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[Norm]

Does anybody know how much the close ratio gearset increases third gear and do they fit the English boxes. The Meteor pulls 50mph in third no problems but struggles a bit in fourth on slow hills so I was hoping that with the gearset it would pull around the 60mph in third up hills. Any thoughts

[Riggers]

Hi Norm. My 500 Classic is on a 19 tooth gearbox sprocket and is fitted with the close ratio gear set. It will do 60 in third without really trying. Don't know what it would do if I really thrashed it because I never do. Hope this helps. Tony.

[Derek W]

If this is a Meteor rather than a Super Meteor then you probably have more teeth per gear than the later boxes. If so you can't fit this conversion

[Norm]

Thanks Riggers and Derek, it is a Meteor with the later Albion with the internal clutch lever not the external one

[Derek W]

It has probably got the fine tooth gears, not the coarse type you need. My 1955 500 Bullet had the fine tooth gears, but they wre badly worn, I changed the whole gear cluster over to the coarse type.

I don't know when they changed from the fine tooth to the coarse type but I think it might have been around 1957. Anyone know ?

[Gwilly]

Derek, Think im right.. they changed to coarser teeth in 1958 when they started production of the connie in 1959. Seems the super meteor of 58 was stripping the finer teeth with the extra power delivery. NORM you should have no problem with the close ratio fitting whatever the tooth pattern as they are a matched pair and will fit the shafts. As derek says the whole clusters can be changed but also individual ratios can be changed as long as they are matched pairs. fine and coarse on the same shaft matching fine and coarse on the corresponding lay shaft..... Standard ratio 3rd gear 1.36:1~~~~ new close ratio= 1.23:1 ~~~~~ Im running the same settup as riggers and find 60mph in third easily achieved, and a useful gear for overtaking or steep hill climbing. regards gwilly.

[Norm]

Thanks Gwilly and Derek, good info there, I'll look into it