Morris Minor Owners Club

Posted: **Thu Oct 14, 2004 6:44 pm**

Hi All,
I'm looking to fit a Sierra 5 speed box to a midget 1275 engine I have and fit it in my Moggy. I've spoken to MMC Birmingham who market a fitting kit and they seem very helpful. Does anyone have any experiences I should know before I embark upon getting the bits and doing it?
Cheers.

Posted: **Thu Oct 14, 2004 7:08 pm**

Well, I have one fitted using the Birmingham kit to an Ital engine and I have to report that I have had quite a few problems. If you are fitting it to a standard 1098 engine and using the 1098 clutch cover, release arm and mechanical clutch mechanism then you should be fine. I used their 'custom' thrust bearing and diaphragm clutch cover and have had MAJOR problems with the thing nearly disintegrating after about 15000 miles!! Plus their hydraulic clutch kit left a lot to be desired as the spigot provided for the remove reservoir fouls the gearbox tunnel cover provided!! So I had to fabricate a fair bit to get it all to work together. I also had to move the clutch arm pivot point and make my own bracket as theirs was WAY out of line!

You have to cut about 3 inches out of the transmission tunnel too for the Sierra 'box to fit as it's a bit longer than the Moggy one.

Posted: **Thu Oct 14, 2004 8:33 pm**

Hello,
I've run one in my Morris 4 door for a few years now and it has a 1275 midget engine. I had one or two problems when I fitted it but it was worth the effort. Its nice to have synchro on first and the 5th gear makes motorways much better.
Problems - 1) Couldnt get a Midget clutch plate to suit the Sierra gearbox splined input shaft so had to have another flywheel to use a Minor/Sierra setup. This might have changed now as they did market a kit for the Midget too a while ago. 2) The bracket that comes with the kit to support the clutch mechanism relay shaft (would normally be on the Minor gearbox casting) was terrible. In the end I made a rod up that went directly from the pedal to the clutch arm and that works fine. Thats about it really. Things to watch out for are that the box is longer so you have to cut out a section of floor (covered by the new floor panel in the kit) and also the handbrake fouls the gearstick in 2nd and 4th as the box is longer. You have to cut a bit off but it is all explained in the kits instructions. Lastly, the new crossmember uses the original fixing holes in the chassis rails but the box is much heavier and the bracket is dog-legged. It caused the chassis rails to crack so I added a piece of angle iron across the back to give more support and its fine now. If you like, send me a pm and I can take some photos and email them to you if its a help. Cheers, Colin.

Posted: **Fri Oct 15, 2004 8:37 pm**

Thanks for the experiences guys, I'll bare these in mind when I get the bits together.

Posted: **Sun Oct 17, 2004 10:58 pm**

Hello again,
thanks for the pm with your email address. I've sent some photos and a bit of a ramble to go with them. Hope it helps. Cheers, colin.

Posted: **Mon Oct 18, 2004 12:05 pm**

Coming soon - The new TT&CC Automatic minor!

Posted: **Mon Oct 18, 2004 4:14 pm**

We spoke about this before. We thought it might be possible using a Marina/Ital 1300 Automatic box. Is that what yours is based on?

Posted: **Tue Oct 19, 2004 9:17 pm**

Cam wrote:We spoke about this before. We thought it might be possible using a Marina/Ital 1300 Automatic box. Is that what yours is based on?

Nope, just hot air...

;)

Posted: **Tue Oct 19, 2004 9:59 pm**

hot air...

Posted: **Wed Oct 20, 2004 3:00 am**

and no doubt the owners will get a free shanks' pony too!!! (just in case!)

Posted: **Wed Oct 20, 2004 12:28 pm**

Anyone got a copy of the Owen Burton book as it tells you which Borg Warner box is the best to use and this is not new and I saw a couple at the big meet at Blenheim Palace

Posted: **Wed Oct 20, 2004 12:56 pm**

Erm.... I have a copy but it's 200 miles away at the moment and I won't be able to get to it for 1 or 2 weeks! Sorry....... that's not very helpful!!

Posted: **Wed Oct 20, 2004 2:32 pm**

Mk1 Ford sierra - no just £200 warranty

Posted: **Wed Oct 20, 2004 2:36 pm**

What bell-housing/backplate arrangement do you use to attach it to the engine?

And I'm surprised it fits in the Moggy transmission tunnel! let alone clearing the steering rack!

Posted: **Thu Oct 21, 2004 7:47 am**

just cut the bell housing where appropriate!

Posted: **Thu Oct 21, 2004 8:34 am**

So, we've heard all these wonderful things about tony's cars... when exactly do we actually SEE any pictures of these *wonderful* bodges... err... improvements???

Posted: **Thu Oct 21, 2004 9:56 am**

just cut the bell housing where appropriate!

Will it go in at all ? as the 5 speed box uses a totally different bellhousing.

Posted: **Thu Oct 21, 2004 10:47 am**

Kevin wrote:
just cut the bell housing where appropriate!
Will it go in at all ? as the 5 speed box uses a totally different bellhousing.

Well, not only will the bell-housing not fit the engine, it's also too big for the transmission tunnel AND it's not just a question of cutting the bell-housing...... what about the clutch diaphragm?? It might well foul on the steering rack, as even with the Bath/Brum centre modified bell-housing it's REALLY close!!

So which flywheel, actuator arm, clutch plate, spigot bearing, clutch cover, engine backplate, starter motor is used?? The standard Ford items are totally incompatible as they are way too big.

Methinks the waft of hot air is getting stronger.........

Posted: **Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:12 am**

It can be done it would be done in a similar way to the 1.6D Moggy!! SIMPLE

Posted: **Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:19 am**

i think rob thomassn from the mmoc fitted a sierra box to a minor bell housing with an adaptor plate..

sure there was an article in minor matters showing it

Morris Minor Owners Club

5-Speed Sierra Gearbox

5-Speed Sierra Gearbox

sierra 5 speed