Has anybody replaced the Moss Box in an early XK150 FHC with a 5 speed from The Driven Man ?
Hopefully much quieter and smoother than the original .
Why would you want to?
Do TDM use the Tremec T5? If so, I can tell you it is an exceptionally nice gearbox as I have one (supplied by Modern Driveline) in my sixties Mustang. Very smooth change and 40,000 miles on, no problems at all. It’s worth looking at a custom overdrive ratio if you can, as the standard 5th is very long. Obviously all this is dependent on what rear axle ratio you are running. I have seen comments questioning whether or not this 'box can take the torque from an XK engine - well, this particular Mustang’s Ford Racing stroker motor produces more torque than any XK engine ever will and is 40k miles in, as said above.
All that said, I’m really with Phil on this - I have sourced a Moss box with overdrive for my 140 as I think it retains the feel and character of the car more completely.
it is obviously a question of choice. for many years i threw ‘upgrades’ at my etype until one dy i sat down and thought about what i had created. it was no longer a 3.8 series 1 but some kinda of XJS clone. i have taken it back to hat it should be and really enjoy the car now. a LOT of people myself included choose/chose to modify rather than restore to correct original condition. on both my XK’s i have had the moss boxes retired by a true craftsman and they are delight to use. Slow…yes… but that’s how it was and that’s what i want to experience.
just my opinion and just me getting older and grumpier by the day.
It is indeed a personal choice: had I kept Tweety, it was GOING TO get a Moss-ectomy, and a Tremec transplant: it would have made the car eminently more pleasant to drive.
I agree entirely with Phil. I bought an XK to restore because I want to experience owning and driving an XK.
The big issue for me, though, is cruising speed as I like to do continental touring trips (although the Mustang will probably get preference as LHD is really nice in Europe). I hope to get the best of both worlds with the swap to an O/D Moss box, as I plan to retain the longer (non-O/D) rear axle ratio.
Gearbox aside, I’m not keen on the huge ‘modernisation’ route many take for classic Mustangs. If you want rack-and-pinion steering, electric windows, ultra-low profile tyres, lightweight power steering etc. etc. - well, buy a BMW, maybe.
see, I can be grumpy too.
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I also like my cars true to form and original . However the Moss box with that horrible whine when starting is a turn off. Some of us like to drive , if all you do is go to shows , maybe it is OK .
No comparisn to our just sold 63 Healey 3000 after 20 years of driving it .
Kim
I replaced my 4 speed worn out, leaky, noisy 1st gear, slow, non overdrive Moss box and installed a Driven Man Tremec into my 150 OTS It has brought the car alive with fast gearchanges , a synchro 1st gear and a wonderful 5th gear .It was a joy to drive before, now its fantastic. Well worth the upgrade.
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Sounds like that is the way to go .
Interesting… the Moss box’s whine in first gear is down to the straight-cut first, which has no synchromesh. None of the Healey 3000s I’ve ever owned, right up to the '68 BJ8, had synchro on first gear either. Maybe the Moss 'box in question was well past its best!
I enjoy gearboxes with no synchro, it tests your skills a little more. My '67 Series IIA Land Rover has no synchro on first or second, which makes you focus your mind when driving in town. Getting your double-declutching technique right time after time is very satisfying. But I don’t do shows - I hate sitting around looking at my car, unless it’s from the driving seat. Hence the three or four continental expeditions each year (- although, granted, not in the Land Rover!).
As ever, it depends on what you want. It’s your car, etc.
No, the Moss whined from the git-go, and some, like the late Jerry Mouton, liked the noise.
That never bothered me, but those awful steel syncros…!!!
Kim
When and if you go ahead get in touch as there are a couple of things you need to know upon installation.
If you are interested I have a Getrag 5 speed from a Jaguar. I also have a Jaguar 5 speed but I don’t think I want to sell it at this time.
Stephen
When I bought my 120 FHC it already had an LT77 5 speed gearbox out of a late XJ6,( also fitted to the Rover SD1) but the ratios were all wrong and the synchro was going in second gear. I decided to fit the Tremec T5. It has a higher 1st gear and lower 5th gear. So much more usable. I agree with Phil Dobson about keeping the car original, having driven my friends 140 with a Moss box. But the Tremec is really smooth and has synchromesh on first gear, so makes driving in our terrible UK traffic easier.