MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGB Technical - 5 speed transmission?

What type of 5 speed trans could i put in my 1968 mgb roadster? what cars would i have to take it out of and is there any modifications needed. is it expensive?

thanks
scot
Scot Hamm

If you haven't seen the thread on the MGB General board then here are some places to look:

http://www.conversioncomp.co.nz/products.htm

http://www.rivergate5speed.com/rivergate.html

There is also a conversion using a Ford Sierra (european?) gearbox but I don't have any info on that one.

Jared Snider

I put a 6 speed richmond gearbox with close ratio gears, It was VERY time cosuming the bell housing adapted took me aboiut 20 hours alone. But once that was done it was farely easy the gear lever was easy to set up and the mounts bolted almost right up. The cluth, fly wheel etc were a real pain to get to line up right. Its very nice now. I would say do to the same that i did at a shop would cost you around $5000 if you get a good deal on the gear box.
Ross

Yes there is a conversion using Ford Sierra 5 speed transmission. Not sure if it's MT5 or MT75 but if your really interested I can try to find out. Think at least one conversion is marketed by MG Owners Club this side of the water. Others I've heard of are really early Celica fitted to midgets with an aussie made bellhousing.
Phil Hill

Waterloo sells a five speed conversion. I can't recall the web site, and don't have the conversion, but I hear it's well done, and a bolt in if your car has a 4-synchro already. If you have the 3-synchro, there's a fiberglass trans tunnel conversion available. I think I saw it at Doug Jackson's web site www.mgbmga.com.

Brit-Tek also sells a five-speed conversion. I think it's about $1800 (transmission included). They're real easy to talk to. Web site is www.brittek.com.

Moss Motors probably has, or has information on both the transmission conversion and the trans tunnel conversion. www.mossmotors.com.

I believe all of the above utilize the Ford Sierra 5-speed.

A lot of people will tell you to just get an overdrive. It's more original, easier to install and gives equally pleasing results. Rebuilt units can be bought from Chris Betson's Octarine Services, who posts here frequently; I think Brit-Tek has them also. I know there are more shops in Britain who sell them rebuilt, I just can't think of the names right now. And of course, if you're near a junkyard with British cars, you might be able to get a used one that way.

Best of luck,

Matt Kulka

Hello,

look in the archives, there is many address to kits with 5sp. Many have toyota supra 5sp as a donor trans...
cheers. JGC
Jean Guy Catford

I have the fivespeed from Waterloo and will answer any questions that you might have. It is the same kit that Brit-Tek sells. I have been pleased with mine. But to be honest, I could have put a rebuilt O/D in the car cheaper. I did use a rebuilt O/D for my second MGB. Bought it off Ebay for around $1000 from a shop up in the northeast US. Have been pleased with it as well.
gerry masterman

Scott

Check the MGA archives for "5 speed". The same sources apply and there is lots of information there.

Larry
Lawrence Hallanger

Gerry, did you purchase your MGB OD from John Esposito at Quantum Mechanics? I just got one from him for the same deal but haven't installed it yet. He provided everything it needed to swap right in.
Gerald O'Docharty

Gerry- I have installed the 5 speed Sierra in my 1971 MGB. I have 2 other OD on 2 other cars and the 5-speed in the 71. IMHO the 5-speed is the better unit for me: its a closer shifter physically, mounts exactly where the old one went, "feels" definitive when shifted, and is more fun than the switched OD. I had it shipped over from UK- AutoGear Transmissions. Whole enchilada to shop door ran about $1800. Current ODs, somewhat refabbed, or sealed, or rebuilt are running close to that.
Now, having said that, I was talking to Mr. Bigface ( AKA Steve S, Virginia) and he correctly pointed out that his 1972 MGB with a later OD with 3rd and 4th shifting actually was a 6-speed. "Try that with your Ford Sierra" the sage said, once again trumping my logic.Finally, the Sierra units are billed as "rebuilt". What that actually means I have never found out....could be just a coverplate seal and shiny black paint. It's something you might weigh before buying. Good Luck! Vic
Vic Myers

Scot,

Not sure where you are located, but I had a conversation recently with Hilary Reddy over in Berkeley about this. I don't remember who makes the tranny, but there is a full bolt on package that is derived from the Ford Sierra (Ford UK/Europe). I think he said that it is even lighter than the stock one.

Hilary has an MG only shop in Berkeley. Been there for years.

Jason
Jason Coolbaugh

the ford sierra trans kit is a complete unit using a rebuild ford sierra trans with a new bell housing to match up. These are made in england by hi Gear by a man named peter gamble. These kits are bolt in, without any frame cutting. from the engine compartment and inside the car, unless someone told you it was converted you would not know. it can also be reversed back at any time with the original trans. I put one in my mga and this kit comes complete with drive shaft, shifter, bolts and even locktite. there are a few US distributers one being pierce manifolds in calif and a few others i have seen listed. i just got back from a 550 mile run to a car show in calif and it was a pleasure to drive in 5 gear and i could even hear the radio playing. peter gamble did a great job in putting this kit together
jeff becker

The Ford Sierra 5-speed transmission was used in North America on the Merkur XR4ti, and maybe also the Scorpio sedan, slightly facelifted versions of the Ford Sierra which were sold here by Mercury dealers for a few years in the late 1980s. So it's theoretically possible to source a tranny from a scrapyard Merkur and then add the other conversion parts perhaps saving a few bucks, but without the security of a rebuilt unit? At the current market value of used Merkurs you could probably buy a whole running car, keep the tranny and throw the rest away and be money ahead.

http://www.classicconversions.co.uk/ lists just the conversion parts for about 600 UKP and also the rebuilt trans seperately. With shipping, duty and other hassles it may be more cost effective to go with a complete kit unless you already have a known to be good transmission to use.

