4 speed remote gear change lever

[Oxford Jack]

At Brooklands on Sunday, I saw an RTC with the remote gear shift shown in the attached photo. Apparently it works very well and in order to engage reverse, nothing more than pulling the lever over is required to lift the gearbox end over the stop.
I don't recall having seen one before, were they a part manufactured in numbers or is it a one-off special?
If anyone knows I would be interested to hear, thanks in anticipation
Jack
   

[Hugh Barnes]

I had something similar once but on a 4 speed gearbox. Half way down the tube was a pivot point that when you pushed down on the gear change lever, lifted the front fitting to get through the the reverse gate. I wonder whether this has something similar.

Although it was unmarked, I have it in the back of my mind it was of ‘Cambridge’ design..

?

[Alan]

Cambridge did do a remote which operated as you describe, but I don’t think this is one of them.

["Slack Alice" Simon]

The lever on my Cambridge is simply bent to suit, I have never felt the need for the added complexity of a remote.

A 45 degree pull backwards and upwards lifts it into reverse.

[Charles Levien]

I had something similar once but on a 4 speed gearbox. Half way down the tube was a pivot point that when you pushed down on the gear change lever, lifted the front fitting to get through the the reverse gate. I wonder whether this has something similar.

Although it was unmarked, I have it in the back of my mind it was of ‘Cambridge’ design..

?

You’re right Hugh, that is the Cambridge design. I ran a ‘Cambridge’ special ( ABP 856 ) for several years — my first car.
There is one weakness with the design however — the remote attachment to gearbox is a ring which fits over the threaded section at the top, held in place by the screw down cap. This threaded section is not too strong and can crack. I know as it happened to me. Otherwise a pretty good design with simplicity as a virtue.

Charles

[Austin in the Shed]

You can machine the reverse gate slot deeper to remove the need to lift up the lever.It is quite hard to engage reverse while moving forward. I did the above and had no problem.
You would need to do similar if using an eltos,or bad engineeringly shorten the selector rod to clear the reverse gate slot if that makes sense.
It is possible to deepen the gate slot while assembled but need plenty of rag inside.

[Oxford Jack]

Thank you all for the replies. I omitted to mention in my original post that the device is fitted to a 4 speed box.
You will have noticed  the cunning linkage above the push pull rod, which translates gear lever movement into the same sense as an ordinary gear lever exiting the top of a 4 speed box, also that the lever end of the tube swivels, which obviated the need for an open top as with the Eltos change. I tried the gear lever and a sharp tug to the right found reverse, so I assume the reverse gate had been doctored or the end of the selector was carefully profiled to ride over the stop.
It seems the maker is not know and short of asking to dismantle the device I shall probably never know, shame it looks elegant to me. Whilst I also find most of Herberts devices work well and of course are/were fit for purpose, it is the sense of enquiry that keep one on the toes, from the clothes peg on the choke, to LED's, indicators and alternative carbs! Whatever floats your boat. 
KBO

[Nick Lettington]

Ian Williams posted a beautifully made example similar to this made from a gearbox top married to a steering column. Well worth searching for on the forum. 

Steve Hodgson made me a fantastic replica of the Cambridge system (also supplied by Dante and Speedex and probably others)

[Stuart Giles]

When I did a remote setup for an A7 4 speed box I ground a 45 degree chamfer on the selector where it would meet the reverse gate. Under normal driving this selects all the forward gears OK. A sharp slap of the gear lever to the right causes the the gear lever's stub to 'jump' up into the reverse gate.

EDIT: I have the gearbox out of the car in my garage at the moment. so here's a couple of photos taken today. 

[Steve Clare]

I must investigate this- at present in my special I have to do a passable impersonation of a paper clip to select reverse...