06-06-2018, 12:08 AM
I don't know if the early SV Reliant engines would fit an Austin gearbox, but the later ones will not, using the Reliant box makes life so much easier and the output flange fits the Austin prop shaft, you only need to extend the gear lever and make a pedal box for the clutch cable,the handbrake lever has to be tweeked a bit but you can use the original Reliant gearbox mounting bracket. I have seen one installation where the engine and box were mounted above the chassis on two pieces of 2 inch angle iron across the chassis the front angle iron being bent up at the ends to take the angled rubber engine mounts as simple as that, although to me it did not look right! The engine has to be above the chassis rails to clear the front pulley and the chassis nose piece if you don't want to shorten the prop shaft. Installing the engine between the chassis rails is a little bit more complicated, to give clearance to the sump the engine has to be moved back so the prop has to be shortened, when I installed mine I also moved the steering box back to clear the pre engaged starter this also meant shortening the brake adjuster rod and lengthening the drag link arm, the hand brake lever was also moved backwards, this is fairly easy to do by cutting down the original lever to clear the gearbox and fitting another complete lever assembly to a plate further along the rail and connecting them with an adjustable rod.