Morris Minor Owners Club

Well, having recently aquired a MOGGIE, I towed it the few hundred yards to my home and parked it in my garden, Having been sitting there for a few days, temptation got the better of me and I cleaned the points n plugs, connected the fuel line to a one gallon can, and connected the battery leads to my Toyota Hiluxe, after spinning it over a few times it burst into life (not bad for a car that has stood for 2 years!), anyway having started it I was suprised note how freely it revved and how un moggie like it sounded.
this prompted me to contact the old owner to ask about modifications, having gone back through 3 owners i finally found the guy who claims to have modified it, it has disc brakes on the front, an alternator, aircon, a very snappy gearbox and the sporty sounding engine, I have been advised by the owner 3 times removed, that it is actually fitted with an MG Midget engine and gear box, has a skimmed and polished head, and a lightened and balanced flywheel. can someone tell me what is the basic difference between the MG and the Morris engine/ gearbox?
and what advantages / disadvantages are present if this engine swap is as claimed?

Gimley wrote:Well, having recently aquired a MOGGIE,<snip> it has disc brakes on the front,

not necessary, will need heavier pedal pressure unless a servo is fitted. Needs the master cylinder modifying to avoid the risk of them not releasing properly.

an alternator,

Fair enough, if your use of the car warrants it. No disadvantage, if it's been wired correctly

aircon,

that will be why it needed a bigger engine - it uses quite a bit of power (and thus fuel), and, depending on how it's installed, could adversely affect the engine cooling.

a very snappy gearbox and the sporty sounding engine, I have been advised by the owner 3 times removed, that it is actually fitted with an MG Midget engine and gear box, has a skimmed and polished head, and a lightened and balanced flywheel.

Like any engine mods, it all depends how well it was done. Skimmed head = higher compression ratio, so in theory more efficient, but also higher bearing loads, distorted valve gear geometry, and risks of valves touching pistons. Polished head - I'm not convinced that polishing improves gas flow - it could have the other effect. Again, depends how much the polisher knows. Flywheel mass is a compromise, and if an engine tweaker sets his priorities differently to the very knowledgable chappies who designed it, fine. I'm again not convinced that, in ordinary use, reducing the inertia of one rotating component is going to increase the totality of human happiness by all that much.

Gimley wrote: can someone tell me what is the basic difference between the MG and the Morris engine/ gearbox?
and what advantages / disadvantages are present if this engine swap is as claimed?

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Midget engines came in several sizes and two different types - A series (as fittted to Morrises), and a horrid Triumph engine. Which one do you have?

The biggest disadvantage of all this is that now you know about it, you'll have to answer "Yes" to the insurance companies' question "Has this car been modified?, and some of them will (reasonably enough) run a mile.

Kevin

Air con - in a Minor ? Possibly not a 'first' - but very probably the only one in UK !! Tell us the engine number and we will tell you what you got.

Ahhh well there's the thing, I am British, but I am in Malaysia, and I really need the aircon !
the engine is a typical early midget 1098cc engine, I have pulled the engine and gearbox to allow some remedial welding on the front members, and I have noticed a very slight oil leak from behind the bottom pulley, so I will have to investigate further and change the seal, the car has discs and servo, I am just planning on using the Moggie as a local runabout, I have several vehicles and just acquired this one because "it was there".

And insurance companies here don't ask about modifications, they just ask engine size and charge accordingly, most cars here over a few years old are modified, there is no M.O.T. here, but it has to go for inspection before I can register it in my name (in a couple of weeks time), apart from that......modifications are allowed and engine size increase up to 30% does not require any further inspection.
Any help with details of how to modify suspension to more modern shock setup much appreciated.

I also have an electric supercharger kicking around in my garage that I bought some while ago for an off road jungle buggy, but never installed it, any thoughts anyone? I have pulled the sump pan, the mains and big ends are strapped and the sump is fitted with baffles to stop oil surge, so someone has done a fair bit of work already.

Sounds like you won the coconut there with your engine. These engines usually do leak a bit of oil at the front timing cover and rear oil seal so don't be too concerned. Electric superchargers divide a opinion I seem to remember they were a bit of a waste of time? Be interesting to hear how you get on with yours though.

