sequential boxes

[Tight fart]

Does any one have any experience of sequential boxes in a seven? I never understood Caterham investing in the 6 speed (good box though it is imho).

There seemed to be a few on show at Autosport and some conversions has any one done a sequenial in the seven (not bike engines)?

 

 

T.F@O.F

[Foxy Smith]

TF

 

I've spent the last few months looking for an HPC. One of the early cars I looked at was an ex Mithril (Goodwood) car which had been fitted with a Quaife six sp sequential by its new owner who I understood is a test driver for what used to be Tom Walkinshaw racing.

 

I have to say that the gearbox put me off bigtime. It was incredibly noisy, much more noisy than other straight cut boxes that I've driven previously or since. I also found it ackward to use especially going from neutral into first but I'm sure that you would get used to it. To be fair the cars owner was obviously a brilliant driver and certainly knew how to use the car but even he struggled at for example junctions where you had to clunk down from third or fourth to find first again to pull away. I have also been told subsequently that this gearbox is pretty heavy which is the reason it has not been popular in the Seven.

[CHRIS CLARK]

Interesting about the Goodwood car.

I had the guys six speed off him just before he went cycling across the US of A. He had the engine out and had been awaiting the box from Quaiffe for three months at the time I saw it all!!!

Maybe been sold on now, but not worth the wait (or cost!) then.

[EFA]

Yes they are 44kgs and £4000 if you include VAT and the natty LED gear indicator.

 

Not that i am thinking about one for my V6 of course.

 

Did I just say that?? Oops!

 

Fat Arn

The NOW PROVEN R500 Eaterid=red>

See the Lotus Seven Club 4 Counties Area Website hereid=green>

 

[Chelspeed]

Mines got an alloy case and only weighs 35kg, I'm sure the alloy case only saves a couple of kilos, are you sure about 44kg Arnie? Did that include bellhousing and oil? I also only spent £2300 for it..... But that was from SPC, no indicator, plus vat.

 

I've had a one of the Quaife sequential type 9's for over a year now. It's five speed, overdrive top, 2.04:1 first, dog change. It's not as noisy as the box it replaced, Quaife professional 4 speed dog box (21kg!!). But noisier than the straight cut synchro box before that. If you're an enthusiastic driver then it's fine, if you want to go touring with the wife for 1000's of miles and use the hood then it'd probably get a bit tedious.

 

The change is superb, so quick it makes up for all shortcomings. Do it.

[EFA]

Graham,

 

The prices are:

 

6spd Seq 3250 +VAT

Indicator 350 + VAT

 

Andy at Quaife told me 44Kgs with the iron casing, 40kgs with an alloy case.

 

Whats a Caterham 6 speed - about 24Kgs I think????/

 

Fat Arn

The NOW PROVEN R500 Eaterid=red>

See the Lotus Seven Club 4 Counties Area Website hereid=green>

 

[westy]

isn't there a conversion for the 5 speed?

 

Edited by - westy on 27 Jan 2002 23:14:30

[edmandsd]

I understood Quaife's sequential boxes were very heavy and probably closer to Arnie's estimate. That's why I didn't consider one.

 

[Chelspeed]

Mines only five speed but I'm surprised that saves so much weight. My 4 speed alloy cased pro dog box was 21kg, the alloy cased 5 speed sequential was 35kg (both with no oil, with stick, no bellhousing). The Caterham six speed is low 30's I believe. Graeme Finlaysons web page has the exact weight as measured by Mr Bees if I recall correctly.

 

Prices have certainly shot up since last year as well. Worth speaking to Steve at SPC he can certainly sell them cheaper than Quaife will sell direct to customers. The gear indicators can also be got from other people cheaper but they look cheap too. The Quaife one's are certainly a lot neater than they were when I got my box. This wasn't a problem to me as the motec dash has gear position on it, another reason why I changed from stack last year.

[bernard hogarth]

SPC? excuse my ignrorance....or is it that obvious?

[Chelspeed]

Sorry, SPC are a Quaife dealer based in Redditch near Brum. Steve Perks runs it, he's the SP bit of SP Components. Nice guy, very knowledgeable, builds axles for Caterham, knows everything you need to know about gearboxes, diffs and axles for Caterhams. Talk to him on 01527 894232.

[The Pied Piper]

My 6 speed quaife squential dog box with alloy main case weighed only 5 kilos more than the 5 speed pro with cast iron main case.

 

The gearchange is brilliant, efortless and very fast gearchanges without the need for the clutch, but not very nice on the road. (OK until you stop at a junction or lights then realise you've come to a halt in 6th!). It's difficult to change down to neutral or 1st when you're not moving, but once you've done a few miles you eventually get used to it. Otherwise no complaints at all. I made my own gearchange display indicator, also available to others, please e-mail me!

As for noise, mines in a rally car not a seven, but it's no noisier than any other straight cut gears except mine being a dog change clonks with every shift.