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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Easy fit 5 speed?

My project 73 midget currently has a ribcase gearbox ready to fit.
I would like to fit a 5 speed box but without any cutting of the crossmember. ( I have a type 9 in my 65 Sprite).
So, are there any 5 speed boxes that will bolt straight onto the back of a 1275 engine, obviously via a adapter plate but with no cutting?
Bernie.
b higginson

We have just fitted James Barratt's Jimny kit, nice fit and little getting required.

The Nissan/Datsun B310 fits without body mods but are getting hard to find. Rivergate do a kit.

Toyota Starlet also fits without body changes, but is a tight fit going into place and the crank pulley has to be off during R&R.

For both the Rivergate and Jimny versions we found it best to take a 1" slice out of the (removable) cowling around the gear lever so it's aperture was closer to the gear lever's pivot point, this reducing how much the gear lever is moving the boot around.
Paul Walbran

You will find everthing you need on the Barratt Engineering website.

If you decide on the Type 9 route I purchased my kit from Thomas Turner. He advertises on eBay. The kit cost me £700 delivered and the quality is absolutely first class. It includes box section strengtheners which some, more expensive, kits don't have. Thomas was very helpful with any queries I had. The only extra parts I had to buy were the gear box, gear oil and an angle drive for the speedo. The angle drive isn't essential but is adviseable. The whole job cost me about £1200

Jan T
J Targosz

Bernie, didn't Mike Bennett in the past have a Toyota T50 gearbox in his IOW Sprite?
There is one on ebay but it's just the bare gearbox.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/176042742295

Although I think it would be easier to mate the T50 to a Toyota Twincam engine.

Rob
MG Moneypit

Rob. I think the IOW Frogeyes only use the front H section, the rest is a space frame, so I don’t think any cutting is involved no matter which ‘box is fitted.
Bernie.
b higginson

The Toyota T50 gearbox requires some cutting of the cross member, lowered by about 30mm and shifted back slightly as I recall. They're pretty rare boxes now and the bell housing kit to fit them to an A series is long gone. I have one in a Frogeye. The Starlet box fitted with no chopping and was quite nice, I used one in a MkIV, it required a modified back plate and the clutch arm was a bit of a faff to sort. They aren't common now either.
I probably preferred both to the Ford T9 I have in a MkIV now.
Paul MkIMkIV

This thread was discussed between 26/11/2023 and 14/12/2023

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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