Clutch Cable in R12 Virage with 5 Speed Box

Virage Racer

Virage Racer

Member
Fellow Frogger
Joined
Jun 6, 2002
Messages
163
Location
Perth Western Australia
My R12 Virage has a Type 395 box with the clutch actuating lever located on the driver's side - the opposite side to the normal 4 speed transmission. The cable is considerably shorter - does anyone know if it is likely to be 18GTS, Fuego or 17TS/17 Gordini?

Cheers
 
The 395 is a R18 box although it may have been used in other cars, R20 maybe. I take it that, as your clutch actuating lever is on the opposite side to that on a standard R12, that you are using a 807 type motor or similar.

A question for you, I'm looking to fit a 395 box in my R12 in the near future.
The final drive on the 395 is wider then the final drive on the 352 box fitted as standard to the 12's so standard R12 drive shafts are too long. The R18 had a wider track and their driveshafts are too long also. How did you get around this?
Did you increase the front track, shorten the R12 drive shafts, find some shorter off-the-shelf driveshafts, swap the final drive from a 352 box into the 395 housing,etc.

Ren
cheers!
 
Virage Racer:
My R12 Virage has a Type 395 box with the clutch actuating lever located on the driver's side - the opposite side to the normal 4 speed transmission. The cable is considerably shorter - does anyone know if it is likely to be 18GTS, Fuego or 17TS/17 Gordini?

Cheers
Click to expand...
Does the cable have a large plastic boss on the end adjacent to the clutch operating lever (which will bear on the bracket fitted to the bellhousing)? If it does it will be 18/Fuego. Taking the whole cable off will make it more obvious, where the inner cable attaches to the pedal it will either be a bead crimped onto the end indicating it is 17TS/G, or a more elaborate crimped fitting with a rectangular hole designed for the 18/Fuego pedals.

Simon
 
I have a 395 box in my 17TL (was an Auto)- it has clutch lever on driver side and I used clutch cable from TS15 - 4 spd

You will also need the holding bracket that bolts to the block - from memory the 12 one would be the wrong hand
 
Ahh good stuff this is the type of thread I like to see, as I'm about to install a 395 box into my ride shortley.

REN TIN TIN with the conversion shorter drive shafts need to be intsalled you can either cut down the R18 ones, or I think Dave @ conection builds them.
 
Ren Tin Tin - driveshafts in my Virage are standard shafts shortened by half an inch.

Simon, does any combination of bracket, lever and cable offer superior mechanical advantage ... it takes serious muscle to operate the existing clutch!

<small>[ 02 October 2002, 11:21 PM: Message edited by: Virage Racer ]</small>
 
To be honest I really don't know. It would probably be a matter of comparing all the bits involved to see what changes there are between all the parts and models in terms of pivot points, bracket location etc. If the pressure plate is standard 18 the clutch should be reasonably, but not Japanese, light. If it is a 17TS clutch setup, it is likely to be heavy, that is normal.

Simon
 
Re the fitting of the 5-speed, has anyone looked at transferring some of the internals from the 395 box to the 352 box and retaining the 352 diff, say the primary shaft, extension housing with the 5th gear mechanism and possibly the secondary shaft.
The extension housing from the 395 looks like it would bolt-up to the 352 box easy enough. The 352 has the holes in the casing for longer primary and secondary shafts, the major problem would be if the bearings on the 395 box are a different size from those on the 352 box. Of-course I’d have to make a new gearbox mount for the 352 box if this were possible and this would be a bit trickier than making mounts for the 395 box.
I know the 395 box is a better box than the 352 but I’d like to keep things looking as original as possible (from the top anyway) and you can use the original (longer) drivershafts.
I have a 395 and a spare 352 box sitting around and I was going to have a play around to see what’s possible but I don’t want to re-invent the wheel, or stuff up the boxes, if someone’s tried this before.

Ren
cheers!
 
Slightly OT, but what are the last two numbers on the gearbox designation, eg. 352-20, 352-56 ? Does this just relate to the ratios fitted ? I've got the -56 on my car, and a -20 in the shed.

Stuey
 
I have had a r18 5 speed in my 17 powered virage for about 5 years. If you want to keep standard drive shafts (12/17), you can replace the r18 output shafts and preload adjusters(seal holders) with R12 output shafts and preload adjusters. This way, you return the track width to original and it maintains all factory parts(reliability). I had Ken at caravelle (in victoria) look up the microfilm on both gearboxes, and all other parts in the diff assy are the same. The box was rebuilt by virage motors (south melb) and the mechanic stated that there was no difficulty in swapping the above mentioned parts. The only reason renault changed the output shaft setup, is to allow the driveshaft seals to seal on the output shaft rather than the drive shaft(as in R12's). Hope this helps you out.
 
Thanks Mistareno, I’ll give it a go.
I didn’t think there could have been much difference between the 395 and 352 boxes. The workshop manual says they’re the same except for the fifth gear mechanism and the 352 box I have from a 1980 Virage looks identical to the 395 box (except for the extension housing). It even has the threaded holes on the side for the R18 gearbox mounts.

Ren
cheers!
 
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