A word of caution :(

[65MK1S]

It's a good idea to always leave the small timing cover plate on the flywheel
cover installed (so the hole is covered). In the late 70's my twin brother and
I had just finished replacing the engine in his MK1 mini and were finishing up
all the extra things to get it done. We were pleased at how quickly it had went
in this time with the radiator fan being installed with the minimum amount
of knuckle skin removed. As I was just finishing with the intake manifold, the
last nut (brass) in my hand, I hit something with that hand and the nut (brass)
dropped out of my hand, hit 4 or 5 things on the way down and finally fell
directly into the timing cover opening!
My brother and I put our young minds together and other than turning the
entire car over to let the nut fall out there was no easy way to retrieve the
nut (brass ) So we ended up taking out the engine again.
I guess we could have left it in the clutch housing but we were worried it
would bind with the flywheel somehow and break something.
Sooooooo, keep the cover on unless you are timing the car

[moita]

Usually people say: learn with our mistakes... But nevertheless also very important to learn with the mistakes of the others

Thank you for sharing

[Peter Laidler]

Another hole to keep covered by any means possible is the square hole on the top of the diff housing where the crank ;ever rotates slightly. JUST big enough to drop an exhaust manifold not that will prevent the gear lever from operating. A REAL bastard because the exhaust and complete remote assembly has to be removed.