I did take the side cover off, and I couldn't see any damage, and everything was nice and shiny clean.bmcecosse wrote:If it's been banging for a while - the laygear may have been damaged, so another gearbox may be the way to go. It would be unwise to buy any parts until you see the state of the gears in your box. It is possible to remove the side cover (watch out for 2 small springs) with the box in the car - and with a good light you can then inspect the gears and see how they look! If you do rebuild the box - new syncro rings and bearings all round will be a 'good idea'.
It's a little difficult to see all the gears inside with it still in the car.
Now that I have decided to pull it out, I'm going to re-ring the engine too.
I got this car in a non-running state, and it had been sitting for 20 years, so I'm impressed that it still runs and moves at all.