Colin Lindsay

Carrickfergus Castle, Co Antrim.... one solitary GT6 parks to enjoy the peace and quiet... And suddenly... swarms of Triumphs appear! TSSC Northern Ireland out on the road, 180 miles of blisteringly hot country roads and hills so steep they needed first gear and a replacement clutch afterwards. Locals must have thought it was Red Car Day; all other colours were forced to park in behind. Great to get out there again and fly the flag.

As there's nothing I can do with the white Estate until I get the tub sag sorted, I've gone back to the red 1200 convertible and with a superhuman effort have ended up with this: All new outriggers bar the two boot extensions; the suspension turrets have been blasted and primed. Even the two front overrider brackets are new. If the rain had stopped during the week it would have gone off to the paint shop, but the sprayer didn't want to collect it on a flatbed and have it wet before finishing the primer work and painting. This will be a rolling chassis in record time; the wheels are at the industrial sandblaster who can blast them in a fraction of the time it would take me and once painted in road-wheel white they'll get new tyres. After that we'll be back to making brake pipes and trying to remember where I left the engine, gearbox and propshaft. Down in the back corner behind you can just about see two halfshafts, the steering column, the sills, the doors and under that blanket, the hard top. The new rear valance is against the pillar to the right, beside the roll of soundproofing felt, and it's been freshly pressed as the metal edges are like knives. I've got the cuts to prove it.

Reasonable price for a Courier, given their rarity. Nice to see another one out on the road again.

There are two more screws along the bottom edge that screw upwards into captive nuts on the lower metal frame; just above the radio unit (if you have one fitted) and in front of the h-frame. I tried to take a photo but I've a burr-walnut radio fascia fitted and it covers them both.

In many cases it's not the doors, as you'll find out if you fit a replacement door and still have the same problem. GT6 and spitfire doors are quite solid and won't bend or twist. Sills seem to be too short at the rear, with the result that by the time they're welded to the floorpan the door overhangs. A lot of it about these days:

I'll ask, next time I see him. The other GT6 was mine, but I sold it in 2001. I think Laurence's car is still on the road, he posts more on the CT forum these days. He has the GT6 spec in his signature: "Laurence Cochrane Newtownards Northern Ireland. 1972 Gt6 2600EFI The Mutt. Some original parts fitted, Not many ! Early PI motor overbored to 2.6. Lightened & balanced, ported chambered, cam'd 6-3-1 manifold. Running on DTA engine management system incorperating the PI throttle bodies fitted with electronic injectors and throttle position sensor. 0-60 4.7s & 7000rpm. Seriously annoys owners of modern stuff ! (particularly coz its a heap) 2500 S box with competition 28% od. 3.63 diff with a quaife in it, innit ! Rotoflex based rear but with a swing spring fitted & sliding shafts.(swing spring rotoflex without rotoflex's). Koni's front Spax rear. Hydraulic handbrake. Citroen xantia discs 11,1/4 in dia under Morris Garages 15 in Maestro alloys."

The Sixfire in my photo belongs to local member Lawrence Cochrane; the photos were taken around 2000. The front number plate has been slightly modified from NOI 2500 to read: 'NO! 2500'

Nice bonnet badge! We have similar over here:

However, that quilt cover's gonna need replacing...

No, it's got GT-6. THAT can be contagious, too...

Sneaked my GT6 through on July 20th; I had to park it in the Test Centre car park, walk away round the corner of the building, and leave it for 20 minutes with all windows open. If, by that time, no-one had stolen it, they tested it.

They come from a broken gnome...

Nearly every day I look at some part or other and tell myself: It's not going to beat me. Usually it doesn't, but it's the fact that I don't go mad and welt it across the room that also helps.

Spray grease over it and see if that helps. If it doesn't cure the noise it'll make the UJ easier to remove...

I suspect it's like the Herald and the screw is on the top... there's also a speedo drive oil seal, seems to be about £5, which fits into the drive so it could be that, or the O-ring, which is allowing oil to leak out. You may need to remove the tunnel (again!), undo the two rear mountings and jack the rear of the box up so that it clears the chassis rails, but I'm hoping that will be clarified by a fellow Spitfire owner?

Wonder if someone has added a shot of this stuff, and lost part of the container into the tank as well as the additive? The end cap snaps off and is easily dropped into the tank...

The diff might be leaking from the breather on the top, check that it's not running down from higher up before blaming the poor halfshaft! It's on the driver's side top, if you can reach it and jiggle it about it may clear and so stop pressure blowing the oil out. You can see the state they get into... The speedo drive may need a new O-ring; easy to get and fit provided you have access whilst it's fitted to the car, as the drive unit has to come out - it's just one screw. If it's just the sealing of the cable I wonder would a fibre washer help on the end of the speedo cable?

Sounds like it; mine used to grumble when I released the clutch in neutral, a definite spinning / whirring noise that sounded quite loud inside the car. It's now stopped, or certainly hasn't been as noticeable recently.

https://www.bresco.com/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?WD=pipe brake clips&PN=Metal-brake-pipe-clip.-Triumph-Herald-Vitesse--Spitfire-GT6-BSF229P.html#SID=201 It doesn't say what size these are but I use them on both the GT6 and the Heralds; there's enough spring in them to take both 1/4 and 5/16 securely.

I never realised it was that low; are you sure yours is original? Mine has a wide after-market mirror clipped over it as I thought the original too small! This is the rear of a GT6 version:

I was all set to remove the entire insides of the car yet again BUT read somewhere this morning that you can access it from under the car? Have to take the Herald off the ramp first but if that's the case I can test or remove it from underneath so the gearbox tunnel can stay put. I'll have to grind down an old spanner to fit but have some in a drawer somewhere. Cheapest I can find a replacement solenoid is £140 so hope the old one can be saved. One thing I have noticed - if in the car with ignition on but engine not started, if I select 3rd gear than flick the column switch, there's a very slight - and it's very slight - dimming of the ignition and oil lights. Power is getting through somewhere, then.

Change it to Herpes... then you'd never get rid of them... and you'd wish they wouldn't appear at all...

Is that with the clamp / catch fitted? The catch may draw them in when closed.

Must look for that; I've a run to attend on Saturday then after that two weeks to find the problem before the next one. A mate is sending me data on resistance etc so I can test the insides from outside. ICE.... er, yes. Didn't want to say radio / stereo / CD player... in case all the young 'uns called me an oldie. Daughter was aghast when I once mentioned her going to 'the pictures' so I've learned from that.

My wife bought an Apple pencil to write on her iPad straight from the Apple Store, we paid an extra £4.90 for next day delivery... that was last Monday. Estimated delivery is 7th August. Jeff your parcel was Royal Snail so maybe tomorrow?