Mjit

Didn't get a chance to mess around with the car yesterday (and the way work's going might not today either ).

Yep, solonoid seals have been replaced (in 2 solonoids - would be in a 3rd but piston shows no interest in coming out of that one!). Gearstick wiring all looks good and I don't get electric shocks (as I did when it was shorting once) but will try swapping to the wires from my other car and running them outside the gearstick. No, pushing/pulling the gearstick doesn't make any difference, either to o/d engagement (doesn't drop out when working/in when not) or test bulb display (always stays on clear and strong).

For the inhibitor switch if it wasn't engaging then there wouldn't (or shouldn't at any rate) be a circuit through the o/d switch and test bulb to the solonoid - and the solid 'light on' every time suggests that's all fine. Will re-check the solonoid connectors as they are quite exposed and always at the "I've managed to get EP90 oil running down my arm again" stage so do get refitted in the "get the connectors on and get out" stage

Doh! Forget to say in my original post "J-Type overdrive". Bulb was added because everything always seems fine what stationary so was trying to see if there was any difference between when it worked/when it didn't. Will try awapping to in parallel with it's own earth.

Seems to have been a run on overdrive threads recently - but none that have helped me get mine working properly in my 2000 so thought I'd see if anyone has any ideas... So I took the gearbox and overdrive that always worked out of one of my 2000s, rebuilt the gearbox and swapped it in to my daily driver 2000 - but since then it's been hit and miss. I can jump in the car and drive the 2 miles to the supermarket and it will work initially, then stop engaging overdrive. I can then drive 1/4 of a mile from there to the bakery and it won't engage at all - but then when I jump back in to drive home it will engage every time on the drive home. So far I've: Replaced the seals in/refitted one solonoid that didn't 'clack' before but did reluctantly after - no difference. Repleace the seals in/fitted a second solonoid that 'clacked' OK before/very positivly after - no difference. Checked the oil level - still full (and when the overdrive is working it engages the inistant you flick the switch, suggesting the pump's generating plenty of pressure). Checked the inhibitor switch - not loose and as best I can judge looking through the inspection hole only fiitted with 1 washer. I've tried adding a test bulb inline in the switch->solonoid circuit and that came on every time I flicked the switch "In" - but the o/d never engaged like that. Remove the bulb from the circuit and it would behave intermittently, as before. I wasn't expecting the bulb load to have an impact but swapped it for an LED bulb - which again lights up every time you flick "In" but with buld the o/d never engages/remove from the circuit and it does, intermittently. Logicially to me: The fact it works instantly when it does work, and can work both hot and cold (not just when the oil's cold and thicker) suggests it's not a pressure issue. The fact the test bulb works every time suggests it's not an electrical circuit issue (a temprimental inhibitor switch would cut power to the bulb). The fact it does the same thing with different solonids suggests it's not them - or I've managed to get 2 that have failed in the same way, regardless of their 'clecking'. Which leaves me...well scratching my head - and confused why the test bulb shows a powered circuit but somehow stops the o/d engaging. Any ideas...?

Another cause of this can be the angle of the steering rack/column, especially if you have a solid UJ. It's easy to fit the rack in a position where you end up with the steering column/UJ making contact with the front suspension turret where it passes through. Worth checking/slackening the rack clamps and rotating to get the steering column passing as close as possible through the middle of the hole in the turret if it looks at all tight to one side.

Loving the way they've even managed to capture the couple in the car having an argument - she's clearly got the hump in the passenger seat!

Another one I've had is the pin holding the plastic arm+scren assembly fall out. Think a split pin fixed that one.

Yea, think you might have some 'nodding dog' issues with that bracket - or does the catch tank actually sit on the bulkhead and the arm's just to keep it upright?

Take a look at the image of the 3.89:1 ratio diff on the Rimmers site - https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-RTC2305R You can see the breather pin on top of/just ahead of the big hole for the rear mounting bolt on the D/S.

I've used PTFE tape on both engine and gearbox sump plugs that weeped without any issues. Doesn't actually need a huge knock to make the hold fractionally out of round. Not enough to stop the plug screwing freely in/out but enough to give some oil molecules are route to freedom.

1. Unbolt the starter motor from the gearbox and place it somewhere so it's supported, not just hanging from the electrical cable. 2. You should then be able to get a pair of mole grips clamped onto the flywheel through the starter motor hole. 3. Turn the nut and while you may get a little free movement the mole grip should soon wedge against the bell housing and the nut start to undo.

Sorry for slow reply - time flies... No pics handy but just had a quick measure and with a 3/4" lowering block the bottom edge of the rear wheel arch in line with the axle on my car sits 595mm from the floor.

