Morris Minor Owners Club

Local garage has a 1275 complete goldseal engine still crated up and in packaging he said he has had it for around 25 years he is prepared to sell it for around £250, but he says been a Morris Marina engine it will probably be very difficult to fit in a Minor. I know you can get Marina engines which have been fitted in a Minor is it a difficult conversion?

No, it's easy I thought that I had the only unused gold seal 1275, glad to hear there's another one about. £250 is a lot for a 1275 (mine was less than £100 fom ebay) but if you have the money and you're happy that it is an unused gold seal, go for it

£100? I haven't seen a working 1275 for less than £250 anywhere, and certainly not on eBay.

How long ago did you get one for £100? Much as I don't want to, it's currently cheaper to buy a knackered Marina or Ital and steal the engine than buy an engine out of a car.

If I could use a Mini/Metro lump that would be fine, there's loads of them, but apparently I need the crank out of an Ital anyway.

The traders sell recon cranks for the 1275 engines. WITH surcharge of course, and I doubt if they will take a Mini/Metro one as an exchange

Onne

Well, I paid 50 quid, iirc, for the sat-unused-for-10-years ital lump in my car (that had all the bits, including a gearbox I've been completely stuck with!) - a change of oil, a new backplate, and some other little jobs and it's done 18k miles with me.

I paid 10 quid for an engine that was potentially fit for scrap, but having got it from the very generous packedup, it turns out it's not nearly as bad as it looks, and a skim and rebore should see it serviceable (although I'll do a full rebuild on it).

£250 seems expensive - try to work him down a bit - offer cash in used Fivers !! But if you think it's worth it - go for it! Consider a knackered engine - even obtained for nothing. Crank re-grind with shells is ~ £80, rebore with pistons is ~ £150 - add a new oil pump at £15 - maybe cam followers and timing chain - say £15 - add gaskets say £10 it soon adds up, in this case to £ 270 - and we haven't considered the head or any labour input!

JimK wrote:£100? I haven't seen a working 1275 for less than £250 anywhere, and certainly not on eBay.

How long ago did you get one for £100?

I got it about two years ago - and I couldn't believe it either

bmcecosse wrote:£250 seems expensive - try to work him down a bit - offer cash in used Fivers !! But if you think it's worth it - go for it!

You say it's expensive, but then:

Consider a knackered engine - even obtained for nothing. Crank re-grind with shells is ~ £80, rebore with pistons is ~ £150 - add a new oil pump at £15 - maybe cam followers and timing chain - say £15 - add gaskets say £10 it soon adds up, in this case to £ 270 - and we haven't considered the head or any labour input!

After all that adding up it seems that actually £250 is good for a 1275 in decent running order, and even better for an unused one. A recon sells for a minimum of £500 + exchange.

Since I've been told that even if I get a transverse 1275 cheaply I still need an inline crank, and if there are no sources of new inline cranks then these engines are only going to get more expensive. I might bag the midget lump at £250 I saw...

I know you can get Marina engines which have been fitted in a Minor is it a difficult conversion?

If you get a copy of Owen Burtons Marina to Minor book it explains most of the things you need to do.

There are in-line cranks about - I have two new ones in stock!! They come up on ebay from time to time - but there is more than that in converting a Mini engine to in-line use. I still say the engine is a bit expensive - the costings I have given are rock bottom costs to make an engine good-as-new, you can't be sure the unit you are being offered is in that condition. But if you can get it for ~ £200 - go for it!!

i got mine free just needed new ring wich only cost 50

Lucky devil!! I am on the trail of an in-line 1275 at the moment - but they are hard to get up here. There is an engine recon co up here(555bigboy) who snaffle them all up from ebay and then sell on at fantastic prices!!

well it could be going soon if i get an upgrade

ringwich only cost 50

You country boys know how to live I can only afford a £1:50 cheese sandwich (sorry couldnt resist it)

kevin

You country boys know how to live

im no way near to be a country boy far from that but im liking there way let me tell ya

Ahhhhh - it's these wee asides that make this board so much fun !!

very true

very true