Healey 5-Speed Conversion

[BlueRidge1]

Hi Guys,
I have been trying to reach Peter Delaney to inquire about the transmission conversion. My 4 speed side shift is locking between gears and I am tired of fooling around with it so I thought I may go ahead and update it for driving purposes and shelf the orginal for the next care taker of the car. My wife ask me if I would put an automatic in it . I just laughed at her, if I wanted a Miata I would just buy one. Any one know the best option on this swap?
Thanks Bob

 

[Cottontop]

My wife ask me if I would put an automatic in it . I just laughed at her

Careful Bob.... Don't sneer too much at automatics. I've got a 4-speed AOD in mine and it does just fine.

Oh, I almost forgot, I've got 300 HP too.

When I want to row through the gears, my daily driver is a stock 5-speed Miata that'll outrun nearly any stock Healey. Miata's are neat little cars.

Tim

 

[Michael Oritt]

Bob--

The Smitty's five-speed conversion is the best thing I ever did for my 100 and my wife's 3000 came with one. You will love it.

There are a numb er of different Toyota 5-speeds out there and if you send me an email (awgertoo@aol.com) I will send you several sites that I think you'll find helful in transmission selection assuming you do not already own one.

 

[twas_brillig]

I always figured that if you ever wanted to buy a well-built, non-leaking British sportscar: buy a Miata. Preferably BRG.

Doug

 

[twas_brillig]

On a serious note: I've got contact information for Smith Brody (Brody Smith?), the originator of Smitty's Toyota swap and he was good enough to advise a couple of years back that he'd sold the business and provided the new contact info, but I've gone and lost (i.e. 'filed somewhere safe') it. I've bought a Toyota transmission; can someone kindly provide the contact names/phones/e-mails/web-page/whatever so I can order the kit?

Thanks,
Doug

 

[Robert560]

Pete's contact info is...

Pete Delaney
Healey 5-speed
PO Box 561
Harrisburg, NC 28075
704-455-2585
704-455-8504 (fax)

He's also go an AOL email, but I never had any luck reaching him that way. Any time I called though, he either answered directly, or I left a message and he responded within a reasonable amount of time. Nice guy... seemed like he'd be very helpful for those who needed it.

The instruction manual that came with the kit was very thorough, but also seemed very outdated... as if the kit has changed pretty significantly since it was written. But it was still easy to follow, and I had no issues.

The Healey drives absolutely fantastic with the Toyota transmission in it. The way it feels... the synchro'd first gear... the ratios... it's just perfect. Like they were made for each other.

The hardest part (which wasn't very hard) was finding the correct Toyota W58 transmission... since the entire W series really has no markings or identification from the outside. I got mine from a '87 non-turbo Supra, and then counted the gear turns in 1st, 5th and reverse to make sure I had the right trans. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_W_transmission

The attached picture shows everything that came with my kit (for a BJ8). The only thing in the picture that Pete didn't supply was the transmission itself.

 

[twas_brillig]

Thanks for all the info and Wiki reference - I tried doing the count thing a while back but had my shoes and socks on, so had trouble getting over 10... I'll give Pete a call later, and will have another shot at counting; figure I'll use whiteout to make a reference mark on each shaft. Any better ideas?

And thanks again!

Doug

 

[Robert560]

You mean counting for the gear ratios? Here's what I did....

On the input shaft:
I simply stuck a magnetic pointer on the shaft that had a piece of tape rigged on it, and then stuck a piece of tape on the bellhousing, lined up with the tape on my pointer. So this would give me a mark for 1 turn on the inlet.

On the output shaft:
I made and printed out a sort-of "degree wheel" thing. It had increments that divided up one revolution into 0.1 whole mark increments with 0.05 half marks in between. Then I stuck this on the output shaft with double sided tape. I stuck it on "backwards", facing the bellhousing, since that's where I would be, turning the input. That way I could turn the input and record the output easily.

Then, put the transmission in gear. Remember that if you DON'T have a shift lever on at the time, and are just moving the piece inside the transmission (forget what it's called)... remember that you're actually looking at the gears in reverse... so 1st gear is actually back and to the right. Took me an hour to figure out what I was doing wrong

Then, simply rotate the input shaft in whole turns, and count resulting output turns. Divide input by output and you have ratio. And it really doesn't matter how many turns you do... because it's the relationship between the two that matters. The more turns you do, the more accurate you'll probably be. So if you turn the input 27 times, for example, and see that the output turned approximately 8.2 turns, divide the two and you get 3.29. First gear is supposed to be 3.285, so you've got the right first gear.

I checked 1st, 5th and reverse this way... with all three of those, I could be 200% sure I had the right transmission.

