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With four wheel drive ex-Group B rallycars becoming more popular in rallycross, Michael Quaife designs and builds his own turbocharged 4wd Mk3 Escort, which uses the very first Quaife 4 x 4 transmission system. Rallycross’s high profile in the UK and Europe makes this the ideal proving ground for the Quaife technology.

Rodney Quaife’s son Michael transfers from two wheeled motorsport to four, building a Chevette rallycross car to act as mobile development test bed for future Quaife transmission products.

Quaife’s capabilities, quality and performance means that the firm’s portfolio of automotive clients expands to include Adam Opel of Germany and Team Toyota Europe.

With the ongoing decline in fortunes of the British motorcycle industry, Rodney Quaife seizes an opportunity to develop a five speed conversion for the four speed ‘Rocket’ gearbox as used in the popular Mk1 Ford Escort RS2000.
The Quaife ‘Rocket’ five speed gearkit offers similar performance advantages to the ‘work’s style five speed ZF gearbox, but at a fraction of the cost. Sales success – and further demands for new car gearkits soon follow.

An excellent year for Quaife motorcycle racing successes, including 1st / 2nd and 3rd places for Quaife gearkit equipped Triumph Tridents at the Daytona raceway, USA. Meanwhile on the Isle of Man, a Quaife equipped sidecar unit finishes in 2nd place in the 750cc event, a feat that is repeated in 1972.

Quaife Engineering relocates to premises in Tonbridge. The range of Quaife motorcycle gearkits expands to include applications for Japanese motorcycles.

Skilled engineer Rodney Quaife establishes RT Quaife Engineering Ltd. Quaife independently designs and produces a five speed transmission for the then popular Triumph and Norton / AMC motorcycles, which used an antiquated four speed unit. Production of the five speed gearkit commences at facility in Chalcott, Kent.
Such is the success of the Quaife gearkit that Triumph of Meriden orders and adopts the gearkit for racing use, most famously at the Daytona speedway in the USA, on the 500c Tiger 100.

Quaife launches website, which evolves constantly, swiftly generating over 1 million hits per annum.