Shame you’re not in UK, I’m just so impressed with the content of your videos and I’ve watched around 6 or so and they’re all very impressive. Well done and keep them coming.
A video on the automatic gearbox fitted to classic minis would be cool. Having to repair one on my own mini I previously owned was very hard, the lack of information on how to refurbish the gearbox was the most difficult thing.
I've learned more from your videos than when I owned British Cars. My first car was a 1961 Mini bought around 1968 for $25.00 that was pretty much a rust bucket but ran extremely well. My friends and I used to try rolling it in the snow but it would always spin out. Unfortunately the opinion at the time was that the fenders & floor were too far gone to repair. Now that I am retired I would like to find another Classic Mini, possibly a Cooper so your videos are extremely beneficial to my learning & improving once again. Thank you.
Hi I did my apprenticeship on mini's back in 1974. Still working on them. I now fit Hayabusa engines to them as a hoby. Saves all the agg with the transmission. 200hp sequencial box is the way to go. By the way like the video thank you and stay safe
The fun part of the earliest minis, (I had one) was to prevent the motor from swinging perpedicular to the car there was a rod back to the firewall that had a rubber bushing in it. That bushing wore or weakened with the result of the engingine/transmision swinging and of course, your term, magic wand swung around like crazy.
Very well explained, learning a lot on each video.as I move thru my restoration I always hunt for your comments and advise.keep up the great work, ken muir
Great video, I like the sprung gate mod!! But a few details are not quite clear. The magic wand lasted well after 1964. It was standard on the non-Cooper non-synchro models until around 1969. I have an original 1966 Austin 850cc with the magic wand. There was also the "pudding stirrer" which is kind of a hybrid between a remote change and magic wand. These shifters are most often found in 4 synchro Mokes and Mini Vans 1969 to 1974 approx. It looks just like a magic wand from inside the car. The gearbox is the same as a 4sync remote change (22G1128). The external rod that links to the selector forks and the mechanism fitted in the diff housing for the linkage is different. A plate with a deep spherical recesss bolts on in place of the remote change alloy housing and clamps the gearstick in place. These shifters are *really* vague and make the magic wand look good by comparison. Hence why they mostly were thrown away and replaced with a remote change. Example pic at the bottom of this page. www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=581570 Cheers!
There is actually more than 3 different manual transmission in a classic mini but there is only 3 gear selector types like you have said with a few variants in them for example there is a remote transmission with a magic wand adapter that some early mk2 minis had
Cooper s minis were used as police pursuit vehicles in Australia (new South Wales). They went like the wind ! The humorous part was watching the police officer unfold as he emerged with pencil ready. Police officers had a minimum height of 5 feet 10 inches in those days and many of them were bigger still to frighten the wrong 'uns. They were replaced by Chrysler Valiant Chargers A two door coupe! Times sure have changed Stavros
Here is one offered by minispares www.minispares.com/product/Classic/Gearbox/Linkage/MSG12.aspx?1509&ReturnUrl=/search/classic/Rod%20change%20spring.aspx|Back%20to%20search
Why on earth would one need a spring biased gearchange on a 4 speed-box???? I drove a Mini for 20 years and nearly every part of the car was changed and/or upgraded. Never ever waisted a thought about a spring biased gear change upgrade! In fact these spring biased gearboxes on modern cars are quite irritating to me ;-)
You should check the face of the drop gears where the meet the box, the main thing that kills the box is if the mains bearings are loose in the housing.
@ 01:53 There is a slight error. The driveshaft couplings indicate it isn't a Cooper S but maybe a Cooper. The 'S' had Hardy Spicer couplings which needed a different output flange / bearing / seal, different Differential output shafts and coupling drive plates. There were gear ratio differences that are less easy to spot.
Not correct. 1071, 970 and 1275 ‘S’ also used rubber links, although it was changed to hardy spicer some point in the 1275 ‘S’ production. www.minimania.com/pdfile/gearboxes.pdf
You all probably dont care but does someone know a way to log back into an Instagram account? I was stupid forgot the account password. I love any assistance you can give me
@Tommy Harrison I really appreciate your reply. I found the site through google and im in the hacking process now. Looks like it's gonna take a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
FANTASTIC Video! So incredibly useful and there's nothing quite like it out there! Can I request that, for the rebuild video, you also recommend manufacturers for upgraded parts and approximate costs? For instance, KAD sells some pretty impressively machined bits in the UK but they can get expensive. Cheers!
It’s not just the s or cooper that had a remote change box. That remote change doesn’t look like a cooper box as it uses the rubber cross joints. Also if you get the knuckles out of align you are unlikely to get the pinch bolt in. Lots of the wear is in the detent rods.
I wish I'd stumbled upon this video a few weeks ago, when I had the remote box from my car apart, I would have done the 3/4 spring mod.... maybe next time.....
Great video but can you show how to separate the gearbox from the engine first please as I have now realised I have to remove the clutch/flywheel as a first step before I can proceed separate the box from the engine block. In my case the gearbox is fixed with Allen set screws/bolts which has made removing the bolts directly above the diff very interesting!
@guessworksgearboxes Thanks for the comment! It works well. For the street we ended up using a slightly softer spring than the one in the video and it feels better.
@@Stevestonmotorco Do you have a source and / or more detailed description for the spring and washer you ended up using? I really like the idea of this mod and I’m just about to rebuild my remote box.
Great video. When will the rebuild trans video be coming and do you have notes on modifying the oil pick up pipe. I'm at that point now and would like to install moved pipe.
Fred Grey we will have instructions on how to install the center oil pickup, however we do not modify it, it is available for purchase and simply replaces the stock unit.
