Iain T

I'm already stalking it! The club sell them for about £120 with p&p so 🤞

I like the twin reversing lamps they look very tidy. I just need to buy a gasket and a club ali panel to complete the set then I'll be ready to drill😬 Iain

Hi Peter, looking at the drawing the mounting holes in the back flange are at 4" centres but the front bracket is only 3.75" wide. Looking at your photos bolts pass through both brackets which is not possible given the narrower front bracket. Am I missing something? I really should find a Vitesse mk2 and take a peak. I'll contact my local AO. Cheers Iain

I bought the bushed rockers and shaft and gave them to Charlie who reamed the bushes to fit the actual shaft. That way I know they were correctly matched to fine tolerance and not taking the word of a reseller. Downside is due to the head breathing much better you will probably have to play with needles as the standard 6AC get very lean over 3500rpm. Been there! Iain

I used CTM Performance at Dagenham Essex. A long way from you but they are good and have done loads of 6 pot Triumphs. Iain

You are right. The price seems to depend on what car they say it fits. The identical lamp for an Aston is more expensive! Iain

Bought it! It looks like the best one for the money. I didn't fancy paying £250 for a new one from Holden and the rest look a bit tatty. Your help is most appreciated. Iain

Thanks Peter, I can make that. I haven't used imperial measurements for 40 years! All car body engineering I did from mid 70's was metric. Iain

I purchased the cowl from SpitfireSpares, I'll phone around for the bracket. I could make one as I have access to press bakes and sheet metal shop. Thanks very much for your help😁 Iain

There's a lamp on ebay item 143929547934 which I think is correct Lucas 469. So I'll have to make the silver and black parts on your pictures? The cowl seals are readily available. Iain

Thanks Peter, looks in good condition. No wonder its expensive if its also used on a Jaguar! I bought a cowl for £21 and bidding on an ali panel. Iain

Evening chaps I have a naked rear end! The PO had my car de-blinged hence the boot doesn't have the correct number plate cowl, light or ali panel. It only has the smaller Herald, 13/60 cowl and a large Lucas rally lamp for reversing (although it wasn't wired in). I have just bought the number plate cowl from fleabay and I can get the seal and ali panel from the club or others as to the lamp I'm struggling. There is one again on fleabay but I'm not sure it's the correct one. Any suggestions as to the best places to look? The badges again I can get from various places. Iain

I love a bit of shiny bling. I don't like this modern trend of black trim, bring back chrome or polished s/steel! Iain

Sika products are very good. We use the SikaTack system for facade rains reen systems. Iain

Another full mark for the Distributor Doctor who sorted the advance curve and worn spindle bushes on my Lucas distributor. Just had a trial run and according to the AFR meter it's burning better and it seems to be pulling stronger and isn't leaning out at higher revs. Even at 14 degrees advance, as per DD advice, there isn't any pinking at low speed high gear WOT. That's using Tesco 99 octane Momentum. Only the first run but it seems to have made a small but noticeable difference. FYI this is the curve. Sorry its upside down🙃 Iain

A good result, now you just have to get the engine back in the chassis! Iain

Shouldn't the early 150s have the stronger of the two springs? Or is it the lighter? I think one is 95g the other 120g but burlen will supply the correct one. Iain

I just fitted a reconditioned distributor and was fine ticking over in the garage but on first run out it hiccupped and nearly stalled. It ran then died after 20 seconds. Checked fuel flow, fine then thought it could be electrical. It was loose spades and dirty contacts on the coil. I cleaned up the contacts and crimped the spade so it is a tight fit and it's now fine🤞. Only take a couple of minutes to clean and worth trying? Iain

Checked gap with a washer and there's 3 thou clearance between the pedestal and drive so that looks ok. Perhaps I'm being paranoid but I'll get my Dr Kildare kit out and have closer listen or just use the cheese in the ears method...... Time for a drive tomorrow when there are less idiots on the roads. What's the betting the new advance curve means more needle tweeking or changing!

No it's not advance knock. At tick over it's a slow knock as it's there when I retard the ignition. I'll take the pedestal off tomorrow and check clearance with a measured washer. It was a bit nippy in the car park this afternoon perhaps it was my knees knocking😂. Double pants weather tomorrow.....

Update. Early Christmas present from Distributor Doctor who rebushed and calibrated for my engine spec. Martin said it was way out for a 10.5 CR head. I fitted it today and it started after a few pulls. Martin said it may need 14 or more degrees advance so I set it at 14! Seems to spin up OK when driving around the multi storey car park. However I seem to have a clonk from around the bottom of the engine. I didn't check the end float of the distributor pedestal to drive gear if this is too tight or excessive float could this result in noise? From memory there isn't a gasket shim under the pedestal. Iain

A good point but to date every mechanical unit, engine and gearbox, the PO had reconditioned at that now departed company in Corby had huge issues that I have since rectified so for peace of mind I'll get it checked out by a professional.

Coins in the air, as you say somewhere to leak and I only do 2k per year. I probably will put a drain tapered grub screw in as the square drive protrudes. Iain

Good and bad news, I can't take the car to work as they are too busy and need the space and I can't do the work here (I'd get in deep trouble with the management and adjacent cars). So I contacted Hardy Engineering who have experience with our diffs and have two hoists. They said to take it off replace seals and check internals and refit is only a few hours work. I get to blast round the M25 from traffic jam to traffic jam to Leatherhead. Iain

I spoke to Superflex about diff mounts and mentioned the c**p quality of the current engine mounts. My last set lasted 3000 before they split. He said that's a coincidence they are trialing the first prototypes now. So according to him sometime early next year we'll be able to buy quality engine mounts! He said NOT TO PHONE AND ORDER NOW but to wait until they appear on the website. I'll be buying a set! Iain