TRANSMISSION

Expect a bit of whine and synchro that’s a little tired, although the early four-speed ‘boxes don’t have synchromesh on first gear anyway, but don’t ignore worn, rumbling bearings or any jumping out of gear. Interchanging the early floor-mounted gearbox with the later, superior unit is possible, although it necessitates the use of the matching propshaft. Column change is rarer and it doesn’t take much wear to knock it out of sync, the usual cause being the scarce anti-vibration rubber linkage components that connect the gearbox and column stalk becoming brittle.