Morris Minor Owners Club

Thanks to all who helped with my radiator problem( particularly Kevin ). I hope I get the same response with this next one. I have recently bought a minor with an Ital 1275 engine and gearbox. I noticed that the clutch wasn't disengaging properly. I have found that the housing holding the clutch slave cylinder, (which is part of the gearbox housing), is broken allowing the slave cylinder to move when the cluth is operated. Can the clutch be adapted to operate directly from the minor clutch pedal without the hydraulics. If it is what is required. If not, with is the best / easiest / cheapest gearbox to fit. All suggestions welcome. Thanks Terry

Hi Terry would it be worth while trying one of the chemical welding products to get you out of a jam I cant think of the well known one of hand but Maplins do one.
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Mod ... p%20online

Very much doubt that would hold against a hydraulic cylinder's forces ! May have some luck making a re-inforcing bracket and drilling / tapping fixing holes for that in the casing. Hydraulic actuation is not standard for a Minor - do you know what box is in there at the moment ? The Spridget box is the same (pretty much) as a Minor box - but does come with hydraulic release. Marina boxes do too - and Ford type 9 boxes are usually hydraulic. The answer is that Minor boxes can be used with 1275 engines - and have mechanical actuation, and Spridget boxes can be converted to mechanical actuation - but I suspect would have to be removed from car (or engine out which is easier) to change the operating lever to mechanical (ie Minor) type.

bmcecosse wrote:- do you know what box is in there at the moment ?

a minor with an Ital 1275 engine and gearbox.

Thanks for the info, It is an Ital gearbox, I just wondered whether the the ital gearbox could be operated directly from the minor footpedal If not, is the minor gearbox the best option. Is it a direct fit to the ital engine. The ital hydraulic set up fitted at the moment seems to be a bit of a lashup so before I fit another hydraulic gearbox I'd like to know the best way to do it , position and type of master cylinder etc. Thanks Terry

The trouble if you convert yourself back to the minor box your prop shaft will not fit any longer and you will need to get a custom one made up if you are also runing the Ital rear axle if you have the standard minor back axle then a standard prop will see you sorted..
current on ebay there is a marina box

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/morris-marina-gea ... 240%3A1318

do not know how close that is to you..

Thanks for that, it has a wolseley 1500 diff and custom made prop shaft (so I'm told).I'll keep an eye on the marina box, although it is some distance as I'm in south yorks.
Terry

is there not a specialist welder firm in your area, I had gearbox mountings remade by a firm in teesside which was very well repaired

It's an idea, but quite a large piece of the bracket is missing I don't know if it will be possible.

If you have a custom rear axle you are probably going to need a custom pop shaft made. I had one made about 8 years ago and I recollect it cost me about 100 pounds ... I do not know if that makes the marina box more attractive?

Yes it does, thanks for the info
Terry

Sorry - didn't see 'ital gearbox' - I thought it was too wide to fit between the chassis legs ?

Other than altering the prop shaft do other gearboxes ie the minor, spridget need adaptor plates to fit the ital engine
Terry

No - they go straight on - BUT not over the Ital flywheel and clutch! You need to fit either Spridget 1275 or modified Minor 1098 flywheel. Oh - and you would also need a Spridget/Minor 1098 backplate!

there was a large chunk of the gearbox missing on my astra after a frontal crash the firm simply built up the gap with weld,Its the route I would go down first,and a lot cheaper and you know if your box is ok,buy a secondhand one and it could be u. s.

the bellhousing on the ital is a bolt on job so it is simple to swap the bellhousing from your "new box" on to your current box which you know is in good condition.

The ital box fits fine between the chassis legs of the minor with the exception of one small bit which you can easily remove, after a bit of trial and error, you can then rivet a plate over the hole you leave behind.

Ahh - that's good news ccm - I thought it wouldn't fit - the backplate is quite a bit wider and the starter sits in a different place- to suit the larger diameter flywheel.

Thanks for all your help lads, I have various ways now to get over the problem. It seems to be one problem after another now. I knew I should have bought a DB9 (sigh )