Depends on where your time/skill/budget circles overlap. While you COULD save them (with enough time and skill) I have a feeling you're going to find a lot of body filler when you start attaching the existing wings so would probably just go straight to new wing pressings. It's harder/due to lazyness people are less likely to bodge the wheel arch tubs so other than fabricating some new outer lips, which aren't the most complicated shape/a visible area, I think you'll get away with those.

Certainly there are 2 wires that plug in to the blower motor, one each side and black/green sound about right - but without ripping the centre dash section out to check I wouldn't bet my life on the colours.

Anyone else have that slight OCD twitch about the gear knob not being straight?

And the last one needing you to live in a flat area of Norfolk, unless you enjoy the sound of your car bottoming out every time you hit a bump (in a Spitfire at least). A 0.5" should fit fine, and under an unmodified cover with standard studs and nuts. A 0.75" will need longer studs but if you trim them flush with the top of the nylocks once fitted will also fit under an unmodified cover - you'll just need a pair of 3/8UNF half nutsto be able to remove the studs next time around. A 1" will need longer studs and some 'customization'/replacement of the cover. I found the 1" too much, due to grounding and now happily run a 0.75" - but with hindsight would probably have been just as happy had I just gone for the 0.5".

So, after 40 odd years of good service my indicator switch gave up a year or so ago - was just so worn it wouldn't stay on amd hand to be held down to get it to flash right and replaced as a Covid lockdown job. Now, after next to no usage thanks to Covid the replacement from my usual go-to Triumph specialist also stopped flashing right (though would stay on). Clearly a bad earth, right...? Well having traced it all the way back taking the switch cowel off dropped a collection of switch parts in my lap and inspection shows the right turn track has burnt out and fallen off. The new one never cancelled either - the old one did and the 'clip' is there/aligned/at the right height, the 'tangs' on the new switch were just nowhere near long enough to reach it/be tripped by it. So... Anyone bought a new switch in the last couple of years and recommend a supplier?

Well had to pop out to the garage anyway and can confirm, just grommets that aren't anywhere near anything to bump against. I can also confirm that the 2 most rearward are in (give or take) 10mm holes, while the pair that are more forward and inside the boot when closed are 14mm. And that all 4 of mine are missing!

For the flaps: Fold the hood down. Open the doors. Put the hood back up. Close the doors. And all will become clear For general fit the big question is, hood up/windows up, does the door glass get anywhere near the 'rain flap'? There should be a long strip of hood inside the glass, then a shorted strip that sits outside the glass on it's bottom edge/forming a gutter above, with the door glass nestling between inner and outter strips. Like I think ever Spitfire I've ever seen you'll probably have a big strip inside, then a thin strip outside...and about 1" above the top of the glass, so all that lovelly road spray can still get in

John Tomason's "Guide to originality" (which is getting a good workout on a very boring conference call) has a GT6 "Accessories" entry for "Radio installation with parcel shelf speaker". That would be the single, mono speaker on the passenger parcel shelf as on Spitfires. I think extras like radios also tended to be fitted by the dealer between delivery and hand over to the customer so would have varied based on what they had on the shelf/could get hold of at the time.

I'm reasonably sure it IS just a grommet and NOT a bump stop. Without popping out to the garage I can't be 100% but I'm sure whole rear bootlid lip hangs out beyond the read bodywork and the only 'bump stop' is the sealing rubber/slam catch. The only photo that shows this area in the closed position in John Thomason's "A guide to originality" seems to show it out clear of the body, with an earlier pic highlighting them with the caption "Early complaints of boot lid corrosion were attributed to water entering the boot lid via two paint drainage holes which were outside the boot lid seal. Consiquently, at FH 62,271 a rubber grommet was located on each corner of the boot lid. Unfortunetly boot lids continued to corrode!".

Double-check the butterflys are actually closing fully and properly. If they aren't you'll effectivly be at part throttle even with your foot off the gas. Give the whole carb/inlet manifold/breather pipework (but NOT into the carb mouths) a spray with Easystart. Nothing should happen but if you hear the RPM change you've got an air leak there somewhere.

You say "drip try works", while I wonder if that brake fluid isn't getting under the washer and spreading unseen beneath the drip tray...?

From memory there's a semi-circle of hardboard at the bottom of the seat back side, with a metal clip rivited to it that clips on to a seat frame bracket to stop it riding up. At a guess it's the top corner of that catching on the belt. Is it possible to 'manhandle' the edge of the seat slightly, rolling out and around towards the rear of the car, so the plastic joint piping is 'on the outside' of the hardboard piece? That way the belt would be rubbing on the hard plastic, not the soft vinyl.