Hewland LG600 Mark II ready for install

Richard Timte · 03-11-05, 07:30 PM

I just wanted to share some pictures of my Hewland. It’s all done up and ready for the install. I have sourced a SBF to LG600 bell housing (That was a fun one as I did not want to make or modify one). The housing has a stamping J-Block? Any Ford experts out there know what that is? Well enjoy as I am out the garage to make a mounting plate. I will post some pictures when I have it in the chassis.

Steve Kulper · 03-11-05, 09:51 PM

That looks awsome it would look even better on my garage floor! My i ask how much is that worth?

Steve

Russ Noble · 03-12-05, 01:14 AM

That in my opinion is THE most desirable box in a GT40.[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]
I think it was an LG600 that Paul Hawkins ran in his highly successful AMGT2 also. Did any other originals run this trans? BTW, what's the difference between that and an LG500?

Envious regards, [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Richard Timte · 03-12-05, 01:50 AM

Steve,

It depends on condition. From 9500 for a good used one to 19900 for NOS.

Russ,

The LG500 is a four speed and the LG600 is a five. The difference netween a Mark I and Mark II is the strength of the case. The Mark II has a lot more ribbing around the Ring and Pinion as the mark one flexed. These Boxes have big gears. The gears in this box are:

1st 24:50
2nd 28:47
3rd 33:42
4th 37:38
5Th 32:41

The ring and pinion gears are 10:33 or 3.30 ratio.

With a 26.6" tire it will turn 2200 in fifth going 70 miles an hour, great cruse gear. If I spin the motor to a safe 7200, the car will go 83 MPH in first.

Russ Noble · 03-12-05, 03:03 AM

Richard

Great info. Wonderful trans. I can only afford a clapped out Porsche box at present, when I find one, but after my car is up and running I would really love to change it over to an LG600. The price for a good used one is not as silly as I thought it might be. Are they readily available? Where can you get them?

Regards

Trevor Booth · 03-12-05, 05:10 AM

The LG600 and 302 engine was added to the FIA Homologation on 1st May 1968 no doubt for the forthcoming Le Mans. The LG600 was fitted with LSD having ford part No CDH4204A.

Gary Gibbs · 03-12-05, 10:17 AM

Let us know once you road test the car. I am curious to hear how loud it is for street driving, etc.

Thanks

**J What?** · 03-12-05, 04:06 PM

Richard,
Why did you go with the LG and not a DG? As I understand, the DG is good for 5-550 HP, is quite a bit lighter, cheaper and was used in many F5000 cars which used small block engines.
BTW, I have a DG for sale with a Ford bellhousing. I need to trade up.
Bill

Howard Jones · 03-12-05, 04:35 PM

Here's my question for you guys that have straight cut gears AND drive the car on the street. I have no experiance doing this but I would love to hear from you on this subject. Just how hard is it? Can it be done by you wife? Ever? I guess what I am saying is could the average hot rod guy get good enough at it to enjoy having one of these race boxes in a street car.

How would it be in traffic if you got caught in it for say a half an hour at less that 35MPH and a lot of stop and go?

I would guess they would be OK for a sunday morning drive in the country with very little traffic.

The noise thing wouldn't bother me much but just how loud is it? Louder that your motor? Mine is very loud, about 75% of straight pipes I would guess.

What kind of clutch would you use in one of these?

I ran across a guy in LA that had a pile of used INDY car boxes,5 speed, and some SBF bell housings. He said that he could sell me a complete setup, flywheel,TO bearing, multidisk clutch, bellhousing and rebuilt gearbox for about 15K. This was about 5 years ago and I have since lost the connection.

He told me I should think long and hard about driving it on the street, but it could be done with practice.

I love the idea of having a gearbox that can handle 800hp Indy cars and only having a 400hp SBF in front of it. Kinda takes the broken gearbox worry out of the equation doesn't it?

