Morris Minor Owners Club

Is it unusual to have trouble with reverse gear when 1st/2nd are perfectly fine?
It doesn't feel like the gear stick actually goes into the right place. It goes right accross (towards driver) then starts to go down but feels like it goes more towards the handbrake than the drivers seat (as it should from what I remember). If the stick is held down it will move in reverse but it grinds (as though not fully engaged) and then jumps out with a bang.
Anything I can easily check with the gearbox in situ?

I had a bit of trouble selecting reverse. It was nothing to do with the gearbox. It was the rubber inside the gearstick knob that had perished. When selecting gears the knob would rotate leading to sloppy imprecise gear changes. I bought a brand new knob (made by Pride) and it’s so much better for such an easily overlooked thing.

Stephen

Your picture shows a 1956 SII. If it has its original 803cc gearbox, don't forget that the lever needs to be lifted, once you have brought it over towards the driver's seat, before you can engage reverse. It seems too obvious to mention really but, given your caption says "work in progress" I don't know know long it has been since you drove it last?

Seems to be a case of the plate not holding thr gearstick in properly so a few hits with a cold chisel to flatten it back down has improved things. It will select reverse but I have to hold the gearstick down firmly. Also the gearknob is loose so i think I'll try and find a decent replacement gearstick and plate.

myoldjalopy wrote: ↑Sun Feb 05, 2023 12:53 pm Your picture shows a 1956 SII. If it has its original 803cc gearbox, don't forget that the lever needs to be lifted, once you have brought it over towards

It's had a 1098 engine/box swap