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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - gear shift lever

The gear shift lever on my '74 1275cc midget is giving me headaches.
The first problem is that it wont stay attached to the rest of the gear box. The lever arm sits in a cup type attachment to the rest of the shifter assembly. It is held in with some sort of compression fitting the looks alot like a test tube stopper with a bolt going through it. The thing that I can not figure out is how to tighten it so that it stays attached. the bolt is at the bottom so it goes into the cup part so I cannot tighten it.

The second problem is that the bolt end on the top which holds the knob on is stripped out, I was thinking either re-threading it to a smaller diameter or just epoxying the know on and leaving it at that.

SB Brecklin

Sounds like you're missing something. The shift lever should be held in by a ring with a slot in it for the lever and three holes for the retaining bolts.

What you're describing sounds like items number 57 & 58 in the illustration below. That keeps the lever from rattling. The ring is the round thing above those with no part number which means that they don't sell it. But I'm sure someone (me among others) can send you one if you need it.


http://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=29287
Martin Washington

that diagram did not look right.
The gearshift lever on mine is in two pieces.
I think that it may be some stupid safety thing.
SB Brecklin

SB, have a look at this diagram - is it the lever on the right that you have?

http://www.moss-europe.co.uk/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=1321

Andrew
Andrew McGee

Yes, that's what I am assuming too - if so it sounds like its broken? Possible I suppose that US spec cars had something different, but the top half of the lever is usually fixed into the cup with the rubber moulding - if it comes out it is broken...
James Bilsland

the one on the right side looks like mine. I dont see how I would fix it. Would I just have to replace it?
SB Brecklin

Later cars had this type of lever, it was an attempt to get rid of gearbox 'buzz'.

It sounds like your lever SB, has broken and your only way forward is to replace it with a new or second hand one. Should be plenty of them about over ther. Just make sure the one you get is NOT from a smooth case box, these are different in the throw.

Mark.
M T Boldry

This thread was discussed between 30/12/2009 and 01/01/2010

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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