Overdrive - is it worth it?

[ed downs]

I am looking to buy a Spitfire to do long cruises. I had thought to get one with OD because of the extra gear leading to less revs when cruising and a saving in mpg. From what have found out OD changes top from 1:1 to 1:0.8, and possibly mpg from 30 to 35.
In these forums it is suggested that having OD adds £1000 to £1500 to the price. If I do about 10,000 miles p.a. and the above figures are roughly right that would be 3-5 years to get the outlay back.
There are also a lot of threads here about problems with the overdrive.
So, is it worth it, the extra money, the possible failure?
Any advice would be very welcome as I am new to Spitfires and the last time I used an OD was in the 70's, in a Dolomite I think.

[Wilfrid]

I have owned several TRs, currently a TR4, Spitfire 1500, 2500S, all with overdrive. Apart from the fuel saving, it is worth it just for the restfulness and reduced noise at cruising speeds. I would never consider a TR or Spitfire without O/D.

[yorkshire_spam]

I bought a 1500 without OD and pretty much immediately decided I wanted one. Picked up the full kit (2nd hand) for 250 ukp, but then ended up spending another 80 quid on parts to rebuild the 'box as it wasn't as good condition as I was led to believe.
Still at 330 it was money well spent.
I wouldn't want to cruise on the motorway without it.

[DougBGT6]

I don't have one but if I was doing a lot of motorway cruising something would have to be done. The roar of the engine is great.......for a while, but long distances? No!

On the other hand, as you say, there are an awful lot of OD problem threads. As someone who's had no trouble rebuilding gearboxes I think the OD looks pretty complicated, which is probably why they go wrong a lot.

In hindsight Triumph really should have gone for a 5 speed box rather than OD. In fact you will find a number of threads on here where people have converted to a modern 5 speed box.

So, motorway cruising, you need OD or, a 5 speed box.

[Clive]

The vast majority of OD problems are electrical and therefore simple.
I would not let fear of an issue put me off at all.

Not sure an OD adds £1500 to any triumph, I would have thought £2-500 but not much more? other factors will play a bigger role. And if one turns up with OD it is helpful, many s/h gearboxes are not all that is expected. And just a few days ago I saw some "reconditioned" gearboxes that I would not have trusted as far as I could throw them. They had some new, some old gaskets (bizarre!) and looked they were build from an assortment. Not encouraging, especially the rather grubby, as in old claggy oil in the nooks and crannies, appearance. And te price for a TR6? £950!!

[smithy]

Don't buy a Spitfire to do long cruises unless it has overdrive.
In fact, don't buy a Spitfire to do long cruises anyway!
Buy something with a bit more engine and a more relaxed feel for touring. Like - maybe - a GT6 or.....

[djw113uk]

Any 1300 or 1500 should be fitted with overdrive. Even on a Toledo it makes a huge difference. Saving in fuel, plus wear and tear on the engine, plus they cruise so much more comfortably when the revs are back down to 3-3500 rpm rather than 4000+

Just beginning getting my 1500 o/d spitfire which has been off the road since 2009 back on the road. I had decided that with two children it wasn't practical, but having had a nose around it, it might just have to stay!

[Bainzy]

Wouldn't want a Spitfire without it. The only problems I've had with mine in 5 years ownership as a daily driver were from the dodgy fuse box connection, not the overdrive, so I'm not sure why it has a bad reliability reputation.

[Tim Bancroft]

I would not own a Triumph without overdrive, absolutely essential in my opinion.

Also, I have had no mechanical overdrive issues, just electrical and those issues can be sorted very quickly.

Long distance cruising in a Spitfire, no problem, spend money on a hardtop though!

Good luck.

[Harveyzone]

I especially like the 'James Bond' feeling of flicking the little switch on the gear knob to drop down a gear. :-)

[Velocita Rosso]

timbancroft61 wrote:

Long distance cruising in a Spitfire, no problem, spend money on a hardtop though!

Good luck.

...and miss out on all the sunshine and fresh air?   ......nooo nooo nooo
Top down all the way around Ten Countries

[ferny]

You don't just save on fuel but wear on components as well. Although I happily did an rbrr and 10cr in my herald without one.

