1850 O/D gear lever problem ?

[MIG Wielder]

Admittedly I've been driving the MGB a bit recently but yesterday I got straight out of the MGB into the 1850 and one thing I noticed was that the 1850 O/D gear lever appears to be offset to the left !
It still changes O.K. and the engine mounts are good.
( If the n/s engine mount had broken I can see the engine would tilt leftwards for instance ).
Has it always been like this and I've not noticed or maybe I've just got used to it ?
I've taken a photo with the gear-lever in Reverse and it lines up exactly with the centre line of the handbrake lever.
If you have a single rail O.D box, is yours like this please ?

Thanks,
Tony.

[Carledo]

I don't know whether you've noticed that the base of the lever (and the gaiter and it's fitting in the tunnel) are displaced to the right. This is correct and normal. My memory says that the lever is also displaced slightly right, at least on a RHD car. But it's been some time since I was up close and personal with a single rail 1850 for any length of time.

It may be a silly question, but is it possible to reverse the fit of the lever in the extension housing (ie upside down and back to front) and would that make a difference? A little voice tells me that the LHD cars had the offset to the left and that'd be a cheap way to achieve it, if it's possible! Or maybe you have a LHD gearstick!

Steve

[soe8m]

No, we have to lean to right a bit when gearchanging.

Jeroen

[Bumpa]

I photographed mine today for the insurance valuation. It is a 1977 1850HL with single rail box and O/D. The photo isn't taken from the centre of the car but clearly shows the lever leaning over to the left. The car is in neutral, as you can see (look at the tachometer) - the engine is running!