Morris Minor Owners Club

Hello,

I'm viewing a 1966 moggy in a few days and this is what the current owner says:

"The car mechanically is very good. However, It has a knock when the car
pulls away in first. I am told that this is due to the universal joint
which is quite common"

How much work is involved in replacing the universal joint and how difficult is it?

If I were to get it done by a Morris Minor specialist what sort of cost could that be?

Are there other possible causes for the knock?

Regards,
Pascal

universal very easy replacement, can do it yourself, as they quite cheap and easy to replace.

Knock could be tired engine mounts or missing or worn stabiliser letting the engine rock enough for the exhaust downpipe to hit the chassis.

Cure could be just "repositioning" the exhaust slightly, or fitting new mount rubbers and/or stabiliser bar and/or bushes.

If it is UJs, then they are easy to do. A Minor specialist would probably charge about £50.

It's likely to be a tooth knocked off 1st gear - if it only does this in 1st gear!! Check if it's also there in reverse gear. Budget on changing the gearbox. UJs would knock in all gears and would need to be pretty bad to be heard as a 'knock'.

Just have a look, and a good hear when you go see the car.