Colin Lindsay

I was just this minute searching for dipstick tubes; the same one for the Spitfire UKC4763 was also used on the TR7, and whilst many claim that it's no longer available you can buy new ones for various models of MGB, which may be suitable.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/An-Astonishing-Ex-TSSC-Museum-Display-Triumph-Spitfire-1500-with-11-403-Miles/283840017470?hash=item42162ef43e:g:tFwAAOSwHgdejFhH An ex-Triumph of 'ours' which has been owned by 'three respected Triumph enthusiasts'. What's the member's price on it?

This is an excellent thread on an alternative to welding captive nuts in place.. have a read; it may give you some ideas of the alternatives.

Outer length of breather is 11.5 inches. The shorter length is 6 inches in total, two of which are the narrower insert, so 4" broad and 2" narrow. As far as squinting at a tape measure goes, the thicker is 3/4 inch and the narrow 2" section 5/8 inch.

John Kippings = lots of points. You could be up there with the best, yet! If you have dental picks for your car, can you send them back to my dentist and she can return the angle grinder, seal puller and cold chisel that she regularly uses, back to someone's garage?

Best option would be to weld it back first. It might be strong enough to pull back into place - try bolting something to it, a spare piece of metal or odd bracket, before you refit the body and see how strong it is; if it shears, well it's better that way than with the body on, and you'll have to replace it anyway. If it pulls tight again without breaking off completely that's a good opportunity for a small tack of weld to hold it in place. You can get threaded inserts (Rivnuts?) to replace it, but you'll have to buy the fixing tool as well. If you don't have access to a welder I'm wondering if there's any kind of adhesive that would hold as well as welding?

Nice!! Am I correct that they didn't have a fuel pump originally?

The top one looks like the TR6 pattern but I think it was used on the GT6 Mk3 too and possibly even the Spitfire 1500 of the same era; the centre Triumph badge would point more towards the latter two. Not sure about the matt black one, but is it possible it was fitted to the Spitfire Mkiv with the black dash?

Raise you a complete set of six Herald Workshop Manuals, parts 1 - 6, and a very battered Rimmers catalogue.

No-one uses them to get into locked cars these days, either...

+1 for lots of heat; don't round it off any further as you need that stub to get any kind of grip on it. Tap it gently on the top, quickly and repeatedly with a small hammer, set up a good rhythm as the vibrations can often break the seal. Tightening it as well as loosening it, just gently back and forth with no great pressure can also free it up. If you have to drill it out use a very small drill followed by progressively bigger; often the heat will break it free so each time you drill try it again. Last one I did was paper thin by the time it freed up, but there I was able to gently hammer the edges of the bolt away from the surround metal by collapsing it into the hole I'd drilled. Worst case scenario is retap the hole or else helicoil it.

If only me knees were up to it I'd kneel at your feet. If I didn't have one of the heavy white hard-back versions and one of the soft-back green versions myself. Furthermore Stirling Moss once walked down a street about 100 miles from where I bought it, so it's got Provenance... beat that!

Following on from the discussion on replacing timing chain tensioners and covers, here's small screwdriver I've adapted to slide under the cover and hold the tensioner in place until it passes over the chain.

Yep, Vitesse has them too, part 47 here, but currently unavailable. Hence the coathanger!

It is! One of the benefits of being married to a teacher - access to an excellent colour printer and laminator. I have torque settings and wiring diagrams laminated and blu-tacked to the walls for easy reference. I also have two Haynes manuals for the Heralds; one lives on the shelf in the study and the other is a loose collection of grubby pages that lives in the garage.

It's all down to personal preference! I love the early car for their basic simplicity, the MK3 seems to stand out on its' own and is reputed to be the best driver, and the late cars are more sophisticated and modern in comparison. As the owner of a 'dreadful' Mk1 GT6 with a 'dire' driving experience and 'cramped and uncomfortable cabin' I often wonder why I've kept it for so long.

On the GT6 the spring hooks under the front outrigger and gives a bit more 'feel' to the acclerator; it will work without it but you're putting all of the strain on the carb springs. I don't know if the Vitesse has the same kind of pedal. Having a size 11 foot, I put a heavier spring on that gives more resistance, as previously the accelerator felt very insubstantial. That hook setup is very close to the one I have:

Same as my GT6 Mk1 exhaust - both the mild steel one that I removed and the stainless one I replaced it with have the centre silencer. I bought the replacement from the Club Shop quite a few years ago now. Some suppliers may not include this any more; who did you order yours from? It could also be the case that the photograph they use is for illustration purposes, so yours may yet have the centre box when it arrives.

Photos, please, Mike. Always like to admire someone's handiwork, especially as all the lathes I have access to are under lockdown six miles away.

I always love it when the vendor puts things in like: "These Mk2 models are becoming the most desirable and collectable with front split grille and lower bumper." No doubt Mk1 and Mk3 owners might disagree, never mind owners of the later models. I used to always get that with the GT6, the MK2 was 'the one that everyone wants'... and I didn't... But with any of these ads, the clincher is whether or not it actually sells... as you say, Peter, it's only worth what someone is prepared to pay.

Had to go check again; it came up under a search for 'Triumph GT6 gearbox tunnel' but as Moss don't do the GT6 it must be Spitfire. My mistake!

I had wondered if that was the case, but the starter bulge in both is to the right (the starter is on the left in Heralds, and on the opposite side in the GT6), so it made me wonder why there was a difference on the top face. Maybe just a trick of the photograph?

Two for starters; Pete's list of common clutch faults is very helpful. Sadly some of the solutions involve having the engine running! Have a read anyway, but the gearbox section of the forum has a lot of good information, too much for me to link to all in one post.

Hello Jonathan and welcome; I think there will be a lot of finished restorations ands rejuvenated Triumphs before this all blows over. Are you sure the problem is hydraulic, or just the clutch plate stuck to the flywheel? There are a number of threads here on the same topic and how to free it up, I'll post links later or maybe someone will oblige? The tunnel is bolted along the floor, just screws into the bodywork, and more screws below the dash. You'll have to take the carpets out to see them, and you'll need to remove the h-frame which supports the dash (and holds the radio) - four bolts to the floor, and two screws to the top. Work your way around the edge of the gearbox tunnel and you'll find the screws. Some tunnel covers may be stuck down with sealant, or the rubber seal may be sticking. If it's overdrive there may be an additional metal plate in front of the handbrake, which is just screwed to the tunnel, and there may also be side pads / knee pads along the sides; again, just a screw to the rear or some may just be slotted in place and will lift out with a pull forward and up. If you remove the gearknob the rubber gearlever surround will lift off over the gearstick. The tunnel cover will lift backwards and up once all the screws are removed.

Now THAT I can do. Thin-nosed pliers with a cable tie round the nose grip the pin while you hold the trim back against the spring with the other hand.