3.2---72----NITRO

One of our more respected members alluded to the fact that a 3.2 would feel like it was loaded with Nitro if the gearing were changed to that similar to a 72. Albeit one would have to give up the possibility of going 150mph.
Unless you want to take the chance of going directly to jail and losing your 3.2 you've probably already given up the idea of going 150mph, at least in most states.
So what gearing is necessary to accomplish this "close ratio 5 speed" or 4 with overdrive. Who would be the gear box expert in your area capable of accomplishing this feet in a G50 gearbox. What cost is involved, gears and labor, and what inherent drawbacks are imminent? For instance is the current clutch able to take a load imposed upon it by closer gear ratios, etc.
I imagine this idea might just start a new trend, at least a new thread and.... certainly healthy food for the imagination.

Willie

A first stop in the quest for more information might possibly be the PowerHaus II website and a search through their gears search page. I found two`'new' ring & pinions of interest, 4.00:1 (8:32) and 4.625:1 (8:37), and 11 choices of 1st gear ratios from 3.5 to 1.789, 11 choices for 2nd gear from 2.4 to 1.5, 17 choices for 3rd/4th gear from 1.773 to 0.967, and 19 choices for 5th gear from 1.273 to 0.677. their website is:

http://www.phii.net/

Even if you make no individual ratio changes, with the ring & pinion change to 4.625:1 you gain 34.3% more torque through the gears, and with the 4.00:1 you gain 16.1% over the 'stock' 3.44:1 ring & pinion. Noting that the 4:1 is a bit higher than the '72-'74 ring & pinion of 4.429:1, and the 4.625:1 is a bit lower, my recommendation would be for the 4.6 every time! I also think anyone planning for the long-term ownership of his/her 911 would want to purchase a used 'spare' gearbox to send off to the PowerHaus II folks to work over, assuming talks with them prove satisfactory. Just a few thoughts to get the discussion going ...

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

I'm about to put a rebuilt (pre-77-ratio) 915 on my (swapped) 2.2 engine. Is there a simple ring and pinion change I could do before it goes in?

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Jack Olsen
1973 911 T sunroof coupe

Depending on which exact year that 915 is, it could have either a 7:31 (4.429:1) or 8:31 (3.875:1) ring and pinion. Other choices that are somewhat scarce are 7:33 (4.714:1) and my favorite, 7:37 (5.286:1).

There is a discussion of different gearboxes and ratios in this thread:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/ultimate/Forum3/HTML/001192.html

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

This may be a stupid question, but -- assuming I've got a 7:31 on the way -- can one *change* the ring and pinion? Can I turn a 7:31 into a 7:37 before I put it on the car?

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Jack Olsen
1973 911 T sunroof coupe

Jack, The short answer is yes, but it is not trivial, or inexpensive! Since the pinion gear is attached to what amounts to the countershaft to the input shaft, and all of the gears and bearings have to be reassembled on the pinion shaft, and the ring and pinion clearance must me reset and measured, the actual work is perhaps 2/3 or 3/4 of a complete rebuild! But, in my opinion, well worth the trouble!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

I think my plan, then, is going to be to wait, and then get a second rebuildable core and have Motor Meister (or someone similar) rebuild it with the 7:37 (5.286:1) ring and pinion, and some sort of longer 4th and 5th gears to make it tolerable for long stretches on the highway. Either that or see if Powerhaus sells a whole 915 unit with the above-mentioned work already done.

Now, if I were to do the unthinkable and one day attach a normally-aspirated 3.6 onto the thing, would this 'hill climber' set-up be too much?

Is there such a thing as too much?


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Jack Olsen
1973 911 T sunroof coupe