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1500 gearbox....Marina?

To: triumphs@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: 1500 gearbox....Marina?
From: tom.omalley@channel1.com
Date: Sat, 16 Aug 1997 02:59:25 GMT
>>   The Midget 1500s specify gear oil as well. Although they
>> have triumph engines, the gearboxes are Morris-Marina
>> derivatives.

>Hmmm. I thought the gearbox on a 1500 Midget was a soitfire unit....

Nah...they're all triumph boxes actually.  Apparantly one of the more
stormy "rationalisations" <sp> happening at British Leyland in the
early 70's was the need to select a gearbox for the soon to be
introduced Morris Marina.  This was a bread & butter, rear wheel drive
economy car not unlike a Toyota Corolla.

British Phlegm-Sucking Leyland <apologys to Scott Fisher> decided to
invest close to L500,000.00 to modify the small chassis Triumph box
for the new car...apparantly against the advice of several engineers
who argued that it would not be up to the task.

This particular car did *not* do well at all in the durability
department as I understand, and the gearbox is a known trouble spot.

The new box also appeared in the Spitfire and Midget 1500s where
it fared *somewhat* better.

Tom O'Malley <who just finished rebuilding his "Marina box">  
'74, '77 Spits


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