JohnD

Go to Halfords and look at their tool sets. Their Professional range is made for them by SnapOn, and is superb value for money, if you can still find some on sale. Their present range of "Advanced" tools is made by someone else, I don't know who, and I don't have any, so can't comment, but have heard good things. AND, Halfords offer a 'no quibble' exchange of any of their tools that fails - this is true, I've done it. See: http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/spanners-wrenches/halfords-advanced-af-combination-spanner-set?cm_mmc=Google+PLA-_-Tools-_-Spanners+&+Wrenches-_-205021&_$ja=tsid:60494%7Ccgn:GoogleShopping%7Ckw:205021&istCompanyId=b8708c57-7a02-4cf6-b2c0-dc36b54a327e&istItemId=miqqlm&istBid=tztw&_$ja=tsid:35522|cid:344535484|agid:25437357364|tid:aud-80976662749:pla-219049742884|crid:89797547524|nw:g|rnd:1157945728005683883|dvc:c|adp:1o1&gclid=Cj0KEQjw2ua8BRDeusOkl5qth4QBEiQA8BpQcBvywOW267f3_ScwWDHSwFbkRDdeAHq1UwWZqjFNfngaAjl_8P8HAQ Set of AF spanners. in fact I'd buy two, you always need somthing the hold the other end of a bolt. Match it with this socket set, http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/socket-sets/halfords-advanced-55-piece-socket-set-1-2?cm_mmc=Google+PLA-_-Tools-_-Socket+Sets-_-169466&_$ja=tsid:60494%7Ccgn:GoogleShopping%7Ckw:169466&istCompanyId=b8708c57-7a02-4cf6-b2c0-dc36b54a327e&istItemId=miqmmi&istBid=tzxp&_$ja=tsid:35522|cid:344535484|agid:25437357364|tid:aud-80976662749:pla-211141361524|crid:89797547524|nw:g|rnd:16344162929346952124|dvc:c|adp:1o4&gclid=Cj0KEQjw2ua8BRDeusOkl5qth4QBEiQA8BpQcKVHloPcofCKVyPRY6CHFyNaEGtu8Dn2-8hEQIhcjN8aArWT8P8HAQ and you are ready for anything. John

See Canley Classic's pages on Overdrives and troubleshooting. This is the D-Type, there is another on J-type. http://www.canleyclassics.com/technical-archive/the-d-type-overdrive JOhn

No need to remove wheel. Use the top and bottom of the wheel rim John

You can make your own camber gauge from a piece of lat sheet, and a plumb bob. Use it on a bare hub as shown or else just rested against the wheel rim. John

Could it be that these no doubt otherwise original cars had to retain the mechanical fan to be "original", but needed extra help? And with the mech.fan, the only place the electrical one could go was in front? In other words, they were forced to use an inferior position? Iain, "Real Life" tests are never conclusive as there are so many variables. So here is a laboratory test of pull vs.push fans: http://martinsliquidlab.petrastech.com/Radiator-Fan-Orientation-And-Shroud-Testing-Review.html As you will see, the researcher concluded that it depended on the power and speed of the fan. " So.... slow speed = pull, high speed = push, medium speed = it doesn't really matter." It's worth reading! BUT, I think that the speed of a radiator fan is approx.8000rpm, so that's a LOT faster than the 1350-2000 rpm of the test fans. And, I think that the article was directed at 'overclockers', who run PCs at vastly higher bit-rates than the manufacturers intended, so that their chips need cooling, so different application. And most electric radiator fans are self-shrouded - they have a flat ring around the blades. JOhn

"cannot select gears" because they graunch and grind? Clutch seized? After longish lay-up, may have rusted to flywheel. Try starting in gear with rear axle up on stands, then apply hand brake, with clutch pedal down. DANGER! Select gear that will take you out of garage if it falls off stands! OR, tow start with car in gear. Do it somewhere you can drive but not stop, like an empty car park. Drive it around with the clutch pedal down, revving and slowing repeatedly. John

Cleaning with petrol? Don't try this at home, folks. Apart from the environmental hazard, exploding drains? Sounds like all dirt and grime is already off your parts, so then the rust has to go. For sand castings, the uprights, rotoflex wishbone etc, that have a rough surface, no amount of sand paper will get a smooth surface (Why do you want it?). But it makes difficult removing all rust mechanically. So use a chemical rust remover. Organic acids dissolve rust, but always finish with phosphoric acid, whose reaction with rust leaves Iron phosphate, an insoluble salt, on the surface as a good key for primer. Smoother parts, eg radius arms, are best rust relieved with wire wool. Then as before. Hammerite? It ain't what it used to be, since its formulation had to be changed to make it less environmentally aggressive. I just use the above preparation, and paint with a good primer and an "exterior quality" house paint. Don't be tempted by powder coating. gets a lovely smooth ripple free finish, which cracks, lets water and salt in and then retains them next to the bare metal. JOhn

I think that there is an account in print of the Herald protoype test run across Africa. There are two videos: and Here we are, "Turn left for Tangier": http://standard8n10spares.co.uk/turn-left-for-tangier---the-hard-way-for-heralds-416-p.asp Also, you might like to look at this: http://www.triumphinitaly.it/monografie.asp?yn0=r0&6E=r52n0qv&xE=J&6F=n46vp1y1&xF=EDJ A drive by a (slightly eccentric?) individual from London to Ceylon in a Herald convertible. Not Triumph but Land Rover, read "First Overland", Tim Slessor's account of the Oxford & Cambridge Far Eastern Expedition of 1955 about driving two Landies Mk1's from London to Singapore, including the WW2 Burma Road, the first and last time this feat has ever been done. Useful ideas about preparation for expeditions and how to cope with problems! JOhn

