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MG MGA - 5 speed right angle speedo adapter

A year or so ago I purchased one of the right angle adapters for my ford 5 speed but never got around to installing it. I'm hoping to find time to do it this weekend. I recall seeing a thread a short time ago where someone had removed material from the edge of the adapter that ends up closest to the tunnel in order to provide a bit more clearance. Of course, now that I'm looking for that thread I can't find it!

Does anybody who has done this, or who remembers that thread, know how much material can safely be trimmed away. If I recall, the casing of the adapter is aluminum so it shouldn't be too difficult to grind down.
Andy Bounsall

Andy

Yes, John Francis here in the UK has done it.

http://www2.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgbbs&access=&mode=archiveth&subject=6&subjectar=6&thread=200912041514106808

Steve
Steve Gyles

Andy

Having typed the link I cannot get it to work for me. The thread is titled: "5 speed right angle speedo drive" dated 4 December 2009.

He has posted a very good picture.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Yes, that's the one. Thanks Steve. I don't know why I couldn't find it before.
Andy Bounsall

Andy

Here's a picture of it out of the car. Incidentally I had to change the shape of my turret to clear the lever mechanism. Its the newer short throw version and I needed to create about 10mm extra height on the rear of the hole in the turret and the gear lever isn't in the centre of the hole. I must be on the extremes of tolerances on it all.

John

John Francis

That's odd John. Mine fits fine with plenty of room. Are you sure you have the gear box cross bar support correctly assembled with the spacers on the correct side etc? Sounds like the back of the box is sitting too high.

Steve
Steve Gyles

John....I had the same problem with the lever mechanism being high when I fitted my 5 speed box about a month or so ago. I cut out the area around to fit a larger MGB rubber lever boot ( it also fits on top rather than through the hole and is bigger ..this follows Peter Gamble advice)) and I also raised the local shroud further using a hard rubber seal insert between the local shroud and the tunnel.
All the mountings for the gearbox etc were correct...so must be just be the MGA generous build tolerances!!..but all works very well and looks good.
For your info I also filed off the corner of the rt angle drive to about the same shape as you show after reading your original thread...gave some very useful extra room....so thanks for advice.
Neil
Neil Ferguson

Mine fits fine also. With the spacers correctly placed and the back of the trans pushed a little to the left (toward the LHD driver) there should be plenty of room.

One friend who got one when I did, also installed the angle drive without any trouble.
Dave McCann

Is this adapter an extra from HI_GEAR? ( part of the kit ) or is it sourced elsewhere?
M THOMPSON

Mark...Hi-Gear can provide ..but better and cheaper to go to the supplier and I will advise name of same supplier as Hi-gear when I get to my files tomorrow...best to do some calcs and /or tests to decide right ratio and you can avoid the reclibration of the speedo.....
Neil
Neil Ferguson

Supplier is Speedograph Richfield. The part you're looking for is here http://www.speedograph-richfield.com/html/rgb1030.html
Andy Bounsall

Steve
Bob West fitted the box in the bare chassis so I am pretty sure it was mounted correctly. I talked it over with Peter G and we came to the conclusion that it was the wide tolerances of the MG build. I have got another example of that with the rear bumper irons. One side sticks out 10mm less than the other through the rear bodywork. The chassis fitted Bob's jig and all the body mount holes matched the chassis perfectly. So it seems the last 4" of body has a 10mm difference and yet the wings look fine. Its very odd and annoying!

My guess is that the same applies to the angle drive. Mine was clear of the tunnel until I rocked the gearbox on the montings. Then it just touched so I wanted to be on the safe side to avoid any possible vibration noises.

John Francis

I spent considerable time in various British factories back in the early/mid sixties ...fabrication,assembley,production lines etc ( when I was a student Mech Eng ). The God ( and best paid ) of these places was the 'Fitter'...his job was to get parts to fit that did not because of poor tolerancing ,marking etc..no one used jigs or templates...just chalk,string,and sometimes a paper or cardboard cutout. The Fitter could align holes by progressively locking up stresses in the steel pieces using 'podging bars' and other brutal leverage tools until the last hole was aligned and the bolt was popped in. I often imagined the poor sod who took those bolts out ...there would be an almighty twang ....
The 'Fitter' never failed to align.
Luckily the MGA is of thinner material and some basic jigs were used and some tolerancing took place but....I would guess that the cumulative tolerances are about plus/minus 5 mm at least over the major dimensions
Neil Ferguson

Mark,

I know that Speedy Cables in Wales do a right angle adaptor, as do Speedograph Richfield (who I think Hi-Gear use). I'm getting by speedo calibrated by Speedy Cables at the mo and have asked them to supply a right angle adaptor to suit, as there are two different ratios, a 1:1 and a 1:1.4, I believe.

cheers,

Grant
G Hudson

This thread was discussed between 14/05/2010 and 19/05/2010

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