Manual box oprions for 302 Perana replica

[zahistorics]

Hi all,

Yesterday I helped my friend Chris in Wales pull out the motor and box from his Capri.

He currently has an C4 autobox, but wants to change to a manual box.

We are wondering about the various options. Aside from a top loader or a Tremec T5 what other options are there?

Chris would prefer a 5 speed becuse he wants a fairly long top gear for the long trip across Europe to Nurbergring, but still having rasonable ratios fro the track.

We've heard the the Toyota Supra box is a good option.

Has anyone done the Supra conversion, or anything else?

All ideas are welcome. Thanks.

[ZA Perana]

Supra box is in all probability the same as the Cressida box that is sometimes used here, by all accounts they are very strong but whereis the T5 and Toploader look stock its apparently difficult to get the Supra box to fit without throwing out that whole console that runs up to the firewall.

Personally T5 would probably be the best bit but perhaps on a cost basis the Toyota box might be better....but the though of a Toyota gearbox in a Ford well....its not something that sounds nice....

(incidently we test drove a V6 Capri with Cressida box and it whined like anything)

Another problem might be adapting the bellhousing for the Toyota gearbox....

Warren might be able to give a more informed opinion than me....

[Stealth GT]

I would go with a heavy duty T5 if money wasn't the issue but the Supra box is plenty strong Ive seen them behind high KW motors and they don't break I stand under correction there's a place in Joburg that does all the oddball bellhousings and I'm sure they do the 302 windsor to Supra box well all the Ford small blocks are the same correction except the early 221 / 260 motors

Cheers Warren
Ill get you the name of the bellhousing manufacturer
Just remebered Gillow engineering

[peranaman]

I would go with a heavy duty T5 if money wasn't the issue but the Supra box is plenty strong Ive seen them behind high KW motors and they don't break I stand under correction there's a place in Joburg that does all the oddball bellhousings and I'm sure they do the 302 windsor to Supra box well all the Ford small blocks are the same correction except the early 221 / 260 motors

Cheers Warren
Ill get you the name of the bellhousing manufacturer
Just remebered Gillow engineering

Thanks in advance for all the help - I am itching to get this project done - it's only been 3 years so far...........

[peranaman]

I would go with a heavy duty T5 if money wasn't the issue but the Supra box is plenty strong Ive seen them behind high KW motors and they don't break I stand under correction there's a place in Joburg that does all the oddball bellhousings and I'm sure they do the 302 windsor to Supra box well all the Ford small blocks are the same correction except the early 221 / 260 motors

Cheers Warren
Ill get you the name of the bellhousing manufacturer
Just remebered Gillow engineering

Thanks in advance for all the help - I am itching to get this project done - it's only been 3 years so far...........

Warren - tried a few searches on Gillow Engineering but not found it?

[Stealth GT]

Ill try to get it tomorow

Warren

[Firenza GT]

Gilo Engineering. I have their details here somehwre. They made various of these bellhousings including the lesser known 2500 Chev to Cressida box conversion which we have in the Nomad. If my memory serves me they also made one for the Chev V8 which could have been very close to the 2500 one and various other motors inclding a small block Ford.


Keith Schenk in this car as far as I can remember had a Cressida 21R box in it. By now he had a V8 in it. which was a hot 350 Chev motor so I would imagine under normal conditions a 21R box would survive ok with a mild 302 Ford V8.

With regards the T5 when I was involved with Group N and towed a race car around the country we had the ex-Giniel De Villiers Ford Courier V8 which was a Novel Ford authoraised conversion. When we got the bakkie it had about 80 000 km mostly towing mileage and was on it's second T5 which was beginning to sing. If I remember correctly a few thousand KM's later we had it replaced with the heavy duty one Warren speaks of. But just remember this normal T5 had a hard life towing a race car and fully loded back with spare wheels and tools plus we DROVE the thing hard as fast as it could tow which was dangerously fast speeds.

That's just a bit of factual experience I had of the T5 which we tend to just say it's rubbish sometimes but under circumstances I imagine many other boxes would have taken strain too. Depending on application choice would be determined but sure the heavy duty T5 I'd imagine as the way to go as chances of getting a good second hand one even are better than a good second hand normal T5.

[peranaman]

Must admit I'm leaning towards a Tremec TKO or a T5 as all the adaptor kits seem readily available. Plus the thought of a Jap box in my project car seems wrong somehow.

Anyone in SA supply complete kits inc, bell, box, plates, clutch kits etc??

thanks Chris

[peranaman]

Ref above - what clutch cable set up is required to make a T5 work in a RHD Capri?

thanks Chris