Type 9 or MT75 gearbox
 

I have the option of a really good and well maintained 2l Zetec engine. It's too good an opportunity to turn down and having driven the Mondeo it currently resides in I realise how much fun it'll be in a roadster.

My plan is to use MX5 diff and hubs etc as they are so plentiful unlike Sierra items, which long term seems prudent (I don't want to break something in a few years time and struggle for a replacement). Obviously I'll need a gearbox to link the 2 up. From my research it doesn't seem easy to mount the Zetec to a Mazda box (correct me if I am wrong) so guess I'll need a Ford item. Type 9's are becoming silly money but MT75 are cheap on eBay. Are all MT75 boxes the same? My search has pulled up several saying they have come out of diesel transits. I presume these are wrong as I would have thought the ratios would be wrong. Is this correct?

A friend of mine uses these for short circuit racing and he says the ratios are different and work better on some circuits, don't know if there are other differences though

There's a guy on eBay selling adapt or rings to mate a fair few different engines to the rx8 box which is plentiful, cheap, strong and a delight to use.

There are various different ones.

Transit boxes are not good at all as they have the leaver out the top of the case not on the tail of the box.

Car boxes are either Sierra/Granada(Cable Clutch) or Scorpio (Hydraulic)
2.0 RWD - Twincam
2.5 RWD - Turbo Deisel
2.9 4x4 - Twincam
2.0 4x4 - Twincam

A Hybrid 2.9 RWD box can be made from a 2.5 Box and 2.9 Frontcase.

TT

Thanks for the advice everyone. I just wish the MX5 box would mate up given how good they are and so cheap. I'm tempted by the RX8 box though. I'll keep you posted.

There is a company in Hinckley who make conversions for the MX5 box, I'll try and find out their name - here it is -

Vitesse-Global Ltd 01455611230 www.vitesse-ltd.com

and http://vitesse-ltd.com/mgb-conversion-kit/

Dont know how you found that but very well done.

Ratio's are excellent, just need to contact the guy who makes the adapter plates for a Zetec to MX5 box. Has to be a lot cheaper than a BGH with modified type 9 box.

Qualify make a close ratio gear set for the mx5 gearboxes. The thought of it reminds me of my old 1.6 205 gti. A great revvy little engine with close ratios was awesome fun and strangely 115bhp seemed plenty in that car.

Vitesse were in one of the kit car mags a few months back, I remember hunting them out to see what bellhousing kits they did. As far as I could tell, they only worked with the NC box, which is completely different to the NA/NB.

An NC box certainly isn't as cheap as an NA one either!

£50 adaptor to fit a zetec to an rx8 box. You can make an offer on it too.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/252162235480

This is the cheapest rx8 box with delivery.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/281843217519

There are others that are cheaper but collection only.