[esxefi]

there is also the option of changing the diff ratio if you intend to do mainly distance driving,but at the loss of low down acceleration.
I put a 3.27 in my wifes 1300spit years ago. noticed the lack of performance and had to work the box a bit more but it made cruising more comfortable.

[heraldcoupe]

Having owned numerous cars with overdrive, I've experienced very few problems with any of them. Thise which come to mind are a failed solenoid on my Mk1 2000 (A-type) in 1991 and a recent slipping issue with my current 1500 Spitfire (J-type). The latter seems to have been cured by changing the 20 year old oil.
Not something I'd consider to be at all troublesome,

Cheers,
Bill.

[piman]

Hello DougBGT6,

"In hindsight Triumph really should have gone for a 5 speed box rather than OD. In fact you will find a number of threads on here where people have converted to a modern 5 speed box."

Absolutely not, a four speed with overdrive is superior (particularly an 'A' type) to a five speed any day of the week, far more flexible and you can't beat full throttle up changes with the flick of a switch.

Alec

[Deleted User]

I would not buy a 50s or 60s car without the capability of relaxed cruising at modern speeds. However, monetizing a decision like "to OD or not to OD" can be problematic. Offsetting the project cost of fitting an OD unit: What value do you place decreased wear-and-tear on the engine? On increased economy? On more relaxed cruising?

Our 4-cyl and 6-cyl cars were designed (and geared) for use at a time when 45-50 mph was a normal open road speed. Nowadays 60-65 mph or higher is normal. If we expect to cruise with modern traffic, then different gearing makes sense. Whether one chooses a different differential ratio, a 5-speed conversion or a period overdrive is a personal choice.

[Pete Lee]

My current spitfire has overdrive, my previous ones didn't. Wouldn't be without one now.

Motorway speeds are 60 max at 4000 rpm without 70 plus cruising at 3000rpm with.

My gearbox has around 80000 miles on it now no problems.  I strongly suspect the overdrive is original so has over 200,000 miles on it without problems, I think I cleaned the filter when I fitted the current gearbox.

[ed downs]

OK, OD it is. Thank you

And as a newcomer here I must say how refreshing it is to get answers to the question asked without all the rude ego displays you get on many forums. Another plus point for Triumphs. Thanks to all

[Pete Lee]

Wise choice you won't loose money.

[Richard B]

Any non-O/D Triumph I have had has ended up being converted.

That said, don't let the absence put you off buying a good car. You can always convert it later (but budget about £500 and a couple of days work).

[Sideways Tim]

Likewise. My 1300 Spit was sans OD and a few longer trips here and there (Le Mans, Lake Garda) confirmed the requirement for a taller cruising gear. OD units and gearboxes seem to come up fairly regularly on ebay though, so don't let no OD put you off an otherwise good car.

[Docman]

You will thank yourself everytime you engage the O/D.

[Nick Moore]

Most of our egos have been beaten down by years of Triumph ownership - which is to say that the Triumphs own us. I just spent ten minutes on the side of a road, upside down under the dashboard trying AGAIN to find an annoying rattle. It's cured, but now I'm only wearing one sock. Triumph 1, ego nil.

I'll add my vote for overdrive, even if the final vote is in. It's true that they can give problems, but then again most are forty years old or more. If they're in good condition, they just keep going and going. And of course, it's only the ones with problems that you hear about here.

[Mj17]

Is overdrive worth it - yes BUT if you have a choice of a non-O/D car in better condition vs. a rougher O/D car go for the non-O/D one!

I've just come back from a week in Burgundy with my 1300 Spit seeming quite happy at 120kph/3,500RPM in O/D 4th.  If I didn't have an O/D that would have meant either 4,250RPM for the same speed or 100kmh for the same RPM - quite a big difference in both speed and volume over 600km.

The conversion isn't that hard and a quick look shows 2 on eBay at the moment around £350.  You'll need some flavour of clutch, mounting bracket and prop shaft, and may want to just use them as doners for recon exchange but you're still only talking around £1,000 all told - and that's a hell of a lot less than it would cost you to bring the tattier O/D car up to the condition of the nicer non-O/D one.

[mjwman]

I had my OD fitted a year ago after I had had the car for 6 years.
It was a recon box and overdrive so all new really and cost the sort of sum you quoted for a Spit with OD so ......
Anyway it has made life very pleasant and well over 40mpg on a run.
It will also be kinder to the engine.