Dick Twitchen

Having had to deal with similar, but worse, I would suggest you give the doors a look at before leaping in. With the alignment associated with sills and A Posts then having sound and straight doors to build the structure around makes life easier. It also means you can leave the doors in place whilst much of the work is done, reverting to bracing later on. It was one of the first things I learnt on a classic car panel restoration course I did 15 years ago when leaving the RN but by then too late! Dick

Several years ago Mark Fields (Jigsaw Racing) told me that NGK were being plagued by fakes. At the time one thing to look for as starters was did it have 'Made in Japan' stamped on it. Dick

Usually a teenager!

Tanky, If that is indicative of the age of the rest of fuel lines I would suggest getting yourself some 'proper' ethanol resistant hose (TSSC shop) and settle down to changing it all from tank forward. Preventative maintenance well worth the effort, not too difficult to do and most re-assuring. May get to see you at Duxford if the weather holds and I can face the M25! Dick

Chris, Yes it is feasible if you have the room (most garages long and thin!) but you have the added pain of removing the bellhousing bolts. If I was going to do this work on the engine I would remove the bonnet and pull the whole unit and do the clutch while at it. Dick

Chris, I have one you can borrow depending on where you are in Hampshire. PM me if you like. Dick

Paul, do not know where/what you bought but my overtaking mirrors from the Club shop (not cheap) have been first class these past 10 years in a 'firm' GT6 Mk1. No vibration, easy to adjust and stay adjusted. Dick

John, Just been and looked at the (original from build) engine in my Mk1 and there is definitely no 'bulge' on the casting where 'Special' is. The is also no bulge on the other two spares, both stepped head 2ltrs. Probably does not help the colonial, although his 'KD' prefix matches the lower compression/anti-smog engine. Dick

A point made to me by umpteen TR owners on the Saturday, who also said as the sole example my Mk1 was the rarest production car at the show! Andy Cook and myself discussed this but it does not help the cause when a GT6 owner, from nearby Worcester, did not come in his because the forecast was for light showers.

Martyn, I have successfully used 'SpitBitz' in the past for things like that. Dick

Strongly echo this advice, and use of 'Search' will usually answer what may appear to be at first a conundrum; unless the result is a thread drift that at this stage may require some lateral thinking! Going to the local area meet is highly recommended judging from the reaction of some new members down here. Dick

Just been and checked, helps avoid Poldark, and on mine the lever is on the outer side as as well. There is no room to get your hand between the seat and the tunnel but because the seats are not symetrical, with only the outer side having that lateral support squab, there is no room to reach the lever.

Nick, closer to you (and me) than Chic Doig try giving SpitBitz a call up at Wokingham. Last time I was there they had a deceptively large amount of stock.

My Nov '67 Mk1 was not registered until Jan 69 so as both Colin and Doug say you can only come up with an approximate figure, and whatever that it makes us a pretty exclusive 'club' compared with MG.../E-Type.../....!

Renault 16 in the late 70's, a most comfortable car to drive with a column gear change like I learnt to drive with (Zephyr 4) and same engine as my Lotus Europa (should have kept that).

'Bo**ocks, not again' said Florence!

Conor, Worry not as we have all been through the 'motivation droop', and then suddenly a piece of work/component comes together and progress resumes apace. One trick is to pick a piece to restore/repair that is easily containable in the resources available, crack that, paint it, put it away neatly and smile before moving on! Dick

Strangely enough , no. However, the house where P G Woodhouse lived in Emsworth when writing his tales is about 100yds away just around the corner. Where is this thread going....

Colin, You forgot the 'what grease do I use in the trunnions? Noooooooooo should be the common answer!' As for thread drift..... the citizens of Portsmouth and Southsea are pretty annoyed at the constraints they are experiencing over POTUS visiting D-Day 75; HM The Queen they can accept. Dick

Mk2 should have a black surround (John Thomason's ''Guide to Originality'); which is enough of a pedant today having lost my temper at mistakes in yesterday's Times in articles on D-Day! Dick

Adrian, Just checked, I have one you are welcome. PM sent. Dick

Colin is spot on, and from my first post on this thread from real life experience there is no need to overcoat it if you do not want to.

Chris, that's correct, up to the bottom of the recess and held it at the same height on the wings. The only time anything has suffered very minor marking is when driving on recently resurfaced French roads before the excess grit has been cleaned up. Dick

Chris, when I restored my GT6 some 12 years ago I did the underside, including the arches and front bulkhead , in Gravitex stonechip and left it black (no overcoating). It has stood up to regular use, including to Le Mans Classic 6 times, with no problem and regular aerosol stonechip has been used to touch up if required. With the latter any change in appearance disappears after a couple of days once fully dry. Sills were also done but they were top coated white with the the rest of the car. Dick ps The purists will tut but I also did the interior in stonechip and that has meant no worries about scrapes and suits me, and the car.

A Parts Catalogue, also available through the Club shop, can prove particularly useful. This is not only when it comes to reassembling something but also if a previous owner has done something slightly amiss, or you need to order parts. Dick