GT40 with Weddle Transaxle

[SeanRitchie]

Not an Ad, just posting some cool automotive stuff.

We started working with Downforce Motorsports out of South Carolina a few years back to get some transaxles in Superformance GT40 replica cars.

They are running a 750 HP 351W small block in their in house car and have been working it out for the past year and half now, included some laps around Daytona at 180 MPH.

The trans we put in this #98 car was the test trans we used in the bosses Ecotec powered Playtech Manx. We re-geared it for road use and shipped it off to them

They put up some in car footage recently that is a fun way to spend 20 minutes if you have time to kill.

 

[poncho]

I'm not really a Ford guy but the GT40, Cobra and the Pantera are some of the coolest cars ever.

 

[ArizonaKevin]

Not an Ad, just posting some cool automotive stuff.

We started working with Downforce Motorsports out of South Carolina a few years back to get some transaxles in Superformance GT40 replica cars.

They are running a 750 HP 351W small block in their in house car and have been working it out for the past year and half now, included some laps around Daytona at 180 MPH.

The trans we put in this #98 car was the test trans we used in the bosses Ecotec powered Playtech Manx. We re-geared it for road use and shipped it off to them

They put up some in car footage recently that is a fun way to spend 20 minutes if you have time to kill.

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In your experience would you say it's harder on the trans to park it at 180mph like these guys are doing or put it in a 750hp buggy where it's constantly getting shock load from tires coming off the ground?

 

[lakemadness]

lol. nice spin...

 

[Racey]

In your experience would you say it's harder on the trans to park it at 180mph like these guys are doing or put it in a 750hp buggy where it's constantly getting shock load from tires coming off the ground?

Shock load 100% is harder on the transmission. Instantaneous torque spikes is what rapidly wears or flat out breaks drive train components.

Weddle's transaxles seem to be a very nice box, and weddle has a great reputation with all the development work they have done over the last several decades in the offroad world. My only gripe is the box's gear position sensor does not have a position for Reverse gear, or a reverse switch that can be used to trigger back up lights, or cameras. Talk to someone over there!!!

 

[SeanRitchie]

My only gripe is the box's gear position sensor does not have a position for Reverse gear, or a reverse switch that can be used to trigger back up lights, or cameras. Talk to someone over there!!!

This was inherited from the previous owners. Mendeola did not have reverse gear engaged by the shift drum, which is what the potentiometer reads for the dash display/gear location, but rather used a separate shift lever and cable to physically move the reverse gears into place. Not the way we would have done it, but too complicated to work around without a complete redesign of the gearbox (expensive)

You can trigger the dash display to read R if you use a microswitch on the reverse shift lever. There is a wire in the loom that comes with the dash display kit to allow for this.

Keep in mind, you cannot shift into any other gear when reverse is engaged, and you can physically see the location of the small reverse shift lever, so it's a bit of an unnecessary requirement to have it on the dash as well. But I understand the desire to have it.

 

[Racey]

This was inherited from the previous owners. Mendeola did not have reverse gear engaged by the shift drum, which is what the potentiometer reads for the dash display/gear location, but rather used a separate shift lever and cable to physically move the reverse gears into place. Not the way we would have done it, but too complicated to work around without a complete redesign of the gearbox (expensive)

You can trigger the dash display to read R if you use a microswitch on the reverse shift lever. There is a wire in the loom that comes with the dash display kit to allow for this.

Keep in mind, you cannot shift into any other gear when reverse is engaged, and you can physically see the location of the small reverse shift lever, so it's a bit of an unnecessary requirement to have it on the dash as well. But I understand the desire to have it.

I get it, you guys were painted into a corner.

Beautiful car btw. one of my favorites. I have a buddy with one, the only shame is my legs are too long to fit in the damn drivers seat, so i will never be able to drive one

 

[rivermobster]

This was inherited from the previous owners. Mendeola did not have reverse gear engaged by the shift drum, which is what the potentiometer reads for the dash display/gear location, but rather used a separate shift lever and cable to physically move the reverse gears into place. Not the way we would have done it, but too complicated to work around without a complete redesign of the gearbox (expensive)

You can trigger the dash display to read R if you use a microswitch on the reverse shift lever. There is a wire in the loom that comes with the dash display kit to allow for this.

Keep in mind, you cannot shift into any other gear when reverse is engaged, and you can physically see the location of the small reverse shift lever, so it's a bit of an unnecessary requirement to have it on the dash as well. But I understand the desire to have it.

Like a windshield and heated seats!

 

[Flyinbowtie]

Cool stuff for sure. Stout piece!

 

[boatpi]

You know suspense he wasn’t going that fast. It’s probably old-school tires by design to make it for vintage racing a lot going on on that cockpit at one time look listen to all the noises and squeaks.
That’s gonna be a thrill of a lifetime he had driving very carefully and a vehicle worth over 1.5 million++++

If you notice it lower RPM when he lets off the gas, you’re a whistling noise that’s gonna be the carburetor. Venturi’s the same thing happens on a lot of Aventadors, including mine now and then at lower RPM it’s a whistle sound coming from the velocity going through the intake.

 

[SeanRitchie]

He was definitely tip-toeing around that track. I don't think he ever got above 5000 RPM. I am told it will run up to 7500.

I don't know what tires are on it. I would assume some DOT variant since it's road legal.

I can't imagine trying to get all that power to the ground in that car. It has to be like driving on ice. Crazy to think the guys in the 60's racing these things around LeMans with no traction control or ABS. Those are the real race car drivers.

 

[Sleek-Jet]

So I watched that video for at least 7 minutes till I noticed the rear view mirror is a camera... LOL...