rlubikey

A brilliant bit of bodging adapting Colin. And I've now found them on Ebay, thank you. I'm thinking of a couple of extra gauges on my Atlas (when I finally finish the restoration) and an analogue tacho in 2" format was the problem. Cheers, Richard

Yes, the Mk4 and 1500 Spit were all 4.5J with the so called "oval hole" pattern, and the same wheel was fitted to the GT6 Mk3 too. Did I say all? All except the very last 1500 Spits (1yr or 18 months of production) got 5J oval hole pattern. Dunlop, who made these wheels for Triumph, made a 5.5J wheel for the after-market. I've heard people mention Formula Ford, but they fit Spits and GT6s just fine. These, like the 5J, are visually identical to the standard 4.5J wheel. You may get some rubbing on the front arches with wider tyres (175 and 185), but you can roll the lip of the arch to overcome this. Do I recall someone saying that there may be a problem with wider tyres rubbing on the inner arch at the rear on short shaft cars - that's Mk4 Spits and the GT6s. Can anyone throw any light that? Beware! There is another oval hole 5J wheel made by Dunlop which has completely the wrong offset for our cars. I thought I was getting a bargain at last year's SEM, but it was one of these Cheers, Richard

Pete, years ago a group of people over on the Club Triumph forum tested several different manufacturer's oil filters and decided that the Mann filters had the best non return valve. Not all the Mann's have them, but others have not one but two non-return valves and these were considered the best. Good choice Ian. That is one of the double non-return types. As for my choice of very short filter, an engine-back 6-pot Spit has very little room to squeeze the oil filter below horizontal between the pressure relief valve and the chassis. The W77 juuuuust fits. Cheers, Richard

I don't know about a Kubota digger, but with my spin-on adaptor I use a Mann W77 filter which is 59mm and has an anti-flowback valve. Cheers, Richard

Yes, it's called "Risk Compensation" - the safer you feel, the more risks you take. We all know that on the day front seat belt use was made mandatory, front seat injuries went down dramatically. I seem to recall someone (was it Mayer Hillman?) stating that what's less well known is that injuries outside the car (motor bikers, cyclists, pedestrians) went UP dramatically. The assumption is that drivers were taking more risks because they felt safer. It's certainly an odd feeling driving the Atlas which has no seat belts as it predates all that legislation. As for Spitfire crash testing, I remember seeing the photos of my colleague's daughter's Spitfire after a head-on collision with a BMW. The idiot Beemer driver had come round a corner on the wrong side of the road. The Spit bonnet had ridden up over the windscreen and the chassis was bent upward at the front (much more so than when it left the factory). But, from the foot-box backwards, it looked pretty straight. Her injuries were bruising and minor cuts from being rattled around violently, restrained by the safety belt in the almost instant deceleration of the crash. She was fine but the car was understandably written off. Of course, this was a head-on. Modern safety standards include glancing head-on colisions, where our old cars may not fair so well. Cheers, Richard

I like your little rev counter too Colin. It's not like the one you had before. Do you know what it's off or where I could get one? Cheers, Richard

Mark, batteries which no longer give you your required range will be recycled for static applications where energy density isn't so important. They will be recycled when the capacity is so poor even that's not enough. One hopes legislation will ensure no part of them becomes landfill. However, energy density is the key, as is charging leads trailing across pavements. I think that battery vehicles are a cul-de-sac and Hydrogen is the way to go, probably in the form of fuel cells. Loads of range and fill up in a couple of minutes. Now, if only someone had a vested interest in rolling out Hydrogen filling stations. Clive, like you I'm lukewarm about renewables except tidal (and geothermal where it's possible). I think the future is nuclear. However, fusion hasn't been done yet. I don't count dropping a single pellet through a lazer beam! Even repeating that is a bit like a reciprocating engine compared to a turbine (Tokamak)! Don't get me wrong - I really, Really, REALLY hope they crack fusion, but I'm not holding my breath. That leaves Uranium fission ... unless there was another fission technology which we could do. Perhaps something we'd already done but decided to go down the Uranium route ... Professor Jim Al-Khalili, thorium to produce nuclear power - University of Huddersfield Cheers, Richard PS: Would someone kindly remind me how to embed videos into posts please?

