Competition Automatic Gearboxes

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Dormouse
(Donor 2022)
Posts: 2010
Joined: 15 Apr 2021, 14:32
Location: Kingdom of Fife
My Cars: Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4, Fiat Ducato, Morris Mini.
plus notable cars I have owned :- Studebaker 1921, Daimler Consorts, Mercedes 220 Pontoon, Simca 1301, Austin Metropolitan, lots and lots of Minis, both steel and fibreglass bodied, Fiat 500F, Citroen GSA's, Skoda Estelle 120 Rally replica, DKW 1000S, Triumph Herald Estate, Warwick GT (very briefly)
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Re: Competition Automatic Gearboxes

Post by Dormouse »

Many of you, like me, will have a small trailer to take take rubbish to the coup (tip). Many of you will have had to fit new tyres long before the the tread wears. Why? Because the sidewalls fail and the tubeless tyres leak. Why? Because they are not used often and never maintained properly. So, don't blame the tyres. Take a step back and think. If your family's life depended on it, would you leave something outside in all weathers and never check it?
Caravan tyres often fail for exactly the same issues. They are outside in rain, hail, cold, UV. Never regularly checked or maintained. They often fail due to sidewall issues not punctures to the tread. But if the sidewall fails it is a crap tyre! Never a crap caravanner!
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Dormouse
(Donor 2022)
Posts: 2010
Joined: 15 Apr 2021, 14:32
Location: Kingdom of Fife
My Cars: Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4, Fiat Ducato, Morris Mini.
plus notable cars I have owned :- Studebaker 1921, Daimler Consorts, Mercedes 220 Pontoon, Simca 1301, Austin Metropolitan, lots and lots of Minis, both steel and fibreglass bodied, Fiat 500F, Citroen GSA's, Skoda Estelle 120 Rally replica, DKW 1000S, Triumph Herald Estate, Warwick GT (very briefly)
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Re: Competition Automatic Gearboxes

Post by Dormouse »

Opera Snapshot_2021-07-07_174949_www.google.com.png
This is what a tortured tyre looks like on your car, only magnified. The sidewall is crinkling. Milliseconds later this tyre diameter has increased by several inches! What controls all of this? The sidewalls.

The sidewalls of a tyre are actually part of the base layer of the tread ( think about how one bead is linked to the other ). Read the side of your tyres and it will tell you what the ply construction consists of, including the sidewalls. So now, no matter how well the tread plies brace the tread or how well the tread pattern moves water, grips the road, doesn't wear out, it couldn't do it without sidewalls. What controls the sidewalls other than their basic construction? Tyre pressure.

So once you start to look at tyres as an entity you begin to realise that multiple pieces contribute to a tyre's performance and if you change (say) the vehicle they are fitted to then this becomes another variable. If you use your car in different conditions, this is a variable. How do you cover all of this in any kind of manual for general consumption? You don't!

Ask a race engineer about tyre set up and be prepared for a long explanation.
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Dormouse
(Donor 2022)
Posts: 2010
Joined: 15 Apr 2021, 14:32
Location: Kingdom of Fife
My Cars: Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4, Fiat Ducato, Morris Mini.
plus notable cars I have owned :- Studebaker 1921, Daimler Consorts, Mercedes 220 Pontoon, Simca 1301, Austin Metropolitan, lots and lots of Minis, both steel and fibreglass bodied, Fiat 500F, Citroen GSA's, Skoda Estelle 120 Rally replica, DKW 1000S, Triumph Herald Estate, Warwick GT (very briefly)
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Re: Competition Automatic Gearboxes

Post by Dormouse »

