1300 Marina engine

[Stevebest]

What gearbox do I need of If I fit a Marina 1300 engine in my 1970 covertable

[chesney]

ESM sell a 'conversion' flywheel that allows you to use a standard Minor 1000 gearbox and clutch, I can recommend that as the easiest way of fitting a Marina/Ital engine.
Alternatives, redrilling Minor flywheel yourself to fit Marina/Ital crank, or rigging up new mounts, using an Owen Burton conversion backplate (to move starter motor out of the way of the chassis leg), new gearbox mounts, adapted floor cover plate, and modified propshaft to fit Marina/Ital gearbox. Far easier to go with ESM's offering ;)

[charlie_morris_minor]

do you not need a different back plate as well as the fly wheel to match the marina engine up to the minor box and move the starter motor? I do not have teh owen burton book "marina to minor" to hand to check but esm are selling a new back plate as well. They no longer list the back plate to mount the marina engine / box into a moggy.

[rayofleamington]

The 1098 gearbox is very similar to 1275 midget gearbox and although it's only a 4 speed it's suitable enough for most people. With that combination, many would change the diff ratio as well to avoid high revs at motorway speed, but that looses some of the low speed acceleration improvement.

The other option is to source a 5 speed box, therefore not loosing good accel in lower gears but getting good behavior at motorways spped in 5th. The most common unit is the Ford type 9 5 speed (e.g. Sierra). Make sure you don't get a 4 speed type 9 as I'm led to believe that some do exist.
The ford box isn't that great, and I've had a Toyota 5 speed (from Celica) which was a much better gearbox, but not as easy to get a fitting kit.

[chesney]

do you not need a different back plate as well as the fly wheel to match the marina engine up to the minor box and move the starter motor? I do not have teh owen burton book "marina to minor" to hand to check but esm are selling a new back plate as well. They no longer list the back plate to mount the marina engine / box into a moggy.

Sorry, yes. If you fit a Minor gearbox a matching Minor backplate has to be used. Not only is the bolt pattern different to the Minor box but the starter motor, as Charlie describes, is in the way.
For others considering the swap, I had to modify my Minor backplate to fit onto the Marina (A+) engine. The cutout round the rear main bearing cap has to be enlarged, and the locating hole for the dowel on the top of the block is larger on the Marina engine, so the backplate and gearbox need filing out to match.

[philthehill]

The best way around any problem as regards the engine back plate when mating a Marina/Ital 1275cc A or A plus engine to a Minor gearbox is to fit the 1275cc Midget engine back plate and oil pump cover. Gets over the problem of starter motor location, the top dowel size, clearance around the rear main bearing cap and the oil pump cover (it should be noted that there are different sized and shaped oil pump covers dependent on which engine is fitted).
Bolts straight on problems solved - simples
Important - as regards the 1275cc Midget engine back plate - make sure that it is not cracked as they are known to fail

[Stevebest]

Its a Marina 1275 does that make a difference

[bmcecosse]

Different flywheel mounting..... And of course you must use Minor front plate to get the engine mountings.

[philthehill]

As bmc says - use the Minor front engine mounting plate. Make sure that the old Marina/Ital engine mounting bracket holes in the block are blind as some are and some are not and if not blind you will get oil blown out of them.
Using the MG Midget/Sprite 1275cc rear engine gets over all the problems as outlined above and it does not matter if it is a 1275cc MG Midget/Sprite block or a Marina/Ital block it will fit both blocks. As I said above make sure that you have the matching pressed steel oil pump cover. One MG engine backplate is available from Welsh MG Online @ £60 plus the usual. 'e' bay item No: 231054859997.
The modified engine backplate (Pt No: 10M002) from ESM is about the same price so you pays your money and takes your choice .
The Marina/Ital flywheel has a different register and one less locating stud on the rear of the crank to the 1275cc MG Midget/Sprite and cannot be interchanged without modification - so unfortunately you will have to purchase the modified flywheel (Pt No: 10M001) and locking washer (Pt No: 12G982) from ESM or find someone who has a spare modified one if you want to use the Marina/Ital crank.

[Stevebest]

Many thanks philthehill