Getrag - Rover V8 Adaptor on a budget?

beniboyz · Post by **beniboyz** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 6:45 am

Hi all,

I've come to the conclusion that I need to swap my ZF HP22 box for a manual. I've been looking for LT77 but they are so expensive!

My budget is quite small (£300ish) but I wondered, how easy is it to make an adaptor for a Getrag BMW box to the Rover V8? I know there are companies that sell ready made adaptors but I've also seen people make their own with very little, if any, machining. Admittedly, the links I found were not for the BMW box, but I did read on here that some of you guys have got 635 boxes fitted.

So, my questions are:

If I went the getrag route would I need the SD1 flywheel, clutch (with a different plate), hydraulic release arm and bearing?

What BMW is the best source of box? Year etc?

Also, has anyone got some drawings/photos of conversions already done?

Thanks for your time guys!

Ben

topcatcustom · Post by **topcatcustom** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:55 am

Last time I looked the LT77 was positively cheap! But I'd think that any newer manual would be smoother and have better syncro's.

beniboyz · Post by **beniboyz** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:11 am

I guess I'm thinking that the expense is the cost of the entire conversion: flywheel, clutch, bell housing, remote etc..

There must be a cheaper route

Muscle-Manta · Post by **Muscle-Manta** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:13 am

I used a Getrag 265 box from an Opel Monza/Senator on a modified SD1 bellhousing. The mounting flange on the rear of the bellhousing was machined off, an adaptor plate was welded to the rear of the of the bellhousing to mount the Getrag.

I used the Rover flywheel and cover plate. The friction plate was Jaguar as the input shaft on the Getrag box is 1 - 1/8" 10 spline. The release arm, throw out bearing and clutch slave are all Rover.

beniboyz · Post by **beniboyz** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:18 am

Nice!

What was the thickness of the ally plate you had welded onto the bellhousing? Also, how much needed to be cut off the bellhousing?

Muscle-Manta · Post by **Muscle-Manta** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:29 am

I no longer have the car so can't take any measurements for you. However from memory the plate was 8mm thick.

When you acquire a g'box offer it up to your engine with the input shaft located in the spigot bush in the rear of the crankshaft. now measure from the mounting flange on the gearbox to the bellhousing mounting flange on the engine. This measurement will give you the total length of the required bellhousing.

beniboyz · Post by **beniboyz** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:32 am

Thanks.

Was the spigot bush Rover or Vauxhall you used?

Muscle-Manta · Post by **Muscle-Manta** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:34 am

The spigot bush was Rover with the center drilled out to fit the Getrag.

beniboyz · Post by **beniboyz** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 7:10 am

Could I do an adaptor the other way around? i.e. space it out from the block 10mm?

Like this:

http://www.motorswaps.net/forum/showthread.php?p=4106

Ben

unstable load · Post by **unstable load** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 7:45 am

I fitted an LT77 to my Rover P6 using the bell housing off the BW35 auto box.
I had a plate made up that mated the box to the round hole in the bell housing with the correct thickness to set the input at the right depth.
I used an SD1 master cylinder mounted to the bell housing to fit the throw out lever via a hole machined into the side of the bellhousing. Clutch and plate are SD1.

When the LT77 died, the same procedure was used to fit a 4spd overdrive Shaguar box.

beniboyz · Post by **beniboyz** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 11:13 am

unstable load wrote:I fitted an LT77 to my Rover P6 using the bell housing off the BW35 auto box.
I had a plate made up that mated the box to the round hole in the bell housing with the correct thickness to set the input at the right depth.
I used an SD1 master cylinder mounted to the bell housing to fit the throw out lever via a hole machined into the side of the bellhousing. Clutch and plate are SD1.

When the LT77 died, the same procedure was used to fit a 4spd overdrive Shaguar box.

Interesting. Thank you. Annoyingly I sold a BW35 bellhousing last year!

Post by **katanaman** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 10:39 pm

Doesnt matter what box you go for your still going to need a flywheel, clutch and all that and an LT77 is about as cheap as it gets box wise. Everything else unless you get a lucky find goes up from there.

unstable load · Post by **unstable load** » Wed Apr 24, 2013 7:44 am

I haven't seen the Getrag box before, so the BW housing may not be suitable. My point was rather to illustrate that with a bit of lateral thinking, you can achieve your goal.

I was fortunate in that the guy that helped me was a fitter and turner instructor at a training school so all I had to do was supply materials and labour and machining was free.