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Heralds don't have explicit bump stops because they're incorporated into the shock absorber. If you have lever arm dampers, you need bump stops. Rotoflex GT6s also had top bump stops because the extra-long shockers never bottom out. If you use a conversion kit to fit short shockers on chassis extensions, you don't need the bump stops.

My current fleet has two cars with the column stalk and one on the gearknob. I prefer the stalk, for the ability to flick it in or out with both hands on the wheel, but I know some people find it odd.

Incidentally, in the photo of the switch I can see that the front fixings of the remote are still present, and in the first photo I think I can see the switch bracket hanging off the left side. Is that how it was fitted? What was operating the switch? Was the guy who fitted that gearbox having a laugh? Just to be clear, the bracket has two holes for 5/16" bolts (8mm roughly). These are supposed to be bolted down by the front pair of nuts that hold the remote assembly onto the gearbox cover. You should then find that the switch operates in 3rd and 4th

Yes, that is a 3-rail gearbox with a D-type overdrive. The switch, if aligned correctly, is engaged when in the 3rd/4th plane, to allow overdrive operation only in 3rd or 4th. The pin sticking through the bottom of the gearstick is the reverse detent and should hit the curved plate to stop you going into reverse without pushing down. And finally, YES, that spring is in the wrong place! It's either been reassembled by a numpty, or the plastic ball is totally shot. Quite possibly the former. I suspect you'll find a few more bits of idiocy as you get the car into proper order, but at least this one is a cheap fix, and having overdrive is a bonus!

"Put your Triumph on a diet"? Mass of the iron part is only 6lbs! It's feck all - a waste of effort. Save your money for something that's worth while. Alloy water pump housings are surely one of Pete's "unnecessary must haves".

The book is right If the gear lever bushes are intact, and everything properly adjusted, there's a little bolt on the gearstick that hits a plate on the remote housing and prevents the gear lever going left of the 1st/2nd plane. To get to reverse, you need to move the bolt down below the plate, which you do by pushing the gear lever down, against the spring on the bush. If you even can lift the gear lever then your bushes are shot or the spring retaining circlip is AWOL. This is really common!

There are no daft questions! The objective of the magnet is to encourage the swarf to "step aside" rather than circulating. For that, you only need a magnetic field. The oil filter canister is thin and probably steel, so it won't interfere with magnetic fields. Just clamp a magnet to the side of the filter. If you can find a ring magnet that slides over it then you're on a winner. Otherwise, a bunch of thin plate magnets sown into a strip of knicker elastic, and just wrap it round the filter. When you next change the filter, just transfer the magnet(s) over - the crud is still inside the filter so the magnets are clean (or as clean as anything under the bonnet can be). That said, the oil in the filter has already passed through the pump and is moving at a fair lick. The magnet will be much less effective there than it would be in the sump. You will need a more powerful magnet.

It's most likely the recuperation seal, as Pete says. I had the same on my GT6 clutch (the symptoms are a little different as you expect the pedal to go all the way but sitting on the clutch for any length of time it gradually re-engages by itself). The only fix is a new seal - whether by refurbishing your existing master or replacing with new. Adding a servo will make no difference to this at all.

Hi Jeff, Nice colour As Mark said, you appear to have an overdrive switch so the one on the gearbox extension is probably the cut-out for that. Needing to lift the gear lever - ever! - on a Herald is normally a sign of the bushing at the bottom of the gearstick being shot. You've ordered the kit - have a search on here for threads relating to it, as there are some things to watch for, such as jagged edges and poor quality parts. I will just ask, though, for clarity - you have reverse to the left of first, yes? Your comments about needing to avoid it suggest so. That's the correct position but, since you appear to have overdrive, which was never offered on Heralds, I want to be sure you don't have a late Spitfire "single rail" gearbox fitted. Just re-read your comments and I'm fairly sure you have the 3-rail, and even more sure that most of your gear selection problems are down to shot bushes.

I would expect the number plate lights to come on, too. Whether the tail lights should be that far outward, I'm not sure. I'd expect them to be the same segment as the brake lights, and for the outermost lights to be amber indicators, but that's for a UK car. If yours is a US re-import then it may have weird lights.

I have a magnetic sump plug - straight thread and copper washer - bought from a reputable supplier, which absolutely does not fit. It's slightly too large a thread for the sump. I gave up and put a tapered one back in.

That reminds me of a 1500 Dolomite I had which developed the most horrible piercing brake screech under just certain light braking. After some significant investigation it transpired that the combination of soft engine mounts and soft suspension meant that, under just that degree of braking, the exhaust was making gentle contact with the propshaft and resonating like an organ pipe.

I fitted my Mk3 front valance after the bonnet. The only real difference is the bumper irons passing through it on the Mk1 but I don't think the bonnet affects how you deal with that.

Unless the wear is really bad, you won't see or feel it in driveshaft UJs without relieving the spring tension (e.g. by taking the drive shaft off). Even a tiny bit of play in them will make them clonk.

The "whole Spitfire" description might benefit from saying "model in 1/xx scale", otherwise it just looks like some text is missing.🤔

Check the float level in the front carb. It's probably over-full, leading to both the rich mixture and the fuel puddling. It may even be dribbling out of the vent hole in the float camber top. I can't see clearly in your photos but the fuel hose looks lower than I'd expect - a photo of the plumbing might help.

Was the section of annular gear just a bit of scrap you had to hand? That's the over-engineered bit. Mine uses a short piece of 3mmx10mm bar bent over itself into a 'U'. It only gives two teeth against the ring gear but that's about all the starter pinion has in mesh at any one time, and it seems to be enough.

I think (hope!) those are just stainless covers held on by those screws but I'm not keen on the look of that photo either.

It looks a lot more "over-engineered" than my one, of which I cannot find any photos. Grr.

If the solenoid is correctly adjusted and working properly, the 20A draw is a fraction of a second. It's the length of time it takes the solenoid to go "clonk". If your meter is digital it hasn't a hope of measuring it. A traditional moving coil meter would show it happen but not accurately.

Let it settle then use it in the clutch, because you probably haven't changed that fluid in a while.

It may not be air in the system. Any mechanical play will cause a squishy pedal. In particular, the rear brakes need to be adjusted spot on to get a firm pedal, and the front calipers need to have pistons that slide through the rubber seals without bending them, because if the seal distorts then the piston springs back further than it should.

True, if they're plated. The battery clamps usually aren't (they're brass rather than copper).

Wire brush. And don't forget the insides of the clamps on the cables - they pick up the corrosion off the terminals. You can clean them up with fine sandpaper but you then need to wipe them thoroughly with a soft cloth soaked in turps, to clean the grit off.

I'm pretty sure that part is only applicable to Mk1/2 Spitfires and Mk1 GT6. Even the Mk3 Spitfire / Mk2 GT6 moved the bumper iron (27 or its equivalent) inside the boot.