Fitting a MCT 75 box to a std or spyder stressed skin frame
Posted: Mon May 30, 2011 10:20 am
Hi
Some progress and a fair bit of improvisation- plus the odd question for others who have done this before me!
I'll put up a definitive article when it's finished for those who might be considering something similar- might help them avoid my mistakes at least.
To recap- I'm fitting a MCT 75 box to a std early Spyder Stressed Skin frame so these comments will definitely apply to the std Lotus frame also. Since the MCT box does not have an integral bellhousing this will be bolted direct to an allot Rocket to BDA bellhousing which in turn bolts direct to the elan block. I've gone this route to avoid the need for sandwich plates etc. Since this bellhousing is a carbon copy of the std cast iron one fitted to the 4 speed box (apart from the end that mates to the box obviously) I can retain the std flywheel, starter, external clutch cylinder and pressure plate (but I have to use a suitable friction plate because the input shaft of the box is 23 splines).
Up to now pretty straightforward but-the MCT box uses two diagonal smallish dowels to centralise it against the bellhousing and because it is designed to accept a co-axial clutch release system (which I don't wish to use) around the input shaft is a large recessed area. I've made use of this by having a plate machined to fit pretty tightly into this and to projest proud of the front face of the gearcase. The projecting part fits into the bellhousing to securely and accurately locate it against the box. The original smaller dowels can be eliminated using this method. See next post-
Some progress and a fair bit of improvisation- plus the odd question for others who have done this before me!
I'll put up a definitive article when it's finished for those who might be considering something similar- might help them avoid my mistakes at least.
To recap- I'm fitting a MCT 75 box to a std early Spyder Stressed Skin frame so these comments will definitely apply to the std Lotus frame also. Since the MCT box does not have an integral bellhousing this will be bolted direct to an allot Rocket to BDA bellhousing which in turn bolts direct to the elan block. I've gone this route to avoid the need for sandwich plates etc. Since this bellhousing is a carbon copy of the std cast iron one fitted to the 4 speed box (apart from the end that mates to the box obviously) I can retain the std flywheel, starter, external clutch cylinder and pressure plate (but I have to use a suitable friction plate because the input shaft of the box is 23 splines).
Up to now pretty straightforward but-the MCT box uses two diagonal smallish dowels to centralise it against the bellhousing and because it is designed to accept a co-axial clutch release system (which I don't wish to use) around the input shaft is a large recessed area. I've made use of this by having a plate machined to fit pretty tightly into this and to projest proud of the front face of the gearcase. The projecting part fits into the bellhousing to securely and accurately locate it against the box. The original smaller dowels can be eliminated using this method. See next post-