Author Topic: Renault 17 365 5 speed gearbox  (Read 4222 times)

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Offline 4129R

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Renault 17 365 5 speed gearbox
« on: Thursday,November 02, 2017, 12:50:20 PM »
I have a contact in France.

I asked him if he could find me a 5 speed Renault 17 gearbox.

How much do you think they are charging for one from a Gordini?

Offline jbcollier

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Re: Renault 17 365 5 speed gearbox
« Reply #1 on: Thursday,November 02, 2017, 04:53:56 PM »
365 gearboxes are desirable for Alpines as well and are expensive.  Early 17Gs came with 365s, later 395s.  There are different ratios that may, or may not suit your application.  For example, I don't think any 365s came with an 0.86 5th gear -- that's why Hewland made them for Lotus.

Offline 4129R

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Re: Renault 17 365 5 speed gearbox
« Reply #2 on: Friday,November 03, 2017, 12:01:00 AM »
Don't they also have the strange habit of making the car go backwards at 125mph in 5 gears, and only forwards in 1 gear ?

What you you think they were asking in price?

Offline jbcollier

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Re: Renault 17 365 5 speed gearbox
« Reply #3 on: Friday,November 03, 2017, 07:21:23 AM »
The Alpine crowd don't mind spending serious money.  They are just after the internals as you can just slide the gears onto a different pinion shaft.  I have also seen them splice different pinions onto the shafts (!).  As to price, I couldn't say.  If you can find a rusty hulk with an owner who doesn't know what they have, you could get it for a song.  Otherwise, 1K to 2K euros? A Lotus 365 sold in France this year for 1650 euros.  A Lotus 365 in the US went almost instantly last year when it was listed at $900US.

The Lotus 365 gives nice even steps in the first four gears, then a large jump to 5th.  First is a bit low (3.6) though not as bad as with a later 395/NG3 (3.9 and 4.1).  An early 395 gives a better first gear (3.4) and close steps between the first three.  Bit of a jump to 4th and then a very small step to fifth (0.91).  You can, however, easily fit the 0.86 fifth from the later 395.  This gives a nice set of ratios albeit with a bit of a gap between 3rd and 4th.  The R17 365 has the same 3.4 first as the 395 and a 0.93 fifth with all the gears nicely spaced.  Of course, the 0.93 fifth will be a screamer on the road, fine for the track though.  Some people have managed to fit the 0.86 5th from a later 395 to a 365 but it is not a bolt-in job.

Bored?  Lonely?  A kind previous lister made up an Excel spreadsheet with all/most of the various Renault boxes listed.  You can also vary wheel sizes.  It gives you a speed in gear chart in 500 rpm steps between 2K to 7K.  Ping me at j b c o l l i e r AT s h a w DOT c a and I'll send you a copy.

Offline GavinT

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Re: Renault 17 365 5 speed gearbox
« Reply #4 on: Friday,November 03, 2017, 10:29:53 AM »
I think it was Gerry Rude who blended a 395 & 365, wasn't it?
If I recall, he used just the 5th gear & rear housing from an early series 395 and installed it into a 365 retaining the original first four gears of the 365 - plus some other minor chicanery.

I’m not sure what transaxle parts might be shared with the Alpine A110’s (Type 364?) but they lovingly installed an evil swing axle rear suspension so I don’t expect the case is of much interest. Plus of course, the A110 is a rear engined machine so everything is turning in the wrong direction.

Offline jbcollier

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Re: Renault 17 365 5 speed gearbox
« Reply #5 on: Friday,November 03, 2017, 01:10:26 PM »
Yes:

http://gglotus.org/ggtech/europa-gearbox/europa-gearbox.htm

All the internals actually.  You just slip the gears on the 364 pinion shaft and use the input shaft as is.

As above, or splice another diff gear on.

Offline GavinT

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Re: Renault 17 365 5 speed gearbox
« Reply #6 on: Friday,November 03, 2017, 06:17:01 PM »
Ahhh . . thanks, John. That’s the one.

It’s a mine field though. There are so many Renault iterations and suffixes under the heading of ‘Type 365’ as to warrant careful consideration.

I have a 365 from an Oz spec. R17TS. This is a different version than the TCS and part of the attraction was the transverse cross shaft arrangement. This makes fabricating a shift linkage much easier as it’s not all that different to the 336.

I was always annoyed by the large jump between 2nd to 3rd on the 336.
The 365 ratios are much more evenly spaced but still not as close as, say, an Elan ultra close box.
I calculated the overall ratios should see a top end just a few MPH higher than the 336, so not really a more relaxed cruiser.

I reckon a taller 5th would see the best of both worlds:
Decent gearing for hill climbs and a quieter drive home.