Anglefire

You are lucky Paul.

Yes but nothing special in finding out the trunions. Just a case of knowing what you are looking for. Ok somethings aren’t easy to check granted, but there is nothing special about it. My local does a good cheap (£15) mot - and it’s cheap because they hope to get the work to fix anything they find - but I’ve never had a problem with a modern taking it away and doing it myself. But they did my spitfire last time and don’t know old cars. They wouldn’t know how to check a trunion I suspect. They certainly didn’t know how to set up carbs as they completely detuned mine trying to reduce the idle. As for emissions- don’t even go there. I would take it there for a brake test as that is not always simple to check - and I would happily pay £15 for that every year and Get a second pair of eyes on it generally- but an unsupervised Mot, no.

There is nothing special about the mot that can’t be checked by the owner. But you have to be honest. In fact given mot testers aren’t allowed to use things like bodgers to check for rust etc, you have an advantage in that you can. The biggest problem with doing it yourself is that you look at something and decide you will do it later if you do find an issue.

I bought an engine for my Spitfire that had been "rebuilt" - not very well its turned out - but did spot the thrust bearing being the wrong way around before I put it in the car.

I'm having my daily serviced next week - and am having it MOT'd at the same time - its not due until January - but that is a very inconvenient time, so am shifting it. I've still to get my Spitfire tested. It will wait now until I've replaced the front springs and shocks. If I do it at all. I've given my reasons before.

Linky?

I'd forgotten I'd joined last January - must remember to cancel before they bill me again!

Yes perfectly legal. They can only test what is there - and as long as the rules at the time of manufacture didn't require them, then you are fine. Having said that I would look to see if any can be fitted as I wouldn't like to go far in the rear (or front to be fair!) without belts.

Yep 5/16" UNF - when I put the tap down it just bound up very slightly, then you could feel it cut the crap that was left in the thread and it went down all the way nicely.

Finally got around to tackling this, this afternoon whilst SWMBO is out Ran a tap down and bolts went in just fine. Then took it out for a spin - as it's not been out for what seems like months! Went very nicely - span up to 5500rpm with ease - no misfires, nothing - and sounds really nice It is using too much oil though - probably rings - and the pressure is still lower than I'd like - so I will change it for some 20-60 Millers in and see if that helps. If not, I'll drop the engine out - but it won't be for a while - I'll just keep adding oil! Oh and I put a new pivot pin in on the clutch - as the old was really badly worn - stepped probably 2-3mm on two sides. Clutch seems to work much nicer now too!

It wasn't that warm in Arizona last week - in fact it rained! ?

My grandmothers brother on my fathers side was killed in I think the second battle. Was 15.

Well we have avoided a major war local to us at least.

That does look very good. If that is the right adjective.

A friend of mine “collects” plates - no real reason and most were cheap. He reckons this one would be £800-1200 to the right person. Mad for getting it off the car - not a hope. He did manage to get a couple of plates off a car that was recently SORNed due to a loop hole in the automated system. But that hole is now filled.

I recognise those springs!

I've never done this sort of thing - not sure I know what the operating hours is like, but having driven from just north of Barcelona to Calais in about 18hours, (800miles or so) as a solo driver, I can say it is brutal - I had to catch some sleep about 2hours out of Calais as I was flagging - I have also driven from just outside Krakow in Poland to Calais in about the same sort of time, but 2 drivers and a stop at the Carrefour on the Polish side of the German border for supplies, but that was fairly easy going.

And how does he hope to sell the plate separately? I'm not aware that you can transfer a plate off anything other than a road legal vehicle?

You never make money on a hobby. I do get paid occasionally for photography- my other big hobby - but it comes no where close to covering the cost of the gear - doesn’t even cover the cost of the annual insurance. ?

Its a 5/16" actually - I've not had chance to run a tap down yet - not sure I'll get anytime over the weekend as I have to do some twiddling on the heating control system and then pack my bag before I have to get the train to Manchester on Monday evening and catch the big bird.

Location of the relays is largely irrelevant - you will always have a power feed from the battery so there will be volt drop however you do it - but for ease of switch wiring local to the headlamp bowl has to be a good option - just make sure the common feed (if you have a common and don't run a feed to each lamp) is man enough to take the load of two lamps (V=IR will give you your volt drop)

And there is the rub!

To my mind - and its not all there, before someone says it - they trap the hot air into the engine bay rather than let it out. Engine will get wet anyway if it rains as the water will come through the front and up if it has a mind to.

Not sure what that is telling you - my disco had a hidden display. But essentially nothing of any use diagnostically. Yes cheap code readers will give you the basic engine fault codes as a minimum. And in this case may well be sufficiently. @Pete I agree the light colour is significant- red is stop. Do not continue it’s about to blow Jim (said with a Scottish accent obviously) yellow means something is wrong bjt you can continue with care and probably with reduced power. Other than that you have to get the codes read.

? both I guess is the right answer ? they no longer have cats so I do now visit for longer.