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The mkiv Supra Owners Club

In 10 years time the manual box as we know it will be history


Chris Wilson

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The most exciting devlopment in manual gearbox design is about to become commercially available. If you forgive the makers for choosing a TVR as the mule, and you have to, such is the ingeniousness of the thing, we can all look forward to full power, no torque drop, clutchless gear changes from what look like conventional manual boxes from the outside. In fact the deveolpment boxes are based on a Borg Warner T-5 and another common production casing, both with modded internals.

 

The makers are not divulging *how* the internals work, as they are going about an unusual, and also ingenious way of protecting their product, but I am privvy to what they have done, and it is so simple yet so revolutionary. The biggest step forward in car design in God knows how many years.

 

I want one. NOW! :)

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No, it's extremely simple, and won't put much cost on a production manaul box. The Audi one foundered as it was too expensive for production. The porsche PPK or whatever it was designated was better, but again, very expensive to produce.

 

As for CVT's, if F1 had had the foresight to allow development of these (Williams and AP had a workable set up), then i think the manual AND auto boxes as we know them may have been on their way to being obsolete by now.

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So it's a true manual box then? Does that mean it is a sequential box similar to F1 or WRC ?

 

I couldn't go to driving a car where you don't have the option to heel and toe etc. How will this new box manage downchange etc?

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Do you mean the sequential gearbox fitted (apparently) to the TVR T440? You use the clutch while pulling away from standstill and for coming to a stop but once you're up and rolling you just punch the lever forwards or backwards to change gear? Didn't know they had got it working properly!

 

Hello everyone by the way!

 

Not got a supra..... yet.....just working out how much I could sell my family and pets for to put towards the supra fund!

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Originally posted by Chris Wilson

It wouldn't be a massive job to convert a Supra to use the 5 speed T5 box I would guess. I always think the 6 speed is totally pointless. You may be able to get a direct top T5, not sure, but for performance use I don't see the point of an overdrive top. Fine for a motorway road car though...

 

Yes, but who would want to swap the built-proof 6sp for a lesser gearbox? I think people were thinking along the lines converting the current gearbox rather than swapping it.

 

As for 6sp gearboxes being pointless, more gears = shorter ratios, a definite advantage.

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Originally posted by Matt B

Sounds very impressive indeed:respekt:

Any ideas on timescales and costs involved yet Chris???

 

I believe production kits to convert T5 boxes should be available mid year. I would need to offer one up in the Supra tunnel to see whether it would fit and where the gear lever ended up. A bellhousing adapter, new clutch plate and some means of operating the stock pull type clutch would ceratinly be needed, as would a new or modded propshaft and a new rear gearbox mounting. Probably about 1000 for the modded bits, plus the box itself. Would be less in quantity, probably...

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Originally posted by Syed Shah

Yes, but who would want to swap the built-proof 6sp for a lesser gearbox? I think people were thinking along the lines converting the current gearbox rather than swapping it.

 

As for 6sp gearboxes being pointless, more gears = shorter ratios, a definite advantage.

 

IMO it's a horrible box. Positively truck like change. OK, it's strong, but a torquey turbo engine doesn't need 6 ratios, and over driven ratios aren't needed on a perforfance only car. There are much nicer changing boxes able to carry the torque. T5 is a nicer shifting box, and bits are a lot cheaper. I wouldn't think they'll do a Getrag 6 speed conversion for a long time, it's not popular enough. They'll want to get into mass production boxes and look to big sales!

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