Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi Has anyone ever fitted a MG Midget 1500 Engine to a Minor?

Can it be done?

I dont know of anyone who has (but someones about to prove me wrong i expect)

I would imagine it shouldnt be too hard to do, you would probably want the g/box from the midget too! Off hand i think the only mod to the spridget shells is a small mod to the rear cross member!

i got a 1275 from a mg but like yourself i thinking of going bigger

The 1500 is not exactly the best engine ever made!

I think the main question is why would you want to?

I mean, I like daft things, and given the chance like to do daft things, but I'm struggling to think of many thnigs dafter than ruining a Minor by putting a Triumph (which the Midget 1500 engine is) OHV in it.

The 1500 engine is rather heavy, pretty low powered, and exceptionally fragile on the bottom end compared to an A series (or even a 1300 Triumph OHV).

They are cheap and easy to find compared to 1275 A series engines, but that's still not enough justification IMO.

Might be better to use a 1275 and sort out input and output gasses, also look to metro turbos etc to get more power.

I looked at this briefly and aside from hanging the exhaust on the other side of the car couldnt really see any issues with it.
I believe the boxes are bigger but if they fit under a midget I'm sure they'll fit under a Minor.

However, the best thing about my 1275 is the fact I can rev the absolute knackers off it and it couldnt care less.

Thanks for all the replies, all good food for thought, I would be interesting to hear if someone has done it and hear how it worked out.

I was expecting and understand some would say why but then why not try if the engine is almost free and its just time, see how it handles and works out and put the old one back if it doesn't work.

Another idea I have is for putting a flat 4 Jowett engine in a Low Light... (expecting a Sharp Intake of breath from the pureists) however the original design for the car was for a flat 4 to be fitted, now how original would that be...

Rob_Jennings wrote:Might be better to use a 1275 and sort out input and output gasses, also look to metro turbos etc to get more power.

Hmmmm Turbo

it fairly easy to do and there are plenty of dead metro about with the bits available in scrappies and ebay at low cost.

Only problem you might have is your drive train and gear box are going to suffer with that power, and as for car behaviour on the road.... think you will need better shocks, anti roll bar, wider wheels, disc brakes, ..... how far do you want to go!!!!

best bet is get your 1275 lump into the car with your disc brakes, live with it a while, try some gentle tuning and see how you go. You can always stick a turbo badge on the back of the car if it makes you feel better ;-)

.... think you will need better shocks, anti roll bar, wider wheels, disc brakes, ..... how far do you want to go!!!!

Surely the answer to this, as always, is ... however far his budget will let him!
lol.. I know I'd be a dangerous man if I had any money, cash would very soon dwarf common sense - which imo is highly overated anyway.

Speed is just a question of money, how fast do you want to go? Mad max 1

What have Dead Metros got to do with fitting Triumph 1500 engine into a Minor ?? That engine is generally considered to be a 'dog' - best avoided.

it was in ref to my first post to use a 1275 nothing to do with a 1500 from my posts

Another idea I have is for putting a flat 4 Jowett engine in a Low Light... (expecting a Sharp Intake of breath from the pureists) however the original design for the car was for a flat 4 to be fitted, now how original would that be...

I think that would meet objections from the Jowett oowners as well as Morris purists. I like the idea though, as a sort of demonstration of what the Morris could have looked like if a boxer 4 motor had been used. But I don't know how easy Jowett engines are to find!?

Ah ha I am a Jowett owner! and I have a stack of Jowett engines in my shed awaiting such a project Watch this space

Oh excellent, is it a Javelin you own? Lovely cars.

We have a Jupiter which is work in progress and a Javelin (mothballed)tucked up in a garage. But the first love are Minors