Colin Lindsay

And you call ME lightweight? I won't be the one coming to an end after only 30 years. I've got real staying power! Roll on the next decade.

My Mk3 GT6 had period alloy wheels and when I bought my Mk1 I transferred them over. I saw huge cuts out of the rubber one day, it turned out that the inner lip of the wing where it bent into the wheelarch was cutting into the tyres. Every time I went over a bump they made contact not with the top but the side. The later car had a much thinner return lip and it didn't affect the tyres at all, but on the Mk1 it was like a knife edge, and I immediately went back to narrower original wheels before we had a disaster. It's something worth checking if you fit wider wheels.

Me neither; it all depends on how you cut the hoses. Saw them you'll get lots of slivers; cut with heavy shears and they'll cut cleanly. I agree too that lubricating the end of the pipe saves damage when you're refitting.

Hello Louis, and welcome - repost the pics as John says so we can all admire. 'Way back in 2016'... you've no idea how old that makes me feel... especially since I started one of my restorations way back in 1995...

That's what I do at shows, usually with the thought: "I didn't know you could get those!" You should have heard me the day the welder rolled sideways instead of forward and chipped the GT6 sill... but all gone now as if it had never been.

It's such a great idea that I'll make it work. I'm just relieved that I won't have to drill the rear valance, as I've had to cut the floor for the exhaust hangers and the petrol pipe outlet and having to make holes in the pristine paintwork is quite annoying. I'm also intending to use it on the rear trim panels that tend to fall off due to the weight of the speakers I've installed; the clips I normally use aren't up to the job by themselves.

Just because you didn't see it leave it doesn't mean that it's still there. Sneaky stuff, wiring loom smoke... Sadly, when I went to check on my spares I found that it has seeped out through a cracked seal. I've ordered more from these two guys at the factory.

Nice looking stuff, a double-sided magnet wouldn't work as the plates are not magnetic, so I'm hoping the adhesive side is up to the job. You went and ruined things by mentioning 'pulling the paint off'.... but I don't want the plate to fly off the glue side leaving the blank magnetic bit still stuck on... Anyway, sheet ordered just this instant - I have other uses planned for it too, including interior trim... thanks for the link.

You'll love this one... why the High Street died. My local way-out-in-the-country Autofactors had neither Waxoyl nor spire clips so I went to a local High Street Auto Supplies. "Plastic spire clips? No such thing." I told him I'd found some online and he leaned in over the counter. "Then I suggest you buy them online." He then proceeded to charge me £11.59 for an aerosol of Waxoyl and I took a last look at his shop on the way out...

Awww no! Thanks for that heads-up, otherwise there could have been a lot of head scratching. If there isn't a separate earth wire already fitted to each (can't check at present but I know the reversing lights have two bullet connectors each) I'll run an earth along the loom and splice accordingly, simple enough when the whole interior is out, especially the petrol tank which the lights are in behind. There's an earthing point on the current loom to one of the overrider bolts that I can link to. Now you know why I think out loud on here, someone always spots something that I don't think of. Update: had to run outside and check, but each light has the body earthed through a bullet connector to an earth cable in the loom. Just noticed that the boot floor isn't cut for the fuel pipe outlet. Gosh darn it.

I think the ratings were 88 for Winter and 82 for Summer. I have a drawer full of all sorts of ranges (right down to 78?) but usually stick to the same one, the 82 degree version, as I'm rarely out in conditions where it's so cold that I need a warmer thermostat.

Thanks Tony - I think you've just sold me on those! I found a seller on eBay selling the plastic spire clips so have ordered 20, just in case, but the idea of plastic bolts and nuts with a little dab of adhesive on the threads makes perfect sense. I'm averse to drilling or cutting into fresh paint; I always believe that once the coat is broken then it's weakened and immediately begins to flake or crack. I only realised last night there's no holes for the rear number plate, so that will have to be glued on - it's pressed metal and may be too heavy for adhesive strips used for the plastic versions. I don't care if it falls off just so long as it doesn't damage the paint on the way...

