Qu1ckn1ck

I have read reams about our engines requiring an engine oil with high ZDDP content - has anybody any views ?

A very nice collection of classics - thanks for posting. Nick

Hi and welcome Russ !

A great read. Congratulations to Ella on her degree.

Already had a replacement electronic module for the dizzy and a replacement coil but still no joy.

I am having almost identical problems trying to get a PowerSpark high energy dizzy, coil and leads to work in a 1971 GT6. None of the wiring looms that I have seen bear any relation to the loom in my car but I eventually found the dull white/pink trace ballast resistance wire spliced into the loom. It starts by joining the white/pink trace to a white wire at a small pigtail sticking out the loom near the battery and fuse panel on the bulkhead. It ends at another pigtail sticking out the loom close to the alternator and ignition coil where the white/pink trace joins with a white/yellow trace. The white/yellow trace is then the only connection to my ignition coil "+" terminal. Despite by-passing this ballast resistance to feed a Viper coil my PowerSpark system refuses to operate.

Hi Martyn ! Hope you are soon fit enough to finish the Vitesse.

Continuing hassle with the High Energy Electronic Distributor, Viper coil and HT leads. Despite adapting the GT6 loom to provide a 12v feed to the High Energy Coil there was still no HT spark at the plugs. The supplier then sent a replacement electronic module (FOC) to be fitted to the new distributor - still no spark and so the electronic system is removed from the car for the third time. Further phone conversations with the supplier today, who finally suggested testing the resistance of the coil secondary circuit. The result - now awaiting a replacement coil ! This was supposed to be an easy half hour job directly replacing the old coil and distributor with shiny new electronic ones. Ten days later the saga continues.

My 6v coil measures 1.9 ohms resistance across the primary terminals. Car starts perfectly whether I have the 12v by-pass link connected to the starter solenoid or not. I thought that the High Energy Electronic Distributor and Coil would be a direct replacement for the old c/b points system which is working quite happily. If I had known the hassle it was going to be, with no instructions supplied, a hidden ballast resistor wire and no relevant diagrams for the loom in my car, I wouldn't have wasted my time and money on the electronic replacement.

Checked the ignition coil again with CB terminal earthed and the DMM reads 6 volts at the positive terminal so my GT6 system definitely has a ballast resistor wire hidden in the loom. None of the GT6 wiring diagrams available in my manuals or online match my loom so no help there. Eventually found the start of the pink/white resistance wire pigtailed with a white wire into the loom near the battery and the other end pigtailed with the white/yellow bypass wire into the loom near the alternator. I now intend to link the white feed wire behind the battery to the white/yellow bypass wire now removed from the starter solenoid to provide a short, unobtrusive and easily reversible 12 volt feed to the electronic distributor and coil. Just hope that works. Many thanks all for your help an advice. Nick

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I have traced the white/yellow wire from the ignition coil + terminal to a terminal on the starter solenoid. The only pink/white wire I can find is this one - joined to a white/no trace and both coming out the loom near the battery and fuse box. Having bought a shiny new DMM I appear to have come up with some rather odd readings: Old (working) coil resistance = 1.9 ohms. The new Viper coil = 1 ohm. I was expecting the white/yellow wire to show a dropped voltage, but on checking at both the coil and the starter solenoid disconnected ends, with the ignition on, it showed the full battery charge of 12.47 volts. I can only assume that there is no ballast resistor wire active in the ignition circuit. Unless anyone can suggest any other possibility, I guess that my Powerspark distributor or Viper coil must be faulty ? Looks like another phone call to Simon Lucas on Monday.

My GT Mk3 has no visible ceramic ballast resistor connected to the coil positive terminal. I have read that it may have a ballast resistor wire instead but my coil has only one feed wire connected to the positive terminal and one wire from the negative to the dizzy. Is it possible that my car could have a hidden ballast resistor wire spliced into this single feed somewhere rather than two separate feed wires terminating at the positive terminal ? I am trying to find out why a new Powerspark Distributor and Viper Coil refuse to perform when installed in place of the old Delco dizzy and coil.

Dips in the road - yes, without problems but only with driver aboard so far, Henry. Nick

Spax adjustables for lowered Rotaflex cars fitted today and appear to have solved the bottoming out problem.

Ideally looking for some to bolt on without having to modify. Have now got some Spax on order from Moss which I hope will suit a lowered Rotaflex GT6. Many thanks to all for the suggestions.

Fantastic looking restoration !

Gully, My rear shocks are mounted off a chassis bracket. The attached photo shows the detail. The measurement between fixing centres is 11" (280mm) which is almost identical to the compressed length of the shock absorber so I am currently enjoying Pete's "skateboard effect". I guess I really need to find a suitable s/a with a compressed length of 8.5" or so? Nick

Like the OP I have a Mk3 Rotoflex GT6 with the rear telescopic shock absorbers bottoming out on the slightest imperfection in the road. Unfortunately I don't know the provenance of the shockers and brackets but the shockers appear far too long. The extended length is 14" (355mm) and closed length 11"" (280mm). I have probably added to the problem by recently fitting a 3/4" spring spacer. Can anyone recommend a shorter replacement shocker that can be fitted without modifying bushes or brackets please ?

An early Atlas van advert by Dunns Garages in the "Sunderland Echo" of 1958.

... too many people round it filling their faces to take a pic

A very good turn out of classics at Willington near Bedford yesterday, including several Triumphs:

I was getting worried too !