midget gearbox

Post by **daveyl** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 6:53 pm

hello, just a (hopefully) quick question for you. is it easy to spot the difference between a midget gearbox and the moggy ribbed box? it is just, i bought a gearbox, that was advertised as midget, i have no reason to doubt, but am just curious as they look the same...
cheers
Dave

Post by **aupickup** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:01 pm

the only way externally of telling some midget gearboxs is the top remote will be fitted with a reversing switch

but nat all midgets had them

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:04 pm

Spridget will have a shorter gearlever - and they had built-in reverse light switch which 'I think' Minor boxes didn't ever have - certainly Minors didn't have reverse lights! There may also be a different clutch fork fitted - to suit the smaller Spridget clutch. The switch is handy if you have reverse lights - and the lever and fork can be swapped over from your old box.

Post by **daveyl** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:09 pm

okay...well the gearbox is fitted, so it is pretty hard to tell right now about the reverse light switch. the only thing that really made me sure it was, was that it had a hydraulic clutch fitted, and also it was attached to a midget engine, in a minor though! hum...

Post by **aupickup** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:13 pm

but you can fit a hydralic clutch to any 1098 gearbox, minor or midget

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:18 pm

Hydraulic clutch fitted - ' in a Minor' - the owner gave themselves some unecessary work there! It sounds v likely you have a Spridget box - but as AU points out - it could have been retrofitted with the hydraulic clutch.

Post by **Kevin** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:57 pm

The only way to be sure is that the MG box has roller bearings the outer cases are the same and both gearboxes fit mg 1098cc & 1275cc engines as well as the Moggie 1098cc engines and its far more common to find Midget engines with Minor gearboxes fitted.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 9:24 pm

Kevin - do the boxes have same ratios - or were the Spridget boxes in any way 'close ratio' ?

Post by **Matt** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 10:06 pm

only 1275 boxes had the reverse light on, as midgets didnt get reverse lights until '68. (1275 started in 67)

Post by **aupickup** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 10:30 pm

i did say SOME mifget gearboxes , meant to mention the 1275

Post by **Matt** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 10:31 pm

Sorry Dennis, I thought I would clarify

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 11:10 pm

Anyone know if the ratios were different ?

Post by **RogerRust** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 8:11 am

My 948 gearbox is a reconditioned smooth case early sprite one and has slightly different ratios, but I forget exactly what they are.

Post by **RogerRust** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 8:29 am

I've just found this LINK TO SPRITE DATA Hope its useful.

Post by **Packedup** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 4:21 pm

Matt wrote:only 1275 boxes had the reverse light on, as midgets didnt get reverse lights until '68. (1275 started in 67)

My 64 built 1098 has reverse lights.

OK, so it also has a mk3 back end, a random interior and various other things from various other years of Midget production... ;)

Sadly, of all the 1275 items previous owners fitted, the engine wasn't one of them

Post by **bmcecosse** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 8:51 pm

Thanks Roger - that's excellent! So in fact the early Sprite box was WIDE ratio compared to the Minor box, which then held the same closer ratios all through with just the FD changing in the later Spridgets. Presumably the idea was to give the early underpowered Sprite an acceleration boost in the lower gears !