Morris Minor Owners Club

If the insurance company has accepted (and priced!) it as a 1275, they won't have an issue with it being a (lower performance) 1098.
You may even be due a rebate!
As for a garage determining its capacity, I'd suggest that (short of taking the head off) this forum's members have more expertise on the subject than the average garage.

If you have a read of this topic, started in 2017, you'll see the issues I had and how they were eventually resolved, including getting the correction with DVLA, in 2023.
viewtopic.php?t=67378

Without looking it up, if the stroke varies on different A series engines, and I imagine it does. Carefully inserting a clean stick through the spark plug hole and turning the engine over slowly, it may be possible to determine the stroke in mm, certainly within a little. Of course you are working with the stick at an angle, so accuracy is not guaranteed.—————-just checked there’s only a couple of mm difference in stroke between the 1275 and 1098 so this method is not really viable !! Oh well the thought was there !

Another difference is that 1275 blocks have the timing markers on the timing cover at 6 o'clock (i.e. at the bottom, just where you can't see them!), whereas on 1275s they are located at about 11 o'clock (at least that's the case with ex-Marina engines, not sure about ex-Midget/Sprite 1275s).

Thanks all,
I think my best course of action is to pop her over to my local garage when I get some time (in the middle of renovating at the moment!). They have said they can pop her up on the ramps and have a look.
As for the paperwork unless someone can confirm without a doubt what engine she has I don’t know if I’m better to let sleeping dogs lie as it were Really don’t want to open a fat can of worms with the DVLA

Surely this isn’t that complicated. The 1275 has a reinforced tappet chest and does not have removable covers. The 1098 has tappet chest covers (manifold side). Actually Phil already mentioned this.

10V is a 1098cc engine if the engine number plate is original. The V is for "vertical" meaning the engine is not a transverse engine (which are H for horizontal). The use of V and H is on late engines made after 1970.

Stephen

svenedin wrote: ↑Fri Mar 27, 2026 2:13 pm Surely this isn’t that complicated. The 1275 has a reinforced tappet chest and does not have removable covers. The 1098 has tappet chest covers (manifold side). Actually Phil already mentioned this.

10V is a 1098cc engine if the engine number plate is original. The V is for "vertical" meaning the engine is not a transverse engine (which are H for horizontal). The use of V and H is on late engines made after 1970.

Stephen

Sorry it probably isn’t complicated at all but my newbie brain just can’t get my head round what you guys are describing

mrs.smith2012 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 27, 2026 7:24 pm
Sorry it probably isn’t complicated at all but my newbie brain just can’t get my head round what you guys are describing

Don't worry, a photo, or two, speaks a 1000 words.

Hopefully we can rule out you having an 803 (you'd certainly know....)

The 948 Block has 950 cast into it here. It also has the removable 'tappet chest' covers as arrowed. .

The 1098 Block has no number cast in that position, but when new it had an aluminium tag fitted saying 1000; of course these are invariably missing/rotted away by now. So it doesn't say 950, but it does have the same removable covers as the 950 has....back to the arrows above.
What is does have is a different part number, cast into it just under where the Drain tap is (if you have one fitted) under the exhaust manifold. That is often 12A497


The 1275 Block does not have the removable Tappet covers as fitted to the 948/1098. As shown here... or should that be 'Not Shown...' There are other little nuances and details which others have spoken of, but the block is the simplest identifier.
If it has removable covers, it isn't a 1275.

Good pictures Berni,

Yes, this is my 1098 and indeed it has got 12A497 cast into the block.


Stephen

Oh these help massively! Thank you

She’s a 1098! I’m quite sure about that now.

So DVLA paperwork shouldn’t be too much of a hassle I hope? Do I also need to inform my insurance company? She’s insured as a 1275 but they did say as long as it was a a-series engine the size was irrelevant

Just to keep everything right I would let your insurance company know so that you do not have any problems in the future.

Yes I’ll do that after the weekend, they are closed right now… and I’ll have to update the V5 too, but now I’m certain of what engine she has I’m not too worried about that now! Thanks for the help all!

mrs.smith2012 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2026 11:14 am Oh these help massively! Thank you

She’s a 1098! I’m quite sure about that now.

So DVLA paperwork shouldn’t be too much of a hassle I hope? Do I also need to inform my insurance company? She’s insured as a 1275 but they did say as long as it was a a-series engine the size was irrelevant

One other thing you can check, is whether when they changed the engine, they also changed the gearbox to match.

The original 948 gearbox is smooth case, the 1098 is externally ribbed.
Take a look down the side where the exhaust goes.
This is my 948 smooth case gearbox.
.

.
The 1098 has obvious strengthening ribs on the exterior:
.
.
Changing the paper work shouldn't be a problem. The Club can assist if DVLA want 'evidence'.

Personally, I think best to have all your paper work matching, whether insurance & DVLA require it or not.

Yes I’d like the paperwork to all add up… I was just a bit hesitant when I didn’t know for sure what engine she actually had… but I’ll sort it out now I know.

She has a 1098 gearbox, that I do know!

mrs.smith2012 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2026 2:42 pm Yes I’d like the paperwork to all add up… I was just a bit hesitant when I didn’t know for sure what engine she actually had… but I’ll sort it out now I know.

She has a 1098 gearbox, that I do know!

That's good.
I had a mismatch on my car when I got him.
He allegedly had his 803 replaced with a 948 some years ago, but they had, presumably in error, fitted a 1098. Which which explained why there was a problem with the clutch adjustment...

geoberni wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2026 6:21 pm

mrs.smith2012 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2026 2:42 pm Yes I’d like the paperwork to all add up… I was just a bit hesitant when I didn’t know for sure what engine she actually had… but I’ll sort it out now I know.

She has a 1098 gearbox, that I do know!

That's good.
I had a mismatch on my car when I got him.
He allegedly had his 803 replaced with a 948 some years ago, but they had, presumably in error, fitted a 1098. Which which explained why there was a problem with the clutch adjustment...

Aah! Not good
I’m actually glad she’s a 1098 and not a 1275… feels more original to the moggy… even if it’s not original to her.. plus I took her on an A road for the first time today, she managed 70 with absolutely no issues, so more than enough power there!