I've just noticed today my car is very rattly / clattery when it is in neutral with clutch out as it would normally be. It sounds like a small bolt bouncing around somewhere in the clutch cover area or where the drop gears are.
With the clutch in the noise goes away, and you wouldn't think anything was wrong.
Engine is 1275 A+.

So the question is: is this completely normal, common, random, or a problem?

Thanks.

Too much primary gear or idler gear endfloat = backlash in the gears at idle. Particularly if you have a bigger cam and lighter flywheel.

Many late Rovers had too much idler endfloat as when built they were running out of thicker thrust washers and just used whatever they had.

Increase idle speed, it should then go away if it's this. if it doesn't it's maybe a bad bearing somewhere in there.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

The noise goes when the revs pick up, but then I wasn't sure if the noise is gone or just covered up by the exhaust.
Is it a problem that should be fixed, or is it okay to leave it, and see if it gets worse?

If it goes away by say 1300rpm I'd leave it until it's apart for whatever reason.

If it doesn't, like I said it could be a bearing. Or could be like a Moke one I have here, the flange broke away from the rearmost bronze primary gear bush and it then had 3mm of endfloat... A new bush + bore to size will fix it.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Excellent, thanks Doc!

i would rip it out & apart & fix it

but that`s just me,,, i`m like that

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.