Know what holds
the engine in.
The original parts book shows two front rubber mounts, handed front brackets, two rear gearbox supports and a separate North American restraint. A chassis-number change alters which front rubber is listed. The present 3D engine has no verified mount locations, so use this page to identify and measure the fitted system before planning a lift or ordering parts.
The photographed GU47T 006117P front-panel code and FP4025UE engine stamp do not establish the GAN6 chassis sequence used by the factory mount change points. Find and photograph the separate GAN6 chassis identifier. Do not use a calendar year alone to choose CHA280 or CHA565.
The owner’s IMG_6897 locator view ↗ marks a possible filter-side front mount area behind a cross-car tube. It is a way to find the area on the car; the rubber, part number, hole centers and hidden joints cannot be verified in that photograph. Capture wide and square-on views with a ruler in the bracket plane before using it for CAD.
Factory front mounting groups
The diagram shows the relationship in the parts plate, not mounting coordinates, fastener access or a removal order.
Before GAN6-166304
The factory list calls for two CHA280 front rubber mounts, one each side. Their exact fitted form and dimensions have not been checked on this car.
GAN6-166304 onward
The list changes to two CHA565 front rubber mounts. Rimmer also restricts CHA565 to models from VIN 166304. A modern listing for all “1975–79” cars does not resolve this change point.
| Factory item | Part and count | What to check on this car |
|---|---|---|
| Front bracket | CHA257 right, CHA258 left; one each | Mark left and right as seen on the vehicle; photograph their shape, frame attachments and engine-facing connection. |
| Front rubber | CHA280 before change point, or CHA565 from GAN6-166304; two | Confirm chassis sequence, fitted shape, markings and stud arrangement before ordering. |
| Rubber to bracket | Four NH605041 nuts and four WL600051 lock washers | Photograph both sides and record missing or changed hardware. |
| Bracket to frame | Six SH605071 screws, six WA108051 plain washers and six WL600051 spring washers | Record actual access and frame condition; the drawing does not give coordinates or tightening values. |
| Rubber to engine | SH606101 right, SH606081 left; one each, with WC110061 washers and 53K1663 nuts | Keep the different right/left screw references distinct. Verify fitted thread and length during a planned service. |
Rear support and North American restraint
The same factory plate lists rear bracket CHA266 and two rear rubber supports: 122689 before its later change point or CHA615 from GAN6-176236. It also lists a North American engine-restraint cable CHA463, restraint CHA487, and two CHA488 rubber pieces. The plate establishes their parts and relationships, but does not prove the restraint is still installed on this car. MGOC's mounting guide notes that some very early 1500 cars may lack a gearbox restraint; inspect rather than assume.
Factory access sequence to compare
Workshop manual PDF p. 9, printed p. 82 ↗ has separate left- and right-hand front mounting operations, 12.45.01 and 12.45.03. The scanned page is headed U.K. specification. Its access steps are useful landmarks, but the applicable North American procedure and any emissions or exhaust differences must be checked before work on this car.
Left-hand mount · 12.45.01
The manual first removes the fan guard and supports the engine. It then separates the mount from the body bracket and engine foot before raising the engine enough to remove the mount. Its printed sequence does not define a safe support point or lifting height.
Right-hand mount · 12.45.03
The manual first loosens the exhaust manifold-to-pipe joint, removes the fan guard and supports the engine. It separates the engine-foot fastener and the two body-bracket fasteners before raising the engine. Check the actual exhaust, shield and fastener access on this car; the left and right jobs have different obstructions.
These are condensed reading notes, not a standalone removal procedure. Use the complete applicable manual page, confirm the fitted parts and obtain support and tightening instructions before loosening either mount.
Capture the geometry the STEP lacks
- Photograph the GAN6 chassis identifier and each front mount from above and, with the car safely supported, from below. Keep the GU47T front-panel and FP engine numbers in separate fields.
- Photograph the left and right bracket, rubber, every accessible fastener head, and the adjacent frame. Include one wide view that shows how each part attaches.
- Record cracks, rubber-to-metal separation, oil contamination, sag, corrosion or contact marks. Record what cannot be seen without disassembly.
- For a future 1:1 CAD build, measure the bracket holes center to center, rubber free and installed thickness, stud centers and projections, and the three-dimensional positions of those features relative to the crank centerline and the front engine-plate face. State each datum and whether the engine was loaded on its mounts.
- Photograph the rear bracket, both rear rubbers, crossmember and restraint cable/bushes. Record any evidence of gearbox-to-tunnel contact.
- Before loosening a mount, identify the applicable complete workshop removal/refit procedure, lifting/support points and tightening values. The parts plate supplies none of those instructions.
The downloadable STEP currently stops at the engine assembly; it does not contain measured front brackets, rubbers, frame, rear gearbox supports or a validated engine-withdrawal path. The front change point and rear supports belong in the parts plan now, while the mounting geometry needs direct evidence from this car.