Morris Minor Owners Club

Sorry if I've posted this in wrong section.

I'm struggling to find the bellhousing, flexiplate and torque converter off a post 76 Marina or Ital to enable conversion of my Minor to automatic gearbox.

It now looks as if the easiest way will be to buy a complete car so I'm wondering what other parts are adaptable to a Minor ?

Obviously engine & gearbox along with the front disc brakes.
Pedal box (I realise controversial) would allow dual circuit brakes with servo after reinforcing of bulkhead.
Rather than changing front hub to Minor stud PCD I'd prefer to simply swop rear axle to the Marina / Ital item.
Is Marina / Ital axle a "bolt in" conversion (remember I'd be using the autobox so a custom prop shaft is already going to be needed) or do new spring pads need welding onto the casing ?

Are any other parts useable ?

Thanks.

Paul Humphries

Given there's meant to only be something like 750 Marinas/ Itals left, I doubt you're going to get a lot of luck that way either!

Poor though the Triumph OHV lump is, I think you might be best of sticking with that for reasons of cost and availabilty given the lack of auto Marina bits around..

Paul I think you need to get a copy of Owen Burtons Marina to Minor book and although its not perfect it does explain exactly what needs doing to what and what you need, a couple of the specialists sell it and its not expensive.

If you already have the triumph engine to go with the auto box, then by all means use it, but be prepared to replace crank bearings every so often.

Pete

plastic_orange wrote:If you already have the triumph engine to go with the auto box, then by all means use it, but be prepared to replace crank bearings every so often.

Pete

Indeed. The Triumph engine is hateful compared to the A series, and not unknown for chewing bearings as a hobby. But they're incredibly easy to get hold of for next to nothing, and in terms of small engined rwd auto the bits are a hell of a lot more common than the Marina/ Ital option!

A small journal Spit or Herald 1300 lump shouldn't be too pricey and is reputed to have a better bottom end. Or even a Toledo/ Dolomite 1300 lump would be OK as they don't suffer as much due to shorter stroke

What about a triumph 1500 engine?

As the ford crossflow engine & box has been fitted sucessfully I wonder if the auto version could be as well.

Such as this one on ebay at the moment. It should bolt straight onto the 1.3/1.6 crossflow engine.

Just moved it to here as its more appropriate.