16 replies to this topic

[Tomf]

What bits do you have to change when going from A+ to A series? I looked at the gearbox and it looks like i will need a different gear selector and different drive shafts, or it there another way i can get round this?

Also are there any other changes i would need to do when fitting an a-series engine in to a mini that has previously been fitted with an A+ engine?

Edited by Tomf, 28 August 2007 - 07:07 AM.

[Ethel]

Depends where the join will be.

Not all pre A+ gearboxes / driveshafts are the same.

If it's a late engine / g'box on pot joints and the A+ is pre verto it could be a straight swap.

[Tomf]

Nope it doesnt have pot joints, thats why i asked lol so i take it i would just need to change the drive shafts over aswell?

Would i also just change the gear selectors to a rod change type? is there any other bits that would need to be changed?

[dklawson]

Is this the 1275 GT engine you're asking about?

If it's an early 1275 GT and you say the gear selector looks different... is it a remote shift? You may have to do some creative routing of exhaust pipes to fit a remote to a late model car's floor. I've never done this so I don't know what brackets and such you'd need.

I'm not sure about the driveshaft issue. The 1275 GT was probably too early for pot joints. Does it have the Hardy-Spicer joints? I'm pretty certain there's more than replacing just the driveshafts if you want to put pot joints on this gearbox. Ping GuessWorks.

The distributor will be different. You'll want a 25D4 or 45D4 for the A-series.

If the engine still has a generator (could be if it's very early) you'll probably want to buy an alternator bracket for the block. From memory, the A+ blocks moved the mounting boss for the alternator bracket so you won't be able to move the A+ bracket to the A-series block.

Post pictures if you can.

[nordicmini]

Is this the 1275 GT engine you're asking about?

If it's an early 1275 GT and you say the gear selector looks different... is it a remote shift? You may have to do some creative routing of exhaust pipes to fit a remote to a late model car's floor. I've never done this so I don't know what brackets and such you'd need.

I'm not sure about the driveshaft issue. The 1275 GT was probably too early for pot joints. Does it have the Hardy-Spicer joints? I'm pretty certain there's more than replacing just the driveshafts if you want to put pot joints on this gearbox. Ping GuessWorks.

The distributor will be different. You'll want a 25D4 or 45D4 for the A-series.

If the engine still has a generator (could be if it's very early) you'll probably want to buy an alternator bracket for the block. From memory, the A+ blocks moved the mounting boss for the alternator bracket so you won't be able to move the A+ bracket to the A-series block.

Post pictures if you can.

Hi if it helps have a look at my complet mini rebuild (nordicmini) by the way i live in Dover Kent

[Tomf]

Thanks again dklawson and yes it is the 1275 gt engine that im thinking about.

Well then engine defo doesnt have pot joints, the driveshafts are held in using U type brackets, kind of like some exhaust brackets...

I looked at a pic of the mini the engine came out of, and the gear change is in the in the same position as mine is, and not the type with the long arm that comes out from under the heater...

The engine still has everything attached to it (dizzy, rad, starter, etc....) It looks like it has a new alternator, so i could guess that it must have been converted at some point.

[Ethel]

I'd do a little research. I always thought all GT's had rod change boxes and Hardy Spicer or Pot joints.

Could you have a 1300 lump?

[Tomf]

Im not sure to be honest lol the engine number isnt on there anymore, so i guess that the block has been skimmed or something or it might have just fallen off...

Are Hardy Spicer joints the U style joint? I think mine has 4 u brackets on each side...

[miniboo]

to be honest they sound like the rubber u joint type coupling.

is the gear box remote or rod change? obviously it is defo not a magic wand type

[miniboo]

this type?: http://www.minispare....aspx?pid=36481

or this type?: http://www.minispare....aspx?pid=37006

[Ethel]

Hardy Spicer is the classic prop shaft joint as can be seen under almost every lorry.

[Tomf]

Its the first type, im not sure what type of gear change it is, im not the best with the bottom end of the engine... How can i tell?

[Ethel]

Remote is a zonking great aluminium casting under the car and the gearstick has a big square rubber boot that goes down the passenger side of the exhaust tunnel.

[dklawson]

Since the first link looks more like what you have, that's the "yoke type" driveshafts. A common upgrade for those was to fit the QL-5000 u-joints which replaced those ugly rubber molded bits with molded nylon cups that last a LOT longer. Unfortunately, the QL-5000 joints are also out of production. Do not despair. If you get this engine and it has the nylon cup u-joints they can be rebuilt. Buy the driveshaft u-joints for a Triumph TR6 and these can replace those originally used in the nylon cups.
See:
http://home.mindspri...tedU-Joints.jpg
The middle u-joint is a new Triumph part installed in a nylon cup I machined. The white unit on the right is a QL-5000 rebuilt with the Triumph u-joint. On the far left... that's a racing part. Someone over the years made steel cups instead of the nylon. I have 7 out of a necessary 8. DOH !!!

I think to switch from yoke type to Hardy-Spicer requires replacing part of the differential. If memory serves, the yoke type shafts are secured with nuts to male threaded stub axles from the differential. I THINK the Hardy-Spicer inboard joints use big bolts into tapped stub axles. It's all convertible but one way or another you're probably looking at sourcing some parts.

If it has the yoke couplings... it's bound to be a remote shift gearbox. From what you're describing it probably doesn't have the shifter housing bolted up. Look on the bottom/back of the gearbox. If there are a pair of external linkages AND a bit ball-foot knob sticking out of the bottom, you've got the remote shift without the shifter housing. This JPG is the remote shifter housing:
http://www.minispare.../200/22A250.jpg
The picture below is the remote shift gearbox casing. The extension bolts to the bottom of that foot sticking off to the left. The ball I mentioned would be sticking "down" from the foot.
http://www.minimania...ig/rjh1111e.jpg

A good 4-synchro remote shift would be a nice thing to have. Mine is a 3-synchro remote with problems on one synchro. Does that make mine 2 or 2.5 synchro?

[Guess-Works.com]

Pull the diff out the back of the box, and change for pot, they are MUCH stronger than the crucifix type... I don't think any GT ever had Hardyspicers (unless changed after market)

Early GT's wil have the remote gearbox, this will not fit into a rod change shell without a fair amount of modification.

Best option is to get an A series rod change case and swap the internals over ( you will need the reverse idler from the rod change box as they are different to the one on the remote )

For reference Hardyspicers have a larger o/d on the output shaft than the pot joint and crucifix therefore need specific (and very rare and sought after) diff covers.