BUILDING A VINTAGE BENTLEY "C" TYPE GEARBOX FROM PARTS
SOME YEARS AGO I MANAGED TO BUY AN ORIGINAL BARE "C" BOX CASTING WITHOUT THE LID. I HAD ALWAYS WANTED TO BUILD A BENTLEY GEARBOX UP FROM PARTS SO THAT THIS WAS MY CHANCE TO DO SO!
WELL, ONE CASING DOESN`T MAKE A GEARBOX BUT IT`S A GOOD STARTING POINT, PROBABLY BETTER THAN STARTING WITH A GEAR FOR EXAMPLE!
I TRIED ADVERTISING IN THE BDC ADVERTISER AND HAD ONE REPLY, THIS BDC MEMBER HAD SOME SPARES THAT I MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN AND NAMED A JAW DROPPING PRICE. HE LIVED QUITE NEAR TO COVENTRY WHERE I WAS LOOKING AFTER MY AGED MOTHER AT THAT TIME, SO THAT I WENT ROUND TO SEE HIM AND THE GOLD PLATED PARTS. THESE TURNED OUT TO BE A HEAVILY CORRODED MAGNESIUM "C" TYPE GEARBOX CASING AND LID WITH A DAMAGED REAR MOUNTING LUG, SO NOW I HAD TWO CASINGS TO FILL WITH THOSE HOWLING BENTLEY GEARS.
I TRIED ADVERTISING IN THE BDC ADVERTISER AND HAD ONE REPLY, THIS BDC MEMBER HAD SOME SPARES THAT I MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN AND NAMED A JAW DROPPING PRICE. HE LIVED QUITE NEAR TO COVENTRY WHERE I WAS LOOKING AFTER MY AGED MOTHER AT THAT TIME, SO THAT I WENT ROUND TO SEE HIM AND THE GOLD PLATED PARTS. THESE TURNED OUT TO BE A HEAVILY CORRODED MAGNESIUM "C" TYPE GEARBOX CASING AND LID WITH A DAMAGED REAR MOUNTING LUG, SO NOW I HAD TWO CASINGS TO FILL WITH THOSE HOWLING BENTLEY GEARS.
ABOVE ARE THE PHOTOS THAT I TOOK OF THE C BOX WHEN I BOUGHT IT. WHAT A MESS! HOWEVER IT CONTAINED SEVERAL USEFUL PARTS THAT WOULD HELP THE PROJECT FORWARD.
I MADE A TEMPORARY PATTERN FROM THE GEARBOX LID AND HAD ANOTHER LID CAST FROM IT IN ALUMINIUM FOR THE BOX WITHOUT A LID. OF COURSE I HAD A SPARE ONE CAST AT THE SAME TIME BY THE BRILLIANT CASTING COMPANY IN COVENTRY WHO WERE SO VERY HELPFUL.
ABOVE LEFT, THE GOOD SET OF C GEARS MINUS REVERSE GEAR THAT I SWAPPED FROM TIM HOULDING.
ABOVE RIGHT, THE SET OF NEW GEARS COMPLETE WITH SHAFTS, ORIGINALLY FROM THE UK, THAT I BOUGHT FROM A GENTLEMAN IN THE USA.
ABOVE RIGHT, THE SET OF NEW GEARS COMPLETE WITH SHAFTS, ORIGINALLY FROM THE UK, THAT I BOUGHT FROM A GENTLEMAN IN THE USA.
ABOVE LEFT, GEAR SELECTORS, ABOVE RIGHT, THE GEAR LEVER OUTRIGGERS, GATES AND GEAR SELECTORS.
ABOVE LEFT, THE NOSE AND TAILPIECES AND SPEEDO TAKE OFF ASSEMBLIES. ABOVE RIGHT, A RATHER BADLY MAULED GEAR LEVER AND THE HORSESHOE, WHATEVER IT`S CALLED!