Now, I can tell pretty much how a motorcyclist rides his bike by looking at his rear tyre. How? If there is a broad contact stripe down the middle he doesn't throw his bike about at speed. If there is no obvious wear stripe the tyre is either brand new or the rider uses every bit of his rear tyre - which means he knee slides.
A friend of mine once hired a Honda Goldwing for a week while on holiday abroad and couldn't figure out why the bike felt like it wanted to wobble and tip over in corners. All became clear when he looked at the rear tyre. It had a 3" wide totally flat strip down the middle with definite sharp corners on the edges. Lets just say by the time it was handed back there were no sharp edges. It nearly pitched him off twice to begin with but it became more enjoyable as the week went by. On a clear sunday morning this amiable nutter would think nothing about taking his bike over the Cairn O' Mount out to the A9, down and then back home via the hill roads to Blairgowrie, home, change out of his leathers, shower, have a bite of lunch then go for an afternoon round of golf. His two passions in one day! Look on the map and you figure it out.
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Dormouse
(Donor 2022)
Posts: 2010
Joined: 15 Apr 2021, 14:32
Location: Kingdom of Fife
My Cars: Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4, Fiat Ducato, Morris Mini.
plus notable cars I have owned :- Studebaker 1921, Daimler Consorts, Mercedes 220 Pontoon, Simca 1301, Austin Metropolitan, lots and lots of Minis, both steel and fibreglass bodied, Fiat 500F, Citroen GSA's, Skoda Estelle 120 Rally replica, DKW 1000S, Triumph Herald Estate, Warwick GT (very briefly)
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Re: Competition Automatic Gearboxes

Post by Dormouse »

PS. If the owner's of any high sided artic trailers who used the A90 want know how they got golf ball sized dents near the roof, I might just have the answer.
User avatar
Dormouse
(Donor 2022)
Posts: 2010
Joined: 15 Apr 2021, 14:32
Location: Kingdom of Fife
My Cars: Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4, Fiat Ducato, Morris Mini.
plus notable cars I have owned :- Studebaker 1921, Daimler Consorts, Mercedes 220 Pontoon, Simca 1301, Austin Metropolitan, lots and lots of Minis, both steel and fibreglass bodied, Fiat 500F, Citroen GSA's, Skoda Estelle 120 Rally replica, DKW 1000S, Triumph Herald Estate, Warwick GT (very briefly)
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Re: Competition Automatic Gearboxes

Post by Dormouse »

I am going to follow up on some motorcycle stuff in All the John's I have Known thread now, but , be warned, it might not be totally palatable for the squeamish.
Competition manual Mini 5spd boxes.

Here are some pics for a Minispares 5spd manual gearbox conversion and a Turbo Minis 5spd sequential box based on the AP gearbox casing
Opera Snapshot_2021-07-09_171002_www.minispares.com.png
SEQUENTIAL 5 Spd
bzua1fdefx685f95j.jpg


Can you guess what the biggest difference is?
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Dormouse
(Donor 2022)
Posts: 2010
Joined: 15 Apr 2021, 14:32
Location: Kingdom of Fife
My Cars: Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4, Fiat Ducato, Morris Mini.
plus notable cars I have owned :- Studebaker 1921, Daimler Consorts, Mercedes 220 Pontoon, Simca 1301, Austin Metropolitan, lots and lots of Minis, both steel and fibreglass bodied, Fiat 500F, Citroen GSA's, Skoda Estelle 120 Rally replica, DKW 1000S, Triumph Herald Estate, Warwick GT (very briefly)
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Re: Competition Automatic Gearboxes

Post by Dormouse »

I have muddied the waters by showing standard helical gears in the MiniSpares box compared to the straight cut ones in the Turbo Minis one but it is not that. The sequential box is 7 times the price of the MiniSpares one but it is not that either. No, it is the rapid speed of the shifts in the sequential box (and full power/ clutchless too with the correct engine ecu setup). The AP box affords plenty of space to mount the gear trains and change spools, has a stronger set of webs around the diff bearings and has a front plate you can remove to inspect the innards. All from an auto box for a cheap, small family car.
User avatar
Dormouse
(Donor 2022)
Posts: 2010
Joined: 15 Apr 2021, 14:32
Location: Kingdom of Fife
My Cars: Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4, Fiat Ducato, Morris Mini.
plus notable cars I have owned :- Studebaker 1921, Daimler Consorts, Mercedes 220 Pontoon, Simca 1301, Austin Metropolitan, lots and lots of Minis, both steel and fibreglass bodied, Fiat 500F, Citroen GSA's, Skoda Estelle 120 Rally replica, DKW 1000S, Triumph Herald Estate, Warwick GT (very briefly)
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Re: Competition Automatic Gearboxes