Some good pointers there of speednuts (a real possibility), even nuts and bolts ( hadn't thought of that and yes would work so simply) but I like those plastic spireclips. Tomorrow I'll be in the local Autofactors to see what they have that's roughly equivalent but if no-go with them I'll peruse that site of Pete's. Plastic is a big bonus - no sharp edges to mark the paintwork, even out of sight. Since you asked, Pete (you didn't, but any chance to show it off, I'm really pleased the way it has turned out!) here's the other end. The aim is to have it fully MOT'd and back on the road by the first local show at start of April - it's currently just about a bare shell. Wing strips are now bonded on with windscreen adhesive and allegedly will never come off.

SAL the GT6 has arrived back from the bodyshop looking great and the last thing I want to do is to ruin the paint by sliding and scraping spire clips over the bodywork to secure the rear indicator and reversing lights. I used original metal clips for the chrome strips on the bonnet seams last time it was sprayed and they dug into the new paint bringing tears to my eyes. Does anyone have a good alternative to spire clips in this area?

As always, I'd recommend trying Chic Doig for a good second-hand version. He may even have new. There are quite a few on eBay, some appear to be in excellent condition, but I'm not certain which version it is you actually need so can't link to one particular version. Just search 'Triumph badge' and see if anything is suitable.

To block it off, or keep it clear? Diff uses a split pin to keep the breather hole open, that's what I'd use, but I'd be wary of closing it completely as it was once thought necessary. Having said that, one out of three gearboxes I refurbished recently (bearings and seals) had no breather in the top cover, so it was either unnecessary in earlier cars and added later, or else it was in the early cars, and then deleted from later ones - sadly the top covers were detached from the boxes long ago so no way of telling which.

You can get other family members into your Triumph? Mine flatly refuse. Too noisy, too dangerous, doesn't stop as well, doesn't drive as comfortably...

Nor were mine, they were pressed in, same method as I've been using for years. I can't see how you'd hammer a UJ in, in any case. Still if you're happy with the Britpart ones, then each to his own. As I've personally had a bad experience with them I won't go for them again.

I'm going to stop you there... But you're correct in that all our stuff is manufactured in far off places as the costs - materials and labour both - are much less, so yes, we'll go for cheaper. The biggest problem now seems to be that the parts are cheap, but in some cases, cheap rubbish. They're not even meeting basic requirements. THAT'S what we need to address, and it will have to start by telling the suppliers.

I don't know what difference that will make. They'll continue to manufacture it, and sell it. What we need to do is to convince the suppliers, with whom we deal, that we want better. I'm as guilty as any, trying to buy parts as cheaply as possible, but it's always a compromise between quality and value, and in recent times I've been stung too often. The problem is that we either shell out hard cash for the parts we need, or else we'll be told: not available. Not a great choice...

Well spotted!! As confirmed in Doug's post the rear shoe should have the liner towards the top, higher than the front shoe, so the handbrake notch will be diagonally opposite.

Position 72 Half inch, and I was going to guess UNF until I saw Pete's post above - we posted simultaneously - what's 20 TPI in imperial? Isn't that the same as UNF?

You can paraphrase me, if you want. "My bank account is empty so it's a great incentive to maximise the efficiency of what I have already... as there won't be anything else... !"

It depends on the finish you yourself want. If you want blue, you'll have to remove all the old underseal then a good primer and stonechip will prime nicely for the topcoat. If you just want a durable finish then you can rub down with a wire brush, kill the rust with Jenolite (if they still sell that sort of thing) and brush new underseal over it all. Main thing is to either kill or remove the rust, down to bare metal, then you can prime with a good rustkilling primer, stonechip on top and finally topcoat. I'd get a fine wire wheel attachment for a drill or grinder and take that rust right back, then treat and spray. Having said that, both my GT6 and my TR7 have black wheelarches as it was much easier than removing all of the old underseal that a PO had brushed on. Once the wheels are on, it's hard to see.

Yeah it's amazing how blind some of them can be. When you do get past, a glare usually results in a blank expression. "What'd I do?" I had an orange revolving one of those, ran on D cell batteries and had a big suction cup, so at a mates house warming, after a few drinks, we decided the music needed lighting too. Got it from the car boot, stuck it to his newly plastered ceiling, and after a few minutes it dropped to the floor with a huge piece of plaster attached. AND it shattered into bits too.