Dart Gearbox hints
Extract from GSM Club Newsletter: 19/04/1990
The post Prefect engined
GSM Darts originally saw the light having been fitted with the Anglia gearbox
(no syncro on first gear). The later model Ford Cortina 1200 and 1500 gearboxes
had a slightly better gear ratio and synchro on first gear. They differed from
the Anglia box in that the tailpipe (extension housing) was a little longer.
Also the gearbox mounting was positioned further to the rear and was different
from the Anglia's.
All these gearboxes, even that of the Cortina GT, had one common problem: the
ratio of 2nd and 3rd gears differed to such an extent that there was a huge gap.
Rev's dropped dramatically resulting in a loss of power.
There were two boxes, however, that did not have this malady and they were
similar to the already mentioned Cortina boxes. They were used in the Corsair V4
and the Capri 1600. These gearboxes could probably be called semi-close ratio.
Their mechanical innards fit into any Cortina gearbox housing and will be a vast
improvement to acceleration through the gears.
With slight modification to the gearbox mounting point they can easily be used
as a replacement for the Anglia box. In the case of a Cortina box already being
used it means a clean swop.
Lucas van Wyk
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