Morris Minor Owners Club

hi i have looked at a 1954 morris minor with a 803cc engine which is in good condition but i asked one of my morris minor mates and they said the 803cc engine is useless is this true?

can anyone help

Its not a paticuarly good, quick or powerful engine. But far from useless!!!

Just an opinion, but wasn't it more powerful than the 917cc it replaced and was fitted for 4 years into the moggy. I guess for originality it's worth more fitted with an 803cc than with a bigger replacement.

if i had it i am leaving it original anyway i just wanted to know if the engines are any good.

The 803 is effectively 'useless' - very weak engine (the old sidevalve was actually quite a robust engine) with a crank so thin it almost looks like bent wire! Slight exaggeration - but you get the idea. The cam was also super low lift, the bores tiny - the power output pathetic. It's definitely ONLY for use in very original cars - where everything is to be kept absolutely standard.
If you want a small capacity engine - there were some 848cc in-line engines produced for use in Austin A35 vans. These are very robust - short stroke engines - but hard to find now !

The 803 gearbox ratios and the diff ratio are also useless. The best setup would be a 948 engine/gearbox/diff with the 803 gear lever assembly fitted onto the 948 box to keep it looking original

Hi, I have a 1955 803cc series 2 minor and the engine is certainly NOT useless. Obviously, it's not up to 948 or 1098 standards, but for what it is..... it does quite well. I've travelled many many miles in mine.

Granted, it's not the fastest thing in the world but it certainly has a bit of character. I wouldn't dismiss a car simply because it's an 803cc.

The 803cc was indeed fitted as an improvement to the previous 918cc sidevalve unit and if you read the motoring reviews from the day, they are generally very complementary towards the 803cc in comparison.

By all means upgrade to 948 or 1098cc if you wish, but bear in mind that the gearstick for the 803cc is different to that on the 948 and 1098cc cars and comes out of the floor in a different place, meaning it an 803cc gearstick can only be used with an 803cc gearbox.

Overall, I quite like the fact my car is an 803cc - I'd rather buy a bigger engined car than swap the 803cc unit.

Just my opinion anyway!!

Yes - it's ok for what it is - with the super high final drive ratio it can putter along. But it's hardly an engine to aspire to! The gearlever can be fitted into a (rather better) 948 box and still come out the original hole - and indeed Callyspoy fitted it to the (very much better) 1098 box - but only after some 'shade tree' machining work! But - it did work - that's what matters!!

It's interesting you say that about the gearstick going into the 948 box - how do you think a 948 box would work with the 803 engine? just my gearbox is a bag of bones at the mo!

Cheers
Damian

John Evans Gearboxes does a 1098/803 conversion. Minor Matters P.10.

If the engine and gearbox are in good condition then you might as well make good use of them. No point in spending money unecessarily. Concentrate on the bodywork.

The 948 box is a better unit than the very basic 803 box - and the gear lever swap is absolutely straightforward. Bit more complex to use the 1098 box - clutch complications as well as gearlever difficulties. Best to find a decent 948 box and use that.