1969Mk3Spitfire

Nothing rude or defamatory, Doug. What is completely bizarre is that Mathew replied to my post which is now missing, as is his.

Thanks for taking the time to respond, Pete. Yes, that is the thread but there are two contributions missing. I replied to your last post and Mathew replied to it. Neither are shown within the thread. Weird.

I started a thread about misfire. I added a new comment but it does not appear. Later, someone added a response to it but I can’t see that, either. I received an email notification so can read the first sentence but when I click on the “Go to this post” button the two comments are missing. Bizarre. Any ideas?

Thanks, Colin, they are exactly what I mean by cheap and cheerful. Sparkrite seems a common brand. An alternative is by Laser / Sealeys and is a single tester selling for about the same price as 4 of the above. Just wondering if these do anything more than the simple, insert inline jobbies?

Any recommendations? Cheap and cheerful Sparkrite or any additional benefit in using a more expensive product?

No thumb and finger wiggle on dizzie shaft. Advance feels positive. Engine has only done 54k miles. To add to my woes, I’ve just started the engine, first time since cleaning and checking the ignition system. It sounds like a bag of nails and feels as though it’s about to jump off its mounts. Oh dear. My options are to investigate what I’ve done and risk CO poisoning or wait until tomorrow when my wife will go to work so I can access the drive.

Thanks, again, appreciate your thoughts. I measured the distributor shaft with a DTI last summer/autumn when I was searching for a cause of No 2 plug sooting. Can't recall the number (although I have it written down somewhere) but it was pretty negligible. The engine has always run very well. I only changed the plugs, leads, cap, points, rotor arm etc due to No2 sooting, albeit I've yet to resolve it. I still have the removed components so I'll start a process of substitution.

Thanks to you both for responding. Plug 1 and 4 colour is good. No 2 was sooty (see above comments) and I haven’t removed No 3 because I need to use a different spanner due to poor access. They are NGK BP6ES installed 6 months ago but done probably less than 100 miles. Points contacts and gap looked good. Rotor arm and dizzie cap contacts were more black than I would have expected after such a short period of use. I’ve cleaned using emery cloth. Plug leads are all new. Condenser is old but I have an LRC meter and it measured 21 pF, in spec. The new one via Club Shop had a malformed bracket and wouldn’t fit so went in the bin. I’ve checked coil connections and sprayed with contact cleaner. Not yet driven the car since the above. Anything else to check and clean? I agree that it doesn’t sound fuel as the misfire and recovery is instant.

I went for a drive yesterday and my car has developed a misfire. In around 20 miles, it missed around 20 times, very frustrating. The miss was instant and it recovered immediately. It happened at, say, low load, constant 30 or 40 mph but also when accelerating. Seemingly no pattern. I know that No2 cylinder has a smokey plug issue that I’ve never managed to solve. CR is pretty equal in all 4. Tappet clearances are good. In September last year, just before putting the car away for winter, I replaced plugs, points, dizzie cap and leads from the Club Shop (I didn’t replace the condenser because it looked like rubbish quality). I haven’t touched the carbs so far this year. During my last drive, a couple of weeks ago, the engine performed flawlessly. What are the likely culprits for a misfire, hence where should I start looking? Many thanks.

That’s helpful (albeit equally it’s depressing). Do you recall how much bigger (you thought) the glass was compared to the metalwork? All round or just in some areas?

In general, how do the dimensions of the glass compare to those of the metalwork aperture? I’m trying to fit a hardtop rear screen. The width of the glass appears to be 1/2 inch or so wider than the bodywork opening. The height is about the same size as the metalwork. This appears to be the case for two, different rear screen. I would have expected something like a 5-10mm all round gap for the rubber seal. Confused? Appreciate any advice, many thanks.

Needle in a haystack? Alternatively, anyone used a perspex rear screen used in the GRP hardtop? Appreciate any leads...........thanks.

I can’t really see from the pictures but it looks pretty identical to the one that I have just removed from my car. I fitted a new top / windscreen attachment seal (readily available) to mine and had no issues. Gaps and Triumph are synonymous.

The mounting kit includes two bolts and top hat bush inserts. The hardtop has 4 captive nuts and the top of the windscreen has 4 holes, all of which will accept the top hat bushes. Two are the ones with the bayonet used to retain the soft top and the other two currently have plastic push-in covers but also will take the top hat bushes All 4 locations have holes in the metalwork atop of the windscreen (don’t know it’s proper name). The rear view mirror is screwed to the same piece of metalwork. I’m going to have to cut the fabric covering to allow the bolt to access, something that I don’t like doing. Why 4 attachments options? Which pair is commonly used and why? Many thanks.

