Hello every body, I'm not sure what the protocol is for this board so I thought I'd better do some sort of intro. A few weeks back I bought my wife a little Morris Minor 2 door with little a12?? and 4 speed box already in place. Car is now almost in bare steel and it's going to cop a full rebuild with a bunch of improvements, Including hopefully a Draw though turbo setup, depending on passing engineering.
Can anybody tell me how to decode my engine no. so I can find exactly what the motor is, I was only told it was a 1200cc. Thanks. Gene

Welcome,Morris hay had one of them and tried to do the same job when i was a bit younger.Gave up in the end and went back to DATSUNS,its in my blood now

Hey another Brissy boy I haven't been here long either but it seems to be one of the most informed websites on any model car I have found and well set out . Welcome aboard.

On the drivers side of your engine block there will be a A12 (or A14, etc.) stamped into a flat area. Should be easy to locate.

The engine number prefix is the engine model.
These little Datsun engines are known as the "A" series & the two digit number that follows is the nominal engine capacity.
Further, there was a structural re-arangement for 1974, where the distributor was moved from it's original place up front, near No. one cylinder, to a new position beside number three.

In Australia, we saw the A10 [Datsun 1000] with front dizzy
The A12 in the Datsun 1200 [front dizzy] up to '73 The A12 displaced 1171cc
The A12 in 120y & later, the Sunny from '74 onward [revised dizzy position]
The A14 & A15's were all later type engines with the revised dizzy position.

The ones that we didn't see are the A12a. [1237cc & revised dizzy position] & the A13's [two types with diferent bores & strokes] [revised dizzy position]

I hope this helps.
Chris

Thanks Dodgeman. One day you will have to tell me about your 33 3 window.
The only leter in the engine no. is an E and the dizzy is located under no.3 plug towards the rear. The no. is stamped on a machined area under no. 2 plug. How can I tell what the model the box is? I'm guessing it's the original matching box to the motor. Gene..

If this engine is what it is claimed to be, then give the engine number a good clean up & the E will most likely turn out to be a funny looking A.

As for the gearbox, i am not an expert on these, but chances are that it will be the original for the engine.
Chris

sounds like a 120y type a12 with dizzy under cyl 3 and most of them do end in the letter E for some reason.... welcome to the club