Morris Minor Owners Club

My Series 2 has had a 1098 engine with a 5/16" backplate and 948 flywheel, clutch & gearbox since 1976. It has worked well but now the starter ring is worn (even after a 90 degree turn on the crank many years ago) & the gearbox output drips oil. I still have a good 1098 flywheel & clutch (from the engine). Is there any chance that I can mill the bellhousing to get the larger clutch in? Ideally I'd like to keep the gearbox as it's the devil I know. I'd even treat it to an oil seal!

In my experience it is not possible to fit the 1098cc flywheel and clutch inside a 948cc gearbox bell housing. The 1098cc flywheel/clutch is too large and too deep to fit inside the bellhousing of the 948cc gearbox.
I would suggest that you fit a new starter ring to the flywheel you are currently using.

I had (wrongly) understood that you could only get a starter ring on a flywheel (information source was an BMC workshop manual). I learnt late last night that the rings are available, even cheap. Fitting one, looks very much like when I saw my grandad making cart wheels, around the time my car was made. I can fix it!

When fitting the new ring gear make sure that you fit it the right way round.

Don't forget the 1/4 balance mark on the flywheel.
Not sure how important it is when we change flywheels of different sizes, but the mark is something to consider.
I always ensure that this is correct when I rebuild engines.
On the matter of the split screen, I once fitted a 1098 gearbox with the long gear-stick into the body without cutting the floor of the minor.