Dick Twitchen

Steve, As a backup to Pete's sticky tape used the Minty figures to calculate rpm/speed for 30, 50 and 70mph in 4th overdrive and put little green roundels on the tacho bezel against the appropriate revs. Interpolate as required. Dick

Robin, Pete is correct, finding the hole is the issue however small your tube! Stick with the drain plug would be my advice, and if you can find a magnetic one then more is the better so you can worry every time you find something attached to it. Dick

I use a extraction pump on a variety of applications (boat engines) and cars (including Scimitar, Land Rovers, Jeep, Mercedes). However, it has never proved a great success on my GT6 due to a failure to find the hole that will take the pipe past the baffle plate to the bottom of the the sump.

No grommets on the sills of a GT6 when they left the factory. I would fully support the Dinitrol recommendations, used it when I rebuilt my car 8 years ago and a recent look inside the sills with a friend's endoscope showed all well. Interesting point compared with Waxoyl was the Dinitrol, apart from being easier to apply from the aerosol, was it found every small gap in the plug welds on the bottom of the sill so penetration better. Dick

James, When I did my GT6 I was reluctant to glue/screw and used wide strips of velcro instead. Means no damage to anything if/when removing carpets and has held everything in place no problems. Only place it did not work particularly well was the inner rear wheel arches but that was more down to the carpet shape and the roll bar. Dick

Aidan, From memory I think you will find the spacers are whatever you require to align the bumper with the top leading edge of the front valance top provide the optical illusion that after all these years everything is still square. I do not have the bumpers on mine, only the overriders over the bonnet hinges. Dick

My dealings are the same as Doug's, but they certainly came up trumps with hard to find bits trying to fully restore my GT6 Mk1; I suspect you have been unlucky. My experience with many of the suppliers, including some of the 'big' ones are that if it is not clearly listed on the PC they may not fully understood the nuance of a part you are after and the only way is to stand in front of them. Again, hard won experience drives me to people like Jigsaw and Canley's who actual work on the cars as well, and the Club shop of course. Dick

I purchased mine (GT6 Mk1) from the Club shop (support it or lose it) and not least because of reservations on Rimmers' quality on a variety of items; you pay for what you get. Had a professional trimmer fit the covers who commented favorably on the quality of the covers, and the instructions although he did not use those, and found the non-symmetrical shape of the seats 'amusing'. Dick

I used Canley's because I was stood there, but fully support Pete Lewis's comment above; the Club shop?

Ten years ago I bought some floor panels for my Mk1 from Canley Classics, and I suspect Fitchetts will also do them. Dick

Simon, Can a make a small suggestion that would help many of the readership. Rather than making this thread ever longer and on a variety of topics, that you run them in the relevant sections (eg engine, bodywork etc). Dick

No need to quiz about which supplier but for what it is worth, from my hard won and paid for experience, I now tend top source from those people who actually do work on cars (eg Jigsaw, Canley Classic) working on the principle I may a little bit more but they will be able to answer the 'what the .....' question should something not live up to expectation. Similarly, the Club shop offers a similar service and if all anybody does, not saying you did, buys on price then caveat emptor; it is probably cheaper for a reason. 'Major Triumph parts supplier' may not mean the same as a 'quality....'. Dick

Henry, I would re-torque; it's the way it was always done on our generation of engines, and much easier on a Mk3 than a Mk1 stepped head. Also, the fact the question is in your mind it will not sit easy if you do not do it! Dick

This is exactly what I did when I restored my GT6 Mk1, although I did not slavishly follow the original in producing it. A bank of relays and a modern fuzebox, on an ally plate, sits on the the bulkhead where the passenger glove shelf is and I used modern thinwall cable throughout where appropriate. I also used 7 core trailer cable as the main bearer from fwd to aft by the passenger sill along with copious amount of shrink wrap to keep everything tidy. Vehicle Wiring Products were my chosen supplier for everything; they used to have a catalogue (probably now a website) with useful supporting documentation on relay fittings etc. Comments are usually along the lines of, when the bonnet is up of 'where is the fusebox?' and 'why is the engine bulkhead not full of cabling'. How much of originality in that sense, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Dick

John, Hopefully there is a picture attached! I made my own side panels based on the tatty originals and they fit fine. I also fitted 4 point harnesses (the price was right) and they have proved less awkward than expected. Dick

Having had another read of the initial questions some more points to ponder! a. Need to consider/check that if the outer sill is rotten has this also compromised the inner sill? b. If the whole sill structure requires replacing then you are almost certainly going to end up fitting a complete lower repair A Post panel. c. Given the answers to a & b, and assuming the current fit is acceptable then you may have no option but doing the floor first, measure several times before cutting and look for/mark good reference points (not least because the replacement panel may not be an exact copy of what is there now). You then have to do A-post panel and inner sill but still following the tack/fit/tack/fit regime. I have a vague recollection that Practical Classics had a Triumph Spitfire Restoration book based on a series of articles. Hope that helps. Dick

Recommend a read of the Haynes 'Restoration Manual' for the Spitfire etc before starting. From hard won experience here goes: a. Are the doors good/true? If not then sort (new skins whatever) because this is what the shut lines and body is 'fitted' around. b. Sort the A posts out so you know the dor is hanging correctly. c. If the floors are reasonably solid then do the sill work first (to match the the doors) d. Replace/repair the floors Remember, the door gap has to be maintained if the door is removed and tack, check, tack, check fit before welding up. Sure others will have a view. Dick

Depends what you mean by 'further away'? Similar to John's comment, after all these years the basic body tub may have shifted and if the rear wheel arches have been replaced or the floor repaired then again the dimensions may not be quite correct. I had a similar situation on my GT6 roll bar (Jigsaw) but found once I had started to tighten bolts up it all came together, not least if you make sure you are using good sized washer/packing pieces on the exterior side of the wheel arch. Hope that helps Dick

Aidan, Some of us with a Mk1 would dream of 5mm differences! More seriously, Pete is right and you should aim for an overall effect that provides a 'best fit'. You may, or may not, have a fully straight chassis/front cross member and the panels may, or may not, still be the correct shape. After all these years it would not be surprising for the odd change to have occurred. Dick

Depending on how much work is required on the sills (complete replacement?) it may have been better to have left the tub on the chassis to provide a rigid datum for the work. However, there are ways around that with braces etc and measurements, but the latter assumes the chassis is straight. Sorry, unable to help on the specific body shop question. Dick

Neil, Apologies, bit late replying. I do not think I have on the shelf (will look) but try Mike Papworth, contact details in the Courier. Dick

Nick, The booking details (campsite, entry, grandstands, cost, etc) will be promulgated late Autumn/early Winter on this site and also in The Courier. Fear not, you will not miss the notices, and then it just becomes sorting out ferries and wondering why their prices have gone up so dramatically (dynamic pricing based on demand I suspect). Dick

I am definitely with Pete on this one; use the Club first, that's why we are members. Dick

Mike, Try giving Mike Papworth a ring; details are in the Courier but he does more than gearboxes and diffs and has an eclectic stock of stuff. I seem to vaguely recall last time I was there seeing steering wheels amongst them. Dick

Aidan, What you are missing is a casting called the catch plate which slides into the the white nylon fitting on the main body. My old Rimmers catalogue has it under 619384 (sounds like the Triumph nos) but any of the usual suspects (Canley Classics etc) or Mike Papworth (details in The Courier) has lots of bits lying around. Dick