365 5th Gear Indent & Plunger

[BDA]

Happy to be of service! 

[Bryan Boyle]

Thanks Bryan. Another question....

Can you check the wire dia of the spring for me, it looks like 1.2mm... What is an RCH spring... excuse my ignorance.

BDA answered the second question.  LOL.  Common engineering term, considering a yard (IIRC) was the length between the Royal nose and upturned thumb of some monarch or the like, so it's a consideration that most imperial measurements were based on their highness' anatomical figures...

In answer to the second question, I measured it at 1.4 mm.  give or take.  I don't think it's necessarily critical; the stiffer the spring, the more force to get 5th, so, with no way to measure rate, it may be a case of assemble a sample of different rate springs of that length and have a go.

[BDA]

…it's a consideration that most imperial measurements were based on their highness' anatomical figures...

Now that’s the first time I’ve heard the origin of RCH! That makes a lot of sense! Since it has its origins in (presumably) British royalty, I’m surprised our Brit friends aren’t more acquainted the term!

… I measured it at 1.4 mm.  give or take.

Would that be give or take an RCH? 

[Bryan Boyle]

…it's a consideration that most imperial measurements were based on their highness' anatomical figures...

Now that’s the first time I’ve heard the origin of RCH! That makes a lot of sense! Since it has its origins in (presumably) British royalty, I’m surprised our Brit friends aren’t more acquainted the term!

I want to know who was the first to attempt to measure it so they could define the term...

Yeah, our cousins are a pretty lusty bunch, though they try and hide it.  They sent the humorless ones over here packed into sailing ships (that line 'stern impassioned tread' comes to mind...and here I am in Fall River, wrenching on my car so I can get to the British Cars in Bristol show in a couple weeks, less that 40 miles from that rock in Plymouth harbor)...guess the powers that be didn't appreciate stern impassioned disapproving wagging fingers being pointed in their direction...lol  Maybe it was that or a stroll to the Tyburn Tree...

… I measured it at 1.4 mm.  give or take.

Would that be give or take an RCH? 

indeed.  We now return you to our counting the angels on the head of a pin discussion of the arcana of Europa ownership...

[TCs Euro]

Just an update.

Had a 5th gear plunger made, all fitted, spring not quite strong enough so have a stronger spring on order.
Removed the reverse / 5th dedent mech from Lotus.
Fitted a liftable sleeve over the gear lever. 1st and 2nd have never been so precise.
Best gearchange I have ever experienced with the Europa.

Thanks so much for all your input.