Tony Brooks

I am sure it is not but over the years BW have made other marine boxes but none I could find images of looked like this one. It is definitely not a 71C or 72C as far as I can see.

The control quadrant being placed on top of an up-stand seems similar to a PRM 100 (stopped production in 1973) but the bit above the coupling does not. It also seems that the box is mounted at an angle that is typical of PRM.

And I can't see enough of the box to identify it. It looks like no BW box that is normally fitted to 1.5s - a 71 to 72. If I had to guess, I would say that at present it looks more like a TMP hydraulic box. If it is then TMP is still in existence as far as I know (Tideway Marine Products) Kingston on Thames area. In their day they seemed to have a tendency to sheer pop rivets in the clutch assemblies. I think some photos of the box would help identify it Dredging my memory I think the control lever has some similarities to old PRM boxes but the rectangular section above the coupling goes against that.

and if it did slow down, then it may well burn itself out.

I don't think a reverse rotation BMC 1.5 was ever made, unlike some marine engines & Listers, but the gearbox may reverse the prop rotation. Being hydraulic, I don't think you can check the shaft rotation until you get oil pressure in the box so before too long I suggest you get the engine running on the floor to see which way the coupling turns in ahead. Also check with Borg Warner because I think they use epicyclic gears (like automotive auto boxes) so may very well run perfectly happily for long periods in nominal reverse, unlike many other boxes - especially those using sun and planet gears. Once again Mr Morris (as you all Austin and then BMC) did not fit six mounts, the mariniser or Borg Warner did. It is true that when mated to the BMC B type gearbox with reduction box, a huge cast iron thing, an extra set of mounts was fitted. Before you can make an informed decision, you need to find out why and who fitted the extra mounts. The image I found made them look more like thrust mounts than weight supporting mounts, but that is only from a photo that only showed the top of the mounts. If I were not to instal an instrument panel myself I would not be looking for an engineer, I would be looking for a small craft electrician. Not sure how a degree level engineer used to massive engines would take to working on a 1.5. I know they call themselves marine engineers, but they are really boatyard or small craft engineers.

@David Mack TNLI is off on another of his oil things. Although that site does n give you the API spec of the oil the Morris site does and it is API CC so excatly what was originally specified for the 1.5 so should be fine. No need to spend more as long as the API spec has not been forged and I very much doubt Morris would do that.

True re the micro switch, but I think the knob turns the micro switch OFF when set to the off position and on in all other positions. As said earlier in the topic, the igniter in some way detects when the spark gap is in the flame and the turns itself off until the flame fails. Then is sparks again. A misshaped or small pilot flame is known to cause constant sparking, as is a faulty igniter, so as long as it sparks when the nob is in any position but off and it stops sparking when it is off we can conclude the microswitch is working.

That is all good then

If you are stopping charging at 20 amps charge or higher, then you are destroying the batteries by sulphation. You need to go on charging until the current has stopped dropping over about an hour at 14.2volts plus or when the current has dropped to 1 to 2% of batery capacity, again at a voltage of 14.2V or higher

I think the front mounting bolt holes on Velvetdrives are a standard SAE configuration and if so, another box should be a straight bolt on job. However, I have never seen a Velvetdrive with extra mounts on a 1.5, even the ones with the reduction box on the back, but I have seen illustrations with them. Maybe try to find out why they are used and if they are needed in your application. As far as an instrument panel is concerned, unless you know what standard your senders are built to (European or US), you will need to buy the instrument kits, so you may as well make your own. Not difficult if you use thick coloured perspex, aluminium, or "Formica" faced ply. You will need a 52mm/2" hole saw and suitable drills for the warning lamps and switch apertures. Edited to add: Calcutt may sell you a branded one with or without gauges, lamps and switches. Edited again to add: Chertsey Meads Marine seem to deal in second hand engines, so they may have one.