Morris Minor Owners Club

Dear all
I've got two 1275 engines - one A-series and one A+ - Both need rebuilding before fitting and I am hoping somebody can offer some advice!

First up, any reason I should favour the A+ over the 'A' - Both are Marina / Ital units and both will be sent off for machining. Is the A+ stronger?

Secondly, the A+ has a damaged front pulley. Can I fit the one off the 'A' series or even the one off my car's 1098 unit? The damaged one is a damped unit, the one on the A-series appears to be too, whereas the one on the 1098 is a solid one.

Thirdly, I have no distributor for the A+. A lot of the A+ engined cars appeared to have electronic ignition systems and black boxes on the dizzy. For a standard points set-up, what dizzy should I be looking for? Alternatively, if I went for the normal A-series engine, can I use the 1098cc dizzy off my Minor with a 1275cc engine?

Any advice would be useful, before I start spending money on the machining!

Regards

The A+ is a later upgraded design and is therefore the better of the two - you MUST use a damped pulley. 59D dizzy - just treat it to a new one from simonbbc or accuspark. Sell the engine you don't use to finance the rebuild! And - it would be well worth searching out an MG Metro camshaft (or a 266 cam) to fit in the new engine - and a NEW oil pump of course.......

Thanks for the answer. New oil pump is on the shopping list already!

With regard to cams, presumably new followers are a given, but do I need to consider the rockers with a cam upgrade? Or is that only for quite hairy set-ups? I've looked up the various cam options and really want something for better torque and flexibility.

Thanks again!

Standard rockers are fine - don't do silly strong/double valve springs - and yes new followers with a new cam.

Grand. Thanks for the advice. Sounds like it is time to get the credit card out!

Cheers

Ok. Sorry to come back again...

Should I treat myself to a 1275 Midget box? As I understand, these have better quality bearings. Have a chance for a rebuilt one at sensible money. The 1098 box in my car is ok, to the best of my knowledge.

Worth doing? If so, do I go for a 1098 Minor clutch, 1275 Midget clutch or something else, seeing as I'm going from an A+ to Midget box...

Also, has anyone else used Rob Walker Engineering for machine work? I am planning on getting my engine to them for unleaded head work and a big-end check over. They seem to have a good reputation in the Mini market...

I think the 1275 box has bearings rather than bushes on 1st gear, apart from that, if it's true, they are the same, still no syncromesh on 1st gear.

Yes the 1275 box has better bearings - go for it if the price is right - although I would question what the 'reconditioning' consisted of.... I would use 1275 flywheel and clutch - with the mechanical actuation from the 1098 box. Rob Walker is a well ken't name from the past - although no doubt in different hands these days.....and don't waste money on any 'unleaded' work - it's not necessary. In any case - an A+ would be 'unleaded' from the factory.

Once again, thanks very much for the precise advice. I will ask what exactly has been done to the box. It is up for sale from an MG specialist, so I'd hope they'd know.

http://www.robwalkerengineering.com is pretty much a two man operation and Rob Walker himself answers the phone so he is very much involved!

In terms of the flywheel, will a Midget flywheel mate up to the A+? And presumably a modified Minor 1098 backplate is the best way to join everything together?

Perhaps son of the original Rob Walker then?? And -I meant to say '1098' flywheel and clutch since finding a 1275 one may not be easy..... The flywheel will need to be accurately drilled to suit the Marina crank.

Perfect. Thanks again

And I haven't met him, but my Dad met Rob Walker when he took him a MGC straight-six for some work recently and said he was in his sixties, and he was hobbling about having recently dropped a engine on his foot...

Probably is son of then, at that age. They should be able to modify the flywheel for you.