Companies that can repair gears for vintage race cars??

With many of our car's replacement parts getting scarce on the ground I am running into the dilemma of struggling to find replacements.

Here is the background; I have a couple of mid close ratio cluster gears / counter shaft gears with a damaged 3rd. The part has a 1 piece unit, it would seem that someone somewhere in the world would be able to repair are these.

Note that complete Datsun 56 series boxes are still available at $1200-1500 a piece it just seem ridiculous to pitch complete gear sets for want of a repair.

So does anyone know who might do this. Note places like Houseman generally don't do one offs or at least not for less than 3-6K.

I've started emailing gear manufacturers who might do this but no luck yet.

Tom

Tom - Check into the gear shops used by the bike guys. Back when I was in the Bay Area & raced a Kawasaki KZ-750, there was a supplier that could virtually any ratio set or individual gear we needed at a very reasonable cost...wish I could remember his name - I'm pretty sure he was in Marin at the time, if that's any help. Quality stuff to be sure, too....:)

Taylor Race Engineering might be able to help. No affiliation. http://www.taylor-race.com/

Tom1200 wrote: With many of our car's replacement parts getting scarce on the ground I am running into the dilemma of struggling to find replacements. Here is the background; I have a couple of mid close ratio cluster gears / counter shaft gears with a damaged 3rd. The part has a 1 piece unit, it would seem that someone somewhere in the world would be able to repair are these. Note that complete Datsun 56 series boxes are still available at $1200-1500 a piece it just seem ridiculous to pitch complete gear sets for want of a repair. So does anyone know who might do this. Note places like Houseman generally don't do one offs or at least not for less than 3-6K. I've started emailing gear manufacturers who might do this but no luck yet. Tom

Is this what you mean when you say "Cluster Gear"?

I don't see a "repair" as being an option. Next step would be to machine from a blank and heat treat to suit. Not going to be cheap as a one-off project.

If you can buy complete gearboxes for $1500, I would call that a screaming bargain.

Yeah, really, what can you do to replace material worn off of gearteeth?
Plasma spray new metal on, and then re-cut the tooth profiles?
Assuming you could even replicate the original tooling.
Then how long before the new metal flakes off?

Would you be able to build a replacement cluster by replacing the damaged gear. Found the following site showing individual gears for the 56 series transmission.

http://www.peterzekert.com/for-sale/transmission-rear-end/115-datsun-a-series-transmissions

ggarrad - Peter is the go to guy for Datsun 1200 race parts; first place I checked. Stupidly about 5 years ago, I passed on a Hall box , the individual gears are Hewland.

NoHome what can be done is cut down the damaged gear on the cluster and then weld on a new one. Once upon a time people did this. If you can find some one to do so it ranges about $500-$750.

I have a stronger 5 speed, but the ratios are not ideal; if someone like Albins would do a custom second gear, problem solved. Custom gears run around $500 per ratio.

My first vintage race is in 3 weeks and there are a couple of people who do custom work who might know someone up for the job.

Meanwhile there's a 1200 racer in Portugal listing a box with straight cut gears, if the price goes lower it could be the ticket. Still a shame to waste parts

ggarrard wrote: Would you be able to build a replacement cluster by replacing the damaged gear. Found the following site showing individual gears for the 56 series transmission. http://www.peterzekert.com/for-sale/transmission-rear-end/115-datsun-a-series-transmissions

Only works when your cluster gearset is made from individual gears instead of 1 piece (as OP stated).
The Hewland boxes in your link feature individual gears for just that purpose.

At $3500, the $2000 option mentioned by OP is again, a bargain.

Call Jamie.

Good guy been around for some time and you would be spending US dollars in Canada.

http://www.housemanautosport.com/

NoHome I will call him, when looking to repair the cluster gears I did email him and he did get back to me right away. At that time I didn't have the 5 speed, I'll ask if he can do just second gear. Note 3rd and 4th are exactly what I need and I only use 2nd gear twice per lap out of 12 shifts.

One of the Datsun guys has a place in New Zealand that will do a custom 2nd gear.

Tom

erohslc wrote:

ggarrard wrote: Would you be able to build a replacement cluster by replacing the damaged gear. Found the following site showing individual gears for the 56 series transmission. http://www.peterzekert.com/for-sale/transmission-rear-end/115-datsun-a-series-transmissions

Only works when your cluster gearset is made from individual gears instead of 1 piece (as OP stated). The Hewland boxes in your link feature individual gears for just that purpose. At $3500, the $2000 option mentioned by OP is again, a bargain.

This is good to know. I haven't built or worked on many race engine since my grandfather died, my brother and I are taking about starting this up again. Currently he's looking around at a few cars we might buy. I miss the good old days of racing stock cars.

DirtHog wrote:

erohslc wrote:

ggarrard wrote: Would you be able to build a replacement cluster by replacing the damaged gear. Found the following site showing individual gears for the 56 series transmission. http://www.peterzekert.com/for-sale/transmission-rear-end/115-datsun-a-series-transmissions

Only works when your cluster gearset is made from individual gears instead of 1 piece (as OP stated). The Hewland boxes in your link feature individual gears for just that purpose. At $3500, the $2000 option mentioned by OP is again, a bargain.

This is good to know. I haven't built or worked on many race engine since my grandfather died. My brother and I are taking about starting this up again. Currently he's looking around at a few cars we might buy. I miss the good old days of racing stock cars.

Of course, if you could find all the matching individual gears,
you could fab up a splined shaft and make up your own cluster gear, with spacers between them.