Richard Timte · 03-12-05, 05:03 PM

Bill,

The engine I have has over 700 HP and wanted to put in a box that I don't need to baby. I got a good deal on the box and since I found a 6-bolt ford bell housing I went ahead and did it. I would have gone with the DG but did not want to have problems. I have sourced all the parts necessary to keep the trans running. I have brand new (NOS) gears and dogs in the box now. One great thing on the LG is that the input selector shaft is high, on the correct side and facing forward. Makes for an easy shifter shaft.

Howard,

It’s not the straight cut gears that make the difference; it’s the dog engagement vs. the friction synchronizers that make shifting a little more difficult. A dog-ear box needs to be shifted with authority (cram it in gear to keep the dogs from being worn). As for street driving a Synchro box would be easier but…. As far as noise this has been debated before, as most helical gearboxes can't handle the power without breaking gears. So the choice for straight cut gears was the only choice. Since the Transaxle is behind the motor the noise will not be as bad as front engine car with the trans next to you.

Russ Noble · 03-12-05, 05:20 PM

[ QUOTE ]
As far as noise this has been debated before, as most helical gearboxes can't handle the power without breaking gears. So the choice for straight cut gears was the only choice. Since the Transaxle is behind the motor the noise will not be as bad as front engine car with the trans next to you.

[/ QUOTE ]

The big plus is that it's music to your ears anyway so there's no need to fit a stereo, so you have a weight saving as well. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]
GO RICHARD!!

MK -IV J6 · 03-12-05, 05:42 PM

I had a LG500 in my Lola. Still have it but no longer in the car. In the Lola at 7500 it hit almost 90mph. I drove it for years on the street with this box. I had no problem shifting it BUT others did. I picked up a very nice zf from Kar Kraft which is now in the car and is easier to shift and with the 5th gear a bit better on the street. This more of a race box than the ZF.

Colin Artus · 03-12-05, 06:02 PM

The problem that most drivers seem to have with dog engaged gears is on downshifts where the transmission will engage whether or not engine speed and rear wheel speed are synchronised; its very easy to lock the rear wheels if you forget to blip the throttle on the way down the gears.

Colin Artus

Howard Jones · 03-13-05, 03:03 AM

I thought it might be like a bike. What you said about matching revs with wheel speed on downshifts is a big deal on a fast bike entering a turn and downshifting at the same time. Get it wrong and the thing wants to go sideways on you.

I guess this would be about the same except everything has a lot more mass. Hummmmm..... maybe if I ever hit the loto.

goran · 04-19-05, 02:17 AM

Hi Richard! You are defenetly having the strongest box.. I belive that Charlie Agg was the man that made the first reinforcements for the LG boxes "Charlie box" and Hewland followed. As from what I have been informed the main house and sideplates seams to brake when very serious power comes thru but your box is safe to 1700HP. All internals are the same as standard boxes but I dont think I will have to worry because my engine newer will deliver power to brake a LG.

I have some pic from a charlie box inside if you havent open yours, let me know.

Goran

John W · 06-13-05, 09:47 AM

Goran,

could you post the pics of the box internals please.
I for one would love to see them.

Cheers,
John.

Ron Earp · 06-13-05, 11:27 AM

That is a nice box and should take all the worry out of boxes. Personally, I wouldn't worry about the noise as I sort of like the mechanical sounds and will not have a stereo in the car either.

Question - how do you go about locating these things?

Ron

Richard Timte · 06-13-05, 02:38 PM

Ron,

I PM'ed you with some contacts.

John W,

I responede to your email asking for the same.

All,

The hard part is not getting the box but getting a bellhousing to bolt it up. I found a Hewland made belhousing for a 6 bolt ford small block. I can get aluminum and Magnesium 5 bolt easy, but I only found 1 6 bolt.

John W · 06-14-05, 04:27 AM

Richard,
thanks for the email, I have mailed him (I'm in the UK so email is a bit easier than telephoning).

I guess if I have to I'd have a bellhousing cast.

Goran,
does your gearbox have a bellhousing suitable for a big block on it ?
If so, would you be prepared to either let me use it as a pattern, or you get some castings made ??
If so please send me a message and we'll discuss this further if/when I get an LG600.

Hmm, what a state to be in. I've now potentially got the choice of a G50/52, an LG600, and a ZF. So which way do I jump ??

Cheers,
John.