Engine and Transmission Tech

I know that you can get an adaptor bellhousing from Australia for the Daimler 250 engine to Toyota W58 , but has anybody else adapted another 5 speed into a Daimler Dart. Thinking maybe a T5 or T56 box ..Thanks Roy

Roy, is this the 2.5L hemi ? Real world hp. of 100 +/- ? So a W 58 should be strong enough. It's a popular retofit for Jensen Healey's, with 140+ hp. Cost of bell housing too much ? Seems like this might save a lot of work. Time is $ Good Luck, roverman.

Hi Art ,Yes box is for 2.5 hemi, my thoughts are that the W58 gearbox is not a common box in the uk , especially in the close ratio form, and that in years to come i may find myself with a broken box that cannot be repaired or replaced easily or economically.
The engine design is such that with a engine backplate it lends itself to having different belhousing patterns drilled in the backplate.
So just fishing about to see if anybody else has thoughts on alternative boxes . Did nobody fit a 5 speed box before the Australian belhousings became available?.

Thanks Roy

Roy, T56 would really be overkill for your application and tougher to fit. Assuming you have a 2.5L stick belhousing, might be easier to make the adaptor at the T5 mounting face. If your bell housing has a round hole to locate trans, your task just got easier. Cheers, roverman.

Hi Art , Big problem , the Dart Sp250 gearbox has a integral cast in one bellhousing and box, ive thought about cutting it off , but then have ruined a standard gearbox if i cant get it to work, and i only have the one box and its in use at the moment in the car.
Catch 22. Thanks Roy

As you say the engine has a backplate I question if you need a special bellhousing. Perhaps your main focus should be to find a box where the input shaft extends from its standard bell by the same amount as the Daimler box and has compatable diameter and starter potition.

I am sure the original box will not have been unique to the SP250. Perhaps used on a Jaguar or Triumph? Knowing that might help with alternatives.

One thing I have always wondered is will the V8 from the Daimler Majestic Major fit in the SP250!

About that 2.5L Hemi, It was raced very successfully in a Dirt Midget Champ car. Owner/designer was a pioneering "software wizard". He used early application of finite analysis and stress analysis, To design a superior chassis, compared to the competition of the day, 30+ years ago ? That Hemi and the Midget, loved alchohol ! roverman.

Hi Roy,

You probably have your g/box all sorted by now?

The easiest way to fit up g/box to the Daimler 2.5 or 4.5 V/8 is to use the Automatic Transmission Bellhousing that was fitted to those mentioned engines and have a plate machined up to bolt to where the transmision would normallly be bolted to.

The plate then can be machined out to take the front bearing retainer of many g/boxes the front bearing retainer "Nose" gives the centre line/ too easy.

The box could be a Ford Tremec 5 Speed, or the Tremec 5 speed from behind the GM V/6's, I have used the Holden Commodore Tremec 5 speed, I shortened the g/box input shaft so as to have the desired input shaft length, there are a bunch of different G/box input shaft lengths.

The UK Ford single rail type g/box would probably be the best bet for the UK Folk, the German Getrag is ok too but very expensive to repair and is in my expereience a wee fragile but one could probably by one for 2/6p in the UK. The Jaguar XJs 3.6 is my choice of the Getrag range but is difficult to centralise in a as described bellhousing conversion.

As for the Toyota g/boxes and bellhousing kits we see advertised around the place seems the prices have gone through the roof ad this might have something to do with supplies drying up.

As for the flywheel the standard Daimler 2.5 V/8 flywheel will suffice for the 2.5, the ring gear for the starter needs to be from the auto drive plate, easily adapted to the Daimler flywheel after a wee bit of machining. Alternate have a steel flywheel made up at about $400.00.

For the 4.5 V/8 use a Ford 289- 302 Windsor flywheel elongate just one hole, fit the ring gear from the auto, use Ford Falcon Clutch cover assembly, obviously there is more to it but not much more.

Regards
from Down Under

I believe the Toyota W58 gearbox was used on the Lotus Excel. That could be a source in the UK.

If memory serves me correctly, the SP250 box did have Triumph TR or Vanguard internals.

Daimler V8 sedans used Jaguar all synchro box with Laycock o/drive...

Terry/Jagpro is spot-on....drill plate to suit manual gearbox of your choice, mount central hydraulic throw-out bearing & away you go.....Very cost effective solution.

Always liked the note those little hemi's made, too

Cheers