[DeTomaso] ZF transmissions - industry use clarification

MikeLDrew at aol.com MikeLDrew at aol.com
Tue Feb 22 07:10:22 EST 2011


In a message dated 2/21/11 9 02 43, julian_kift at hotmail.com writes:


> It is the same ZF company, but I understood (and someone correct me if 
> I'm wrong) all rights to the ZF 25 DS were transferred to Roy Butfoy (RBT 
> Transmissions) and Lloyd now continues to manufacture the transaxles.
> 

Close, but not quite.   Technically, Lloyd's business partner Oliver Ring 
is actually manufacturing the new ZF gearboxes and Lloyd is marketing them.   
Oliver's facility is in Texas.

I just spent the whole day yesterday at Lloyd's shop, getting an in-depth 
education in the teardown and rebuild of the ZF gearboxes.   He explained to 
me that 'our' ZF is the only thing that he and Oliver do.   Lloyd owns the 
manufacturing rights for them (purchased by his father Roy from ZF), and 
Oliver does the actual manufacturing of all the parts for the old and new 
gearboxes; he also does all the assembly of the new gearboxes.   Lloyd 
concentrates on marketing, and on servicing of the old gearboxes.

Note that the new RBT five- and six-speed gearboxes are philosophically 
closer to the BMW M-1 ZF, rather than the older versions that appeared in the 
GT40, Mangusta, and Pantera.   There is almost no parts interchange between 
those and the BMW-style ZF.

I also asked if there is any parts interchange between either flavor of ZF, 
and any of the zillions of other gearboxes that Big ZF manufactured in the 
past, and/or continues to manufacture.   The answer was a shrug of the 
shoulders--if there are any parts in our gearboxes that are common to anything 
else, Lloyd doesn't know about it.   Almost all of the bearings etc. inside 
our gearboxes are unique just to them, and therefore cost a fortune (think 
$400 for a bearing!)   It would be nice if there was a less-expensive 
interchange available, but how to find it?   

Mike



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