Archev
Prominent Member
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2021
- Messages
- 2,254
- Reaction score
- 3,691
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- Location
- Borowstouness
- Driving
- Not an MG
Luxury !Oh yes - I remember it very well !.
The old gear change was like a total bucket of snot.
When the engine stabilizer bushes where worn, the gear stick would almost disappear through the floor, as you changed from first to second gear !.
The first gear was a total crash gear with no synchromesh at all, so you would have to crash it into gear, if the car was still moving, as you pulled up to the traffic lights.
As a result of this, the first gear would become badly worn and very noisy.
The car would make a hell of a knocking noise through the transmission while pulling away, then it would make a loud "Bang" as it jumped out of gear !.
All these metal filings would be then sucked up via the oil pump and then the crap was sent via the oil pump and then on to the crankshaft bearings.
The oil pressure was affected and the crankshaft would rattle it's brains out.
End result, car require a new engine and a new gearbox of course.
I have lost count of how many of these I have pulled out in my younger days !.
The early Mini's had a stater solenoid button, that was located next to the gear.
It was activated by pressing down on the rubber button and it would then activate the starter motor.
They did have a cabin heater, but they where crap !.
The windscreen wipers did a good job of cleaning the glass AND the scuttle panel and would over shoot the sides of the windscreen, because there was that much free play in the wiper mechanism.
Arahhhh .... Great times, happy days ( I think ).
Very basic, but basically sh*te.
We garaged ours in a cardboard box and harnessed it to the dog as a range extender.