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MG MGA - Best 5sp Conversions

Who makes the best 5sp conversion packages?

I'm leaning towards the "MG Five Speed Company". Their package comes with everything needed including a quickshift shifter. They also mention no mods to the tunnel are necessary.

Moss's version is the same price but they don't mention the quick shift or whether mods are necessary.

Are these the same package?

Any other sources I should be looking at?

Thanks
Bruce


B Suelzle

Have a look at:

http://www.hi-gearengineering.co.uk/



Mick
M F Anderson

Bruce..I went through the same deliberations some months ago and settled on the Hi-Gear company in UK referenced by Mick above...reasons....
.....they make most of the conversion kit components and recondition the Ford Type 5 gearboxes
.....the Moss kit looks identical..I believe they just market the Hi-Gear kit with a big markup ( US$3100. Most if not all the companies using the Type 5 gearbox seem to be doing the same.
......as a result of the above and a very favorable exchange rate ( the UK pound is on the floor..esp v the oz dollar ) the Hi-Gear kit is by far cheaper.
......They sent it all to Australia for me and the total incl transport was about 1500 Pounds (about US$2500 ) incl the standard ratio Type 5 gearbox and right angle speedo offtake .
......Guy who runs the company is Peter Gamble and he prefers phone and fax for coms..but basic advice is on the net. He said he had done thousands of these units for various Mgs. He was very helpful and delivered on time with good info on installation etc. well packaged and parts all look very well made.

I will be installing sometime in next few months and only change I would make to the way I went about it is to get the speedo take off direct from the supplier, www.speedograph-richfield.com, another Uk company. They provide various ratio right angle speedo offtake adaptors from the gearbox and can supply one that obviates the need to recalibrate the speedo. They are another very helpful company and they exchanged the unit I had bought via Hi-Gear just for the cost of transport..
Good luck...
Neil
PS get a reverse light switch as well and fit during the gear box installation.
Neil Ferguson

Thanks Neil, Mick. Appreciate the info.

I will call Peter, I guess shipping could be the show stopper.

-Cheers
B Suelzle

Peter charged me 188 pounds for all packing and shipping costs..I was quite astounded as I expected about 2 or 3 times the amount as the kit is heavy for airfreight...this cost is included in the fig I gave you ..1500 pounds.
Check about import costs in to Canada..handling and customs etcon arrival..as there are always a lot of hands out to get a cut..
Talk to Peter ...I did quite a few times ..and he is unhurried and helpful as he has done the manufacture and shipping worldwide many times. I dont think he does much else than thrse conversion kits ..
Neil
Neil Ferguson

"handling and customs etcon arrival"
Yes, I've been surprised in the past at the cut these guys make, brokers fee can be $35 on a 10 dollar package...it truly is astounding! (Although this ratio should make more sence on a higher priced package).
I've gotten around this by having packages from the States shipped just across the border (state side), and I hop over every so often for pick up, great system.
Though I am worried about what they have in store for me for goods from across the pond...I hate the "open hand policy"
-Bruce

B Suelzle

Bruce...A painful comparison...
...Peter Gamble packaged the kit ,sent to airport using airport transfers sevenoaks,exported and had the whole thing transported to Melbourne..a distance of 14000km ..for 188 UK pounds( equiv to A$360 approx).
...The monopoly airport parasites then took over and got it the last 400m for me to pick up for A$585 ( incl A$266 tax..the rest FEES )...I even had to load it myself in to my car ..
Luckily the Oz dollar exchange rate still worked for me and the total cost of about A$3100 was still well below a Moss Uk or US purchase of the same kit for about A$3500 plus transport and tax and and.....prob A$4500 all up.
Too many middle men adding zilch but getting a cut!!
Good luck....
Neil Ferguson

I purchased a Hi-Gear kit directly from Peter Gamble; had it shipped to the U.S. His complete instructions made it very easy to install; I did it in a day with the help of two friends. I have been driving the car (a “normal” 1600) for over two years and love how it drives.
David Werblow

Peter's after sales service is also very good. I bought his basic conversion via Bob West and sourced my own gearbox. When I subsequently had a speedo offtake drive problem with the gearbox Peter was most helpful with advice and supplied the replacement part. Geat company to deal with.

I have been using the system for one month short of 10 years. I have the long throw lever but looking to convert to the shorter version.

Steve

Steve Gyles

Thanks for the input Guys.
I love dealing with professionals, and it looks like Hi-Gear is the way to go!

Cheers
B Suelzle

Order your conversion sooner rather than later as the pound is beginning to strengthen against the dollar and the Euro.

I wonder if this will also affect UK MGA prices as the current high values are due mainly to the weakness of the pound against the Euro, with many cars being bought by European buyers.

A few months ago the pound was almost 1 to 1 with the Euro. It is now 1.15 and forecast to rise to between 1.25 and 1.28 during the second half of the year. Our Parliament General Election may cause a dip in the run up to May, but after that it is forecast upwards.

Steve
Steve Gyles

This thread was discussed between 18/01/2010 and 21/01/2010

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This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.