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Have just purchased a 1965 mk2 which has a moss gearbox fitted having never driven a mk2 before wasnt really sure what to expect but i would say the gearbox is a definate challenge i,m not sure how good its supposed to be but first to second is very slow and first is a fifty fifty chance of getting either 1st or reverse are the later all syncro boxes available (recon)?are they better?or can my moss box be improved i have just ordered some bushes that look as though they might tighten the gearstick a bit but i,m looking long term i dont really want the expence of a 5 speed conversion so what can i do
This is my first post on this forum and i,m sorry if i have waffled on a bit but any help or ideas would be most welcome
Thanks Bob

Hi Bob

Welcome to Mk2 ownership. Yes, the moss box takes a bit of getting used, really as the book say's, having a slight pause between gears during the change is helpfull. If the box is in good condition, there is not a lot you can do with it, the later full syncromesh boxes hold a good price when available.
Other than first gear being none-syncro, it's just a matter of slowing the change time between gears, bear in mind guy's used to race these cars hard with these boxes, so their not quite as bad is sometimes made out.
Above all learn to enjoy your car for what it is.

Have you driven many old cars? By old I mean 50s/60s - pretty much all of them have the same slow gearboxes in comparison to more recent cars. It maybe worth driving another Mk2 side by side to compare - then try a Austin Cambridge or Hillman Minx (you'll be back in the Jag very quickly).

It's just a case of getting used to it by simply by having a very slight pause between gears - it becomes second nature before long.

In addition to that, a tip given to me by a venerable one (my Father) was if you can't select first or reverse whilst at a stand go into second then first/reverse. That quickly becomes a habit - especially with a lot of BMC gearboxes.

Having been "blessed" with old cars most of my adult life, firstly out of financial necessity then out of sheer stubbornness, I struggled with driving a brand new car. I couldn't get it to go in straight line or accelerate smoothly...

Anyway, that was my excuse.

I learnt to drive in the late 60's with tired old mini's, no brakes so if you couldn't change down you were not going to stop.

When I rebuilt it and put my wreck of a 1961 MkII on the road it had the worn out (97,000 miles) moss box in it. I realised half the fun of my driving was smooth clean gear changes and I couldn't hack the moss box.

I sourced a recon full synchro box with a good overdrive (my old moss box didn't have overdrive) and after initial problems in getting the correct length of clutch release bearing (carbon) it has been a joy to use.

The full synchro box is of the modern variety in than the synchro cones are separate and can be replaced and so the box can be reconned. The moss box that was in my car had the synchro cones as part of the gears so I believe they could not be reconned then (maybe now).

I admit I fitted the later box because of the cost of the 5 speed boxes, I thought that by 1965 they were fitted with full synchro boxes??

Best of luck.

Brian