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Rich,
I agree with Alan. If you are running a standard (Ruby?) gearbox, it’s not designed for fast driving with a tuned engine.There is a huge gap in the ratios between 3rd and 4th. A close ratio 3 or 4 speed box will transform your driving experience.
David B.
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02-04-2018, 08:33 AM
(This post was last modified: 02-04-2018, 08:34 AM by Ruairidh Dunford.)
I fitted a Nippy back axle and gearbox to our Pearl Cabriolet a few years back - the spirited driving experience is much improved between 3rd and 4th gear, where the gap is much less than standard.
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(01-04-2018, 08:54 PM)Alan Wrote: Well, a standard gearbox isn’t a lot of help for quick gear changes. I’d use a set of Nippy ratios for road use - you can buy new ones. However, if you have a standard flywheel, you really need to lose some weight from it. Quite a lot, in fact. A search of the old forum should reveal how.
A four speed close ration box is really worth having and if you are still on cable brakes ( and I personally wouldn’t have any other) you could try “ heel and toe” as you approach the corner — the proximity of brake an accelerator pedals on a Seven make this fairly easy with a little practice.
Charles, in rainswept Norfolk
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Location: Near Cambridge, UK
Car type: 1928 tourer (mag type), short chassis Gould Ulster
(01-04-2018, 09:53 AM)bob46320 Wrote: (01-04-2018, 09:44 AM)wooster Wrote: When I approach a corner at speed in my Ulster rep I want to change down from 4th to 3rd to take the corner quickly. However it won't go into 3rd. I'm guessing it won't go in because the revs are still high. Anything I can do about that? I do like to drive the car hard!!
Cheers
Rich
Get a 3 speed box ??
I have a light flywheel, close ratio straight cut gears from Keith Rawson and a home made remote control, and with suitable revs I can change into third at 60mph or a bit more. The engine has to be capable of suitable revs of course. (See Austin Seven 14 on YouTube)
Robert Leigh
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What do you know about the engine condition? unless you have a phoenix crank a swift gear change at high revs could cause a sheared crankshaft or a loosened flywheel. Enjoy your motoring.
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 629 Threads: 19
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Location: Sheffield South Yorks
Car type: 1932 RN saloon
Robert,
Just looked at your video. All the other cars seemed to be standing still! What are the other mods on your car as well as lightened flywheel and close ratio box and remote gear change? My pretend Ulster will nearly touch 70mph on the flat with one up,plenty tools,spare wheel,hood etc.It has Nippy type carb and correct Ulster exhaust manifold, carefully mated inlet and exhaust manifolds, full touring wings(in aluminium) and full windscreen. Other mods are lightened flywheel, Super Accessories gearbox, dynamically balanced engine, Speedex head and larger valves.
Cheers,
Dave.
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Dave,
In it’s prime my Ulster [sic] would cruise at a genuine 70mph (full steel touring wings, hood, full screen, tools and luggage + two adults albeit slimmer than now!). The engine had standard camshaft and valves with a few kilos off the flywheel, Ulster manifold with D/D SU, ruby head, standard 3 speed box and box saloon back axle ratios. I had experimented with fast roads cams and bigger inlet valves but found them unsuitable and ineffectual, respectively, for touring.
This kind of speed is no longer obtainable, after 90k of hard use the poor thing is worn out and now hardly used.
The Pearl also had an engine capable of 70mph - this again, standard camshaft and valves etc. but a three bearing engine. Again fitted with an SU but s/d. It had (and still does have) steel bunch of banana type exhaust manifold along with a reliant silencer and very short tail pipe. I fitted a two bearing engine for a big tour in 1999, with identical set up, but this engine would never go over 65mph, this reduced further when I fitted the sports ratio rear axle a few years back. It does continue to pull up hills with the five of us on board towing a trailer full of camping gear. These days stopping ability limits my top speed rather than power.
Neither of theses cars were particularly quick off the mark but would wind up and maintain the 70 if needed.
This experience has left me content with largely standard internal set up as, sufficient.
In the summer I unknowingly followed Robert in my father’s Chummy through the New Forest, Robert in his Chummy (two up) was very hard to catch despite me being alone. I was flat out at one point, just to keep him in view, his low slung exhaust taunting me. He later told me he was just pootling along!
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Location: Ripon
That was a fine scamper round the circuit at Montlhery(?) ! Talk about not taking any prisoners, were they just pootling or was he just thrashing it? Was it my imagination or did he lap that Sandford twice?
A very creditable run, well done.
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Location: Cheshire
Car type: Race Ulster, 1926 Special, 1927 Chummy, 1930 Box
Actually, with a Ruby gearbox it’s not 3rd gear that’s in the wrong place it’s 4th. With 3.50x19s and a 4.9 diff the car is way overgeared in top. What you need is a lower top gear to make the engine rev higher. The only way to do this though is with a c/r box and a lower ratio axle.
Alan Fairless
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