Morris Minor Owners Club

Can anybody help with identification of engines, gearboxes and rear axles?

I have a pick-up with a non-standard engine, and I think, rear axle. The person I bought it off was not sure what they are.

I think the engine is either a 1300 Marina or a 1275 Sprite/Midget. How can I tell the differenece? Is there any specific markings that will identify them?

The gearbox looks like a standard moggy box, (it is 4 speed), but this may have come from the same donor car. Again any way of identifying this?

Lastly the rear axle. I am hoping that this is from a Marina, as I intend to fit a Fiat twin cam, but how are they identified?

All three may have come from the same donor car, but what was it!!

Any help here would be greatly appreciated.
Roger

box looks like the minor one it could be a spridget one, or it could be a minor one..... (a lot of help i know....)

Whats the engine no. etc?

To help with the engine where is the oil filter and which way does it fit and if you look on the right hand side (under the bonnet) of the engine towards the front but halfway down there should be an alloy tag it might be painted and it should be marked 1275, does the rear axle have any markings on the diff and what wheels and tyres are currently fitted.

Some pictures of the axle and engine would help to identify it too, as well as any numbers.

from memory (not a good one ;-) ) the 1275 head has a different angle of the thermostat housing. The midget 1275 block has no tappet chest covers but the marina does. The later the Ital A+ 1275 has a screw on upside-down oil filter above the distributor and a different distributor clamp.
Cam seems to know his stuff though - so some piccy's from all angles and I bet he'll find you an answer.

Thanks to Matt, Kevin Cam and Doobry - I'm impressed with such prompt replies, or are you all bored at work as well!.

The axle is with the rest at the restorers so no pictures of that, but I will get the rag out and after cleaning it up a bit put some piccy of the engine and gearbox on.

The wheels are an an early Minilite 13 X 5 Sports wheel if that helps.

The wheels are an an early Minilite 13 X 5 Sports wheel if that helps.

unfortunately not - the minilights can come in all kinds of PCD so it gives no hints to what the donor car was.

Minilite 13 X 5 Sports wheel if that helps.

As Ray says not much help can you measure the PCD, in case you are not sure how to, its the centre point from one stud to another or if its easier the outer edge of one stud to the inner edge of the opposite one.

Just to add to Kevin's post. Make sure you measure across the diagonals. I'm sure that's what Kevin was getting at, but I thought I'd just make sure.

Ok folks no piccys but I have talken a cloth to the engine and found the following on the block, exhaust side:

1. a tag with 1275 on it
2. at the front of the block below the tag 0(or O)5F
3. low down in the middle of the block 2 over MOWOG
4. to the rear of MOWOG, 037
5. right at the back, and this will probably clinch it, 12G 1279 is stamped on the block. I guess this is a part number.

There are no Tappet chest covers.
The oil filter looks identical to the minor on.

As to the wheel PCD it is 4 inches as near as possible. I have not been able to look at the rear axle as it is at the restorers with the rest of the pick-up.

Over to the experts!

Right Roger with the details you have supplied it is almost definately a Midget engine, and as the PCD is 4" it is the Minor stud pattern.
As for the rib case gearbox I dont know how to tell which one it is externally, but they use different flywheels and if I remember the Minor has 4 holes and the Midget 6, and the Minor can be made to fit quite simply so the original box can be retained.

Thanks Kevin and all the rest of you for your help on this matter.

Hope to see you all on a rally somewhere next year!

Hope to see you all on a rally somewhere next year!

That would be good, if you fill in your whearabouts we would also know where you are coming from.

Done that now!

Look out for the North Wilts Rally in July.....................it will be a good one again!