Hi everyone,
I have a few questions regarding my situation at present.
Ive had my 1964 850 van on the road for quite some time now and recently aquired an A+ 998 engine that im looking at putting in my van to replace an ageing 850cc unit.
The A+ engine and gearbox was from a 1988 rover mini.
What I basically want is to keep my van original as possible and keep my magic wand gear shifter - is this possible?
Im not really keen on cutting holes in an original car to mount a rod change shift mechanism.
Obvioulsy id end up putting 7.5" discs up front as well just for safety reasons with a bigger engine.

Has anyone else gone down this path wanting to retain the magic wand shifter with a late model engine.

Thanks in advance folks

You can fit a magic wand or `puddin' stirrer to remote shift boxes, however not with a rodchange box.
Fitting a rodchange Moke shifter assembly gets it a bit further forward, but there's no way it's going where the magic wand is.
You would still need to cut a hole, = may as well cut one further back for the Rover rodchange shifter.

If you really want to keep it where it belongs, I'd stick the A+ motor on top of a Mini K/1098 van remote box, with a puddin' stirrer shift setup. This way you still get a 4 synchro box instead of the 850's antique 3 synchro, which are getting harder to find parts for.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Could you modify a rod change selector to be extra short and then make a longer gear stick?

Late Moke rods are already cut pretty short, IMO there's not enough room to get the shift almost hard up against the diff housing, as the magic wand is.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

You know, with a bit of thinking you could probably adapt a lever straight onto the rod.

Just bolt the 998 onto the 850 gearbox.

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Have a Nice Day.
If already having a nice day please disregard.

Will go down this road I'm thinking. Anything I should be aware of when doing this?

Strip, clean and rebuild the 850 gearbox.

Another way- put your 850's shift and diff housing on the back of a Mini K etc remote box. This way you get a 4 synchro box not 3, and (some) parts are easier to find.
You need to bolt the diff housing to the box and check the bearing location bores are round and correct size. Some minor machining of the diff housing may be needed, but this mod (or the opposite) has been done many times, even by me.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Just the fact that it's still a 3 synchro box.

If you can live with that, then no worries at all.

Enjoy the mod, and don't forget to keep the engine wrapped up and clean if it's a matching number!
Hopefully one day these things will be worth good money.

Get one of those kits that allows the rod change shifter assembly to sit inside the car above the floor. The rod passes through the 850 hole in the floor (I think).

As far as I recall the kit is just a bent steady rod and an actuating rod with a couple of uni joints in it.

M

KAD do one.
http://www.kentautodevelopments.com/shop/product/kad-internal-gear-linkage-kit