Colin Lindsay

Possibly the original carbs, if the engine has been modified?

Just like a modern car!! No-one checks brake lights, headlights, tyres, brakes or oil any more. "Didn't they do all that at the factory?"

Just took ten years of my life whilst testing the compressor to see what pressure it now reaches... it's running way past the old cut-off point but the pressure-switch hadn't started to cut out, so I was watching it intently when there was a huge bang behind me... the elderly tyre-inflating airline that I had been using with a blow-gun wasn't up to that sort of pressure and had burst. In a closed garage it was deafening. Thankfully the blast-cabinet line is reinforced heavy line... but at least now we're getting to a proper pressure.

Used to do it back in the day, but then perhaps radios were made of sterner stuff? (I wired a Mini Clubman in such a way that when the owner turned the radio on, the engine stopped....) If you wire just one channel into the speaker, you'll lose half of the sound - ok for radio maybe but not a lot of music that's in a higher-grade of stereo these days. Have you considered glove-box pod speakers? I have one Radiomobile pod speaker in each under-dash tray of my GT6, secured to the screws that hold the tray in place so no cutting involved. You can't see them as they sit right at the back but they sound great, even when driving.

I don't think it's for sale, as the original OP says, but a photo would be great for the debate! It's not to catch anyone out, but just to satisfy ourselves as to what exactly it is.

That's something I need to do on my GT6, the accelerator pedal is far too light. Now that you've reminded me, I must go look for stronger springs.

Go wash your mouth out, young man. The Herald is perfect, only the owners are fallible.

Was he selling it? It's well documented that they were never officially made, which is why no-one knows of any, but I know of quite a few later conversions.

Have done that - trimmed and recrimped the wire (using one of those huge recrimping tools from the 1960s...) and shortened both ends of the power lead to about half the original length. As I have three of those thermal cutout switches I reused one (no trace of any damage to body or terminals) changed the plug for a new one and refilled the oil with a lighter grade. All good so far, but I remember that was the case six months ago before it all started again...

Replace it with a long threaded rod cut to length, then you can have the nut inside the boot and unscrew at that end. It saves that ever happening again.

Excessive ones cause both worry and MOT failure, but a slight weep or occasional drop is normal unless your engine is rebuilt or has been maintained as super oil-tight. My GT6 leaves two or three drops between uses and is just kept regularly topped up, although it rarely needs it, but my TR7 left a sizeable pool about four inches across and so was stripped to be rebuilt.

Probably just a GT6 Spitfire conversion; using a Spitfire bodytub onto a GT6 chassis / 6-pot engine, or else just the engine and gearbox under a GT6 bonnet on a Spitfire. They were never made by the factory but a lot of owners have upgraded to the bigger engine.

Partyfood! Yum!

Grease. Oil would probably run straight out, unlike the trunnion at the bottom where there's a well for it to sit in. Nice to see one with the grease nipple rather than the modern 'sealed for life' units that have the life of a mayfly.

I hope so, John - I'll try that today. I'm going to carry out a full strip-down and service later this morning, test all joints and connections, clean all electrical components and try a lighter oil than before. The SIP oil was SAE 40, I tried an engine oil which was 10 - 40 and still blows so I have dug out a container of 5 - 30 to see if that makes any difference. The bit about the motor overload tripping due to excessive resistance was on the SIP help page https://www.sipuk.co.uk/troubleshooting-guide and states: "Extension lead will cause a voltage drop, increasing the amperage – resulting in the motor overload tripping. Use from mains plug." I'm assuming that the thermal cutout is the overload mentioned? I'm also going to shorten the long power cable - necessary in my last garage due to the position of the sockets - to about four feet.

