Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi, could anyone please give me any advice on changing the clutch on my car. Would it be easier to remove the engine or the gearbox?. Also my car is a 1956 slitscreen fitted with a 1098 engine but retaining the 803 gearbox, i dont know which clutch it has yet but have been told that the gearbox wont cope with the extra power, is this true as it seems to have been fine up until now? Any help would be greatfully received

Easiest way for a clutch change is engine out. I would also be suprised if the 803 box would last too long with a 1098 engine on it and fitting would require a few mods too. 1098 boxes are cheap and maybe worth you fitting one whilst you are doing the clutch change anyways....

Definitely haul the engine out - the box will be fine - if you treat it very carefully. If you want to retain the long 'pudding stirrer' gearlever - then you could upgrade to a 948 (smooth case) gearbox and swop the rear housings over. If you upgrade to the 1098 (ribbed case) box - the gearlever housings don't swop easily - although with some 'modifications' it can be made to work. So unless willing to do that work - you will be faced with using the remote control lever on the 1098 box - with gearbox cover plate swap too.

Thanks thats very helpful, just taken a look at the old log book to find that the engine has been in since 1973 but was off the road for quite a few years, so may not have covered that many miles. Before that it had a 948 in for a short time, so it may have a 948 box. Is there any way of telling between a 948 & an 803 box? cheers Andy

Normally -the 803 box has long pudding stirrer gear lever and the 948 has a remote control - but they can be swapped over - if that's been done it may be hard to tell externally.

Yep, long gear lever which i dont have a problem with, seems a good box once you realise you cant rush it. Still has the 803 dif so its very low geared which means you dont need to change until you are going very slow anyway. Thanks for you help much appreciated Andy

The 803 box will have a very strange set of gear ratios when connected to a 1098 engine, you will be able to climb the sides of houses in third gear (well almost). If you are changing the clutch then why not take the gearbox out and drop a 1098 box in with the correct size clutch and a decent set of gear ratios. There is a conversion to keep the long gear lever

Aye - but it's not a very easy 'conversion' on the ribbed case box - but I agree - it's a much much better box!