Morris Minor Owners Club

Just now getting a chance to drive my 65 Trav around. It's taking some "getting used to". Especially 1st gear. Seems like I really need to come to a complete stop or I get grinding. Should I double clutch before engaging 1st? Do you double clutch every gear, or just when downshifting?
Thanks!
Dave

well there is no syncro on first gear, so yes come to a stop before engaging first.

all other gears are syncro so no problems there,

First thing you need to know, is the Moggy will pull from very low speeds in 3rd or 4th, so downshifting can be left a lot later than on modern cars.

1st gear no syncro, so only select while stationary. Throttle blip while down shifting works well, and extends the life of the carbon thrust bearing, no real need to double declutch.

aupickup wrote: all other gears are syncro so no problems there,

Like most other cars, not reverse
a

all other gears are syncro so no problems there,

Not on scabby - none on second either must have broken so fingers crossed gearbox lasts till i can afford a 5 speed conversion.

Hello Dave,

before a change of gearbox in our Minor I found that it was advantageous to change into first on the move and, yes, double declutching is necessary.
If you are not used to it, and let's face it it's not common these days, it may take a little practice and confidence to move the gear lever.

Incidentally, when I passed my test, many years ago, it was in a three speed non synchromesh first gear car and it was obligatory to demonstrate to the tester that you could engage first gear on the move.

Alec

Thanks all. Is there a way to explain how to double declutch for first gear on the move? Basically, you move to neutral and let out the clutch in neutral, then put the clutch in and move to first? Do you need to let the revs slow down before engaging the lever?
Sorry for the dumb questions....

Well make sure you are doing less than 5 MPH. From second, clutch in, neutral, clutch out, blip throttle, clutch in, 1st gear. Very much a matter of matching engine revs to output shaft revs.

FWIW If you ever find 1st hard to select from stand still, clutch in and select 2nd, then select 1st.

I'm dreadful at getting 1st whilst moving, but when it comes to 1st or reverse when stationary I always nudge the stick at 2nd (just enough to feel resistance) to stop everything spinning to avoid the crunch. I've gotten so used to it I do it in any other car I drive

Hello Packedup,

forgive me for asking but are you American?

Alec

"Gotten" is a very respectable old English word - it just changed in time over here, but not in America. Declines just like 'forgotten' does
a

Hello A,

thank you for that, and well interpreted.

However, to me the phraseology is clumsy and could be expressed in simpler terms, which made me wonder about the location?
Another American phrase is 'where are you at?' with the 'at' being totally superfluous.

Alec

I sometimes get "food" from Burger King, but other than that last time I checked I was very much not American. I probably just spend too much time reading more international type forums, allowing the insidious creep of certain expressions into my idiolect ;)

Back to boxes for a moment - Does anyone else have a problem with sometimes grinding reverse when trying to go from 2nd to 4th? I never have any problems in the Metro (which has very tired synchro on 3rd so I generally just don't use it) but being in the habit of missing out a gear in one car I seem to occasionally push the lever a bit too much to the right in the other

Does anyone else have a problem with sometimes grinding reverse when trying to go from 2nd to 4th?

No just the occasional going into first and as mentioned if awkward I also nudge it into second and then straight into first.