Wilsons Sandbox

Tom I faced a similar situation a few years back. My transmission was missing, so one step worse than your situation. I found a transmission through Phil Marino and he rebuilt it. (most excellent tranny by the way). I had considered doing the 5 speed up to that point. Further, I installed Roger F.'s 4.68 CWP with new bearings and modern pinion bearings in place of the original brass cage rollers. Now having driven the TC for 3 1/2 years, I am glad I went this route. The ratio is such to allow reasonable cruising and maintain ample pulling power. The transmission helps make the feel of the car. I know the datsun conversion would drive nicer, but the original feel is nice. The trade off may be price. Rebuilding your rearend will be expensive with a new ratio!! I believe the 4.22 will be too tall, but other ratios can be found, and this would be much cheaper. I believe some have used the 4.22 ratio for long cross country tours, but if you drive around town, I would think it would be irritating. However, I must say, living on the West coast of the US, with vast open roads, I would not have gone back stock with the 5.12 CWP. I would have done the 5 speed conversion or gone with one of the Morris rearend pumpkins if I was not able to get the 4.68 CWP from Roger. Good luck Joe Potter In a message dated 10/3/2001 4:08:28 PM Pacific Daylight Time, Tombutlercpa@cs.com writes:

I have been looking into repairing the differential on my 1947 TC. It should be noted that I wish to have a correct looking TC that is very drivable. I have been refereed to a Datsun B210 5 speed conversion from Skyhook engineering in the USA. Does any one have any experience with this kit or comments related to this topic. My transmission is noisy and puts out a good deal of heat. I read the article in the T ABC web site on pumpkins. A local British car junk yard has a 9/38 pumpkin in good shape for $350.00. Any other leads? What gear ratios seem to work best? Thanks in advance for all your good insights and the benefit of your experiences.

G'day Tom. If you can find one, a 4.8:1 crown wheel & pinion from a TA is a step in the right direction for a TC. The piston speed of the XPAG engine at highway speeds is frightening, so anything you can do to to get it down is a plus. However the std. diff arrangement of TA - TC is a bit of a time bomb -- if the pinion bearings give up the ghost there's nothing to stop the pinion feeding back into the crown wheel.... with disastrous results. I have some impressive 'paper-weights' . As most TC's are now giving more horsepower than when new,(or if you're on 16" wheels) maybe the move to a 4.5:1 centre from a Morris Minor 1000 is the way to go (Make sure its from a '1000' for the earlier 8hp. Minor was the same ratio as the TC's 5.125:1). Its a relatively simple machining and fitting job to complete the conversion - I think TA Terry did a good description some time ago job of what's involved. No doubt the purists will be up in arms, so tell them to get out from under your car! Noisey and hot transmissions - are you running a gearbox cover? Even with this flimsey thing in place, its amazing how much noise it supresses. The heat you mention - climb under any car thats just been driven and see how hot that can be. Maybe things aren't all that desperate on your TC. Regards Jeff

----- Original Message ----- [b]From:[/b] Tombutlercpa@cs.com [b]To:[/b] FDShade@aol.com ; mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com [b]Sent:[/b] Thursday, October 04, 2001 9:05 AM [b]Subject:[/b] [mg-tabc] Transmissions and pumkins I have been looking into repairing the differential on my 1947 TC. It should be noted that I wish to have a correct looking TC that is very drivable. I have been refereed to a Datsun B210 5 speed conversion from Skyhook engineering in the USA. Does any one have any experience with this kit or comments related to this topic. My transmission is noisy and puts out a good deal of heat. I read the article in the T ABC web site on pumpkins. A local British car junk yard has a 9/38 pumpkin in good shape for $350.00. Any other leads? What gear ratios seem to work best? Thanks in advance for all your good insights and the benefit of your experiences. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

Actually the Morris 1000 diff ratio is 4.555 ( 9/41 ). The numbers 9/41 should be stamped on a flat area of the carrier at about 1:00 o clock, facing forward. Please note the distance from axle centerline to pumpkin flange is DIFFERENT between the TC and the Morris 1000, hence some metal must be machined off the Morris diff to reduce this dimension. Also, the Morris diff needs a bunch of holes redrilled to match the TC mounting. Same comments apply to Sprite/Midget 4.22 ( 9/38 ) ratio and anyway this is probably too low for most general use.

