| Step One: Connect the gearbox (manual) to the engine |
| FRC133 |
bell housing |
The existing TR7 (five speed) gearbox can be reused, but it will be necessary to change the bell housing.
The clutch fork and slave cylinder can also be reused, but it will be necessary to change the pivot stud and release bearing carrier. Original steel carriers are not available, but it isa possible to buy a modified TR7 carrier from Robsport. However, this requires that one has two TR7 carriers to return as cores! If you do not have two cores, one can buy the current style plastic carrier & bearing as shown in the photo.
There are some alternatives as far as clutch kits and flywheels are concerned: The stock flywhel is some 30lbs, whilst a lightened flywheel (20lbs) is also available. Clutch kits include the stock Borg & Beck version as well as the newer SD1 self-centering type. |
| BH505161 (6) | bolt 5/16 UNC x 2 |
| BH506221 (2) | bolt 5/16 UNC x 2-3/4 |
| FRC5368/R | release bearing carrier |
| UKC13 | clutch fork pivot |
| FRC142 | flywheel inspection plate |
| 612368 (L) | flywheel |
| 255466 (6) | flywheel bolts |
| GCK7335 | clutch kit, 3pc Borg&Beck |
| clutch pipe (upper), master-hose |
| clutch pipe (lower), hose-slave |
| UKC8455 | clutch hose |
| RKC2890 | propshaft (driveshaft) |
| Step One: Automatic Transmission |
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TR7's equipped with automatic transmissions are rather lacking in performance, but the Rover V8 has enough power to provide decent performance for those who might wish to have the convenience of an automatic.
If you already have an automatic TR7 the only major item that will need to be changed is the bell housing. On a Borg Warner 65/66 it is detachable from the gearbox, but you might have to hunt around to find one for the Rover V8. It should be possible to reuse most of the other components.
Owners of five speed TR7's, cars that have been fitted with 'alien' engines or perhaps have no engine at all will have a more difficult task if they wish to have an automatic TR8. It appears that new or reconditioned gearboxes are still available in the UK, but of course the freight will be expensive. Jaguar XJ6 Series III gearboxes will not really work because of the aforementioned bell housing issue. There are also some availability problems with dipsticks & the associated filler tubes, unless the Jaguar versions are compatible?
TR7, TR8 gear selectors are still available but the interior trim (PRND21 surround) is hard to find. One of the great aspects of a Rover V8 conversion is that the wedge body shell is designed to be either a TR7 or a TR8 depending upon the build specification, and when it comes to mounting the gearbox oil cooler it just bolts right in under the front most transverse chassis box section. |
| AEU1604N | automatic gearbox+torque converter, BW66 |
| PKC2139 | automatic gearbox+torque converter, GM180 |
| flexplate (flywheel) |
| spacer, flexplate |
| lock ring, flexplate |
| bolt, flexplate (6) |
| FRC145 | flywheel inspection plate |
| FRC7125 | filler tube, BW66 |
| PKC2166 | filler tube, GM180 |
| FRC3541 | dipstick, BW66 |
| RKC5801 | dipstick, GM180 |
| BH505161 (6) | bolt 5/16 UNC x 2 |
| BH506221 (2) | bolt 5/16 UNC x 2-3/4 |
| oil cooler, gearbox |
| oil cooler line (gearbox-hose) |
| oil cooler line (gearbox-hose) |
| oil cooler hose (2) |
| oil cooler line (hose-cooler) |
| oil cooler line (hose-cooler) |
| kickdown cable, BW66 |
| kickdown cable, GM180 |
| RKC4228 | gear selector |
| knob, gear selector |
| RKC2890 | propshaft (driveshaft) |
