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Thanks Pete, excellent info as always

Yes the fuel gauge works fine and although it may sound stupid, I filled the car straight up with fuel and the gauge moved up accordingly. It was just the temp gauge that worried me hence the questions and the concern regarding the fittings. With the old VS the temp gauge moved to a max of half way as the car warmed up, with this one it barely gets out of the white area. I am running a large rad and when I touch the front veins it doesn't feel too hot, heather works fine too so I think maybe I don't have anything to worry about? SP

Evening all! I swapped my voltage stabiliser out for a new one and for varying reasons which I can't be bothered to type at length, I have these questions. 1. Mk3 1970 Spitfire is a negative earth vehicle, not a positive earth one. Correct? 2. The spades on the back of the old VS are all male, like this.... But the new one has 2 male and two female. The reason i'm asking the questions is that the seller tried to sell me a positive earth VS and I made sure he checked and posted me a negative earth one. When it arrived the fittings were different as described, it works BUT the temp gauge barely moves now. Maybe a symptom of having a large radiator fitted but would the mixed fittings be a sign I have the WRONG VS? SP

Thank you for that, I'll take a look and see if I can work out what you mean. 👍 SP

I wont be checking anything scrapman. The guy doing the work has quoted me £75 for the parts so I'm just trying to work out if he's buying them in solid gold format. I'll take on board your comment, have a read up what it is, where it is and see if I can check it first. thank you for the heads up. I've just a DM exchange with Johny, I think the best thing to do is get under it and see exactly where the leak is coming from first. At that point I can decide what exactly needs to be bought rather than go for the Hail Mary approach. SP

Happy days, cheers Johny!

Thanks for that, I'll get on and order it now. 👍 SP

ok cool, is this all I need to order?......... SP

no idea, would it be best I find out exactly where the leak is first so that if the side seals don't need changing then we just leave them alone? SP

I think it makes sense they replace all of them. They may have been in there since the car was built for all I know so I'd rather go belt and braces and replace all 3.

I've got a leak thats getting worse so its time to change the seal on my rear diff. I've found someone to do it, could someone point me in the direction of what I need to order and where from so he's got everything he needs to proceed? It's for my 1970 Mk3 Spit with Overdrive (if that makes any difference) As always, Many thanks to you all in advance. SP

They finally collected it on Friday and its being delivered today so hopefully, I'll have my money back soon 🤞 SP

Thanks has to go out yet again for the people on this site for kindly sharing their knowledge & experience. Idiots like me would be digging deeper in to their wallet and be deeper in depression without input from you guys. It's very much appreciated as always. SP

WOOOOO HOOOOO!!!!!! Spring replacement finally done! Replaced the bushes on the rear radius arms at the same time and I have the say the difference in the ride is amazing. I need to drag a mate out for a ride over some bumps so both sides settle down a little. I didn't have much time for a test run and when I went out I still had the inspection cover off the from behind the seat. Extremely pleased that the bum droop has gone (on the car) and the front sits much better as well. All in all the Spring, rear shocks and radius arm bushes cost about £220 but the difference it makes to the ride of the car. Wow. I just hope we did all the nuts up tight.

UPDATE: Morning all. Yesterday we attempted to put the spring in and as I had the bushes for the rear radius arms we thought we'd tackle this at the same time so once this was all bolted up it could stay bolted up. The spring was really difficult to get in to position and bolt up, we assumed that with this one being new it may just be less slack and hopefully 'tighter', after all thats why I'm swapping the old one out. If I hadn't been so eager to install it I'd have rested it on the old one to see if there actually was a difference in the arc of the spring between the old and the new. That said, it's in the car but we has to cut off one of the bolts from the radius arm so we couldn't complete the job GRRRRRRRR. I've ordered 2 new bolt sets (just in case I ruin one when I try to fit it), all in all £1.65 from Canleys, so annoying to have to wait but this is ALWAYS the way, the last bolt has to be cut off and no replacement to hand. So I'll keep you on the edges of your sofas for another couple of days I'm afraid gents. Hats off to Canley Classics, spring delivered next day, hopefully GB Springs collect soon so I can have my money back. SP

Hello All, GB Springs are collecting the incorrect spring for a full refund, Canley Classics are delivering a new spring today, hopefully I'll have it fitted sometime over the weekend if I can find the time. Hopefully all's well that...... SHUT UP SP, YOU'll JINX IT! SP

I've just took a better look at his website. I've emailed him and asked if he has to make one specially does he want me to just have a refund and I'll buy one elsewhere. SP

Nooooo. It was more like 'how do you know the spring is for a Mk4?' At least it's moving forward now, Im assuming he will have to make the mk3 spring because he asked for measurements off the old one SP

Update: After a few phone calls to GB Springs I managed to eventually speak with someone and they are sorting me a new spring although I had to send him pics of both to prove they were different. It may take a couple of weeks to replace so I'll update you once the new one arrives. They want to collect the old one asap so as long as they confirm everything in an email first I have no issues with that happening before my replacement arrives. Whats a few more weeks eh? 😥 SP

I understand mate and I appreciate you racking your brains. These are the most side on pics I have, the front might look a little high but to you but I was thinking it looked high because the back was low. Everything front end is original........ This has been jet washed since this pic. I'd meant to start painting and refurbing stuff but I'm always so busy and when I go to the car I just take it out for a spin

Hi Johny, I genuinely don't think anything has been installed incorrectly just by the way the car sits and looks from the rear. It seems I have many pictures just none square on from the rear to show you. To respond to Pete's question,(sorry Pete, I forgot to answer) the camber doesn't look adverse at all and the tyres are wearing evenly. I've seen a spitfire with a weird camber on the back , it looked like it was jacked up a little bit so I'm thinking mine is ok however you could be right. Your hunches are normally spot on. SP

Hi Pete, What shafts do you mean? The car has done 30k from new and almost everything on it was original when we got it. It was just the bodywork that was a mess, everything else was in good condition and had been coated with a very thick layer of sealer underneath. SP

I agree with both of you. A deep breath and a cup of tea solves most of the worlds problems in my eyes. I've already email GB Springs so I'll chat with them tomorrow. I'm sure I'll have a new spring in place by next weekend. I do count my blessings, the car runs really well bless it when I take it out so once I get over this little hump it will be onwards and upwards.

To be honest, this spring issue has annoyed me for too long. I originally replaced the shocks thinking they would resolve the low rear end issue (told you I didn't know what I was doing). The new shocks were fitted but I quickly found out they were faulty, sent back and replaced and refitted. Low rear end was still there so I replaced the original spring on the car with one we thought was either new or in excellent condition that we bought part of a job lot. Still the low rear end was there so i took the decision to buy the spring from GB Springs and of course after waiting for Covid to be over to get it fitted and here we are to day with the wrong spring. I've laid the money out for the spring so I'm happy for GB Springs to either send me the correct spring OR refund my money so I can buy a new one elsewhere. I can't be arsed finding someone to refurb the old one, Ive got the frame of mind that fitting a completely new one should resolve the issue and if that doesn't cure the low rear end I can then safely take a can of petrol and a match to the car and send it off down the A6 towards Wicksteeds Park. Alight.

so here's the pics I mentioned. 1st one is the OLD spring which we thought was new (we'd got it in a job lot of new and excellent condition stuff) seems in really good condition but the car was still really low when it was fitted, no higher than the old original one. 2nd pic is the new spring from GB SPRINGS. 3rd pic is the springs side by side and the 4th is a close up of the centre part of both springs SP