Gear Linkage

Gear linkage - Although it sounds dull, this is an important part of the build. The puma / Zetec SE engine uses the IB5 gearbox, and if the linkage is good, you can replicate the rather wonderful change from the donor car. The later vairients of the fiesta / focus used a cable operated gear change which, in a road car, is fine but looses it's mechanical connection in a kit car and feels a little 'vague'.

There are a few bits of the way the linkage works that I don't understand, and probably wont understand until I have the chassis in front of me. Meanwhile, the actual lever needs preparing. This is done by 'hacking off' the plastic housing it sits in in the donor car until you are left with the round section that holds the leaver joint (see photo).

In addition, the Puma gear knob is a wonderful example of a car manufacturer actually taking a bit of time with the touchy feely bits :-) and as such it will transfer nicely onto the Sylva. The shaft will need a few inches taken from it though.