trans for a Crosley

[butch27]

Anybody know of a SMALL 4 spd. trans that will fit a 4 cyl Crosley engine? Got a friend that's building a track roadster.  Thanks. Oh, No  MG transmissions . His statement not mine. LOL

[tomslik]

don't know if it'll fit but how about one of those 5 speeds that came in some monza/vega's?

[Crosley.In.AZ]

MG  trans is often used since the clutch adaptation is easy with a re-drill of the Crosley flywheel for pressure plate mount

Since MG trans is not wanted.. Datsun 5 speed is possible.

4 Speed trans from a Morris Minor A series engine  ,  which is an MG product

there are no adapters sold for this mod to my knowledge. It will need to be custom machined

[GPster]

He might set his mind on non-traditional sources. Before motorcycles had the engine and transmission in the same crankcase the are referred to as      pre-unit and there he would at least find gears and a case. Harleys  (although not Sportsters) had separate transmissions until sometime after they started mounting their motors in rubber. English bikes were pre-unit until the later '60s. These transmissions would probably need some kind of a chain-driven jack shaft arrangement because they don't deal with bell housings and tail shafts and some of these transmissions have the clutch assembly as part of them. Another idea. Crosley engines were found in a lot of strange surroundings. They might have been used for generators or boats which might help with a jack-shaft bell housing. They might have been used for garden tractors so there might be some strange parts there. The pilot for Crosley's corporate airplane built a experiment plane in his spare time. It is a copy of the French "Little Flea" but it is displayed as the Crosley airplane either in Dayton at the airplane museum or at the Smithsonium . Or could he put some kind of transfer case or over drive unit on the back of a Crosley transmission and get one more gear that way? While he's thinking about how to make a jack shaft he could have both chains coming out of the ring gear area of a VW or Corvair transaxle. GPster

[wayne petty]

a little light reading, for those who missed it..

http://crosleyautoclub.com/EngineTree/Crosley_Eng_Tree.html





http://www.race-cardrivers.com/TQ%20Midget.htm

http://www.autocomponenti.com/projects/two_new_records.htm

work of art bellhousing on the above link...

[unklian]

The input and output are typically on the same side,
on the old bike transmissions. Works fine on a bike, not so well on a car.


Lots of 4 and 5 speed japanese cars out there.

Before motorcycles had the engine and transmission in the same crankcase the are referred to as      pre-unit and there he would at least find gears and a case. Harleys  (although not Sportsters) had separate transmissions until sometime after they started mounting their motors in rubber. English bikes were pre-unit until the later '60s. These transmissions would probably need some kind of a chain-driven jack shaft arrangement because they don't deal with bell housings and tail shafts and some of these transmissions have the clutch assembly as part of them. Another idea. Crosley engines were found in a lot of strange surroundings. They might have been used for generators or boats which might help with a jack-shaft bell housing. They might have been used for garden tractors so there might be some strange parts there. The pilot for Crosley's corporate airplane built a experiment plane in his spare time. It is a copy of the French "Little Flea" but it is displayed as the Crosley airplane either in Dayton at the airplane museum or at the Smithsonium . Or could he put some kind of transfer case or over drive unit on the back of a Crosley transmission and get one more gear that way? While he's thinking about how to make a jack shaft he could have both chains coming out of the ring gear area of a VW or Corvair transaxle. GPster

[GPster]

The input and output are typically on the same side,
on the old bike transmissions. Works fine on a bike, not so well on a car.

That's why I mentioned jack shaft and why it's a shame that sportsters are "unit" construction. Corvairs are similar with concentric  shafts but there is a way to change the input (clutch) shaft out the shifter end. I don't know that any of my suggestions are worthy but I'm just trying to open up his horizon. GPster        PS  Are trans/axles out of the realm of possibilities?

[wayne petty]

The input and output are typically on the same side,
on the old bike transmissions. Works fine on a bike, not so well on a car.

That's why I mentioned jack shaft and why it's a shame that sportsters are "unit" construction. Corvairs are similar with concentric  shafts but there is a way to change the input (clutch) shaft out the shifter end. I don't know that any of my suggestions are worthy but I'm just trying to open up his horizon. GPster        PS  Are trans/axles out of the realm of possibilities?

corvair transaxles with the input shaft on the shifter end are pontiac tempest transaxles..

the automatics were wild.. with a torque converter sticking out the back end .. i seem to recall it was spinning..


remember... if you run across a tempest ... and the drive shaft rod is there..  its some exotic super strong alloy steel...  as it runs in a curve...  was x rayed at the factory to look for flaws...

[kb426]

The Datsun 5 speed is my suggestion. They use that as a conversion for Austin Healy 1275 engine cars.

[GPster]

corvair transaxles with the input shaft on the shifter end are pontiac tempest transaxles..

One of the ways they were making mid-engine Corvairs was to mount a bell housing on the shifter end of the Corvair transaxle. The center concentric shaft is the clutch shaft and it is splined. They just made a shorter shaft and put it in from the shifter end. The bearing retainer bolted to the case is replaced with a bearing retainer that has the sleeve for the throw out bearing for the clutch assembly on the motor used in the conversion. The way the set-up was originally in Corvairs is the reason that Corvair engines run in the opposite direction. I figured Corvair and those early Tempests shared some of that transaxle. The '65 and later Corvairs with IRS have axles and universals that look a lot like early IRS Corvette parts. GPster

[Crosley.In.AZ]

the corvair V8 stuff I messed with ,  the trans axle was turned around 180 degrees , face forward.... shifter at the back side

[enjenjo]

the corvair V8 stuff I messed with ,  the trans axle was turned around 180 degrees , face forward.... shifter at the back side

You must have been dealing with early parts. The later. 66 and newer, used a modified Saginaw 4 speed, which could be modified as GPster discribed to install a V8 on the front side of the trans.

[Charlie Chops 1940]

Late 60's Volvo might work. Early T5 is pretty light, the T50 which was in Vega/Monza and the clones and some small midsize would be okay - it's bolt pattern is same as the usual Chevy 3 and 4 speeds. I think they were GM's first rail shifted tranny and all the shafts ride in needle bearings that are individually loaded. not unit bearings. Nobody I know wants to rebuild them. I have one in my track roadster and an NOS spare. They are getting harder to find.

Charlie

[Crosley.In.AZ]

the corvair V8 stuff I messed with ,  the trans axle was turned around 180 degrees , face forward.... shifter at the back side

You must have been dealing with early parts. The later. 66 and newer, used a modified Saginaw 4 speed, which could be modified as GPster discribed to install a V8 on the front side of the trans.

Nope.... you are correct.  I was thinking VW turned around shifter location on the Corvair setup.

A friend of mine has a sand rail with chevy V8 and Corvair transaxle.  I have put more hours in that piece of machinery than should be with broekn parts.  

It was one of those deals when a friend calls you asking advice :" Should I buy this or not?"  after you give them 3 - 8 reasons on why not to buy it... you are told :"  I have it at home. come by and see it"