Morris Minor Owners Club

I would be interested to know what people think. If you have a 1275 engine, what running gear do you have or would you prefer to have. Is 1275 ok or do you wish you had gone to 1360. I ask this as I have a number of decisions to make regarding my Pickup restoration. Currently the budget is in place but tweaks have cropped up and I dont have the experience of daily use to know what would be for the best.

I now have a 1275 midget engine and box that needs re-building so there are options.
I need to replace all suspension and brakes, I had planned standard drums and servo as per my traveller but now have been offered discs etc. at a decent price 2nd hand.

I fully intend to use the pickup as my daily driver and it will live outside mostly and Jersey is an Island with lots of steep hills that the Traveller hates, many require changing to 1st before you get to the top.
I would like to get it right 1st time so any input greatly appreciated.

I have a 1275 and 5 speed and can't rate it highly enough!
If you are having to change to first in the trav, then the 1275 should provide some extra torque to prevent that from happening but the 4 speed box can't handle half the amount of abuse that the 5 speed type 9 Ford unit can take and you have the syncro down to first if really required!
Running with a standard 1098 diff (4.22:1) as have tried others but this seems the ideal!

I have 1275 Marina engine and its rock solid had it since the end of May and done 1300 miles without using a drop of oil or water. Running a standard 1098 diff wich works well although I am considering lowring the dif ratio to easy cruising on motorways.
My standard drums are good enough to stop me without standing on the pedal so imho discs are not required.

If you have steep hills - and the discs are at the right price (and in good order) - then perhaps they will be best. And again - since hills, and no great top speed required - best stick to the standard final drive. And since no Mway cruising - can't see the point in the overdrive 5 speed box for you! Going up to bigger bore sizes is not cheap - and greatly reduces reliability, for very little extra power. If you need to bore it - just go to the next oversize. The power is limited by the cylinder head anyway - so if you want a bit more - chase up a large (inlet) valve head from an MG Metro, and for low speed work I would say just keep the standard cam although this may be one place where the SW5 cam could be useful - good low range torque which it sounds like you want!

I ran almost standard 1300 ital running gear in my minor, with the exception of adding a triumph O/D unit and 14inch wheels. When i rebuilt the engine I just went up one overbore size and found it handled the hills of south Wales very well, the O/D was great for the trips up and down the motorway and dual carriageways..

The 1275 Midget has plenty of torque and the 1098 box has wider spaced gears more suited to your terrain, so if the 1098 box is in good condition then use it with the 1275.
The pickup should have a 4.55 diff and your Traveller will have a 4.22. Swap the diffs and speedos over so that the Traveller is running 1098 and 4.55 which will help it to climb the hills and the pickup will be running 1275 engine, 1098 box and 4.22 diff. With Jersey speed limits the 4.22 will give better acceleration and hill climbing than fitting a 3.9.
Check the engine is correctly timed and plugs, points etc are set and the brakes are not rubbing

Thanks for the feedback. Guess I have some thinking to do now!

hi i have a 1275 +60 in my mogey which is running 5 speed ford box 3.9 diff very quick & good mpg i am changeing the engine box & back axle over the next few months to toyota so this running gear will be for sale i have bills for engine etc neil

Hi
I fitted a still packaged gold seal Ital engine to my '69 2 door in 1992. I also fitted Marina discs and servo. Gearbox is as before but changed the diff to 3.7:1 one from a Riley 1.5. Carb is HIF44 and distributor is MG Metro. I also fitted a twin box large bore LCB exhaust.

The car is very useable, not as quick as a modern equivalent, but feels right and not hacked around to drive. MPG is no worse than standard 1098 and all mods are reversible as well. After 18 years the conversion has stood the test of time. I only wish I'd bought another of the £275 engines for my convertible as well!

Hope this helps.