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MG MGA - Starter Cover

There is an area on the back of the transmission where the starter sticks thru.

It is clear that there is supposed to be a cover of some sort there as shown by the 3 screw holes.

I cannot find that piece on the Moss website.

Do you all have any suggestions?
T McCarthy

Item 25

http://mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=29235

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve,
Is it possible to fit this to a 1500 low starter tunnel when it has a 1600 high starter engine? If so, does the tunnel have to have some metal added to it to support the cover?
Peter.
P. Tilbury

I don't have a picture of the cover on the trans after it was installed in the car, but here's a photo I happened to shoot during my restoration. It's the transmission laying on it's side and the starter cover can be easily seen.

Larry


LP Pittman

I think you probably mean the metal cover which is fixed to the bell housing. They appear to have been left off at the factory for later models and there isn't a supplier for these as far as I know. Many people don't bother with them. However leaving three threaded holes unfilled troubled me so I made one up from a short length of 2" diameter steel tube. I'll post a photo when I can find it. Cheers Mike
m.j. moore

The piece Steve identifies is the rubber cover that glues to the bump om the transmission tunnel.
In owning 7 different MGAs I have never seen the cover shown by Larry. I was wondering in they ever came with one.
Peter the tunnels are different. Clausanger shows both types on page 69. All 4 transmissions on page 68 are missing the cover in Larry's picture.
R J Brown

There were five different gearboxes used in the MGA. Clausager missed the first one used in over 10,000 cars. See here: http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/gearbox/gt101.htm

The sheet metal starter covers were made in two different models. Very early ones were fabricated as a tube with flat flange and flat outer end, spot welded together (if I recall properly). The later model was one piece stamped with domed end as in Larry's picture.

The metal starter cover was used on early production MGA 1500 models, but may have been discontinued sometime before end of 1500 production. I don't think it was ever used with the high starter gearboxes in MGA cars, and for sure it cannot be attached to the MGA 1600-MK-II gearbox. It may have been used with high starter gearboxes in other (non-MGA) vehicles.

In the late 1960's I owned three MGA, 1956, 1957, 1958 cars, all low starter position models. The '56 car had the flat end cover. The '57 car had the domed end cover. The 58 car had no cover, but it also had an engine transplant, so an original cover may have been tossed out at that time.

The original purpose of this cover was apparently to keep road debris out of the bell housing. I seriously doubt there was any concern for keeping peoples' fingers out of the works in those days. This cover is often damaged during R&R of the engine by smashing the cover on the chassis tunnel (more so the earlier cover with flat end and sharp corners). Most people find the cover more bother than benefit and simply leave it off. In recent decades I have driven my current MGA more than 200,000 miles without any starter drive cover, certainly more than 10,000 miles on gravel roads, and no problem. I suspect the factory came to similar conclusion and dropped the cover as a cost reduction around 1958.
Barney Gaylord

The picture in the Moss book is I believe the rubber cover that goes inside the car to finish off the hump in the trans tunnel
gary starr

I had the domed cover on mine and it rattled against the floor board. I don't know if it was the original drive train but it was a low starter gearbox. Drove me nuts. Took it off when I had everything out and tossed it in a box. No more rattles-at least from that.
Tom Baker



I found a starter cover on an old Standard motors tranny, tried it on my MG tranny. the screw holes lined up OK , so I put it on , but when I bolted everything to-gether, the thing was too shallow & impinged on the 'Bendix'
It was one Hxxx of a job getting it out once the engine & tranny was installed. A lesson learned, try the starter before installing . I finally made a special tool to remove the bolts that held it in.

Anyone needing a Triumph, Standard, bendix cover. I have one. Rod.
R.A. Gregg

I used to have one of the domed version of these. I fitted it in a rash moment when I had the engine out. I removed it as the first task the next time I took the engine out again, just in case I forgot and put it back in again..... It clattered on the lower floorboard rail when the engine ran, and you can't get at the screws to remove it easily when the engine is in the car. I've never seen any negative effects from not having it fitted, and as Tom say, it drove me nuts when it was on the car.

I have a 1500 low-starter gearbox. So it had at much clearance as it was ever going to have.

I sold it on ebay this last summer.
dominic clancy

Sorry Tyson, misunderstood the question. I thought I had given you the right answer at post 2 and was somewhat surprised to see 10 responses when I switched on today! Amazing what you learn. Just been out to look at my box lying redundant in the corner of the garage, 1958 1500, and no cover, but the 3 screw holes as described.

Steve
Steve Gyles

If you're not put off by the previous comments here's the one I made from a piece of 16 gauge tube left over from repairing the frame front cross member. Mike
m.j. moore

Here it is!


m.j. moore

I should have been clearer. I have a low starter tunnel which has a small cutout on its right front edge. I need to convert this to a high starter tunnel with the metal/rubber bulge. Clausager has a good photo of the tunnels in his book, but neither this nor the parts book, show how the metal/rubber hump is fixed to the tunnel and the floor boards.
I am not referring to the cover that might be fitted to the bell housing.
Anyone done this mod when the starter goes to the higher position?
Peter.
P. Tilbury

Peter

I converted my 1500 tunnel box to the high starter position when I fitted the 5-speed. It's 8 years ago now but I think it was Bob West who supplied me with a metal 'hump' that I welded into position on the tunnel. It certainly was not rubber. I also had to cut the toe floor board slightly to fit. None of it was any hassle. If you wish I can enquire if he still supplies the item.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve,
That's exactly what I need. Please check with Bob West if he has this piece, and the price. I can then contact him to send this to me.
Thanks very much. (You can email me directly,if you wish).
Peter.
P. Tilbury

This thread was discussed between 01/10/2008 and 03/10/2008

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