Mjit

Having fitted a 1500 spoiler to my Mk4, so driven it both with and without I very much doubt that's why it was added. Adding the spoiler makes a huge difference to the net lift generated over the bonnet and so at motorway speeds the steering's nice and firm, rather than rather quite light without.

A semi-matt/semi-glass was what I'd assumed - but it's BL in the 70s we're talking about, so quite possible what it was MEANT to look like wasn't even the same as what it did look like by the time the new car got to the dealership 😁 Thanks for that link Mad4classics - I'm using Rustins Plastic Coating (based on an big saloon Courier article from 2012) and while I found lots of info online about getting a high gloss finish I struggled to find much beyond "Use steel wool for a matt or satin finish.".

Hi, Is there anyone from 'back in the day' who can remember how glossy or not the wood dash finish was when our cars were new? I'm in the process of revaneering my '70s 2000 and Spitfire wood and unsure where in the cloudy matt to mirror gloss spectrum it should be. Or was cloudy, yellow, and pealing how they left the factory? 😁 Thanks

Doh, missed that bit.

Unless you're adjusting them on a slope/a very small space just shove it in 4th, take the hand brake off and roll the car to turn the crank.

I lost faith in my torque wrench too so went digital - https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/040215238/ Can't remember the last time I went with one of my old style torque wrenches - not least because I can set the digital one to lb/ft and not have to convert the workshop manual lb/ft to N/m for my torque wrench. Also found I can get it in to a few spaces there just wasn't room to swing the big torque wrench but needed a higher torque than my small one goes to.

As it's a caravan I'd try contacting a caravan dealer for advice, or going for a propriatry tar removing - and reading the bottle very carfully. While most of the products suggested so far should be fine for auto paint on a metal car body I'd be less confident when it comes to the coloured plastic body panels on a caravan...

On the many, many times I seem to have had to take the spring in and out on my swing spring Spitfire I've always used the following and never had any issues: Spend time trying to get it in and over the diff. This is usually the hardest part. I use a 3/4 lowering block so with the spring in about the right place but not seated fight that in. Jiggle everything to get the diff. studs in. Torque down spring to diff. A little gentle jacking under the vertical link, then wiggling a drift through the upright/spring eye holes to get them lined up and hen add/torque up spring eye bolt. Pop on damper and torque up. Drop jack and repeat on other side.

Think the PO took the "revert back" option off the table many years ago, which is why I went the route I did and didn't just use the eBay H4 relay loom's 'piggy back' H4 plugs and sockets. There may well be a new loom in the future anyway. I'm just glad not to have live wires dangling around when I put the headlights on! I think "getting to know" my new car has already improved fuel consumption. I mean I've taken a good half kilo of wires that didn't do anything out of the car...

OK, so sorted out the headlight nightmare on my big saloon last night, with the help of a relay kit and the world supply of bullet connectors but left wonering what to do with the now unused wires. For background a PO had managed to fit 2 relays, fed via a direct, fused supply from the battery and mounted to the inner wing. So far, so good. From there they'd butchered things behind theheadlight panel so each relay was controlling a single main beam-only lamp, with connectors snipped off and relaced with blades and some extra wires Scotchlocked in, I assume to feed some long departed spotlights - and the still live wires just left hanging... Anyway, I was able to change things so the butchered main beam feed now triggers first relay, which feeds the main beam side of all 4 lamps (had a spare set of lights from another car). I also snipped the dipped beam feed on the passengers side and used this to trigger the second relay, with feeds the dipped beam side of all 4 lamps. This leaves me pondering what to do with the now unused wires. At the moment that's and unplugged outer lamp H4 connector and inner lamp bullet in a single bullet connector on the driver's side and an outer lamp H4 connector with just main beam and earth wires connectred on the passenger's side. Just leave them hanging. Wrap them in tape and leave them hanging. Snip them, wrap them and leave them hanging. Snip them and plumb them in as additional feeds to the trigger side of the relay. Something else (but I'm not taking the whole loom out to strip unused wires!).

I agree with everyone else on that being the Lower Mounting Box Plate (149189) being fitted incorectly, under rather than above the bottom srping leaf. Experience makes me think there could be more suprises in store when you take it appart though. If everything else is correct assembling the spring that way will tend to crush the Spacer Tube (149190) that the bolt through the mounting box goes through, making it impossible to fit the bolt (T-shirt owned). If the spring's assembled that way and the tube ISN'T crushed it suggests centreing 'lug' (that cruches the spacer tube) is missing from the bottom leaf... It's hard to tell from the second photo but is the thing sticking out the side of the mounting block? It SHOULD be a bolt and doesn't look like the head end so SHOULD be the threaded end past the nulock nut. That bolt should also be passing straight through the lower mounting block. Maybe it's the photo/angle/etc but to doesn't look threaded and seems to be pointing down slightly, not perpendicular to the mounting block. The one thing I WOULDN'T worry about is the different amounts of stud thread showing. You seem to spend for ever screwing the studs in, start to wonder if you can go too far, get worried/bored and stop. Or the right-hand studs could be fitted upside down - again not an issue, there's more than enough thread on either end for a safe fit, just more on what should be the diff. end.

