rlubikey
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Posts posted by rlubikey
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My thinking is that the original rubber buttons undergo shear stress / deformation and there's no slip involved. The relative movement of the spring leafs must be quite small under normal suspension conditions, but I have to admit I haven't checked! I think they're making pattern part buttons out of the same material as track rod boots, engine mounts, bonnet cones etc. hence why they're failing in no time.
Richard
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On 17/10/2022 at 15:16, cliff.b said:
Has anyone had experience of any material other than polyurethane? I'm sure I read somewhere about teflon buttons, but can't find it now.
Sorry I'm late to the party. Yes, I made some of these - well, a friend with a lathe did! I was going to use PTFE because it has the lowest friction, as any fule kno! Then a tribologist said that oil-impregnated nylon would be the ideal material, so I used something with a trade name "Nylon 66" made by company I can't remember but bought from RadioSpares. Here's my drawing - SwingSpringButton.pdf
Cheers, Richard
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1 hour ago, johny said:
I thought its not so much the anti freeze properties coolant loses over time/use but its corrosion protection which in most of our cars is the more important factor?
Yes, that's correct. Along with its high toxicity, the stability of the anti-corrosion agents is a major factor AGAINST using ethylene glycol antifreeze. This is why I use central heating antifreeze in my Spitfire, which is based on propylene glycol. It's nowhere near as toxic and the anti-corrosion lasts 20-years, not 2- or 3-years for Bluecol etc.
Cheers, Richard
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Russ, it's good advice to get along to your local meet and ask around who they use.
Another idea might be to look for classic-friendly MOT places as they might also do the servicing and light maintenance I think you're looking for. There used to bee a list somewhere of classic-friendly MOTs, but all I can find is this page at the seemingly defunct Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs - Historic Friendly MOT Stations courtesy of the Internet Archive. The map doesn't work but scanning down the list there are a few in or near south-east London.
Cheers, Richard
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Motor Wheel Service, the wire wheel people in Slough also re-furb steel wheels. They did mine about 10 years ago. I'm afraid I forget how much it cost.
Cheers, Richard
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John Thomason (Spit 1500 Sec) looked at this in the 90's. He decided that the single carb "log" manifold (see Johny's post above) was well designed by Triumph for efficiency during the 70's oil crises. He found you got slightly less power, slightly more torque, and slightly better economy compared to the Spit dual carb set up. He may well have referenced John Kipping's previous work, I don't remember. You can find his report in the Courier archive. Have they corrected the missing entry in the index for this article yet?
One thing he noted is that the manifold ports are smaller than the head inlets. He surmised this improved the mixture velocity and turbulence, hence the improved torque and economy. I also remember Vizard mentioning stepped diameters as an anti-reversal technique, though this may have been applied to exhausts, I don't recall. There was a subsequent article by another member who spent time grinding out the log manifold port diameter to match the head, and being very proud of his work. I don't remember him presenting before and after data, so we don't know how much he gained - or more likely lost!
Cheers, Richard
PS: Found it. John Thomason's article is "Economy Spitfire?" and is in Courier 216, June 1998, pages 8-14.
PPS: See also my post in "Single Carb Or More?"
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On Saturday I was in the Spit driving away from a little farm shop near Arborfield, down a woodland track back to the road when what should be coming the other way but a Triumph 1800 or 2000 Roadster. (Nobody say "Bergerac" - Ooops, I just did!) We stopped and chatted for a minute or two. It was his dad's first car so it's been in the family a long time.
The following day my Nearest & Dearest and I had cycled up the hill to Hannington. We had just finished our picnic on the green when a Herald went by, followed by a Vitesse, a TR6 and a TR2 or 3 (I never can tell without a good look at the front). I thought that was it but moments later there came three more Vitesses and a Spitfire ... and I've probably missed one. So if any of these was you and you wondered why an idiot cyclist on the green was waving his map at you, that was me saying hello! Does anyone know who was having a club run on Sunday?
Cheers, Richard
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4 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:
He does have the filler cap on the wrong side, tho...
Twin fuel tank conversion?
Cheers, Richard
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I learned to drive in a Dolomite. My first & second cars were Triumphs. I always convert my moderns to the correct layout for a RHD. My Nearest & Dearest's Jap car was easy but my Volvo more difficult. The so-and-so's had deliberately put a key on the switch base to stop incorrect positioning. Nothing a hacksaw and file couldn't fix. Have to turn the wheel a bit further before self-cancel. (I'm told Citroens don't even have a self-cancel!) Notify the insurance of the modification - JOB DONE!
Cheers, Richard
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On 25/07/2022 at 12:28, dougbgt6 said:
It comes from here
Wiring Schematics and Diagrams - Triumph Spitfire, GT6, Herald
Sadly the Herald link is broken. I printed some off and got daughter to laminate them. It's SO much easier in colour.
Now, if only the internet had an archive for broken links. Oh, wait a minute, IT DOES!
Wiring Diagrams: US-specification Triumph Herald and Sports 6
However, it turns out the diagrams are only black & white.
Cheers, Richard
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16 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:
Smart a$$. My jeans read Diesel too but they won't hold even a gallon.
You need a hat Colin. A Ten Gallon hat.
Cheers, Richard
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22 hours ago, Phil C said:
The total costs were the Veneer (£15), wood filler (£8) and the Lacquer (£13). Everything else I had in stock from painting the body last year.
And your feeling of satisfaction at a great finish on your dash - PRICELESS!
