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skipping first gear

napa 1

Donation Time
Ok here comes John's question of the day: The couple of times I've driven my Alpine (series 1) I've realized how low(?) (or is it high) first gear is. I've read almost everything I can get my hands on regarding Alpines and several articles have mentioned that first gear on this transmission is more of a utility gear designed originally for "Alpine" driving, starting out on a hill, or quick acceleration from stop when needed. One article suggested that 2nd gear is low enough that it can be used as start off gear in typical daily around town driving, to avoid using 1st and listening to the vintage sound of that gear quickly reving the engine up. In other words, 1st is kind of like low gear, used when needed, but otherwise 2 through 4th are normal driving gears. Any thoughts or experience with this train of thought?
 

Nickodell

Donation Time
If you have the 4.2 ratio diff., you can probably start off OK in 2nd. if you're facing downhill. For any other circumstance, (lower numerical ratio, on the flat or facing uphill), the amount of clutch slipping needed will probably wear out the friction linings in no time.

Although First is certainly too low for some starts, you should continue to use it except for the circumstances in my first sentence. The Alpine has a "close ratio" gearbox, meaning that the difference in ratios from First to Top are less than in a wide ratio box, so First is actually slightly higher than you would find in a typical English saloon of the same vintage.

That said, English gearboxes in many makes and models of the perod notoriously had too low first and second, then too much of a gap between second and third. IMHO, an ideal one in an Alpine would have First and Second about 10% higher in ratio (i.e. lower numeric) and Third about the same.
 
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