Sound interesting any pictures

The only picture I have taken so far is of the engine bay before I removed the engine and gearbox, as I mentioned, the car is having some welding done at the moment, I will take more pictures when I go for a visit to the repair shop, all welding should be done by the end of this week, I will then re assemble the beast and send it for inspection sometime next week, once ok, I will then proceed with some body mods to allow me to fit larger wheels/tyres etc.

" mains and big-ends are strapped " ?? Let's see a picture of THAT !!

Well a picture of the bottom end will have to wait as I have replaced the sump and I do not have another gasket at hand, I have also been talking to guys from the Pre 57 classic saloon car racing club, they tell me that this strap on the mains etc is normal for them and is to stop the caps breaking under the extra load of the higher compression, also I asked them about the rods which are very smooth and polished, again they indicate this is normal for a tuned engine before they race them?
Had the car not been so heavily modified when I collected it, I would have maintained it as standard as practical, however as it is already modified I am planning on continuing with modifications until.............?
I appreciate all the response and feedback, it is nice to be to know you guys are out there !
Further investigation regarding old owners has revealed the car at one time belonged to a British Mining Engineer, who I am advise by the old guys that remember him, was regularly getting Morris bits sent over to Malaysia inside crates containing mining equipment for his employer.
One of the old chaps is also a moggie enthusiast, but is now 90+ and almost blind, he is telling me that the moggie I have was fitted with a Les Ryder cylinder head, when it was with the British engineer, who or what is a Les Ryder cylinder head? I was also advised that valve pockets had been machined out of the original Block to facilitate valve clearance?
I will update on this being present on the present block as and when I have to remove the head for any reason?

All and any feedback gratefully received.

Wasnt Les Ryder Ford

whats a Lez Ryder?
My mind is running rampant!

I have the moggie back from having new chassis fitted, I am in process of putting engine back in, I have taken several pictures that will be uploaded soon, these show a cutout on the bell housing so it does not touch the steering rack, it has what I consider to be a weird gearbox cross member (again I have taken pictures and will upload them after I re size them, there is insufficient space between the bell housing and the bulk head at the top to allow the bolts to be fitted space is only about 3mm (and they were not there when I removed the engine and gearbox), the numbers match the registration, however it appears the engine number plate has been removed (I assume from the original engine), and re fitted? to the present engine.
I am having the fuel tank repaired at the moment as it looked like lace on the bottom and I have not been able to find a suitable replacement, I will take further pictures with the alternator/aircon units unfitted, and again when they are in place, once the pictures are uploaded I would appreciate all and any comments on the type of engine it actually is? I was told by a previous owner it is a midget unit, however an old guy (yes there are some older than me!), saw it and that he thinks it is a 1300cc Marina engine?
Anyway, as I said all and any comments most welcome.

It is common to fit a 'strap' to the centre main - but you mention strapped big ends. Not heard of Les Ryder... Sounds like a different gearbox (hopefully 5 speed) has been fitted. A 'new chassis' fitted? Only the van/p-up have a 'chassis'......the saloons/travs are monocoque construction - although they do have long sections stretching from the centre forward -commonly known as 'chassis legs'...... Marina engine is easily spotted - it has a screw on oil filter canister high up at the rear above the dizzy.

Let me clarify, the "chassis" legs were rotted through, so I had my fabrication guys make up all the box sections and floor and replace the lot, the oil filter hangs at the front right so it would appear the Marina rumor is just that.
I appreciate all the assistance, I am busy with work at the moment, but will re size some pictures very soon and post them in order to give you guys a better look at the actual situation.

Many thanks.

I am trying to uplead a couple of pictures with this post, one if of an unknown engine fitted in a Moggie (any idea's)
the other is how mine looked when I acquired it.

I am wondering why my pictures are not uploading?

It can take several seconds as your upload speed is slower than your download speed.
Also the server will have to resize the picture if it's still too big.
Give one a while then press the preview button to see the picture.

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The pictures show the engine bay complete with aircon /alternator (this was taken when I bought the car), and the second picture shows the cutout on the bell housing to stop it hitting the steering rack.

More pictures will follow soon !