Any Albins owners $500 take me for a drive to help me decide on gearbox

[Project-GT4-TT]

Hi guys, I want to know if anyone that owns an Albins gearbox would mind taking me for a drive.

As the title states happy to pay you for your time I just want to hear how loud the gearbox is to help decide if I think I could put up with it in my GT4.

I’m in Sydney buying some parts until tomorrow (Tuesday 24/11/23 at 10am) then I’m back home to Perth so was just hoping my chances of finding someone while I’m in Sydney might be higher than finding someone in perth with one.

If anyone can help even ask a friend that owns one would be greatly appreciated.

Please call or txt in case I don’t see the notification from here.

Kind regards,

Aaron

[Predator1]

What car do you have sorry? Caldina? 

I've got one, but not in Aus. Its bloody loud. Its not really a street car anymore. I'll see if I can post up a video of me driving it normally.  

[Predator1]

Here you go. Mind you if you have a nicer clutch it may not be that bad.. but you can hear the whine… trust me.. I used to think my gf’s whine was louder.

[soviet_merlin]

Oh wow, it is beautiful when it all comes together though. Gives me goosebumps. Thanks for that clip!

 

[Project-GT4-TT]

Hey Predator, thanks for that, it’s so awesome I can’t stop watching it lol.

My car is the 4 Door AWD non turbo skyline.

I think I could put up with that more than when they put straight through mufflers on my NA car but probably not for more than 1 hour drives.

I was just hoping that if I put some extra sound deadening in the floor (I know most people are trying to make the car lighter not heavier🤪) it might be bearable for long trips because I was going to sell my daily to help fund the project.

You mind if I ask roughly what power you have?

[Predator1]

1 hour ago, Project-GT4-TT said:

Hey Predator, thanks for that, it’s so awesome I can’t stop watching it lol.

My car is the 4 Door AWD non turbo skyline.

I think I could put up with that more than when they put straight through mufflers on my NA car but probably not for more than 1 hour drives.

I was just hoping that if I put some extra sound deadening in the floor (I know most people are trying to make the car lighter not heavier🤪) it might be bearable for long trips because I was going to sell my daily to help fund the project.

You mind if I ask roughly what power you have?

Yeah you try to make it quieter but it won’t make much of a difference I don’t think. The box is whiney as f**k. I will make a cover for the shifter, which will reduce it a little… but also remember that you’ll now have to shift through all the gears. It’s loud. When I shift into 1 at the lights, the car will jolt.. and I get weird looks from grandma’s and Sheila’s in their SUV’s. 
 

Also, people will notice when you downshift coming up to the lights… so you’ll get attention from everyone, inc cops(even when you don’t want it).

That’s why I said it’s not really a street car anymore. 
 

Why are you looking at a sequential?

Im making around only 540awkw. 

[Project-GT4-TT]

The car was meant to be Vspec2 inspired, I have everything except the gearbox and considering the price of GETRAGs on the auctions lately I thought stuff it I may as well go a sequential and know that I won’t break it because I love abusing cars and want to know I can do a bit of track work and drags and not worry that I’m going to break something, not for competition just for fun TBH.

I ended up buying a GETRAG on the auctions last night but was still planning on going a sequential and keeping the GETRAG aside for one day if I want to make the car original (well as original as a 4 door GTR can be)

The fact that I now have a GETRAG on the way though makes me more inclined to go with the Albins because I was considering an OS88 if I can’t find anyone to take me for a drive with an Albins but considering I have the quiet gearbox to go back to if I want I would worry the OS88 is not the safe bet if I want to do silly launches.

Even though OS list their gearbox good for 1500hp I have been suggested not to go above 1000hp if I get the OS88.

Why did you end up going with the Albins over the OS if you don’t mind if I ask as I know people on here don’t rate the OS but a workshop I trust rates them and suggest if you get much issues it’s broken dogs from driver error.

[r32-25t]

The os88 has a habit of breaking the input shaft and it’s generally a 6 month wait to get a new one. They also very agricultural compared to the newer boxes as they were designed in the 90s and haven’t changed much since then 

[Project-GT4-TT]

r32-25t thanks for your input, I’m surprised to hear that given when you read info on them apparently they have 26 spline GM type input shaft same as Hollinger though it could be inferior metal.

I’ve read through countless post on here and all you hear about is people saying anyone with a OS that hasn’t had a rebuild will need a rebuild soon but not very much in depth actual experience like they snapped an input shaft after X months and only done a few drags.

Have been told the OS shifts nicer than the new PPG billet gearbox as was also considering PPG seeing as apparently they are better since they fixed issues with using stock Nissan bearings or something to that effect so not sure if this is only true to the billet case version or the new ones assembled in you case are better now though my thoughts was why try skimp another 10k and put the gearset in a stock case if that could be the reason you damage a gearset.

