Eric, guys, sorry it`s taken some time from my last post, the usual stuff with work, family etc.
Anyway, we do have a final on ratios, they are:
1st 2.545 2nd 1.688 3rd 1.211 4th 0.905 5th 0.680
As the majority of 016 Audi `boxes used the 3.89 final drive this is what we based this set around and you`ve also the option of the 4.11 that turns this to a close ratio set that should work well for the track (well, at least the `car parks` we have in England).
As I`ve pointed out before, please take a look at a gear ratio calculator and you`ll get some idea of how this will feel with your particular tyre size.
The one on our web site at
www.gearboxman.co.uk now has another tool that also shows rev` drop between gears.
We based this ratio set around the 3.89 final drive and working on the idea that most guys will have a 302 that`s been tuned to some extent, we gave a rev` ceiling of 6000rpm.
To kind of take an average of what we seem to be using we ended up with a tyre diameter of 0.650 giving a circumference of 2.0420.
With these parameters (and assuming you wish to rev` out to 6K with each gear change (hey, you have to take a measure somewhere!)) the rev` drops are:
1st/2nd 2022.321
2nd/3rd 1695.906
3rd/4th 1515.528
4th/5th 1490.526
This is a full gear set including a one piece (not joined as in Renualt type design) input/quill shaft and retains the Audi final drive, it will take the Quaife ATB (or any other aftermarket) LSD you wish to fit that`s been designed to fit the standard 016 gearbox.
I`ve not got the ratio calculator running in front of me but from using my own tyre sizes it gave a motorway cruising speed of 70mph at something like 2200-2400rpm and was in the region of 178mph at 6000rpm, from what I can remember, (it would be best to try your own combintation).
As part of the original design spec` for this gear set, if your engine can make good power and rev` past 8000rpm you will have a genuine 200mph car (aerodynamics allowing), but more importantly this is a gear set with `real world` usable ratios that can take the power of a good 302/351 engine.
Just as a point of interest, we are also thinking of offering a reinforcement plate with the kits, as an optional extra, of the same design of the one at this link:
http://www.gt40s.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/62129/an/0/page/1#62129
When you consider the failures experianced, and the way that these have been addressed, we feel the fix has proven itself and we fully agree with Jim on this, there`s no better proof than the fact that it works.
So now I`ll get to the point of all this, and this is where I need you guys.
To make this 016 heavy duty gear set a reality we need to take firm orders, we`ve done the leg work and have what we feel is the perfect solution for those that cannot afford a ZF but want a strong gearbox with `real world` usable gear ratios (instead of pulling away in second or cruising with the motor reving it`s guts out).
As a company C.T.S. needs to ensure that we`re not paying out a lot of money to have some expensive gears sitting on the shelf gathering dust!
For those that are unsure of how this works (or haven`t read the fully thread) I`ll explain.
I work at C.T.S. (
www.gearboxman.co.uk), I don`t own the company, I started building my GT40 and realised, because I work in the gearbox industry, that the gearbox of choice (for my budget) was the Audi 016 but it could do with being a fair bit stronger and the Audi gear ratios were far from ideal for this new application, so these needed sorting too.
Having a previous relationship with Quaife with there making our (C.T.S.) world class T5 gear kits, I managed to convince the boss that there was a need (and market) for a gear set for the 016 for GT40s/Ultimas/Lambos.
So I`ve been given a long piece of rope with this project to work with Quaife to produce what we feel is right.
Now it`s time for C.T.S. (Bernie) to put his hand in his pocket and pay for the first (of many hopefully) batch of this gear kit and the quantity has to be a minimum of 30 units.
This is a fair bit of money and he will only go for it if we have firm orders so it`s now down to you guys to descide.
We should have final prices soon, we did initialy want to keep this gear kit under 1K GBP but the one piece input may have pushed it just over, we`re still unsure of how this will work out but I`ll post what we have ASAP.
If it`s going to happen it will do so within the next couple of months, otherwise it gets put to bed for good.
If you wish to place an order please do so via the company web site (
www.gearboxman.co.uk) as this can not be done via my personal email address and this is not realy the place either.
Ron, many thanks for letting us post this on the GT40s.com web site, I`ll email you Monday (or feel free to email me at C.T.S.) in order for the company to become an official contributor (as I`ve not a clue how it works here).
I`ll leave it to you guys....
Thanks to all for reading this.
Stuart.