Colin Lindsay

We're getting the usual exaggerated scare stories in the UK too; we had one yesterday where a woman complained she was prevented from buying sanitary products as they were non-essential... what they didn't say, after all the hysteria and everyone jumping on the bandwagon, was that the store had been the scene of an armed robbery earlier, and the area she tried to access was cordoned off by Police to await forensic examination. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story, tho.

That's the one I couldn't remember!! Thanks.

EVA Hello Kitty are a bit.... strange... thankfully I never encountered them on my travels... they fly out of Taiwan, organise flights called 'Flight to nowhere' and plot flight plans to draw the shapes of hearts or thumbs-up in the sky to please people following their flight paths on electronic devices.

They're readily available; I found this one on eBay by just searching 'Dolomite Engine Stickers.' https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRIUMPH-SPITFIRE-MkIV-1500-DOLOMITE-1300-1500HL-ENGINE-BAY-STICKER-UKC8546/260512379660?fits=Car+Make%3ATriumph|Model%3ADolomite&hash=item3ca7bf730c:g:mUQAAMXQoiJRhHtV If I can remember my preferred sticker manufacturer I'll post their user name... having a blank moment! Try these guys too: https://www.isaydingdong.co.uk/ourshop/cat_403856-Triumph-Car.html

Is the indicator not returning ie turning off when the wheel is rotated, or is it not clicking into place when the arm is moved up or down? O/D lever is on the right and closest to the dash. The two fittings on the cowl fit into each other ie the domed one is the outer, and the flat one goes in underneath; so you should have a domed one on top, then a flat under, and the underside will follow suit. If you match like for like then one side or the other is going to be back to front.

Early Heralds didn't have them at all; but any of the reference photos I've just checked of both 948 and 1200 Heralds had them by 1961. I'd say it's a good guess that Vitesse had them from the beginning.

That's his fan mail. He hasn't got the hang of e-mail yet.

Couldn't find that one, Rob! I did try... Getting seriously bored now, to the extent of finding evermore silly and maybe unnecessary jobs to do. The sprayer has not yet turned up - Covid Lockdowns and his own business are getting in the way so I'll not stretch his goodwill by demanding an immediate job, especially when it's free... So: to kill the time, I've been soundproofing and heatproofing yet another gearbox tunnel cover. I did the GT6 a while back and was very impressed so as I bought 20 Dodomat panels I've found that five, maybe six does a complete tunnel, so have more than enough for three Triumphs. This is the tunnel that I repaired using fibreglass a short while ago; it's now got a new rubber gearlever seal too and is only missing the outer floor / bulkhead seal, which I'll add later. As I complete more and more important jobs I've turned to the lesser ones that still need done; I've sorted out a birdsnest of a 1200 wiring loom, fitted new connectors where necessary, and a new rubber bulkhead grommet. I also started to clean a pair of sunvisors, which ended up being seven pairs... where did I get all those from? They were long overdue cleaning, too... However this next step is one that I've been planning for some time, ever since I bought the bits back around 2011 or so. It's a Falcon tubular manifold for the 1200, a nice 4 - 2 - 1 system that ends in the same diameter of exhaust pipe as the original Herald system. I may add a Mk1 GT6 rear box that I have lying spare, or maybe just retain the standard Herald to see how it performs. This of course leads to the question: what carb setup am I going to use? I'm not interested in speed or racing, it's really only to improve on the look of the original cast manifold setup, so I'll get it running first then decide on any upgrades.

Any Kalula Airways planes there, or EVA Hello Kitty?

I sent mine direct to Mike Papworth; it's been totally silent ever since it returned. I'm not sure if that's who the dealers go to but one thing I'd do is talk to him directly and ask his advice mike.papworth1@btopenworld.com https://www.facebook.com/mike.papworthtriumph

Pitch dark this morning, and the clocks went back too, so all of the terrible TV programmes that should have started at 7am didn't really start to 8am.... This any use, Haggis? http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/ignition/pdf/tuning_lucas_dist.pdf https://www.sbmsclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/lucas-dist-chart.pdf

There are people who would pay good money for a paint-job like that! Honestly! Is the boot lid present? They can be hard to find in good condition.

Welcome Matthew, feel free to post away and ask plenty of questions if you need to; some of us like to pretend that we know the answers! One very important rule is that you must post photos. I miss the TSSC International at Stafford Agricultural Showgrounds, I got to know the area very well over the years - for some reason I always remember the signs for the Crematorium very clearly..

I remember Bill Davies making the correct shade of interior grey paint for early Herald steering wheels and other metal parts, but the tin I bought is long gone. Does anyone else know the correct shade, the modern equivalent, or a supplier? I can probably get it matched locally but just in case anyone knows an easier option...

I wouldn't wire brush, try plastic scouring pads, metal pot scouring pads (not Brillo pads!) or very very fine tooth-brush-sized brass wire brushes - you don't want to make scratches so use plenty of lubrication until you're sure that it's only surface marking and not actual pitting or damage. What's the lip like on that lower cylinder?

Now that's interesting! Thanks Tony.

Aha! D G BULL. I need glass for a pair of early Desmo mirrors, I must make contact. They're the sort that has the glass glued in place with no removable surround, so I have the choice of either sticking new glass over the top, if it's thin enough, or breaking the old glass out.

Depends on how tall you are, too... I have to use a 13" semi-dished in my GT6 otherwise my legs won't fit under it.

Who is DG Ball? All I can find is Deep Groove Ball bearings.. Anyway, thanks to this thread I've now identified these little silver nuts that are all round my garage - all from old Desmo / Tex wing mirrors!

Sounds ominous! I'd love half an hour going through those boxes, though. Sort of a 'Supermarket Sweep' type of thing...

SHOULD be... but don't have to be I've seen silver versions in the past and they look very nice, almost as good as early GT6 with the silver trims... and to be honest I think the owner just cleaned the black paint off and left them as they are underneath. It can be a very nice contrast with certain colours.

Thanks to your post, I dug out a few older Tex mirrors from Heralds and have cleaned them up, but reckon I need new glass for at least one... too tight to buy a complete head here, too...!

It's been a while since I saw Spitfire trim but are the black ones simply silver versions that are painted over, so removing the black paint leaves you with shiny trims?

Just as an update - I found these very nice stainless brackets, very cheap for a fiver... same principle: screw them to the valence to lower the number plate and keep it off the paintwork. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MGB-MGC-STAINLESS-NEW-NUMBER-PLATE-MOUNTING-BRACKETS-1962-1974-AHH6217-/293691631815

I know that a lot of Herald stuff is Mazak, which pits heavily and few restorers will touch it - I think bonnet catches and horseshoe trims on the Spitfire go the same way? Spitfire door handles have really gone up in price and the best option may be to keep an eye out for really good second hand items. Bumpers can be easily rechromed, as can filler caps and other brightwork but as you say it may cost as much to rechrome as it does to buy new. I've seen everything tried, from silver paint to tin foil, and nothing looks like the original - or as we say over here, good from far and far from good. Even with rechroming, it takes a very good and therefore expensive company to do a proper job, otherwise it will always be marked or dimpled and in some cases you can't even see your reflection. The original handles were made by a company called Weston Body Hardware (WES) - they're still in operation and you could contact them directly to see if they'll supply the chrome parts only. http://www.westonbodyhardware.com/our-products/section-b-handles/