Vintage Minor Register

It seems most common for '74' Minor four speed gearboxes to be marked with a 4/17 speedometer ratio but some are marked 3/12. I assume 4/17 is Morris Minor. Is 3/12 associated with the Family Eight?



Are any other speedometer ratios seen on '74' gearboxes ?

That has just triggered my memory, the 4spd Hornet box in my Minor has 3/12 ratio.
Trevor.

The difference between 3/12 and 4/17 viewed simply as fractions does not seem very significant. Is it possible a change in wheel size might have been a factor?

My 1933 season McEvoy has 3/12, and this must have been standard for the season. So is it that the 4-speed boxes were 3/12 and the 3-speed boxes were 4/17?

But then I guess I should have learned by now that life is never that simple.

Could it be that 33 Minors had 19 inch wheels and 34 Minors had 18 inch wheels.

That is exactly correct.

I assume three speeds are 4/17 (is this marked somewhere?) but as you can see four speeds vary. Right hand example is a synchromesh version. I think the one on the left might be yours Ian (I cannot recall where I found the image).Could it be that the non synchromesh four speed was considered more 'sporty' for the McEvoy ? I have never experienced the synchromesh version but I think it is said to be a bit slower in changing gear. Has anyone experience of both?

Sam,

The syncro box was only available on the Minor for the 1934 season, and that's why my '33 season McEvoy has the 4-speed crash box.

It does look like my box, but I'm in the office and the box is in the garage. I'l check tonight.

Yup - that's my gearbox.