Cheers, Richard
PS: +1 for American Walnut.
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53 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said:
It's possible they close in the door gaps, and are gripped by the metalwork to keep the hood edges down tight and maybe slightly more weather-proof or windproof (as far as it can ever be) but they might also be handy for when when the vehicle is parked up to prevent anyone lifting the hood edge and putting their hands in. Someone here will know for sure.
Gripped between the B-post and door seal actually, but otherwise correct. It's a continuation of the flap that rests against the back of the door glass when the window is up.
Cheers, Richard
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Not a photo but a period cartoon. And not a Triumph either - well, not unless you were in the USA where they were badged as Triumphs. I was clearing out a book case the other day and came across a Thelwell cartoon book. Not the usual ponies, but "Thelwell's Book Of Leisure" dated 1968. So I skimmed through and ... I know that camper van. It's an Atlas!
There's also a cartoon Commer FC, a VW Type 2 and a Bedford CA - all camper vans.
Cheers, Richard
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8 minutes ago, johny said:
These are what I used
That reminds me. Watch out because there are two standards for that plastic strip - 6.5mm wide and 8mm wide. If you slide the rubber blades out and use them on what you have then there's no problem. So far as I know the rubbers (well, silicones in my case) are identical. But if you intend to use the whole plastic cartridge and you've bought the wrong one then you're stuck! No prizes for guessing how I know that!
Cheers, Richard
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I still had the stainless steel strip that you slide the rubbers into, which I believe were originally fitted to the wipers. I bought these Silicone rubber blades on Ebay. They come fitted in a plastic strip which is what I think you have Colin, but I slid them out and fitted them to my original fitting strips. Hope this helps.
Cheers, Richard
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Spitfire Graveyard heater cable arrive this morning - double-quick time! Nice original part in good condition. The action consists of several detents, but there's quite a lot of friction so would probably do quite well as a choke cable. However, the thickness of the panel is limited to about 6mm or 1/4" and that's too thin for a Spit dash (~12mm or 1/2"). So this will now be used on the Atlas heater.
Cheers, Richard
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Thanks everyone. I've ordered a Herald heater cable from Spitfire Graveyard. It might work, especially as the fuelling lever on a PI is near the water valve on a Herald. If not, maybe I'll use it for the cabin heater on the Atlas.
Cheers, Richard
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I see, thanks guys. So, you have a ratchet action pulling out, and ... increased friction pushing back in???
Cheers, Richard
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My 1500 Hard Top, fully trimmed, glass, etc. weighs 25kg - assuming bathroom scales are accurate.
Cheers, Richard
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Regarding the heater valve control with the "T" handle/knob where the cable goes to the water flow valve under the bonnet. This is part 622441 on a 13/60 and Vitesse Mk2 (and possibly some others, I don't know).
Could some kind soul tell me please - does the control have the pull and twist-to-lock action, same as the choke cable, or is it a detent type action, or something else?
I'm wondering if I could use one as a choke since it has the removable knob.
TIA, Richard
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Alan, what was the original fitment on a Vitesse and what do you have on there at the moment? I had 185/60R13 for a while on my old Spit and they looked too small to my eyes. They just didn't fill the arches as Michelotti intended. I have 185/65R13 on my new Spit and they are much better, but now unobtainable - unless you know better! So I've just bought 175/70R13 which will be fitted shortly. 175/70 are virtually the same rolling radius as 155/80R13 which would have been original fitment on later Spitfires.
Cheers, Richard
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I was very pleased to buy a single Spitfire oval hole 5J wheel at SEM ... except when I got it home I found it wasn't! Comparing it to a genuine one and a Formula Ford, the markings are as follows (clockwise, starting from the size):-
Genuine Spit 5J Wheel Unknown Wheel 5.5J Formular Ford Wheel 5Jx13x22 5Jx13x39 5.5x13x16 G94 802048 E4D D> 1217 D> 1221 D> 1144 PKC0518 PKC1327 Inside Rim Inside Rim Inside Rim RSM113 5Jx13 G9 D> (Made in England) C RSM15 5Jx13 E0 D> (Made in England) J RSM83 5½Jx13 E4 D> (Made in England) CD> is the Dunlop symbol, and (Made in England) is in small text at 90' to the rest.
As you can see from the markings, the wheel I bought has a different offset (39mm) to the genuine (22mm), so I should think it will shift the tyre too far inboard to fit a Spitfire.
Does anyone know what my unknown wheel is from please? The part number - well, it looks like a British Leyland era part number - is PKC1327, which I can't find anywhere on the interweb. I don't think it's Dolomite SE which was TKC4677 (according to Rimmers). Or was it a different width Formula Ford - in which case why the BL part number?
Cheers, Richard
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Hi Henry. The Standard 10 was known in the USA as the the Triumph TR-10, so I would suggest you try the Standard Motor Club and perhaps sign up to their internet forum.
Cheers, Richard
Standard 10 - the car before the Triumph Herald.
Enhanced rear springs buttons
in Chassis, Suspension & Steering
Posted
The thing about a sliding action is that it will be subject to wear. Perhaps this is why Triumph added the rubber buttons - if I'm right and it's shear only then there's no wear!
When I get round to fixing the oil leak in my diff, I will examine the spring and check my Nylon 66 buttons for wear. If there is any I will be interested in looking at the polyurethane buttons, since I presume they are manufactured as elastomers and work in shear like the rubber originals. (Are all polyurethanes elastomeric? I don't know.)
Richard