Morris Minor Owners Club

This may seem like a stupid question. But I saw the same one asked but never replied to on Minor Net.

Is it possible to fit the all syncro gearset from Mini box into 1098 one. I think I already know the answer but it was worth asking. Just in case.

Wanderinstar.

Erm....... can't really see the point myself.... You can get 1st easily if you select 2nd beforehand.

It's a lot of trouble to go to for very little gain (and in my opinion it detracts a bit from the car's character - he said with a Sierra gearbox ).

But in answer to your question, I doubt it can be done but I don't know for sure.

Hello Cam,
it saves having to double de-clutch when selecting first on the move. Which I used to do until I fitted the much maligned Marina gearbox. Which I do not find at all unpleasant or difficult to use.

Alec

you mean you don't like that sound of impending violence that you get 'sans synchro'? i thought it was the 1950's equivalent of the subaru dump valve noise

What about a retro fit into a 803 box? The long stick gives the appearance of the inside of the car a different look and a flatter floor.

It seems very little is available for this box so I would be interested to know if anybody has tried alternative parts in it.

I have thought about this over the years - and until recently kept a spare A series 4 syncro box to do the transfer into my spare Minor box. However - I got an offer for the Mini box (it was actually a close ratio Cooper box) and it's gone ! You will obviously need to keep the Minor input shaft - so the test is - will it mesh ok with the laygear, and will it nest ok with the mainshaft ! I believe I have heard of this being done in the dim and distant past.

I would have thought that you would have to change the laygear as well otherwise the syncro Mini first gear wouldnt mesh with the straight cut first on the Minor layshaft.

Errr - obviously you are going to need to use the complete Mini gearset - including the laygear ! So, YES !! And that's where some fun may crop up - because the Mini layshaft is stepped - and so some mods may be needed to get that into the Minor box.

Sorry. Of course you meant the minor 1st motion shaft meshing with mini laygear. Seems obvious now but Im afraid it didnt when I first read it.
Might give it a try as I have a minor box in bits in garage, any idea what mini boxes are like to dismantle.

Same as the Minor box ! The oil pick-up has to be disconnected and left lying in the base of the box until the gears are out.

The mini box is not too bad to take apart, but it must be done in sequence otherwise you will have trouble undoing a rather large nut! Personally I would say a different approach to stripping a minor box. Wouldn't it be better to look out for a 1275 midget box?

Cant you just buy a morris conversion kit or something that allows you to hvae a synchromesh on first. I dont really see the point as you don't use first that oftenb on a moggy anyway. (well not like you would on a modern car)

??????? Why would you use first more on a modern car and less on a Mog? Whenever you pull away, surely?
a

I would guess he's thinking that as the minor 1st gear is so low, once you've pulled away you do'nt need to select it again as long as you are rolling, hence no need for syncro on it.

Doesn't the same apply to modern cars?
a

One shouldn't ever change to first gear unless standing complete still, even modern boxes don't like that. In a Minor you can't, and you don't need to!

That's what I was taught too, and must say I've never *had* to select 1st on the move either, though I realise you might want to at a junction on a steep hill to avoid a handbreak start. If you really want to do that, you could learn to double declutch, it's not that hard.. In bigger trucks and vans it's pretty common to pull away in 2nd when you've no load on 'cos 1st is so low, but I've never heard of it in cars...

I must say, I rarely use 1st gear in my VW caddy diesel, but then it is a diesel, so more torque down low

VW Caddy?Another dream car for me, that, the old MK1 body with the pick up bed... *sighs*

It's the '96 model. Uses more oil than the minor though. I don't think caddies are anywhere near as goodlooking as a Minor pickup. Even old ones