Post by Dormouse »

Found this while trawling the net. It is 14 years old but in nutshell it seems to be a 3 way score draw to me.

https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post ... tm?t=59143

all of the pros and cons seem to be there
User avatar
Dormouse
(Donor 2022)
Posts: 2010
Joined: 15 Apr 2021, 14:32
Location: Kingdom of Fife
My Cars: Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4, Fiat Ducato, Morris Mini.
plus notable cars I have owned :- Studebaker 1921, Daimler Consorts, Mercedes 220 Pontoon, Simca 1301, Austin Metropolitan, lots and lots of Minis, both steel and fibreglass bodied, Fiat 500F, Citroen GSA's, Skoda Estelle 120 Rally replica, DKW 1000S, Triumph Herald Estate, Warwick GT (very briefly)
x 666

Re: Competition Automatic Gearboxes

Post by Dormouse »

I know this is slightly off topic but it gives an insight into the diverse interests I have


Does anyone know why Ivan's Shed videos have dried up?
User avatar
Dormouse
(Donor 2022)
Posts: 2010
Joined: 15 Apr 2021, 14:32
Location: Kingdom of Fife
My Cars: Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4, Fiat Ducato, Morris Mini.
plus notable cars I have owned :- Studebaker 1921, Daimler Consorts, Mercedes 220 Pontoon, Simca 1301, Austin Metropolitan, lots and lots of Minis, both steel and fibreglass bodied, Fiat 500F, Citroen GSA's, Skoda Estelle 120 Rally replica, DKW 1000S, Triumph Herald Estate, Warwick GT (very briefly)
x 666

Re: Competition Automatic Gearboxes

Post by Dormouse »

I learned something new about riding Moto GP bikes from this YouTube channel and I am currently delving into some of the other items. I find some of the stuff useful but some of it not.


the Moto GP bit about traction and rideability is an eye opener when you realise the cat like reactions a rider needs to come to terms with it. Mere mortals like me never, ever get even vaguely close to it.
User avatar
Dormouse
(Donor 2022)
Posts: 2010
Joined: 15 Apr 2021, 14:32
Location: Kingdom of Fife
My Cars: Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4, Fiat Ducato, Morris Mini.
plus notable cars I have owned :- Studebaker 1921, Daimler Consorts, Mercedes 220 Pontoon, Simca 1301, Austin Metropolitan, lots and lots of Minis, both steel and fibreglass bodied, Fiat 500F, Citroen GSA's, Skoda Estelle 120 Rally replica, DKW 1000S, Triumph Herald Estate, Warwick GT (very briefly)
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Re: Competition Automatic Gearboxes

Post by Dormouse »

This one will probably put most people to sleep but I think it does a reasonable job of explaining the functions of the controls on an engine.



enjoy or yawn - whatever your preference
User avatar
Dormouse
(Donor 2022)
Posts: 2010
Joined: 15 Apr 2021, 14:32
Location: Kingdom of Fife
My Cars: Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4, Fiat Ducato, Morris Mini.
plus notable cars I have owned :- Studebaker 1921, Daimler Consorts, Mercedes 220 Pontoon, Simca 1301, Austin Metropolitan, lots and lots of Minis, both steel and fibreglass bodied, Fiat 500F, Citroen GSA's, Skoda Estelle 120 Rally replica, DKW 1000S, Triumph Herald Estate, Warwick GT (very briefly)
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Re: Competition Automatic Gearboxes

Post by Dormouse »

When I found this one I thought it was going to be the swan song for Zel's Merc. How wrong I was - this one should provoke some reactions?

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