Hi all - just to resurrect this old thread - it's happening again. The thermal cutout is getting hot, the motor switches off way before operating pressure, and the two spade terminals on the thermal cutout are going black and literally melting. I had replaced that thermal circuit breaker - the one in the photo, like for like, as it's what was originally fitted - and got about six months out of it before we've started again - blowing before I get enough pressure to sandblast. Two things arising from earlier posts: if I wanted to replace this with a more heavy duty item, what should I go for? This one's a 20amp: https://uk.farnell.com/eta/2-5700-ig1-p10-dd-000040-20a/circuit-breaker-20a/dp/8567450 However I managed to find a SIP help page and they reckoned that if an extension lead is used, this increases the resistance and may lead to overload; I'm wondering if by extending the power lead from the original five feet to almost ten - to avoid an extension lead plug and socket - I've inadvertently caused the problem? The cable came from a local electrical supplies shop, very long-established and very knowledgeable, and, based on the original cable, they got me the longer length of replacement. I'm wondering now if I should go back to the original length and just move it closer to a socket? Does a thicker cable mean higher or lower resistance? Going to spend today stripping it down and servicing, then off tomorrow to the Electrical spares guy and buy - possibly - a thinner cable.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CLUTCH-RELEASE-ARM-FULCRUM-PIVOT-PIN-TRIUMPH-HERALD-SPITFIRE/202588824420?fits=Car+Make%3ATriumph&hash=item2f2b3c2364:g:3JsAAOSwikBcWbJT Cheap enough to replace one for future peace of mind, even if that turns out not to be the problem - just in case!

I'm assuming number 309768 in this diagram? First thing I'd do would be check the condition of the threads at the pipe end, if they're worn it may not grip sufficiently however it may be the t-piece itself is worn; can you remove it and check? It may have worn more easily than the metal pipe connector. Even replacing this piece, which is readily available, may save you having to make up a new brake pipe as a combination of the original pipe end plus a new sharp-threaded t-piece may give better grip and make a better seal. It's worth a try. (In my experience you can never get a tap into those sufficiently to retap the threads - they're too shallow)

My first thought would be that it's as simple as wiring both left and right positive cables to one terminal, and both negatives to the other, then both channels should play through the same speaker and you won't lose one?

Let it settle for a bit, if possible park facing the sun to soften the rubber and let things attain a proper profile against the screen frame; after a time there will be fewer gaps and sealant will be more effective. If you apply sealant now, when the rubber is still conforming to the shape of the frame, it will harden and hold the rubber away slightly, perhaps leading to leaks later on.

If you decide against electric for any reason, go for one of the glass-topped Delco pumps - they come up all the time on eBay, both new and used. The internals are all the same so available everywhere and dead easy to recondition simply by removing the glass bowl; plus you can watch the fuel float past when the engine is running... Make sure you get one with the correct actuating lever for Triumphs, but you can swap them about easily enough just by pressing out a roll pin.

Yep; already purchased for when the back plate and the pinion cover go back on. I've even bought a new breather for the top and a new drain plug... must have had a good day selling Herald parts on eBay back then!

I wish it was... I remember reading that page so carefully and working it out... 'yes, it says non-O/D'... and then going back to it and thinking: where did I get THAT from? I'm practicing to be an OAP, you know, like a future classic?

Well it's been a while, the club garage day is long over and the garage although it still smells of gearbox oil is clean and tidy again. The TR7 is back on the lift for work on the rustiest, dirtiest and leakiest rear axle that I've seen in some time. The whole car has been like this; I reckon it stood in a ploughed field for too long and as with the front, one axle (driver's side) is rustier than the other. The only solution I can think of is that it was always parked in the same spot with one side sheltered against a wall and the other exposed to the elements. It took me a little bit of time to work out how best to remove the axle, given that it weighs quite a bit and I have a permanently painful shoulder. The propshaft was removed long ago and refurbished so there was a lot of free movement on the rear axle, stopped only by the shocks and top brake hose. Once removed, the axle could be rested on the ground and the car raised just enough to allow removal of the final few bolts, and off it all came. I stripped the diff down and removed other component parts including brake lines, handbrake pivot and all those little plastic clips before taking into it with a portable sandblaster, which believe me earned its' keep. I didn't take any photos of the process, being far too engrossed in watching paint and rust fly off and making a mess of the grass, but made the most of today's excellent weather to apply a few coats of primer followed by rust-proofer; a top coat of gloss black to follow, once all that has hardened. That will be the rear of the car finished mechanically - obviously brakes etc all require replacing - but the majority of the donkey-work is now complete. The bodywork actually looks very sound underneath and will be thoroughly cleaned before undersealing and copious amounts of Waxoyl sprayed into all of the hard to reach areas, box sections and crevices. Once I swap the gearbox mounting, blast, paint and rebush the lever arms, and replace the axle assembly, the propshaft and handbrake cables and attachments the car will be back on its' wheels so that I can start the interior rewiring and cleanup. I'm getting there...

I have the standard system on my Mk1 and it's quite tight to one side but doesn't move about or strike the chassis; however there's not much room for anything larger.