To "chop" or not?

[jaguar68]

Hi Guys,

I'm looking for some opinions here.

I have a 1956 series II splitscreen. I intend to rebuild the car as an "old school" style hot rod, ultimately using a "warmed over" 1300cc Ital engine.

My quandry is, should I cut the floor to allow the fitting of a Ford 5 speed gearbox or soldier on with the standard Minor 4 speed box?

I already have the engine and gearbox plus the fitting kit.

Cheers

John

[GAS]

It's not much of a chop,about 2".If you keep it,it can aways go back in.
The 5 speed is good but you loose alot of charactor from the car.

[marcusthemoose]

if you chop it AND change the box, you may be straying in Q plate territory- best to chop and keep the "old school" gearbox aswell.

my personal view is to find yourself a rubbish 1000 (reasonably common still) and do the mods to that- keep the series 2 for best! but its your choice, so do what you feel is right!

[charlie_morris_minor]

if you do not want to chop you could always go down the ital mixed with triumph o/d then you only need to move and chop the gear box support? and certainly is old school..

if you have any questions on the conversion i did about 15 years ago and can let you have a copy of the article i wrote for minor matters

[plastic_orange]

Q plate for a change of gearbox? don't think so.
I'd say go for it.

Pete

[marcusthemoose]

from my (limited) knowledge in kit circles, if you keep the same rear axle engine and gearbox, the dvla do not query structural body mods, however if you modify the body and drivetrain ASWELL, they often get a bit snooty. this was just the way i thought it could be done to be safe.

[GAS]

i have ran my moggys with an ital engine and 5 speed box and on to a marina rear axle for over 10 years.
Never had a problem with the DVLA/MOT.

It's easy to undo if something crops up.

[marcusthemoose]

thats because it is still structurally a minor, but chopping it modifies the structure- the point i am making is if you do BOTH modifications together you may get problems, because it is not a minor structurally or mechanically.

[GAS]

The chop is about 2"(5cm) from the tunnel and a longer gbox cover installed to alow for the longer gbox.
No gearbox/no need to chop.


I don't thing he is going to chop the roof,just the floor.

[marcusthemoose]

sorry, i appear to have got the wrong end of the stick!

[jaguar68]

Hi Guys,

The intention was just to fit the 5 speed box without any further body modifications. I'd like to have a radical roof chop etc, but money doesn't allow any serious body mods.

Unfortunately, I don't have the Ital gearbox so fitting the Triumph overdrive isn't possible, although it would be suitably "Old school".

The planned mods are/were going to be:

dropped front suspension to give the hot rod look
Mild tuned 1300cc engine
Front disc brakes
5 speed box
LP917 van wheels
MM Series "Bucket" front seats
Gas strut front and rear suspension

I'm in a quandry as to the relative rarity of my '56 Split screen and have a post in the General discussion area on this subject.

If I don't go for the 5 speed box, I can build the car as a Heritage modified as opposed to the Sports modified.

Cheers

John

[plastic_orange]

Split screens aren't rare - modded ones are though

PO

[charlie_morris_minor]

unless you can get the 5 speed fitting kit cheap, it may well be cheaper to source an ital / marina box and the triumph O/D parts.. ok certainly not as cheap as when I did it

[marcusthemoose]

Split screens aren't rare - modded ones are though

PO

i beg to differ! they are much rarer than thousands, and molesting an original one in reasonable condition is a crime! i know they are far cooler and better built than the panoramic windscreen type, but this is no excuse- mod a thousand instead- far easier to source and get parts for! modded splits are relatively common- think of all the series 2s and mm's with 8 inch drums and 948 or 1098 ohv engines- these are modified just not a radically modified as you mean.

[plastic_orange]

Putting parts from a later Minor on a series 2 is merely upgrading - not modifying. Modifying involves CUTTING
I'd rather see modified Minors than rows of standard vehicles where the only difference between them is where the air from the tyres came from

PO

[jaguar68]

I can't justify yet another car, although it would be nice, as I also have a '69 4 door saloon.

The car is neither the first or the last of the breed, has had no famous or infamous previous owners and like most surviving cars that are 54 years old has been upgraded during it's past life. The engine it came with was a blown head gasket and siezed 948cc.

i have all of the parts required for the mods with the exception of the front discs. Would a 1098cc or 1275cc engine with a 1098cc gearbox be a staight shoe in or would it require any mods? If so, I will carry out the mods required to use the Ital engine and 1098cc 'box allowing the modifications to be reversed should it be necessary.

I'm not masochistic enough to replace the 803cc engine, and it seems as though there are enough "standard" splitscreens to go around

Cheers

John

PS I've given up on the flamed paint job at least

[GAS]

If you have the ford box and kit,i would be fitting it along with the 1275 engine.2" cut from the tunnel can always be put back.
Modify a spare handbrake lever and fit that.
Failing that fit the 1275 with the moggy box,that will just slip in with no probs.

It's your car.
Learn from the past,don't live with it

G.

[aceadvice]

ANY structural modifications ie roof chop will mean IF/WHEN caught the car will need to go for BIVA test ( replacement for SVA). The rules ,in their current form have existed for over 26 years but are startingto be more rigidly enforced due to the ease of which mods can now be found. Over at ACE we are currently dealing with 2-3 a month and those areonly the ones that find ACE and ask for help. It varies across all types of modified car sincluding historic rally cars.

This is the link to an OFFICIAL press release from VOSA and DVLA as to what the rues are after we asked questions to gain clarification.

http://www.the-ace.org.uk/Chassis-and-M ... ation.html

Don't forget to check out the links to the DVLA 8 points system that dictate what is required to keep the original regsiatrstion and right to road use. Once you are outside those rules the vehicle 'ceases to exist' as far as DVLA concerned and can only be put back on the road after passing the BIVA test .

The test IS achievable but only if you plan the buidl with the test in mind, most stuff is a 'no cost' option, just picking the correct components and fitting them correctly. I've personally attended and assisted with prep info on both SVA and BIVA vehicles .

Some may be aware of Andy Saunders 'Bentally Insane' chopped Mulsanne ? This was sent for BIVA due to being caught for the roofchop.

[twincamman]

If you fit a 1275 with a 1098 box, you can modify the box to take the Series 2 long lever. This will avoid the need to trim the floor to clear the 1098 remote. It also keep the car looking Old School.
If you use a 3.727:1 diff from a Wolseley 1500/Riley 1.5, you can fit a Mini speedo to keep things accurate. BMC Ecosse can advise which Mini speedo you need.