Remake of the ZF S5-20 5-speed for pagodas

[Raymond]

Garry,
 On the T-5 transplant (Hays Conversion ) the gear shift comes up in exactly the same place as the original.  However as the top of the transmission has a square rise to it, the shifter hole had to be squared.  This is under the carpet and invisible.  All it requires is an adapter plate between the MB housing and the gearbox, a modified transmission mount, and a new drive shaft.  My fifth gear is an overdrive of .72.  The car is much more fun to drive as the first gear is much better than the original ratio, 2 through 4 are the same and 5th improves fuel mileage 25%.  A Brand New T-5 can be purchased for around $1200.  A good used one can be had for about half that.  A lot of the details are spelled out in the last edition of Pagoda World.

The ZF will give you a more conventional experience, but I doubt the performance would be improved.  As pointed out earlier, the only time it would help in a Concours is if the Data Card says ZF.  I think it's great that there are enough of our cars out there that people are thinking of reproducing NLA parts.  In this case, I just think I can make many other improvements in my car for the money it would cost for a repro ZF.

[Garry]

Thanks for the info Ray,
I obviously got the wrong impression in Blacklick that the gear lever was different. I should have had a closer look. I can only agree that the cost of the new ZF is so great that it does not make any sense to fit it when it is a well known fact that the old ones were not that good anyway (a conventional experience is a polite way to put it)and spares astronomical in price but, still nice to be able to say that it is a ZF to match the Data Card.  If I was buying a Pagoda with a 5 speed, that did not come with it as original equipment, what ever type it may be and that includes the fitment of a ZF, I would absolutely want the original gear box to be included in the deal to enable reversion if wanted otherwise the value has the potential be a perverted reverse inversion so to speak if you were serious about showing the car.

I must go back and have a good re-read of the Pagoda World.

[abe280SL]

For that kind of money and a little bit more you can buy a second car that comes already with an 5 speed and it will outpeform any pagoda out there...say a Porsche 83SC!
abe

[George Des]

Has anyone with a ZF 5 speed been able to get an answer from ZF on whether any of the spares they show on the site are currently available as Peter seems to indicate? I sent an inquiry about the reverse switch assembly and have not gotten an answer. The original on my ZF was replaced somewhere along the line with the same switch used on the 4 speed MB box. The contact rod on the MB switch is not quite as long as the rod on the  ZF switch and if you use the copper seal, it will not allow the shfiter mechanism to close the circuit and activate the reverse lights. It can be made to work by eliminating the copper seal and using some thread sealant but would rather have the right one if it is still being supplied by ZF.

George Des