480rider

Thanks for the welcome. Originally, I wanted a 7 I could use at the track or on the street. When I found this one, I decided it was ok to have a track-only car. But... While the car was first built as a street car, I'm told the original owner added lights, windscreen and wipers, etc. and put a plate on it. In fact, it came to me with a title as well as a bill of sale. So I could make it street legal, and the thought is somewhat appealing. Unfortunately, the only street bits which remain are the dash switches, so I'd have to (re)acquire the headlights and front signals, windscreen, wipers, washer setup, and related bits. Additionally, in race trim it currently runs with a grand total of 1.25 inches of clearance under the oil pan! I'd have to of course change the ride height and alignment as well. So...given the work and cost it would take to make it street legal, I'll keep it a dedicated track car for now. I've only had three track days so far, but it certainly is a whole lot of fun!

Hi all: I recently acquired a 2002 "7 America." It's a car which was built to the SCCA GCR specs for E Production, with a 150 HP Zetec and T9, cage, etc. The car was built in Ft. Worth, TX, and formerly resided with an active club racer in Houston. I'm running it this season in the Miller Park Racing Association series in Utah. I started lurking on this and other sites a couple of years ago, when I finally got serious about looking for a 7. Thanks to everyone who has posted information here. It's been a great background resource, and I hope to be a worthwhile contributor in the future. Troy

Martin: Thanks for the reply and the welcome. Due to the small space around the tunnel, I've been unable to get a decent photo. This link is the best schematic I've found of the T9: http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/articles/imagePage.php?imagesrc=type-9-gearbox-cross-section.jpg&imagealt=Ford%20Type%209%20cross%20section%20diagram&credit_to=&credit_to_www=) The cap I'm referring to is the round piece (cut in half for the drawing) just above the output shaft. The image makes it pretty clear that the shift mechanism is housed in its own box, pretty much separate from the rest of the gearbox -- this is what made me wonder if it should have transmission oil in it at all. As for the lip in the case (possible breather), it's located at the very bottom of the cap, so fluid will continue to drain out unless it's sealed completely. I'll post up some photos of the car and more specs soon. Thanks again, Troy

I suppose I'd better introduce myself before launching into a question, especially in my first post! I joined this site a while back, but so far have been just reading and learning. Thanks to everyone for the technical and other posts -- they have been very helpful in my understanding of my new car. I recently acquired an '02 Caterham "America," which is the car produced specifically to compete in the SCCA E Production class. It has the SVT Zetec and Quaife/T9 5 speed. I've only had the car for a couple of months, and have been itching to get to the track and drive it. I finally got out last weekend, and managed a first in class in my very first race. Gotta credit that to a great car! Anyway, after this first track weekend, I noticed a substantial amount of transmission oil sprayed all over the tunnel and underneath the floor pan. I've managed to trace it back to a leak from around the cap situated behind the shifter, at the very top rear of the gearbox. (I'll call this the shifter "box," as it appears to be walled off and separate from the main gearbox.) This "cap" (I don't know what it should really be called) is about 2" in diameter, and appears to press into the back of the tail housing without a gasket. There is a small lip in the case at the bottom of the area where the cap presses in, which is where the oil was leaking out. It appears to be there intentionally to allow for breathing or seeping of excess oil -- it does not look like a chip or break in the case. I checked the oil level at the fill plug, and it's up to the bottom of the plug. The shifter box still has a lot of fluid left in it as well. It appears that the last time the gearbox was serviced, the shifter box was filled with transmission oil, and that excess (?) oil is what has leaked out. My question is this: Should the shifter box have been filled and kept filled? If so, should I seal up the lip at the bottom of the cap so that the fluid does not leak out again? I've searched to find information about this gearbox, but with little success. As the shifter box is not open to the rest of the gearbox, it appears to me (novice mechanic, at best) that it should be lubricated by a heavier grease, rather than transmission fluid, and that the two would not necessarily mix. This would explain the lip/opening at the bottom of the cap -- if the shifter mechanism is lubed by grease rather than transmission oil, a small opening would not allow the grease to spill out. I'm not sure this makes any sense, hence my question. Does anyone know these gearboxes, and have any advice for how this part of the unit should be lubed and sealed? Thanks in advance for any replies/advice.