Colin Lindsay

Yikes! There's a Herald convertible going on that site for £13,000 and the paint looks to have been applied with a roller...

Lovely, but then, it being a 1200 I'm biased. Pity you've named it already... I've got The 'Morris On' band playing in the garage on the iPod at present and they sing: "My sweet Jenny Jones is the pride of Llangollen, my sweet Jenny Jones is the girl I love best...." So: guess what I'd have called her...

No panic, Dave - I have a few of them spare so no need for your very generous offer, but the Spitfire cylinder I was working on was missing one (the guts just fell out when I took it off the car). It's just in case I ever need one and of course being me I like the originals, so was wondering if they were available somewhere.

Wot? No oil leaks?

You SERIOUSLY think we're not interested???

I'm looking for a convertible at present and have already been offered two converted saloons... "it doesn't make any difference, that's how the factory did it." I'm still waiting for the saloon with the roof removed to come along... but our cars are very easily mixed and matched and after so many years it's not surprising that a lot of them have been.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274783904655?hash=item3ffa65a38f:g:C1MAAOSwzV5gcIuN Britax Weathershield according to this poster; he's remaking the surrounds so might even make the handles too? Might be worth a try. However: am I close with this one? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174753471780?_trkparms=aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20200818143132%26meid%3Df016fe4c423b4f3fba742629db15611b%26pid%3D101198%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D294108527349%26itm%3D174753471780%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DSimplAMLCvipPairwiseWebWithBBEV2bDemotion%26brand%3DWebasto&_trksid=p2047675.c101198.m1985

Speedograph used to be the main type that came up for sale. As Pete says buy the correct SU carb with the float chamber at an angle - mine is from either an Anglia or a Morris Minor but possibly one of the slant-four Triumphs would supply an equivalent. The pic is just a mockup ( actually back to front) but it shows how the manifold fitting and the base of the float chamber are in the same plane.

They come up for sale online from time to time although nowhere nearly as frequently as they used to. I've amassed quite a collection of different versions for use with different carbs but the Stromberg CD150 was the only one I've actually used in anger so far. If I find one for sale I'll link to it.

I have an almost full set lying about somewhere if they're the same a Spitfire ones, I think I've got 15. Not mint - they were on a car for years - but if you need them let me know.

Does anyone have a source for these original circlips? I'm trying to restore a very manky Spitfire 1500 brake master cylinder, 5/8 bore and I can get the rest of the refurbishing clip but not the circlip, which was missing completely. It's the original style I want, the one that comes out with normal pliers, not the version with the two holes (nor any of the other weird or wonderful versions suppliers are selling these days). Some suppliers show the diagram below but actually supply the later flat version. Does anyone know of a source?

If it's a Passat it's perfectly suited.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184819919857?hash=item2b08202bf1:g:fWIAAOSwXG9gkFyK Another one starting off cheap...

I don't know the Chinese or Russian for rubber slivers... but have never had them. Maybe that's why?

You can use closed-end rivets, they sell them for Landrovers. I've found they're not bad - probably my rivetting skills could be better - but a small domed bolt / screw with equally small nut does the job as well. As you can see from the photo I did more damage drilling the original out and tidying up the holes than from the rivetting... original left vs replacement right - but the rivet does sit out further below more than the original did.

Can you post a photo? I can find one more quickly if I know what to match.

Same here, the local 'quack' mechanic was a guy called Billy Craig, not a tooth in his head and fag always in the mouth, working away on my father's Hillman Minx. I'm amazed that he lived so long.

Must be one of those suppliers with lots of 'overheads'...

You need the perfect plate for that one...

It would take massive grease pressure to wreck a seal, so no panic there if you're using a grease gun. As for warming I'd reckon the bearings do heat up a bit as the car drives so grease immediately after use and it should be softer.

Thanks for your help, posts and humour over the past while, Ian, drop in from time to time - you never know what we'll need help with. As we say over here: don't be a stranger.

Ok... first work out which it is. Clean the oil off and then see where it's coming from; a very small area between the bottom of the timing cover and the sump, but if it's coming from the front edge of the sump it's easier to sort than from behind the timing cover. Oil from the sump can either be a bent front sump edge, maybe just requiring straightening or even just a new gasket; if the bolts have been overtightened it could be the sealing block along the front edge; again easy enough to replace and you can buy steel versions that won't strip or warp like the original alloy. If it's coming from behind the timing cover it's probably a crank oil seal; not a difficult job to replace but yes you will upset the timing. There are ways of marking the chain and the cam etc so that the chain can be replaced afterwards in exactly the same position, so you don't have to worry about resetting the timing, but first make sure that's what you need to do.

A couple of threads on studs - I've not tried any of these myself but there are some good posts on the subject from the guys who know.

A quick search has listed part number 144370, 42", 107cm. James Paddock is listing the same part number for all GT6 and TR5 so it appears that's the one.

One of the first things I do is remove the grease nipple, if fitted, and trial-pump grease through it just to make sure it actually works. If I'm remembering correctly the manual says 'five strokes of grease gun' so that's what it gets. I remember someone once querying if too much grease could come through on the inside of the brake drum and contaminate the brakes? Never saw it, but aways wondered myself. I'd like to think the design of the housing precludes that happening.