Axle ratios

["Neil Cotie (EED)" <Neil.Cotie@domain.elided>]

Hi all,

Jeffrey wrote:
"I have a '86 with the 4.10 and previously had a '78 with 
the 4.55.  I believe the gear ratios are the same but 
the '78 was MUCH more fun to drive than the '86!  Fifth 
gear in the '86 is for highway cruising only.  *snip*
Of course the 4.10:1 MPG is slightly better and it's 
much quieter but I always enjoyed the impressive 'snap' 
the '78 seemed to have in all gears.  The '78 had 
slightly better acceleration with ratios and overall 
gearing better matched to the powerband.  The '78 just 
had a faster and more responsive feel than 
the 'Americanized' '86 Spider Veloce."


From the Euro perspective this is a bit funny - 2 liter GTV, Spiders and I think also 1750's have always had 4,1 axles and not 4,56.  4,56 in a 2 liter is North America-only, so if anything your '78 should be called "Americanized".

I can assure you that a 2 liter with 4,56 on a European highway is frustrating.
You buzz along at 5-5,5k rpm, going only around 85-95 mph, and the bimmers and everything else with a motor of 2 liters or more just fly by.  

With my warmed-over 2-liter my car's top speed is rev-limited, not power-limited.  To hit 7k rpm in 5th is ridiculously easy and you don't even feel you're going that fast, except for the noise.  I am about to change to a 4,1 axle to make my ex-Canada GTV quite simply more usable and more economical.

Cheers,
Neil
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided