Well, as the seasons change and the days get awfully short, CooperRoadMini retreats into the R&D basement. We have space to leave half a dozen gearboxes taken apart all over the bench top and parts cleaner while we contemplate the next big improvement!

And here it is!   Years ago, I figured out that the 3-synchro remote gearboxes’ 1st/2nd brass shift-fork could be lightly clearanced to work in the 4-synchro 22G1128… probably when I didn’t have a good 22G889 (the “correct” 4-sync shift-fork), and cost of a new one was heading north of $150.  I made the mod whenever I could not come up with a good one.  I’ve noticed that the 22A611 3-sync shift fork is a much stouter casting and provides about 30% MORE brass in contact with the collar on the 1st/2nd hub slider…. Have a look at the video below.

In this case, I pulled the fork out of the old Moke 3-sync box, and it was in perfect condition, unlike most of the 4-sync versions which are usually knackered!   As our Moke is still using the “magic wand” shift linkage, this mod should really tighten up the stick-in-the-mud feeling that people expect with the magic wand!   The reader will kindly recall that our first gearbox suffered an idler bearing failure which destroyed the case and flywheel housing after about 750 miles, just when it was breaking in and shifting beautifully.   With our new case, we’ll be installing a full set of A+ standard ratio gears, modifying the case to accept the three-step layshaft.  We’ll keep the 3.44 final drive as it provided the perfect balance of acceleration and cruising speed for the Moke.