Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi everyone.
just acquired a new engine. i was told it was from a midget. engine number has disappeared and i'm unsure if it is a midget engine after all. block number is 12G 1279. Any ideas guys?

struggling to upload pictures at the moment...

If it is a 1275, no tappet chest covers and a standard or cartridge oil filter then it is a Midget engine. If it has an upside down oil filter cartridge then it is a Marina / Ital engine

yep. no tappet chest covers and has cartridge oil filter. got a bit confused when i was told 12G 1279 was from an austin 1300

It looks like the pre-A Plus 1275 block casting is the same for in-line and transverse - 12G 1279. That is the casting number on our Midget 1275 block.

Im sure inline and transverse blocks are different!

Look at the engine no...

12V = 1275 inline
12H = 1275 Transverse

edit: just seen no engine no

Does the crankshaft end with a taper or a flanged fitting - if flanged its an inline engine

Yeah it's flanged. Just confused me because it had the same block number as some transverse engines.

you can also look for a sump attached to the bottom rather than a gearbox?

Matt,

It's the base casting that appears to be common between in-line and transverse - makes good manufacturing sense.

I did check that too! lol
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Definitely Midget 1275!

The distributor cap has no clips, but has screws, and what is inside the cap? It looks like there is a pair of wires going into the body - does it have an electronic ignition module inside? Could be interesting?

Top hose connection - the angle of neither the Midget nor Minor thermostat housing on a 1275 head (12G940) will line up with the Minor radiator. If you can find a housing from a 'B' Series engine, you can usually open up the 3 holes to about 3/8", so that it will line up with the Minor rad. The outlet diameter is slightly bigger then the A-Series, but the top hose will fit quite easily.

Did it come with a backplate and flywheel? They are both different to either 948 or 1098. The clutch is a 6 1/2" diaphragm unit.

Thats great to hear!
Literally just bought it and not had a chance to poke about too much...
lots of shiny new bits on it... hopefully it's a goodun!
will be stripping it right down in the coming months.

IslipMinor wrote:Definitely Midget 1275!

Top hose connection - the angle of neither the Midget nor Minor thermostat housing on a 1275 head (12G940) will line up with the Minor radiator.

Conversion thermostat housings are available from David Manners (Birmingham Morris Minor Centre)

If you have not already got a serviceable 1275cc Midget back plate make sure the one you buy is not cracked. The Midget 1275cc engine back plate is notorious for cracking.

A 1098 backplate is easily modified for use with 1275 engine. And I have no problem with standard thermo housing on 940 head - just use a curved hose!

the other option is to cut the radiator inlet down to make it a better angle!

My solution before I bought the adapter thermostat housing

Yes - but that removes the swelling at the end of the rad inlet - which makes sure the hose can't slip off......

Does the 1098 backplate need much modifying to make it fit?

Few minutes with a small angle grinder to open out the hole around the main bearing (don't make any larger than necessary..) and run a drill bit through the top dowel hole. You also need to be careful which oil pump you fit - some won't fit easily, others fit perfectly, some need just a rub with a file to make clearance.