~Robert

 

[Michael Oritt]

This article may be helpful in making sure you are getting the right transmission:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_W_Transmission#W58

 

[BlueRidge1]

Thanks everyone for all the information. I was able to speak with Peter today and his place is only about 50 miles from where I work so that will make it easy to visit him in person and pick up the kit. Robert, the pictures are very helpful. You stated everything was included except the transmission. Is the bellhousing a complete new casting or is it an original Healey Bellhousing with modifications or redrilled mounting holes? Michael, Do you know which transmission your wives BN7 has in it? Is the W58 the better option for this application? My car has the steel tunnel. Hey and just for the record I don't have anything against Miatas, Automatic transmmisions,or V8 engines. I would like to keep this car pretty close to stock but I would like it to be easier to drive than what it was with the original transmission. I figure it will cost about the same to make the swap or fix the old one and if I rebuid the old one It will still be something my wife won't like to drive not to mention I like the chances of the swap being more sucessful than a rebuild of the orginal.

Thanks Again
Bob

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

Thanks everyone for all the information. I was able to speak with Peter today and his place is only about 50 miles from where I work so that will make it easy to visit him in person and pick up the kit. Robert, the pictures are very helpful. You stated everything was included except the transmission. Is the bellhousing a complete new casting or is it an original Healey Bellhousing with modification trans with the 27% 5th gear which is s or redrilled mounting holes? Michael, Do you know which transmission your wives BN7 has in it? Is the W58 the better option for this application? My car has the steel tunnel. Hey and just for the record I don't have anything against Miatas, Automatic transmmisions,or V8 engines. I would like to keep this car pretty close to stock but I would like it to be easier to drive than what it was with the original transmission. I figure it will cost about the same to make the swap or fix the old one and if I rebuid the old one It will still be something my wife won't like to drive not to mention I like the chances of the swap being more sucessful than a rebuild of the orginal.

Thanks Again
Bob

I purchased my "kit" from Pete a few years ago. A friend and I ordered ours together to save shipping, etc., and Pete put the kits together with the transmissioms. We both speced out the 58% 5th gear ratio for optimum lower rpm at highway speed. My BJ8 already had a 3:54 rear gear ration installed so it made cruising really nice and the lower rpm was even nicer since I have AC installed.
Mt friends transmission worked great from day one, but mine didn't. and mine didn't.
Patrick
'67 Metallic Golden Beige/Red

 

[twas_brillig]

Per Robert's contact info: I've added the e-mail that Pete's answering machine gives:

Pete Delaney
Healey 5-speed
PO Box 561
Harrisburg, NC 28075
704-455-2585
704-455-8504 (fax)
Healey5Speed@aol.com

Doug

 

[Cottontop]

Hey Bob,

I was really just funnin' with ya'.

Tim

 

[anthony7777]

cottontop, just for everyones info, john esposito at "quantum mechanics" has the kits and transmssions available. (203) 459-9612. in monroe ct.

 

[Johnny]

:confuse: So, why didn't yours work from day one??

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

:confuse: So, why didn't yours work from day one??

Speedo didn't work. I just had the speedo rebuilt so I know it was good. The cable coming out of the trans isn't rotating. I have to hold the gear shift lever with my hand all the time for 5th gear or it will slowly creep out.
And, after I pulled the trans to do a frame up, it started to leak oil. It was sitting level on supports.
Patrick

 

[Michael Oritt]

Bob--

Not having had either transmission apart for a toothcount I cannot tell you but I believe that her fifth is just a little bit "longer-leggged" than the one in my 100. Since I have the Lempert rear in both cars it does not seem to be a significant issue and in my 100 I am doiong just over 70 at 3K in 5th gear which is real nice.

The person who installed the five-speed in my wife's BN7 opted for the middle shifter position which I do not like at all. Firstly the stick comes up right where the ashtray would have been and secondly it is just too far back for comfortabled shifting. I opted for the forward position when I installed the Smitty's kit in my 100. Far superior in my opinion.

 

[Robert560]

Robert, the pictures are very helpful. You stated everything was included except the transmission. Is the bellhousing a complete new casting or is it an original Healey Bellhousing with modifications or redrilled mounting holes?

It's a new casting created specifically for this application... Healey on one side, Toyota on the other. At least that's what it looks like, anyway. Doesn't really look like the original Healey or the original Toyota. Really nice casting as well, with good looking machining work. Like everything else in the kit, I was very impressed with it!

~Robert

 

[rjc157]

does anyone have a source for a nice looking shift boot the rubber ones just don't cut it for me any pics of what was done on a bj8 conversion with the center console

 

[Jerry]

Here is a picture of my boot cover. The chrome ring is from a MG. The boot is something my wife made from a piece of vinyl.

Jerry
BJ8
BN4