QUOTE (UpsMan @ Jan 14 2008, 01:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Would it be possible to remove 1st or 5th gear in the tranny for some weight savings?
You can remove the larger part of first gear. The small gear is part of the shaft itself, you'd have to grind it off to get rid completely. 5th gear is an easy pull out. You'll need spacers the same width as the ears were to take up the play of course.. You could fill the ends of the shift drum with good epoxy so you just find neutral below 2nd with ease and stop it going into 5th when there isn't one.
I've been looking at making a new, lower (2.4:1), ratio than first and fitting it where second goes. Using what is now first as second and then using a higher final drive. This will open up the ratios allowing for a wider range of speed for the beach race at Weston later in the year. The start is a very long straight for which 90mph+ would be useful. However, with such high gearing from the final drive first gear becomes too high for the dunes and the clutch suffers, possibly not lasting the race.
I would have to make a new shift drum but I know that's easy enough, I've done one already....