I might try PM Piggaz seeing as he bought one about 2017 by what he spoke about in another post other than that will continue to consider the Albins and hopefully get to hear one in person before I commit.

Thanks

[robbo_rb180]

No noise, super reliable, parts available.

Cost will be around same if not cheaper than as the OS/Albins/ppg 

[GTSBoy]

Yeah, nasty dog sequential for street vs manualated 8spd auto? It's a pretty easy choice.

If not being used for their actual intended purpose (category racing) the Albins et al are all just for wank factor . The latest wank factor is the 8HP, and it looks super civilised and gives you everything that you'd get from the Albins (or any other sequential option) except all the shit parts.

I drive my car around thinking "geez it would be cool to have a sequential in this" and then I smack myself in the head. If I'm ever going to mod the car that far, then it is far more likely to be an 8HP than any other option. Some sort of Tremec is more likely though!

[Piggaz]

You can most definitely drive a sequential in the street. Here is a video of just sub 2500 rpm, taking off from a set of lights, casually using the clutch in a 60 kph zone. You do not need to hang off the gear stick like a gorilla, tearing around like a lunatic 100% of the time. Put a bit of preload on the stick and all is well. 🤷‍♂️

You have to go down through the gears. Big deal, bikes are like that. It’s just a little bit ‘different’.

The box in video is a PPG 6 speed. This video was taken not long after I got it in. Definitely got more a feel and was able to cut out most of the engagement of the dogs. 

[Kinkstaah]

1 hour ago, GTSBoy said:

Yeah, nasty dog sequential for street vs manualated 8spd auto? It's a pretty easy choice.

If not being used for their actual intended purpose (category racing) the Albins et al are all just for wank factor . The latest wank factor is the 8HP, and it looks super civilised and gives you everything that you'd get from the Albins (or any other sequential option) except all the shit parts.

I drive my car around thinking "geez it would be cool to have a sequential in this" and then I smack myself in the head. If I'm ever going to mod the car that far, then it is far more likely to be an 8HP than any other option. Some sort of Tremec is more likely though!

I mean.... I have a T56 Magnum if you want to do the Z8HP conversion for mine.....

(the grass is always greener for reasons unknown)

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

2 hours ago, robbo_rb180 said:

No noise, super reliable, parts available.

Cost will be around same if not cheaper than as the OS/Albins/ppg 

Need parts? take it off your nan's X5 lol.

 

[Predator1]

On 28/11/2023 at 6:09 PM, Project-GT4-TT said:

Why did you end up going with the Albins over the OS if you don’t mind if I ask as I know people on here don’t rate the OS but a workshop I trust rates them and suggest if you get much issues it’s broken dogs from driver error.

I talked to lots of people, and the general consensus was that the Albins was supposed to be the best out there. I went absolutely nuts on my build because im picky as f**k. 

Anyways, dont get me wrong, you can def street my car...Its not hard. The most annoying bit is my clutch(OS Giken tripple) and clutch engagement. I dont have a clust booster, because it fowled my greddy plenum. So I had to buy some weird clutch master.. So now my clutch engages almost at the top, and its pretty much like a light switch. 

[burn4005]

did you say your car was NA? and you want to spend 25k on a sequential? must be school holidays again.....

[Old man 32 GTR]

On 28/11/2023 at 12:57 AM, Predator1 said:

Here you go. Mind you if you have a nicer clutch it may not be that bad.. but you can hear the whine… trust me.. I used to think my gf’s whine was louder.

That wasn’t even 100% throttle and was insane (makes me want to get one)

but they are loud and I don’t think the video does the noise justice. 
it all comes down to what you want to do with the car, if the car is just for the occasional morning run with the boys and you like roll/drag racing, sequential is perfect, and the best pick of your sequential options is the Albins. 
But, if you’re questioning the noise, then it’s probably not for you. 
if you’re going to be doing any decent drives in the car (2-3hours), there will be a point where it goes from, “this sound insane” to “I have a migraine” and you can’t turn it off or turn it down, there’s no volume control, it’s always there. 

[Predator1]

On 05/12/2023 at 12:25 PM, Old man 32 GTR said:

That wasn’t even 100% throttle and was insane (makes me want to get one)

but they are loud and I don’t think the video does the noise justice. 
it all comes down to what you want to do with the car, if the car is just for the occasional morning run with the boys and you like roll/drag racing, sequential is perfect, and the best pick of your sequential options is the Albins. 
But, if you’re questioning the noise, then it’s probably not for you. 
if you’re going to be doing any decent drives in the car (2-3hours), there will be a point where it goes from, “this sound insane” to “I have a migraine” and you can’t turn it off or turn it down, there’s no volume control, it’s always there. 

Yep. Everytime I take POV videos incar, the sound is no where as close to how loud it really is. The exhaust and the gear whine is deafening.. but its all worth it when I mash it up.. and it looks like a diesel from behind