Richard, The "reserve tank" is no such thing! It's just an arrangement to take fuel from slightly deeper in the single tank. So it's best to keep it in 'normal' mode unless needed And then when you need it, expect Gubbins from the bottom of the tank to cause problems! John

Useful complete list of Triumph engine numbers here: http://www.triumphspitfire.com/enginenumbers.html John

I proved John and Doug's point by building my Vitesse Estate, with the radiator in the back. It must have radiated as much heat from engine, gearbox and exhaust pipe as any, but was a cold car. All that heat that scorches your feet and leads to sartorial indiscretions by GT6 drivers comes from the radiator, as hot air, not radiated heat. So spend more effort on plugging the holes in the bulkhead and gaps around the gearbox cover than worrying about valences. Keep that hot air in the engine bay and drive cool, man! B-) John

Chicken/egg, it's a condundrum. You may have to do both, several times, each time approaching perfection. Which one first? Doesn't matter. JOhn

See: http://forum.tssc.org.uk/index.php?/topic/1711-con-rod-bolts/ John

Ask the vendor if they are made of "Viton" rubber. See here under "Gasoline" http://mykin.com/rubber-chemical-resistance-chart-3 John

Loctite is the modern equivalent! Question is, which Loctite (other thread sealers etc.)? The range is 22x (removable with hand tools), 24x (removable with difficulty) and 27x (may need heat, for permanent assembly), the 'x' digit for specific applications. But may be more difficult to find, unless you have specialist supplier. See: http://www.loctite.co.uk/uke/content_data/LOCT.C.G.final_english_version_genn_08.pdf Your choice! John

Outfaced or not, after a whole day of making up leads and connecting up a five post relay, a three-position switch and the two speed wiper according to the instructions, I got ... a wiper that didn't work at all. I recognise that I have no understanding of why the relay should make it work, but I checked that I had reproduced the circuit as published, and it doesn't work. Oh, well. I wired back to the way it was before. And it works, one-speed and no self-parking; better than nothing Where did you get a new connector, Doug? John

Not if you choose the right sort of gravel! It comes graded theses days and 10-20mm should be right. But BRILLIANT idea! You need: Boy Scouts - 1 Patrol Trek cart - 1 of VERY rough road - approx 1 mile of, can be doubled. Strap tank to cart, tie scouts to cart (by very good knots), offer them lashings of lemonade at the other end of the run. Stand back! Watch out for your gingganggoos! Clean in no time. Like this, but a rougher road. Ah, those were the days! My Troop had a trek cart - great fun, for a while, Blisters after that. John

Gravel. Few handfuls inside the tank, some water and detergent, and a LOT of shaking it about! M/cycle boys wrap a tank in blankets and put it in a concrete mixer for a while, but you'ld need a big mixer for a Vitesse tank. John

Agree with Kevin. I machined my crank boss conical to clear my Kenlowe fan. See pic. Even so it has taken the plastic lable off the fan, without marking the motor body! Pusher fans in front are never as good, as they muck up the air entry into the radiator core. John

almovor, Welcome to the TSSC message board! All god advice above - I strongly agree with Pete and others - no tubes, please. On pressure, there is no "right" number, but one that matches your conditions and the way you drive. Two ways to tell: 1/ Slow. Measure the wear across the tread with a tyre tread depth gauge. 2/ Quick - and you have to be very quick! Measure the tread temperature on the inside, outside and middle, after run over your favourite roads. An infrared gun (like this ; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/121817120002?lpid=122&chn=ps&googleloc=1006854&poi=&campaignid=620794543&device=c&adgroupid=27377119746&rlsatarget=pla-181479844866&adtype=pla&crdt=0) is a quick way of doing this, but you have to get around all four wheel in a very short time! Increased wear, or temperature, shows that the tyre is being worked harder at that point. It should be even across the tread. Wear/heat at the edges - under inflated Wear/heat in the middle - over inflated. Good luck! John

A multimeter will tell all. The OE "stabiliser" is far from its name, as its output is 12V - 0V - 12V - 0V - etc, in a way that averages 10V. The slowly-reacting, highly damped gauges behave as if it were a continuous 10V. A modern solid sate stabiliser's output is ... 10V. The OE is a little tin can, whose base is a piece of circuit board. A solid state one is usually 'potted' in a small plastic casing Of course, some originality fanatic might put the second inside the first, but there's nowt so odd as folk. John

OR, Afuse. It's the same one as supplies the O/drive if you have one, and the OE wires to the gearknob switch short out to the stick, because they are insulated only with shellac. John

I'd have gone for smaller. M/cs available with integral reservoir down to 0.625" (5/8") AP make without a reservoir (but you can screw in a plastic one) down to 0.55 (14mm) OK, longer travel but as said, such an easy mod, and less than £20 each, new. JOhn

An alternative would be to fit a smaller diameter master cylinder. Higher pressure for same foot effort. That's the roundabout - the swings are longer pedal travel. But it's a far easier conversion, and some say that a servo gives less 'feel'. John

A built up engine should be corrosion- and dust etc accumulation-proof when a bare block isn't. Cam lube is very sticky, and Graphogen on bearings will not fall out. Get done now, paint the block,seal all ports etc with paper balls/tape, spray with wd40, wrap it up and put it away safe. John