Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) 1978 4/4 Gearstick

My first post.

A fun story, but a long one for later.

Bought a 1978 4/4 4 seater from a mate, after a long love affair with the marque. Driving her home, got 10km, with the world’s biggest smile on my dial. Gearstick comes adrift, not smiling anymore. Back to my mates on the back of a truck. Open her up and the nylon ball has disintegrated. Been lurking here for a bit, and find it is not unheard of.

Source a new stick here in Australia for an Escort Mk1. All looking good, but the screw fitting to the gearbox is way too small. No return on the part, and probably paid too much. I just want/wanted to bring her home.

Can anyone point me in the right direction as to what stick I should look for, I (and my mate) are lost

Not sure what gearbox you have, but give QUAIFE a look. I installed one of their "Caterham" short throw shifters on the T9 five speed in our '64 4/4 and it's a vast improvement. The old shifter was very vague, sort of felt like a broomstick in a bucket of oatmeal. The Quaife unit has a very precise action. They may have dealers in Australia...

As said - depends on what gearbox you have - if it's a 5 speed it's probably a Type 9, otherwise a 4 speed would probably be a Type E.

You can buy new short shifters for each from Burton Power and others, or get secondhand from eBay. I couldn't get on with a short shift as the gate was too close, but others find them OK.

If it is a 1978 4/4 it is likely a Ford 1600 drive train unless someone has done a transplant on the car. I had the same problem with my 1981 4/4 (same Ford) and sourced one from a Lotus shop here in the US. It wasn't easy to find. The Ford 1600cc engine was used by the racing community for the Formula Ford race spec. No longer a current race spec.

So someone who may have serviced them might have something.
Best of Luck!

Cheers,
Mark

Thanks everyone, pretty sure my problem is the same as the one PaulyG detailed in this thread

http://www.talkmorgan.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/634847/2

At least the stick looks the same...

So now to find a part.

If it's a 4 speed gearbox, then replacements are available: eBay

You will need to get the top bit bent and rewelded as the profile of the lever is unique to Morgan I believe.

Look at Burton Power website, they will have everything you need to repair.

Thanks one and all, I have ordered something which hopefully will solve the problem will report back when it arrives

Part arrived, and all is well. The guy from https://www.yesterford.com/ is highly recommended, knows his stuff, and the parts catalogs he has for these old motors and gearboxes is astonishing. Thanks for all the help here I’m sure I’ll need more, but for now Molly is home, and I am smiling.

Should have also mentioned, the stick come in 2 thread sizes for the coupling to the gearbox (only 43mm for Morgan’s), 41 odd mm and 43 odd mm, and of course the first one we got was the smaller one. Yesterford supplied the right one in metal, not plastic, obviously they’ve seen it before.

Also, Beware people trying to rip you off on old parts.the first stick we bought was 5 times the right price, nuff said