I think the remote style was introduced with the first 997 Cooper in 1961 The "magic wand" was still used in basic models until they changed to 4 synchro gearboxes in 1969 There was a brief period where the basic models had a 4 synchro "pudding stirrer" direct change with a long lever similar to the magic wand, but it used the rear housing from the remote.
It depends on which country the Mini is manufactured in. 3-synchro remote gearboxes were introduced in some Australian models in the early 60s and then the 4-synchro in 1969.
@@seanalexander9531 the first Aussie mini with the remote change was the 997 Cooper (just like the UK). The Cooper S & Deluxe both had the remote from the start of their local production in 1965. They were all 3 synchro till 1969
Hi Tim, thanks for clarifying - I think I wrote roughly the same thing. My point was that change dates are often dependent on the country of manufacture.
Point of order: The 'Magic Wand' box was available on the 850cc through to the mid 70's until the introduction of the Mk4 in '76. I know this as I have a 100% factory original '73 Mk3 850cc that came with a magic wand. Looking at the sales literature the 'rod'' style box was a feature on the sporty 998cc
What type of spring did you use for the remote style gear box to make it gated? And is that spacer just some conduit pipe with a flare added to it? What length did you make that?
Really cool video, just a quick question. Do you perhaps have a link/part number for the aftermarket spring kit for the rod change selector? It seems like something to consider getting for the Mini.
Love your work. guys from Melbourne Australia 🇦🇺 1st time watching . I am Restoring 2 minis coppers S . From top to bottom. I was a mini Mac. For along Time. What about LSD Diff what do you think 🤔 . The engine is from 1275 cc to just under 1300 . 1/1/2 SU.s what gear Box part.,s do you sell . & what do you recommend is there a list of parts I can get from you . Thanks 🍻
I have a remote change gear box and double u joint driveshafts. NO CV JOINTS. Do the inner flange pop out the same way as a rod change gear box ? Are the seals the same ?
Dammit guys. Made me want to build another race engine. I sold my last one so I could do the b16 engine swap but now miss the a series and how customisable everything is
What about speedo gears? Can I do a straight swap of 120 kph speedo for 90 mph speedo in '90 Mayfair 1000 or would I need to change speedo gears as well?
Adrian LL here is the one I was talking about www.minispares.com/product/Classic/Gearbox/Linkage/MSG12.aspx?1509&ReturnUrl=/search/classic/Rod%20change%20spring.aspx|Back%20to%20search
Hey Philip, another great video, what about the Japanese versions? I have a 93' Rover Mini auto transmission, and having trouble shifting between gears, does not reverse now, any recommendation and any mechanic to recommend in Fort Lauderdale area? Thanks!
Juan F Longas unfortunately a lot of the auto parts are NLA and there are not too many people that are able to work on them. Checking the local forums would be the best bet.
Just passed your site 2 me by another car guy. Excellent site and am at the stage of building Mild Cooper mini engine and trans for a '69 Countryman wagon. Motor sent out but the inspection of transaxle is the next stage, There is no serial number on the trans block but I assume it is a stock 998 A block. I found a 2 ring cam so will build from there. 0.40 flat tops and 0.010 mains and rods. For the cost and at this stage it makes sense to replace trans baulk rings and bearings. What else would you suggest,?The oil pick up and detent spring will happen as per your video
Fred Grey that sounds like a fun build! For the gearbox, new bearings and balk rings are a great idea. Take a look at your shift forks as well, primarily the 1/2 one can wear and make for a wobbly shifter. Shameless plug for our high strength magnetic drain bolt to keep your rebuild box clear of metal particles 😁
Looking at your modification for the detente. Would the used small spring from the valve and the retainer ( drill out to fit rod) work with a suitable piece of pipe?
Fred Grey a valve spring would be far too strong. You need just enough spring to move in gently back in place. Any more will wear on the shift fork and make the 2-3 shift difficult as it will overcome the resistance of the reverse detent. For the diff, minispares.com is our go to parts supplier
Silly question here. I have 2 motors. 1 is a 1000cc and the other is1275cc. The 1275 gear box is not the best but the 1000 is mint. Can I swap the gearbox’s so the mint one is on the 1275?
Shane Maddren yea you can just just have to make sure that the drop gears and case match the gearbox. Also pay attention to a+ and pre a + idler gear bearings (they are different sizes).
Nice video. I own an original condition 1968 850 Morris Minivan Australian built with a magic wand transmission so they definitely didn’t finish in 64 in Australia?
simon ayton that’s interesting. Just did a quick google search on the years but I guess there was some differences depending on the country. I know in Canada we had some unique things not found anywhere else. Cheers!
yeah must be the case...Mine was the cheapest commercial van version and has manual everything, no heater and no self-parking wipers but I put an 1100 engine in after 850 bits became impossible to find.
interesting to hear @jeep2003. When I rebuilt mine I went and compared the sloppiness to a near new condition one in and earlier car and was amazed that they were just as bad from new ;-) hence the 'Pudding Stirer' tag. Funny what British Leyland considered 'Deluxe'!!
I dont find it bad at all it shifts well and Iv never missed a gear. I have a porsche 914 now thats a sloppy shifter and its a gamble what gear itll fall into.
@@Stevestonmotorco still haven’t taken it to any mechanic . However, some consultation from you would prepare me to go there. I suspect a linkage as you mentioned. How much would that approximately cost to be fixed ?
I have 2 remote transmissions, as the motor is out getting done I followed your video and everything "seems" ok Do you get to the Island or know someone who could tell me whether to tear it down or just install?
@@Stevestonmotorco Thanks for your quick response I do have the helicoil set, can I do this repair without the need to remove the engine? How did you recommend to perform this repair.?
Mini Spares do have one which I have ordered. Sight is great but familiarity to a Mini is a must. Big learning curve but Phil's help makes things much easier to follow.
