MG
The Classic Marque

THANKS cHRIS
REGARDS
Vignes

I have searched for months for the correct seal and it's only available from the Morris Minor Centre. My local bearing/seal shop? No such thing here in medieval Salisbury!

Les

Grey
I used to use rope but since I've had my new big mate, well we don't use anything, just a jack under the bellhousing to stop the box dropping and he just reaches in and hands the motor out------------------lol
willy

Les
The size of the shaft seal isn't really an issue, lots of late model cars run large diameter seals--but-the quality of the seal could be an issue, not all seals are equal-
For a crank seal you need a high temp rated seal and ideally one with a directional sealing surface (anticlock) and have a built in dust lip.
Your local bearing/seal shop should be able to supply the correct seal...

I have bitten the bullet and ordered new pistons from Somerford Mini. Minispares don't have circlip type flat tops that are not oversize.

I was tempted by the used pistons but unless the seller can tell me something about their condition it's not a goer. Yes the rods alone are worth £20, but I already have 1098 rods in the engine and a spare set.

Re engine numbers. I used to thin...

I have used the brackets on rocker cover studs before but then I bought a Clarke 4 way leveller from machine mart. It's a bit rough and ready (chains and eye bolts) but makes the job much easier, especially the refitting stage when you are trying to thread the gearbox in and get mountings lined up.

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cll500-load-leveller/

I attached it to the engine wit...

No Vignes, I don't.

Will certainly be interesting to see how you get on. I suspect the reason more people don't do it is that after investigating the effort they find it's just easier to buy an MX5 :-)

Also, and don't take this personally as I don't know your circumstances at all, but for a young driver with the MX5 you get ABS, airbags, crumple zones etc. Classic sports cars are good fun but they are were haz...

John
Sounds like a good idea to me--

That lump on the r/h side of the Mx box is used for a steel bracket that bolts onto the g/box and the diff to keep them all lined up and it acts as the rear gearbox support as they have no actual normal g/box mounting
If you are going to mount it normally you can dispose of that bit
"I think" the early Mazda FWD 323 had a clutch same spline...

In regard to the problems outlined by Dominic in creating a searchable SPL I would suggest it is not necessary.
The SPL differs from the Workshop Manual in that it has a part number index and a description index.
Any search can be done there.

Mick