DerekS

I'm sorry for coming with half a crack Alan, I've had a look through the Spitfire-related magazines I've kept but can't find anything. Definitely remember seeing your car though! Can anyone else help? The exhaust is a standard pattern stain steel. The car had an expensive twin "wheelbarrow" set up on it when I bought it... by the time I'd driven the 300+ miles home after picking it up I'd had enough, not for me. That's a brilliant photo of yours!!!

Alan, being a "local" car here, I'm sure that yours has featured in a number of magazines over the years, Classic Car Weekly and/or Practical Classics. Perhaps the Courier?

I'm not that familiar with that end of Carlisle Colin, but according to google the Tandoori is still there and thriving. Not sure about the French bread shop though. How long have you had your car Alan? I'm sure I've seen it in various magazines over the years. (I have one the same.)

If I remember correctly, "HH" was Carlisle, "AO" was the rest of Cumberland and "EO" Barrow-in-Furness.

I've used 1144's for a number of years now and they are superb. What I do every so often -especially just before an MOT- is to give them a workout, 3 or 4 emergency stops. It seems to take the glaze off them and sharpen them up. Beware the Greenstuff pads, spawn of the devil!

Dave, I don't know if this will help but I find temperature has a lot to do with it, the one on my Spitfire can be a b****r to put up when it's cold. Standing out in the sun -even the winter sun- does help. Also, I do believe that they "shrink" slightly when not used for a while. Derek.

They do get under your skin as you say Graham, and one of the ways is the level that they communicate with you, you know how I mean? It's a non-judgemental, no-back-doors sort of relationship, too. We lost 2 Maine Coon cats at 16+ years old each within 6 months of each other. One had been blind for 3 years but nobody told him and he just got on with life, even catching the odd mouse in a dedicated cat-run (enclosure). This was round the time I was finishing work and the emptiness in the house was awful but we decided, no more cats. Definitely not. No way. Then after 3 years I caught sight of a rescue kitten on the Cats Protection website... you know where this is going. We've had her 2 years now and she is an absolute star... Yes, they do get under your skin.

Graham, every sympathy to you and your good lady, people say a pet can be like one of the family... NO, they ARE one of the family. I'll stick my neck out here, in a lot of ways it can be worse than losing an elderly relative. It's the one downside of the companionship. You gave a Lab a great life, with time the pain will ease but the happy memories will live forever.

For fellow Spitfire owners: finally, after a good few years, Moss have their excellent Spitfire catalogue available to order online again (hard copy), every nut and bolt in clear detail. I find them useful as a reference, apart from ordering any spares. ( No, I don't work for Moss...) Derek.

This is possibly an old chestnut but I've used the layout pictured for a lot of years to adjust the rear brakes on my Spitfire; brake adjusting spanners are a right pain to use. Using a small socket set with 3/8" and 1/4" drive, the aim is to end up with a 1/4" square "socket" that's a good fit on the adjuster. Basically it's a 3/8" drive ratchet, short extension, 3/8" to 1/4" adapter, 7mm x 1/4" drive socket, a 7mm x 1/4" allen key bit and a 1/4" drive x 1/4" AF socket. I'm sure that other arrangements would do the job. The allen key bit is Loctited in place to stop it dropping out. I keep a short length of tubing over the (well-greased) exposed threads of the adjusters, keeps them from seizing. Half an hour spent putting these pieces together saves parping around with the usual brake spanners!

Sorry, misread the problem, I'm thinking it was an oil seepage... I'll get my coat.

Before you disturb anything, have a look, on the Spitfire there's a small tell-tale hole on the underside of the pump, this could be the same. It's quite possible that oil is spreading from there. It's easy to check with a small mirror and torch.

Adrian, please accept my apologies, the pic I've posted is of my 1500 Spitfire tunnel cover. I didn't realise that the GT6 is different, sorry. Very diplomatically explained, Pete!

Thankyou, I did that a lot of years ago and it has paid dividends. I tie the carpet up out of the way with string when working there. There is a backing plate/frame the same size with a cutout and 6x captive nuts in it, fastened to the tunnel side, remove 6x screws and the filler plug is right there. The screws are dome-headed allen screws, they are easier to remove and re-insert with an allen key than ordinary slotted screws were. Also, I found that a half inch AF socket is a good fit on the filler plug; topping up or changing the oil is a doddle. A bit of a parp doing it but WELL worth doing!

I hope this helps, it was taken when I was changing the clutch slave cylinder, the alloy panel is removable to get to the gearbox filler. No dimensions unfortunately...

Thanks Pete, much appreciated! I'll give it a try and see how we get on, cheers!

Any views on this oil, on the Moss website, would be appreciated! It does say that it's safe on copper and brass materials. https://www.moss-europe.co.uk/dynolite-oils/dynolite-gear-oils/dynolite-no-noise-ep-85w-140-1-litre-ggl823310.html

Thanks for the replies, guys, It really is a minefield, quite confusing... I'll have to do some homework, care needed here. I have tried a 140 oil and it was nice and quiet when cool but on the first decent run I went on and the diff got up to temperature, I wasn't too happy at all. ( I now have a drain plug a drain plug in the diff so changing the oil is fairly easy.)

GT6M, picking up on your recommendation of Penrite 85/140, I've just been looking at it, it does look to be the bees knees but it's a GL5. Pardon my ignorance but does that matter, are there any brass components in a diff?

Evening all, just a quick comment, nothing much really... I've just taken delivery of a set of brake shoes for my Spitfire 1500 from the club shop. An outstanding deal all round, especially at member prices and the delivery couldn't have been quicker. A great benefit of being in the club! Thank You Martin (and all) for an outstanding service!

Brilliant, I'll have a box...😉

I realise it's rather late, but I've only sat down for the evening and there's a 1971 GT6 featured on tonight's Car SOS on More 4 at 9:00 tonight.It's on again at 10:00 on More 4+1. Could be interesting... Derek. Apologies, I now realise it has been mentioned, sorry, it's been a long day...

I have to ask, is there an easy/quick way to change the pad?

Aaron, has the head been dropped or "knocked" on to the stud recently? That is fresh damage, there's no corrosion on the cast iron, it doesn't look like a historical problem.

Food for thought there Pete, I have a tube of Omnifit in the garage, it is good stuff, used in industry shall we say, but can be, err... permanent.