Autogear Ltd. ( http://www.autogear.co.uk/ ) also sells the complete conversion kit as do several suppliers in the US as mentioned above.
Jon Sjoberg

I have just purchased the Sierra Conversion from the MGOC in Cambridge - the parts come from Hi-Gear. The costs were 595 UKP for the conversion kit and 306 UKP for the refurbished Sierra gearbox. I had it shipped by air from the UK together with a replacement engine at a total cost of 318 UKP - I got the call to pick it up 3 days after ordering. No duty or taxes. As mentioned by others it is a well engineered "bolt on" kit - I have just installed it but have not yet completed all the engine connections so have not yet tried it out.

BarryQ
Barry Quartermaine

Gerald(neat name, huh?) Yep, that's the fellow that I got my O/D from. I was real pleased with both the tranny and the service. It was complete with a new wiring harness. Couln't ask for anything more, except for it to be free!
gerry masterman

Vic, guess if you'd bypass the O/D lockout switch you'd have a eight-speed? To me, there is not enough difference between 4th, 4th w/od, 5th, and 5th w/OD to use it like a six-speed!
gerry masterman

Gentlemen and Ladies; Whenever there has been a discussion about 5-speed conversions have read from many people that the OD is the same as a five speed and putting one in ruins the originality of the auto. IMHO --EEHH-- There are many people out there who do nothing more than drive their cars and enjoy the * out of them, they have no concerns except drivability(?) and realibility. The five speed conversion is not simply a replacement for an overdrive, but an entirely new gear range which allows you to use the B as most of us think she was meant to be used. There is a much smoother and more functional gearing selection in the five speed that anyone with a three speed syncro , who actually drives the car would kill for. Most of the conversion kits which use the Ford trans allow you to return to origina quite easily and if one decides to sell the auto could include the parts or even return it to the B trans. I have had one now for a few years and would sell the car before I returned to the old trans which is by the way an OD. ED
Ed Kulick

I also have converted to a 5 speed. I went in a round about sort of way. Its a Borg Warner t-5 (same as the Serria box) but I m using the Rivergate kit for a Nissan 5 Speed. Nissan put a t-5 in the 280ZX turbo which has the same ratios as the Serria. I did the whole conversion for under $1k. One of the neat things is I can use one of these fancy new electronic speedometers with a hall effect sensor on the transmission and not have the worry of calibrating the speedo or trying to patch in some sort of cable arangements. The shifter came up in stock shift hole but required small amounts of tweaking on the lever (maybe 1/2" of realingment to the left). Also any of the popualar short shirt kits for the t-5 will work. I would have had no problem leaving the 4 speed with OD in my car if knowing that it would hold up to the power that my engine puts out. I am looking forward to driving the car with the 5 speed.

Cheers
Todd
Todd Budde

Now this is cool, Todd. Please let us know if what I am about to say is true. The 280ZX used the T5 because of the extra power of the turbo? It bolts right up to the Rivergate kit both bolt-pattern wise and input shaft wise? What year 280ZX turbos do we all look for?

Thanks.
Tom Lang

I belive it is 79-83 280zx turbo. The only parts that Rivergate supplies that will be of any use to you is the engine plate, pilot bushing, flywheel, and the upper part of the rear trans mount. You will need to get from the scraper a transmission, shifter, throwout bearing and fork, clutch slave, and driveshaft. The MG clutch plate is used but needs to be modifyed. The disk comes from a Nissan Pulsar or you can special order one from centerforce. The spline is a 1/24 and the plate is 8". The rear trans mount needs to be cut apart and welded to fit accordingly. You may be able to use parts from the Nissan crossmember I didnt go that far. I would also recomend buying the starter from Rivergate but its not a must. The driveshaft is an issue I did not have to deal with. My car has the IRS from the Nissan so all I needed to do was shorten the saft. I belive the Nissan shaft just needs the knuckle replaced to match the MG rearend, and shortened. Your local driveline shop should be able to do that. The T-5 will only fit a later car. The smaller Nismo or 280Z 5 speed will fit in an earlier car. The slave line should be replaced. You can use a stock Nissan line and replace the hardline fitting to match or you can have a custom braded and teflon line made. I had the line made It was about $35 at the local speed shop. The speedo was just one I ordered from Summit. The hall effect sensor is from the mustang and I got that from the Ford dealer. Hope this helps.


Cheers
Todd
Todd Budde

This thread was discussed between 25/04/2002 and 29/04/2002

MG MGB Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGB Technical BBS is active now.