Castile Green/Dartford Grey 225

[Craig Allardyce]

Harv would be sad to know you lot haven't read his enthusiast gearbox guide, especially Blacky lol.

Screenshot 2026-01-14 213003.jpg (150.75 KiB) Viewed 5129 times

[Harv]

Harv is sad because I can’t remember what I wrote anymore… bad dose of CRAFT

Cheers,
Harv

[Blacky]

Well there you go - I have printed said gearbox guide out and bound it all up nice and pretty but I must admit I have not read it from cover to cover.

Are the innards the same as a standard box ? or just a stronger housing for more reliable paddock bashing duties ?

[smclaren]

The associated memorabilia is just outstanding, Craig.

[Craig Allardyce]

Well there you go - I have printed said gearbox guide out and bound it all up nice and pretty but I must admit I have not read it from cover to cover.

Are the innards the same as a standard box ? or just a stronger housing for more reliable paddock bashing duties ?

I've not read anything to suggest they are different internally as yet. If I ever get to stripping it yet I may find out.

[Craig Allardyce]

I'm having thoughts of, as they say, "ruining a classic"

I will have lots of rust repairs to do anyway, and I'm really a bit bored with the standard running gear. I have 3 of these Leyland 4.4 alloy V8s sitting around in various conditions. I'm thinking of pretty much a stock set up engine (limited mods), 4 or 5 speed, upgraded brakes and suspension. I'm wondering if I would get away with out having to do any chassis strengthening, seeing as the power output will be around the 200hp mark.
Ultimately I'd like to not have to do any cutting and shutting to fit it all in. I've done it in the past with fitting a red motor and trimatic to my other FB without cutting the tunnel. I'm pretty sure I could engineer this in the same fashion. Being shorter than the six will also help. Exhaust can be done without going through the inner guards.
Just a nice cruiser come sleeper.
Low horsepower and weight should help with the engineering plan I have. I just have to convince a VicRoads VASS signatory

DSC_0496.JPG (5.24 MiB) Viewed 211 times

371814280_6523075464478267_5518906131243004959_n.jpg (148.98 KiB) Viewed 211 times

[Blacky]

I would be real interested to see how you go about that mate - I would love to fit a 5 speed in the ute but I don't really want to cut the floor up

[Errol62]

They are nice and light. People have told me to stay away from them. I remember reading about your no cut trimatic fitment at least ten years ago. I ve got away with using Australian M15 three speed with minimal tunnel mods, using standard driveline position. The box is in the same place as the crashie it replaced.

Certainly the shorter motor will help, but what about steering?


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

[Harv]

Bugger... I had to read it twice to make sure it was the P76 V8, and not the Range Rover V8.

I suspect I know of a ready supply of Norman manifolds to suit the Rangie V8. No adaptors, bolt on. That would be different in an FB/EK

Cheers,
Harv