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had a looksee into fitting a Mazda / Mx5 gearbox to a Vauxhall 'XE' engine...
a Mx5 gearbox bellhousing compared to an aftermarket Vauxhall to Ford bellhousing.
similar looking with startermotor position in similar position.
the Vauxhall bellhousing overlaid on the Mazda setup.
as it's similar then curiousity means theres scope for an adapter-plate....
Mazda bellhousing offered up to the Vauxhall engine.
BUT the gearbox's input-shaft is not long enough to enter the Vauxhall crankshaft's 'spiggot' bearing (actually a Ford bearing as the fwd Vauxhall never had one fitted)
the Vauxhall engine design has it's flywheel closer to the cylinderblock compared to the Mazda design - hence the distance seen in the previous photo...
on a slight tangent, this Vauxhall engine has been modified and has a 'skeleton' flywheel to fit a 184mm multiplate clutch.
so. I've a problem here, I could cut & weld a Vauxhall bellhousing 'lip' onto a Mazda gearbox, could go for a hybrid gearbox using the 6/5 speed I already have for the tailhousing (fit the Mx5's ppf & gearstick hole in bodyshell) and an Rx8 6 speed gearbox as theres adapter-plates available to connect various engines...
more thinking to come....
Rich.

a Mx5 gearbox bellhousing compared to an aftermarket Vauxhall to Ford bellhousing.
similar looking with startermotor position in similar position.

the Vauxhall bellhousing overlaid on the Mazda setup.
as it's similar then curiousity means theres scope for an adapter-plate....

Mazda bellhousing offered up to the Vauxhall engine.

BUT the gearbox's input-shaft is not long enough to enter the Vauxhall crankshaft's 'spiggot' bearing (actually a Ford bearing as the fwd Vauxhall never had one fitted)

the Vauxhall engine design has it's flywheel closer to the cylinderblock compared to the Mazda design - hence the distance seen in the previous photo...

on a slight tangent, this Vauxhall engine has been modified and has a 'skeleton' flywheel to fit a 184mm multiplate clutch.
so. I've a problem here, I could cut & weld a Vauxhall bellhousing 'lip' onto a Mazda gearbox, could go for a hybrid gearbox using the 6/5 speed I already have for the tailhousing (fit the Mx5's ppf & gearstick hole in bodyshell) and an Rx8 6 speed gearbox as theres adapter-plates available to connect various engines...
more thinking to come....
Rich.