[BrianG]

It's nice to see the final product! It's not too different from the original concept except for the mounting block and the rear support.

There are a couple of reasons for locking the tranny. Reverse for one. Yeah, you could retain the stock reversing mechanism, but it's quite weak. I suppose this isn't a big deal if exclusively racing. Then, the catch pin that the clutch arm engages when shifting into second seems a tad weak. The tranny is lighter once you remove non-essential parts. You also get to remove the weight and complexity of the brake servo and associated hardware. Lastly, most of these motors have more than enough torque to drive second gear directly - much like the emaxx.

But, there is nothing wrong with keeping the 2 speed otherwise...