3 replies to this topic

[mmaki]

My Mini is a 67 MKII. I got it in pieces with a included new one piece floor. The original shifter is the much maligned magic wand shifter. The floor I think was intended for a newer Mini rod change shifter.

 

The body is almost done so I need to decide what to do about the floor before I can paint it and start putting it back together. I am wondering if I will regret filling the second shifter hole and making the tunnel round like it should be. The other issue is I have no idea if the transmission and engine I have even works and if my 998 is junk I would rather put money into rebuilding a 1275 than the 998.

 

What would you do?

 

 

https://imgur.com/a/lxAmdOk

[mab01uk]

i would fit the earlier round tunnel for originalty, if you later fit a 1275 with the earlier alloy cast remote change you can cut the necessary hole (or if you wish to do that before painting you can fit a blanking plate over either hole as required). The factory used to fit a blanking plate over the magic wand gearlever hole on remote cars. If you ever fit a later type rod change gearbox you can buy a conversion bracket to mount it in the early round tunnel as seen below:-

 

Minimania 22G2026MM Rod Change Shifter Conversion Bracket How to fit:-
https://www.minimani...version_Bracket

Minispares also sell this bracket.
MSSK053
ROD CHANGE SHIFTER CONVERSION BRACKET
https://www.minispar...|Back to search

Edited by mab01uk, 05 May 2021 - 06:23 AM.

[SolarB]

I'm with Mab01uk, stick with the round tunnel.

I had to make the same decision a few years ago with my Mk3 and went for a full floor replacement with the later squared off tunnel. Now I wish I had tried harder in tracking down the original round tunnel replacement.

 

 

By the way Mab01uk, fantastic colour choice.

Edited by SolarB, 05 May 2021 - 06:51 AM.

[humph]

Firstly addressing whether you should remove the square tunnel and replace with the round, for me it depends what is most important to you, the relative originality of the round tunnel or budget.  I was in this position with my Riley Elf a while back, I was doing the bodywork and my budget was limited. At the time my priority was getting the car solid and running within my budget so was going for the cheaper square tunnel floor. At this point I lost my workshop and had to hand my car over to a restorer for the bodywork. With my budget already blown because of this change I decided that the body should be as original as possible and agreed for them to remove the later parts and re-do with a round tunnel.

 

The round tunnels are available from M-machine, see section 320 of the catalogue in the link.  Catalogue price is shown as £120, but this will likely have changed due to steel price fluctuation recently.

 

http://preview.m-mac...i catalogue.pdf

 

On the subject of fitting the later rod change box to this round tunnel I have just done this as my engine/box seem to be from a mid 80s car.  As has been mentioned above you'll need a conversion bracket

 

http://www.minispare...|Back to search

 

To get the rod change to fit in the tunnel hole without modification I have then fitted an adjustable top engine steady so allow me to adjust the engine tilt

 

http://www.minispare...|Back to search

 

And a longer rod & steady to the gearshift mechanism as fitted to the post 85 1275 cars.

 

http://www.minispare...c/UKN10032.aspx

 

https://www.minispor...lector-rod.html

 

All this allows the shifter to sit in the hole, slightly forward of the centre point without cutting the shell.  I'm afraid I don't have any pictures of this, will get some this weekend, but it all seems to be fine and gears seem to engage so far, but the car isn't running yet. 

Edited by humph, 05 May 2021 - 08:31 AM.