All in all, I would rebuild a TC diff with 4.625 ( 8/37 ) ratio and install tapered roller bearings.

If you go the higher ratio, there should be no need for an overdrive, either bolt-on or 5 speed gearbox. The TC box is one of the nicest and strongest gearboxes ever installed into MGs.

Bob

Look for a Morris 4.66 pumpkin. I believe you will find directions for installation on the T-ABC web site. The TA has a 4.875 ratio if you can find one. I too considered the five speed but decided not to. A friend has an overdrive in his Mode AA dumptruck(?) that is put together locally for different cars. He says he's going to do one for his newly purchased TC. I Will keep the list posted.

I have been looking into repairing the differential on my 1947 TC. It should be noted that I wish to have a correct looking TC that is very drivable.

Good idea!!

I have been refereed to a Datsun B210 5 speed conversion from Skyhook engineering in the USA. Does any one have any experience with this kit or comments related to this topic. My transmission is noisy and puts out a good deal of heat.

Repair the TC gearbox, probably not much wrong with it.! Much cheaper and keep it more original for better long term value.

I read the article in the T ABC web site on pumpkins. A local British car junk yard has a 9/38 pumpkin in good shape for $350.00. Any other leads? What gear ratios seem to work best?

This is a rip-off. Cost should be half that amount, or less. Also 4.22 ( 9/38) is too high a ratio for general use ( IMHO ). Use a 4.55 Morris 1000 diff or 4.625 MG TC gears in TC housing. Any of these ratios will work well with the direct through fourth gear of the TC. A 5th O/D gear from a @^%$^&*#@* will be too high with anything other than a stock TC 5.125 ratio rear end ( again, IMHO )..

Thanks in advance for all your good insights and the benefit of your experiences.

Your welcome.

Bob

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

Hi Tom, I have a Morris 4.55 pumpkin. I have machined a little off the flange to help the center-line alignment, re-drilled the flange to fit the TC bolt pattern (used a jig) and enlarged the axle holes a few thou' to accept the TC axles. It just needs the TC spider gears installed and aside from that is ready to bolt in. If you are interested, send me an e-mail. Price is $225 US$$$$$. I also have a 4.22 pumpkin, but I think it is a little too tall for a TC. I completely agree with Bob G. concerning the rebuild of a TC gearbox over replacement with a 5 speed. I have never seen a TC gearbox that needed anything except bearings and synchro's replaced which is way cheaper (and better, in my opinion) than the 5-speed conversion. That being said, I am thinking of putting a non-overdrive 140 series Volvo gearbox in my "Frankenstein" TC. This is a car I am building up from parts that I have collected over the years and, at this stage, the price and availability of a TC gearbox is out of reach. The plan is to use the Volvo gearbox, a Morris 4.55 pumpkin, and Morris axles. The axles will have a taper and thread machined on the outboard ends to fit a TC hub with the internal splines replaced with a matching taper. Any thoughts on this idea would be appreciated. Also, before I receive a barrage of negative comments about using non-TC parts, let me point out that the process that I am going through with this car will in fact salvage a TC that otherwise would have languished as parts stored in a large variety of garages and workshops throughout the world. Anyone out there have a chassis for sale? Mine is quite bent. Hugh Pite

----- Original Message ----- [b]From:[/b] Tombutlercpa@cs.com [b]To:[/b] FDShade@aol.com ; mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com [b]Sent:[/b] Wednesday, October 03, 2001 4:05 PM [b]Subject:[/b] [mg-tabc] Transmissions and pumkins I have been looking into repairing the differential on my 1947 TC. It should be noted that I wish to have a correct looking TC that is very drivable. I have been refereed to a Datsun B210 5 speed conversion from Skyhook engineering in the USA. Does any one have any experience with this kit or comments related to this topic. My transmission is noisy and puts out a good deal of heat. I read the article in the T ABC web site on pumpkins. A local British car junk yard has a 9/38 pumpkin in good shape for $350.00. Any other leads? What gear ratios seem to work best? Thanks in advance for all your good insights and the benefit of your experiences. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.