Well, you've got me Chris. What is the difference please? Cheers, Richard

Good, you know about the different support bracket. It lowers the dual M/C so it doesn't hit the bonnet. Off a scrap late (1979) Spit? Alternatively, perhaps you could cut out the dish from behind the battery which they had for US dual circuit brakes which appeared on Spits some time earlier than '79. But I don't believe it's available separately, sorry Alan. I converted my '77 car but I had the luxury of a scrap '79 Spit to take the parts from. Cheers, Richard

Corco, all good advice above, but also have you checked the valve clearances? If they've closed up a little this will reduce the manifold vacuum which will make it run rich. Of course, if you have a vacuum gauge, connect it to the manifold (for example, disconnect the brake servo and use that port) and check the vacuum on idle. There are two different figures depending on whether yours is early (150bhp) or late (125bhp) but this is all in the service manual which you will find online in various places. Good luck, Richard

That's it! Many of these double insulated power supplies - especially the type where a "brick" power supply plugs into the wall - are designed for world-wide usage and many countries (USA, Europe, etc.) don't have a dedicated live and neutral. You can turn the plug round 180 degrees. So as NM says, they can't tie the power out to neutral because you don't know which pin of the wall socket that is. A FEW of the ones moulded like a UK mains plug, they make the extra effort and use a small component (a capacitor to neutral) to stop this half-mains voltage from being - as Clive says - superimposed on the output. We had this at work a few years ago, causing problems with sensitive equipment and had to search for a properly designed UK "brick" power supply. We had to buy several and try them! It may be 120V ac but the current is exceedingly low. So small that some people might get a little tingle, but nothing more. You know how you get this when you put your tongue on a 9V battery. DON'T TRY THIS, but I imagine the effect might be similar. As soon as you connect the voltage output to earth - connecting up HiFi for example - the 120V will disappear. The tiny current still flows but it usually doesn't cause a problem. The thing about LEDs is that they will glow with remarkably tiny amounts of current, and this is what's happening with yours Pete. The tiny current from the (unintentional) 120V of the CTek, the carbon black of the tyres, and your garage floor are enough to cause the glow. Other than that it's nothing to worry about. I don't believe the CTek is faulty. Cheers, Richard

Alan, when I rebuilt my spring (with my home made buttons) I needed a hydraulic press to bring the leaves together again before I could insert the retaining bolts. I think I may have tried wedging apart the leaves but if I did I got nowhere. That spring is strong enough to support the back of your car so good luck trying! Cheers, Richard

I've had problems on my PI engine with oil getting past the same filler cap as yours. I bought an original type but the bayonet fitting is completely different. I've just put a little self-tapper in the hole to see if it helps with oil on the top of my rocker cover. The situation is different with carbs as you should always have a negative pressure in the engine due to the breather tube to the manifold. (On a PI it goes to the plenum) This is why the revs go up when you take the filler cap off - it's quite normal. Do you get a detectable change in revs when you block the tiny hole on the cap? Probably not, but if it concerns you the you could block it anyway. There's no hole on the factory filler cap, so I don't know why they have one on the fancy chrome after-market type. Cheers, Richard

I think you mean stopped it glowing, right? Well, I suppose the other alternative could be a trace of dirt from the negative battery terminal to the clamp, or a bare patch on the battery box floor. But my money's on the tyres and the earth of the Ctek charger. Richard

Is there a dribble of current going through the carbon black in the tyres to the ground, thence to the earth of the charger? (What do you mean - the charger's double insulated!?!?) Try disconnecting the positive battery terminal instead of negative. Or jack all four wheels off the ground (THINKS - would probably earth through jacks) or run the car on to four insulating pads - one under each wheel. Good luck with this one Pete!!! Cheers, Richard

To lower your car with leaf spring suspension, people used to simply remove one (or more) leaves. Trouble is, this also lowers the spring rate - i.e. makes them softer. The smarter idea was to invert one or more of the leaves as this lowers while maintaining the original spring rate. However, I don't know if we can do that - isn't there a dimple on the other side of where the rubber button is? But, as Clive says, a Courier spring (if you can find one) or a lowering block. Cheers, Richard

A French Widow?

Just off your teeth ... if you're a happy Spitfire driver. Cheers, Richard

You could put a float switch cap on the master cylinder and wire to that. Then at least the brake warning light on your dash will be functional.

Good point Colin, I can't remember if it's earthed locally (to chassis via PDWA body) or a second wire which perhaps has fallen out? Richard

That looks like the connector for the brake pressure differential warning switch. I seem to recall it's mounted near the battery - two brake lines in (from MC) & two out (to wheels). Cheers, Richard

I've juuuuust this second found it John. Millyard Viper 8 Litre V10 Motorcycle - Part 1 starting at 3:37. Richard PS: Now if only I could remember how to embed Youtube ...

+1 for that. Cheers, Richard

John, have you seen the video ... I think it was Allen Millyard, where he uses gas fire ceramic briquettes, cut and shaped to go around his exhaust to add insulation? Now which of his project videos was that on??? Cheers, Richard

With the current offerings maybe, but with a suitable (as per Triumph original) grade of rubber ...? I'm no expert so will of course bow to superior knowledge, but rubber is used in spring eyes, Austin Mini suspension and - designed by the same person - Moulton bicycle rear suspension. All work in shear, and with the weight of the vehicle applied. I seem to recall my factory original rear spring buttons were all present and recognisable when I dismantled 12 or so years ago. I replaced with Nylon 66 because it seemed like a good idea at the time. UHMPE - Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene - does seem to be highly suitable for this sort of application. Cheers, Richard