earlier this year, I had my gearbox rebuilt with new bearings in an attempt to cure the horrible whine I get in 3rd and 6th gears. When I got the car back, it was clear that it had made no difference at all. To add insult to injury, it was also leaking gearbox oil (my hyper-expensive fully synthetic gearbox oil....)

We guessed it would be the driver's side driveshaft oil seal, as its a non-standard seal we had to obtain when we fitted the Quaife and lost the viscodrive. However, the oil is coming out of the bell-housing, which suggests the input shaft seal has failed.

So - seeing as its all coming apart (again), the time has come for a proper Coupe refresh - on the list:-

Mechanicals:-

1)Replacement gearbox (I'm not mending it again) - anyone got one for sale?
2)New driveshafts (I've trashed one of the CV joints, so I don't expect the other will be far behind)
3)Re-sort the handling - the wheels and driveshafts have been off that many time that the geometry is screwed - I need to re-fit my lower brace and have it all set up again
4) Electric windows - for some reason, mine are the slowest I've ever experienced in a Coupe - new motors beckon....

Cosmetics:-

5)While its all apart, I've decided to have it painted. I've tracked down John from EuroEast who is now working for another garage, with even better facilities and an impressive array of cars in the workshop.
6)Powder-coat a few parts - slam panel, bumper corners etc
7)Wheels - the Team Dynamics ProRace 1.2 have had a hard life and have been attacked by brake dust - full refurb on the cards. I'll also put some tyres on the standard Plus wheels I have, so that I can look very standard when I want to
8)Leather - just starting to get tired, so time for the Gliptone
9) Camcover - the crinkle paint has flaked - refurb required
10) Under-bonnet - I want to make it look standard to the casual observer, so I'll be playing with some dummy intake hoses
11) Anything else I can think of....

So - just got to find a six-speed box and work out a plausible sounding excuse to Wifey to spend several grand on an old Fiat....

Ouch on the gearbox, but on the positive side sounds like it's going to kick start a sweet refurb.
Good luck on the elusive 6 Speed box. Thinking I should have kept my other Plus as a parts car, as fancied a spare box myself.

I think I mentioned this to you ages ago but it may be worth considering a gear oil that's specifically designed to handle the limited slip diff, like Gulf Competition LS 75w-90.

http://www.gulfoil.ie/lubricants/Product%20Data%20Sheets/gulf_competition_gear_oils%2075-90.pdf

Re the windows, it may be the "track" attached to the motor/window that needs a clean/regrease or replacement, motors might be OK

The suspension is OK then? Sticking with that tiny turbo you've got?

Shame to hear of the box's demise, however it seems you have quite a long silver lining!

If you've the time Nigel, please can you put some photos up in the projects area?

@ Graham - I can't remember what oil went into it, but it was very expensive stuff, recommended by Opie Oils

@ DaveG - I'll try cleaning and silicone-spraying the tracks for the glass - always try the simplest solution first. Yes, suspension is fine - no reason to change just yet. Turbo is still epic. The roads were a bit greasy this morning due to the cold damp weather - managed to get wheelspin in 4th gear as the turbo kicked in. I'd kinda forgotten how quick it was...

@ Gunzi - the plan is to take a few photos as I go along - just trying to exercise a bit of self-restraint to prevent it turning into a Duffy-style full-on restoration. I still want to drive it hard, so I don't really want it TOO good by the end

Good stuff Nigel. I wish I had the disposable to give mine a bit of mid life botox!

I meant the window regulator item 2 in ePer but a silicon spray of the furry tracks would help too...

Good luck in finding a 6 speed box,I will keep a look out for you.

Ah - I see - I'll try that too

I was offered one yesterday. Should get it towards the end of November. It's done c. 100k miles, but I'll have it checked over before it's fitted

Nigel, going back to the day when Barbz was building his high power coupes on 6 speed gearboxes, he was fabricating a new end plate for the gear box. I don't recall which shafts within the gearbox the end cap supports but I do recall he had fabricated a very sturdy looking replacement to prevent movement of the shafts that was occurring under high power.
It may be something you'd need to address for a long term solution to a reoccurring problem as I'm sure it was his 3rd gear or was it 6th?

That may be the plate fitted?

Good old forum, try the link: http://www.torqueitalia.com/index.asp

I've seen the plate that DeltaParts sell for the Delta (also fits the 20vt, apparently) - tempting....

IIRC that plate fits the early 5sp only as the casing is in two parts, same design as the Delta box.

This was definitely on a 6spd box and looked like a 20mm section plate welded to the end of the box. I think Nigel is thinking of the plate that goes inside the box at the clutch end of the gearbox. That one stops the two shafts from separating under high power applications but like Joe said, I think that's for the 16v cars or early 20v boxes.

Ah, that mod, yes I have that gearbox in store off Mavric's coupe, bearing failed while in DLT's care so no it doesn't work.

Oh, disappointing but kudos for the initiative of trying something new.

I never understood what this was trying to achieve, it's a block of aluminium welded on to the end casing.
The issues I've experienced with these boxes is stripped gears due to the shafts spreading, planetary failure, very common, or input shaft bearing failure depositing debris into the end bearings which then pushes the gears forward acting like a lath until they wear the front casing to a point it pops.

Crap photo lifted from the DeltaParts website



So what is this supposed to do?

Is that a plate to fit between bell housing and gearbox to help prevent failure of some sort,I presume on high powered coupes there must be some extra torque/stress in those area's.

There's a better picture of that plate on the link below.

http://forum.berlinasportivo.com/showthread.php?t=1180

Nigel, how you getting on with the quaife?
Still doing good?

See the coupe still going strong!!

Look forward to seeing it when you have the work done again!

Quaife is still the second-best mod I've done on the car (after the uprated rear ARB) - spooky what it can make the car do...

The refurb project may now have to wait for a while - the bonus that was going to pay for it is now destined for HMRC......