Fraser64

Can these rubber slivers affect the running of the engine? After I replaced the clutch on my 1500 and refitted the carbs petrol leaked from the fuel bowl on the first run. I took this as something sticking and gave the bowl a tap which stopped the leak but since then the engine runs incredibly 'lumpy' as if its struggling for fuel.

Having just bought an early Landrover series 2a without freewheel hubs is there any benefit to them? I can see the sense in them but I have heard and read that they are good and evil. Are they worth the money or just another bling thing

I only have a basic understanding of electronics but dosn't a buck converter just step down a voltage to a single output voltage? I would like something to take the place of the Smiths voltage gauge with the Arduino so if the car is 12 volts and on charging increases up to around 14-15 volts then I am looking for some way of 'dividing' that varying 0 - 15 volt signal by 3 to bring it down to between 0 - 5 volts that the Arduino can handle. If the car is producing 11.5 volts the arduino will recive 3.83 volts (11.5 / 3).

Thanks Mike and all. As much as I like the look of Smiths gauges they take up a lot of space I could use for other stuff. I'm thinking of moving the petrol and water temp onto the Arduino and putting the display into the radio slot, also moving the heater controls to a digital system controlled off the Arduino freeing up the space in the centre console and probably fitting a more modern touchscreen type music system in its place...... Moving into the modern era.

So I was going to redo the dashboard on my spit and add a few extra gauges, oil pressure, analogue clock, voltage and so on. Then I found the price of Smiths gauges and thought OUCH. So I am now starting to think more modern and about using an Arduino wth an OLED display and push button selector to cycle through the different readings. I have found a pressure transmitter for the oil that outputs 0 - 5 volts depending on pressure which should be straight forward to use and I am guessing the standard water temperature sender works on resistance varying with temperature. Since an Arduino can only handle 5 volts maximum and I only have a fairly basic understanding of electrical engineering to read the cars 12 volt supply I would need to use some kind of diode to drop the voltage (I'm still looking into this!) Anyone done anything like this before? It looks like a promising idea.

I'm looking for some advise on where to buy replacement panels for my Spitfire. The quality of replacement panels seems to vary from ok to rubbish and considering the cost any help would be appreciated.

Can anyone point me in the direction of where I might find a wiring diagram for a mark 1 Spitfire? Thanks.

The pics were taken by Melvyn, the previous owner, near Pontypool in Wales. I have spent the last couple of days looking over it and it is in good condition. Mel used it as a runaround and its beginning to show some signs of wear. The wheels are from a 1500. The steering wheel is from a TR6 and it has a Herald 1300 engine in it. The chassis, bonnet and boot are rock solid but the drivers door is rotten at the bottom and the gapping on it is poor. Other than that there are patches of rust, filler and welding in various places. The engine is absolutely sound but the gearbox and diff are noisy. I'm trying to decide what to do with it. According to the how many left website there are less than 20 Mk1's left and I suppose it deserves to be restored back to show standard but I'm not sure how far to go with it. Whatever happens, I have been after an early Spit for ages and now its happily sat in my garage.

Seriously chuffed with the new aquisition (Thanks Melvyn) and planning the work ahead.

Can someone give me some advice on how to remove the barrel from a 1500 Spitfire ignition switch. I have the whole unit removed and the bottom plate removed allowing access to the internals but cant see an obvious method of pulling the barrel out other than brute force. Any ideas would be helpful. Thanks Ian F.

A couple of questions regarding batteries and charging I'm considering leaving a small solar charger connected over winter, are they any good (apart from the obvious issue with lack of sun) I take it the wattage rating is a sign of how much umph they give. and does it do any damage charging a battery while its still connected to the car? Thanks.

My first idea for an alarm system involved wiring a relay from the ignition switch directly from the alternator to the seat headrests. Sadly this didn't meet with much enthusiasm from the good lady (who happens to be a local PCSO). Although my 1500 has a key switch behind the drivers door that appears to be from a now dead alarm system (were factory fitted alarms included on Spitfires?) I'm not a fan of aftermarket alarm systems, I seem to recall them being connected to a rocker switch and courtesy lights and not being that reliable. So what about GPS trackers, they sound like a good idea but as usual there are shedloads of them around including the one sold by the club shop. They appear to use a sim card and GPS system. Does this mean I have to have another mobile contract? Anyone use one? Any recommendations? Do they do any good? Thanks in confusion. Ian.

Thanks for the replies, it pretty much confirms what I thought. You get what you pay for and can go as far as you want cost wise. On another topic about batteries, charging them, on car and still connected, good, bad or no difference? Ian.

So I am going to use the gap in the h support for an oil pressure gauge, analogue clock and probably volt meter. I like the idea on another thread of using the ashtray 'orifice' as a phone docking station but am left with what to do about a radio. Ideally i would like to find a very small radio tuner unit the size of a Smiths gauge that I could mount in the dash but I can't find anything anywhere. Any suggestions? Thanks Ian.

I am in need of a new battery for my Spitfire. After looking around different parts of tinterweb the cost varies dramatically between well known branded and cheap cheap Chinese imports. I'm not looking for a cheap set me on fire Chinese import but is there much merit in paying top whack for a battery against a generic mid range one? On a similar note, is it worth getting a bigger one than the standard. Ta. Ian.

As the dash on my 1500 is looking slightly jaded and worn I am replacing and 'upgrading' it. I have bought a standard replacement as a template which looks very smart but it got me thinking about other gauges/radios and such. Right now my radio is located in the 'H' frame but that seems an ideal place for a couple of gauges, if I do that where does the radio go? I'm a gadget freak and already own a CNC router/laser engraver along with to much other stuff (can there be to much other stuff?) and have the facility to manufacture and cut my own blanks. My 'expertise' is in the manufacture, as SWMBO will often comment, my design skills are not my strong point (magnolia, wonderful stuff, covers all sins). With the amount of extra gauges and such available It feels like it could be very easy to make it look like a dogs dinner so does anyone have any photos of their dashboards they would care to share for ideas of locations and what you would consider worth while additions in the way of gauges. The obvious one missing to me is a clock along with an oil pressure gauge. Thanks Ian.

Any info or recommendations on classic car storage? I am moving with a new job from the UK to Saudi and would like to store my Spitfire to use when I come back here. What kind of things should I be doing with the car? Any recommendations on storage facilities? Thanks.

Thanks Aiden, if you have his details I would be grateful, it's worth a question if he can make me one.

Thanks Aiden, the problem is that the dashboard I took from the car has been 'improved' with the addition of all sorts of switches and stuff. I would like to make it original and that means buying a replacement set.

Any recommendations where I can get a 'new' dashboard for a late 1500 Spitfire that has the dual brake line warning light? I spent the morning at Rimmer Bros. but they only keep earlier versions and I won't embarrass myself by mentioning my efforts at re-veneering the original one. Thanks.

Part of my confusion is that the dash looks like it was designed this way, there are no old holes that have been blanked, it looks like a genuine, original thing.

Can anyone help me with identifying the 4 switches on the enclosed photo of the dash of the 1500 Spitfire I have just bought. There are 4 flick switches where the 'normal' light rocker switch is, 2 either side of a couple of jewel lamps. The left 2 operate the lights, side and main beam, but all the right 2 appear to do is light the jewel lamps. I have never seen a dash like this, the car is a late W reg 1500. Thanks in advance.