Just been tackling the headlights on my new 2000... Two relays, one for each high beam-only light, only standard wiring on the dip/main lights, oh and two random loose wires that go live on high beam. 2x eBay wiring looms on their way. Probably won't use the relays (just reuse one existing one for high/one for low circuits) but cheaper than trying to buy 4x H4 plugs + wire (and very happy with the kit I fitted on my Spitfire).

Any tips for stopping fuel leaking from one of the current replacement mechanical fuel pumps, the ones with a bolt or screw holding the top cover/outlet pipe on to the body/inlet pipe? I'm on my second one and they just keep a constant weep of petrol up the screw thread. I've tried tightening the screw. Still weeps. I've tried adding a fiber washer. Still weeps. Aaaahhhhh!!!!!

I've removed the rear spring in my Mk IV Spitfire more times that I care to remember and have never either used or worked out why I would need a tool to lift the spring ends. Now a tool to wiggle the spring and spacer back in and get spring centre box/spacer/diff. stud holes to all line up, now there's a tool I wish I DID have!

Theoretical the top hose is the best place, as you start cooling the water as soon as it reaches temperature/stop as soon as it cools. Bottom hose you've got to wait for the hot water to flow through the radiator before it reaches and triggers the switch, so it takes longer/engine gets hotter before you start cooling and you cool longer/engine gets cooler before you stop cooling. Practically you're probably talking about 1 or 2 degrees difference between the two positions, which will make naff all difference and still be way more controlled/consistent than using a mechanical fan, so put it in the most convienient position.

Adrian, if you're is the one Screwfix sell I've got a similar one (probably Machine Mart) and while they are a PITA they do usually work after a bit of fiddling and frustration. 1. Try pressing the plunger release button/leaver - mine tends to catch and keep re-locking itself, stopping the plunger moving any further. 2. Try opening the allen key blead vent on the top. 3. Try tapping it against the wall. 4. If this is the very first time you've used it take the top off and try to push grease in to the cap with your fingers to try and prime it. In my experience no pressure when pumping means an air lock but once you get it going it's fine (till the plunger release catches and you have to flick the button).

I think clive means "what sort of (rear) number plate (light) you have" - but you can fit the earlier 'bar type' lamp to one of the later bumpers, you just drill new holes for the 'bar type' light and it covers over the late 'twin button type' lamp holes. Personally I ended up going stainless and can't say I have any regrets. They are the Harrington ones (Mk IV/early 1500 'bar type' lamp) but bought through Paddock's as they were actually slightly cheaper than buying from the manufacturer. On my car I found they were both a little wide, so needed 5 or 6 thickish washers on the wing bolts - but I wouldn't like to say how much that's an issue with the bumpers and how much an issue with 46 years of repair and 2 body restorations. They aren't out-and-out as mirror reflective as freshly chromed bumpers - but are a hell of a lot better than the average, slightly tired chrome bumpers and cheaper than rechroming. The only issue I did have is they use a really odd thread for the captive nuts and I think I had to very slightly elongate one of the wing bolt holes (though again as likely to be a wing positioning issue as a bumper fit one).

Worth downloading the Moss parts catalogue as there's a mapping of most nut/bolt part numbers to size/thread/spanner at the back - https://www.moss-europe.co.uk/media/pdf/SPI001.pdf Better still get a physical copy and lave it in the bathroom for reading material

Should be 5/16" UNF.

The big saloons should have quite a lot of sound deadening already fitted from the factory and (I think from the fun time I had stripping out and cleaning my car after a soil pipe in the ceiling of my underground car park broke and filled it with 'water') applied before the shell was painted. Of course if floorpans have been replaced there's a good chance the sound deadening won't have been.

At some point an engine rebuild, probably with head skim will be required so the content of that jam jar will be required regardless of leaded/unleaded, additive/no additive. Yes, maybe sooner running without additive than with but at some point regardless.

I'd say pick Wynnes - but don't buy it. Instead work out how many fill-ups you could do per-bottle and every X fill-ups put the cost of a bottle of Wynnes in a jam jar. By the time you have any noticable valve seat regression you'll have enough in that jam jar to pay to have unleaded valve seats fitted in your head.

No idea on cost but there are places that will 3D scan an original to generate the image.

I'd say your best bet is to contact a local custom exhaust specalist, one of the ones that build bespoke systems. Pop along to them, chat about how you want the car to sound and they should be able to sort you out with something.

Is the gearbox in the big saloons (so also some TRs/Stags) just a bit noisy and just like that - or is every one I've ever driven (OK that's only 2) a bit shagged? I've had one for about 10 years/probably pushing 100,000 miles and that's always made a bit of noise - but the same noise at the same sort of level. I test drove another one yesterday and that made similar noises. On my car I'd always assumed either the release/another bearing was a bit tired (quite a soft/higher pitched rumble in neutral that goes when you press the clutch in) but the one I drove yesterday was much the same so beginning to wonder. Clutch on the test drive car was also right on the floor which could just mean slave cylinder needs a little adjustment, though also reminds me I forgot to test crankshaft end float. Was raining so going back for a second look next weekend so skipped a few of the lay-on-the-ground-and-get-under-it tests.