Driveability upgrades?

[gatsby989]

Hey all,
Enjoying my Minor, and find I'm driving it usually every day. It's a 948 with a later 4speed ribcase gearbox. Don't want to do anything too major, just some things to make day-to-day driving easier / more fun. Wanted to hear your thoughts on the following:

- Front disc brakes. Brakes are 7" drums currently, and they are OK, but a little more certainty in stopping power would be welcome. I see several kits are being sold. Looking at a ford-based kit from ESM, which comes around the $620 mark + shipping across the pond. Alternatively, is there any advantage to changing to 8" drums instead?

- Wider wheels? Something that would take 175s would make life easier when it comes to replacing tires. Would these be a noticeable improvement in stability over the original skinny tires? (Currently has 155/70/14s)

- Gear shifter. This sounds dumb, but between my non-standard seats and my rather shorter than average stature, I actually have to lean forward to shift it into first and third, which is annoying. I can't seem to find replacement gear shifters... was looking for one to try modifying. Or are there other ways of reducing the length of "throw" in the lever?

- Heater. I have the round-style heater, which works in the sense that it gets hot and the fan spins, but the fan seems miserably weak and moves almost no air. Suggestions on cost effective upgrades / repairs?

Thanks all!

[bmcecosse]

It's WELL worth upgrading to the 8" drum brakes - bolt straight on and much less cost than the disc conversions. With discs - you also MIUST modify the master cylinder seals (usually best to do this on a new master cylinder) - most find they need a servo with discs, and a remote fluid reservoir. So the cost soon heads up to ~£1000. The later 8" drums are more than adequate for any sane road use. Wider wheels are of course a good idea - probably best to buy a complete set of alloy wheels and tyres from JLH . http://www.jlhmorrisminors.co.uk/store/ ... t&catId=20 You can either bend the existing gear lever - or at one time it was popular to add a little screw-on angled extension. The only way to shorten the shift would be to cut down the lever..... If the lever is 'sloppy' the plastic bush may be missing in the base of the lever.

[charlie_morris_minor]

having used both a round and later type heater.. stick with the round one..

[mike.perry]

The Midget 1275 box has a shorter throw forward into 1st and 3rd and a further throw back into 2nd and 4th with a 1098 lever

[kennatt]

as bmc says,just take the lever off and bend it toward you had the same problem myself,and fit 8" fronts.