's JE engines were tuned to the max, narrow power band and you really did have to be very brave indeed to make the most of them. One reason Bert and his TRs were so popular with the spectators in Belgium and France, few drivers could dance on the ragged edge the way Bert did, balls like giant Bramleys . . . . .

 

Cheers

 

Alec

[Steves_TR6]

Hi Progreso,

a couple of years back I was passing through the Black Forest in Germany.

Taking the hairpins in 3rd and then with a little flick of a switch into 3rd OD in readiness for the next hairpin.

Another little flick and take the bend in 3rd again.

 

Didn;t have to change gear for quite some time. It was quite a pleasant run.

 

Roger

Sounds great Roger, i use 3/od for country lane blasting and it’s a lot of fun !

 

Intereting that ‘modern’ cars often have flappy paddles, electrically controlled overdrive gave much of the benefit 50 years ago!

 

Steve

[Chris59]

I wouldn't swap any of my (numerous....) overdrive gearboxes versus a 5 speed gearbox.

 

It can be beat when you flick the switch on rural roads !

[AWM]

Defo, O/D for originality, performance, practical and financial reasons.

 

I've had/got a few Rover products with the LT77 and it's not robust and parts for some versions are now hard to get, some even unobtainable. If you want to go this way, then use the later R380 - a much better prospect. I don't know much about the Sierra box but I will imagine parts for that aren't common place nowadays either. We sometimes forget how long these items have been out of production and if there's no enthusiast market (as there is for the standard TR box and O/D set-up) then parts become unobtainium v. quick.

 

 

Andrew

[boxofbits]

Overdrive is 'proper quality' and feels right especially in these cars, the kind of driving we do and the unique period performance we expect from them.

 

In addition, as said 2 ratio choices on 2, 3 or 4th gears (on 'A' type ) at the flick of a switch and not having to hack up and down the gears manually. Why turn your TR into a Ford Sierra?

 

Some people criticise the selection on 'A' type overdrive , but my own selects in or out smoothly and effortlessly every time.

 

And...originality will retain the value of your TR.

 

 

Kevin

[Tom Fremont]

I'll have to get a GO PRO camera and record the skillful application of the A-type O/D on winding roads, as I believe it would put an end to the discussion .

 

Cheers,

Tom

[Tim D.]

I just like the look on the face of people who don't know about overdrive. Hearing the car change gear without seeing my hand move to the gear knob really confuses the heck out of em.

[John Jervis]

I enjoy using the A type O/D, the extra ratio with second is great in slow moving, stop start motorway traffic jams:) I also fitted the Revington electronic gizmo that keeps O/D out whenever you change gear, the standard O/D stalk is replaced with a similar version except it works like a flappy paddle. O/D on/off/on then just works by blipping the stalk down against a spring each time.