The Count still has the original box in it and it has never been opened up, worked on, etc. since I have owned it, and it is seriously going to need to be looked at before the trip. The car started jumping out of third under acceleration quite some time ago, though it doesn't really throw the lever out in any really forceful way so it is easy to hold it there before changing to forth, and it is somewhat of a noisy thing too. It doesn't make any unusual sounds though it is more just that it has been doing the job for a fair amount of time now and it could use a recondition.
That is the point of the deliberations about the situation, do I pay over $1000 to have the gearbox reconditioned, being original the to the car 803 box with the three foot direct shift lever, do I just get another second hand 803 box, do I get a second hand 1000 box or do I get a reconditioned 1000 and then just change the gearbox cover for the 1000 item and change the handbrake lever to the 1000 item as well so the remote lever can sit in there nicely. I am sort of torn between the two as being the original box I would like to keep it, though the 1000 would have better ratios and lets face it the original engine has long gone, it's been a 948 ever since I have owned it and even that has been replaced once.
I would like the later box as it would be nice to have better ratios and syncro all round, though I rather like the handbrake lever as the way it is supposed to be. Changing gears after chasing the gear lever about the passenger side of the car though would probably be something that I wouldn't miss too much as the lever currently flops about all over the place even when in gear, though it is easy and direct enough to use. It would be like driving a completely different car though I think, maybe it will all come down to availability of iems and their cost when the time comes.
I am though sorely tempted to get the reconditioned gearbox on e-bay though. Damn you e-bay!
I have to work out what I have done with the mechanism in the passenger side front door too as the locking jams up when the window is wound all the way up. This is a problem as unless you "waggle" the inside door handle the locking pin won't engage properly and as such the door is prone to opening iteslf when cornering, which can be a little disconcerting so the passenger. You could of course just wind down the window an inch or two and all is good, but it is not an acceptable situation. I must have put the thing back together the wrong way around, so I guess just a straight forward strip down and reinstall and see how it goes time will tell...
