Another R17 owner planning to upgrade

Shoji

Shoji

Renault 17 TL 1312
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Fellow Frogger
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Jan 29, 2012
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Mandurah WA - Tassie boy at heart
I’m planning the conversion of a four speed 352 upgrade to a five speed 395 for my R17 TL.
And the upgrade of the 807 to another 807 with fruit.
The 395 box that has no support mounts with it and they are not available as far as I know. I have been told just to make them. So I have been thinking about the existing mount on the car which bolts to the underbody chassis from one point to another and is bolted to the back of the box in the middle of the mount (curved bar).
With the 395 box it has an extension for the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] gear making the 4 speed mount not able to fit. There is a plate with holes between the main body of the 395 and 5[SUP]th[/SUP] speed extension. I’m thinking these are the mounting bolt holes. There are some others but on the box
Question is, could I just cut the old mount, weld some extra plates that line up and bolt up to the box? The original rubber mounts can then be used.
I could have both boxes side by side with the mount bolted to the 352 box, plan the measurements before doing any cutting and welding.
I also have found a new mount for a r15 that I could cut and try. It has the exhaust mount for a non-crossflow which could be cut off.
I read somewhere but have lost it now, that some R5 mounts can be altered to suit??
Any help with suggestions or even pictures of existing TS models setup would be great.
Thanks. John
Gearbox support 352.jpg
 
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The 17g mounts were further forward to those on be 4 speed. The point the rubber blocks bolted to the chassis was at the point where the chassis rails separate to the upper and lower. The rubber blocks bolted to a plate that bolted to those mounting points on the casing where the half casings mate up to the extension housing. I can see it in my head (but that probably doesn't help you). I remember looking at mounting a 395 in a car and decide a similar setup could be arranged using r20 mounts bolted to the chassis and making the brackets to connect them to the gearbox. Haven't seen a Renault 20 mount in years though.
 
You do know the 395 box is wider than the R12/R15/R17 4 and 5 speed boxes don't you?
So the driveshafts have to be shortened.
A 5-speed box from a R17TS or R17G, if you can get one, is the same width as the 4-speed so you can use the same driveshafts.
Also, the floor may need some 'modification' to accommodate the longer 395 gearbox.
A few whacks with a 32 ounce ballpein hammer could probably fix that if you don't want to weld in a new floor section.

As you know, the mounts on the 395 are on the side of the box, not on the end like the 4-speed. As you suggest, you should be able to modify the 395 mount to line up with the existing mounting holes or you can measure up and make bespoke mounts.

I haven't done the mod (yet) but I'm told that one has to ensure the gear lever linkage is at the right height for the 395 box. Too much of an angle and you won't be able to select gears so you might have to lengthen or lower the gear lever.

395 gearbox 2.jpg

Haven't seen an R5 but can't see how an R5 gearbox mount would fit.
The later R5's had a east-west engine configuration.
The early types had an inline engine but the motor was behind the gearbox like the R4's and R16's.
And both types had narrower chassis rails than a 17.

Cheers
 
To make the 395 gearbox the same width as the 352 gearbox you can put the 352 output shafts and seals into the 395 gearbox.
 
Thanks for the input guys.
I should have mentioned, I have the new shorter shafts. I have bought these from Schlitzaugen who advertised them recently.
It has the selectors shafts right up to the silencer block. Schlitzaugen mentioned that i may need to cut and shut this section for gear selection to work.
I wont cut the gear lever until I know it needs it and then I might call for another lever as the sacrificial lamb. I'm also looking at a hump from an auto r12 that I can weld in with detail.
So I'm still interested in the mount setup......
Thanks all!
 
You could also graft the gear lever assembly from an R18 or R20 into the R17

I have plans to put a Fuego box into one of my R12's in the future.
 
Shoji said:
Col. Does that mean altering the centre console? I wouldn't do that.
Click to expand...

If you bash or slash the floorpan, you'll have to alter the centre console to suit.

Just use the matching gear shift as Col suggests, otherwise making something else suit will just take a lot longer, and may not work as well.
 
Back to the mounts. I have been looking into what mounts were used for the 395. I have only found one pic so far. It's from a R18. Am I right that is what these boxes came from?
My thinking is they attached to the side of the box rather than near the end. Needs more thought and info though
$_57.jpg
 

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COL said:
Yes that is where the mounts bolt to the gearbox.

There is also a pressed steel version of those mounts.
Click to expand...


Could I use these mounts to retro fit to the R17 Col. If so should I be looking for these instead of using the standard 352 mount setup which bolts up at the back of the 352? Sorry. This is planning...more minds the better
$_57.jpgGearbox support 352.jpg
 
Shoji said:
Could I use these mounts to retro fit to the R17 Col. If so should I be looking for these instead of using the standard 352 mount setup which bolts up at the back of the 352? Sorry. This is planning...more minds the better
View attachment 98158View attachment 98159
Click to expand...

Yes you can use them.

You will need to get the other part of the mount that bolts to the chassis rail. As the R18 chassis bracket is at an angle you will need to bend it to 90 deg to suit the R17 chassis rail. You will also need to weld an extension to the lip on the chassis rail for the R18 bracket to bolt to.
 
COL said:
Yes you can use them.

You will need to get the other part of the mount that bolts to the chassis rail. As the R18 chassis bracket is at an angle you will need to bend it to 90 deg to suit the R17 chassis rail. You will also need to weld an extension to the lip on the chassis rail for the R18 bracket to bolt to.
Click to expand...

Col. Brilliant. This is what I needed to know. I need R18 mounts! Hens teeth? or not?
 
Shoji said:
Col. Brilliant. This is what I needed to know. I need R18 mounts! Hens teeth? or not?
Click to expand...

Not sure, I bought a whole car for the gearbox.

You maybe able to make up a set of mounts like the 365 box had. As far as I know these bolted to the chassis the same way as the 352 box did
 
COL said:
Not sure, I bought a whole car for the gearbox.

You maybe able to make up a set of mounts like the 365 box had. As far as I know these bolted to the chassis the same way as the 352 box did
Click to expand...


Then maybe i should stick to my original plan of buying the 352 mount bracket, cut it to suit the box, with custom steel welded attached to the original silencers on the car and the box. :)
Thanks Col. any more thoughts will be appreciated.
 
I've got a 365 box in the shed with the 17TS/G brackets and mounts attached. I'll take some photos and post on the weekend.

I've got a 395 box too and can confirm the bolt holes on the casing are already pre drilled to suit the 17TS/G brackets.
 
Jensen said:
I've got a 365 box in the shed with the 17TS/G brackets and mounts attached. I'll take some photos and post on the weekend.

I've got a 395 box too and can confirm the bolt holes on the casing are already pre drilled to suit the 17TS/G brackets.
Click to expand...


Jensen. Your the Man! It will be appreciated. I've been looking at my 395 box and it does have pre drilled on the side just back from the drive shafts, which makes sense. Do you have the complete mounts that went with your 395 box? Be interesting what they look like and consist of all told up to the chassis. And was it from an R18?
I'm guessing the 365 is different.
IMG_20170720_163144722.jpg
 

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