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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - K series engine but with 1500 gearbox ?

Hi, I am obviously searching the wrong fields 'coz I cant find 'owt.
Has anybody dropped a K into a Mk IV without going to all the trouble of fitting a ford gearbox?
Is there an adaptor plate commercially available for the single-rail Trumph unit to fit the K series directly?
Alastair McLeod

Alistair, check out the special "twincam 16 valve midgets and B" chapter on this bbs, fast reply of K-converters and a massive archive.

Btw, I wouldnt bother with the triumphbox on a K, engine could be to strong for the gearbox or the gearratios might not be ideal.
Ford type 9 is the most favorite.


Arie de Best

come over to the dark side of the bbs ;)

I think the same as Arie, I don't know how strong the 1500 box is, but I suspect not strong enough.

It might be OK for a 1.4 but the effort over the T9 (bellhousing?, bespoke prop, no overdrive gear) wouldn't be worth it IMO
Rob Armstrong

1500 gearbox is also very heavy, so there's an instant performace gain available in changing it!
Paul Walbran

The dark side is good... Ford box gives 5 gears and can handle the torque from a K which you WILL want to use.
Johnathan

Not done cos it's a crap box

That's the very simplistic answer to your question.

Type-9's are sensible money and strong enough to take the power/torque.

As mentioned, the K-series and 16v Category is where all the cool kids hang out - oh, and Neil, he's like the father figure :P
PeterJMoore

I think this has been mentioned before but not sure if anyone has done it. IIRC the 1500 box was also used with 1800 B series in the Marina so should be up to it. No disrespect to Paul but the type 9 isn't a lightweight either but has the advantage of needing a replacement bellhousing which is invariably cast aluminium while the 1500 g'box bellhousing is a heavy cast iron thing. That having been said IIRC Paul used a modified standard K g'box bellhousing and possibly an adapter plate to mate the K series to a Toyota box which are more common in NZ so that approach could be applied to the 1500 g'box also giving a lightweight aluminium bellhousing but you'd have to work out the details.
David Billington

There is an awful lot more work in fitting the K series engine than the straightforward fitting of a type 9, especially if done at the same time!! You would be effing MAD not to!!

Cheers

Peter
P M Faulkner

You recall correctly David - and it is a Supra box at that, which makes the 1500 unit seem light :-) But at least it's good for 300+BHP so will handle the K with ease.

My recollection of the box when used behind the Marina is that it was a bit tetchy. I do know that one of the works Marina TC's left here in 1972-ish after the ancestor of the Rally of New Zealand ended up having its box changed for an MGB one within a very short time.
Paul Walbran

This thread was discussed between 22/02/2013 and 23/02/2013

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.