No, it’s the right way but it just doesn’t fit. A pal bought/collected the hardtop on my behalf and also took it to the body shop for refurb so I’ve only seen it looking like new. He told me that the glass was lying next to the top, implying that it was removed from it. I’m agree with your thoughts, it can’t be the right one. I need to find a needle in a haystack.

Canley Classics suggested that I cut a front screen rubber to solve the issue of the no longer available hardtop rear screen rubber seal, hence I’ve bought one. I’ve offered the screen to the aperture and its a lousy fit. Is this normal? The corner radiuses don’t match the car. The top has an approx 5mm gap (which seems ok), the bottom has an approx 15mm gap and is about 10mm proud. Sadly, the glass has a lot of scratches which I’m not optimistic will rub out. Any suggestions? Am I likely to find another rear screen? Could I get one made, glass or perspex without needing a mortgage? Here’s a few pictures to illustrate the issues.

Thanks for the cautionary note, Adrian. Yes, I have a replacement rear deck seal and have noted that it is a bit smaller than the original. I’ve just seen Pete’s comment about the mounting blocks. These are available and I have them on order. Black on white does look good so I’ll gladly post a picture once it’s firmly held down in place. It is currently resting in place, sitting on old blankets to protect the paintwork. If I can’t find a replacement seal I’m going to start a new craze in driving the car without a rear screen. Any knowledge about availability of the side mounting tie bars, 621434. These are as rare as rocking horse manure although I can probably fabricate something suitable.

Thanks, Pete, and to Mr Badwolf, too for making the same suggestion within my post in the parts wanted section. I’ve sent a query to Bains and I’ll follow-up with a phone call on Tuesday. They are not a million miles from me so I may even get the chance to visit. I’ve spent quite a lot having the hardtop professionally refurbished and it looks great and, being shiny black, complements my shiny white car nicely. All other seals are new. I’m spending time this morning (currently coffee break time) trying to clean the 50+ year old rear glass seal. It’s pretty dire and if I were a priest, I’d be giving it last rites.

Does anyone have a satisfactory solution to finding a replacement for 903599, rear glass rubber seal? I'm also short of the two side mounting brackets/tie bars, 621434. Searching the usual suppliers turns-up a blank. Appreciate any help, thanks

This same subject pops-up from time to time but I’m posting now to see if anyone knows of an update? I believe that the rear glass seal is no longer available and that, pretty much, no real close alternatives exist. Any changes to this position? My newly refurbished hardtop is due to arrive today. The only jobs outstanding are to fit the seals and the rear glass. The original seal, showing signs of its 50+ year age, is still fitted to the glass. If I use this, any tips to make it as functional and presentable as possible? Many thanks.

My (limited) experience of leaking antifreeze is that it has a sweet smell. I’ve recently replaced my heater valve with a generic sold as “Herald/Spitfire” and it’s actuation is opposite compared to the original (blocked by 50 years of accumulated crud). It can’t easily be reversed. Not a big deal but now not per the owners handbook 😩

Not sure that I can agree. Cars of the 60s and 70s evolved from cars of the 20s, 30s, 40s etc. Nonetheless, they remained mechanical. Modern cars are electronic-mechanical hybrids. Almost everything is either monitored or operated electronically. I see this as a huge shift in technology. Currently, the only way to fix a stranded modern car is to wait for recovery. There’s no need to make a call because the car has already cried-out for help. I doubt that most Triumph owners are apprentice trained, former mechanics. It simply isn’t necessary. There is a huge barrier to entry to keeping an older, modern car on the road. There is neither appeal nor incentive to keeping it on the road.

We absolutely must preserve and cherish our old bangers. One concern that I have is who is going to take them on after our demise. Very few kids of today seem to have an interest in the motorcar. My ownership is another case of nostalgia of the 70s, probably the most influential decade of my life. After an 8 month wait, I finally collected my new Audi diesel earlier this week. When I get into the car, I have to logon as a Guest because I haven’t as yet downloaded the MyAudi phone App. More big brother data harvesting. I almost drove it off the road yesterday because the simply bewildering displays are a huge distraction. Yesterday, I visited a pal who has owned his US-spec 1957 Jaguar XK150 since he imported it more than 30 years ago. Simply stunning motorcar.

Thanks, @JohnD This is an annual boat prep job, I need to modify a standard anode by drilling a hole to take a half inch dia plug, part of a rope cutter. The more accurate I can make the fit, the less potential for wear from use throughout the season. I usually use a rotary burr and round file. Positioning the hole centre can be a bit hit and miss as I’m taking measurements from an inaccurate casting. I think that using an adjustable hand reamer would be a good improvement. Just querying if anyone has direct experience of using fairly cheap tools.

I need to slightly enlarge a 13mm hole in a soft metal of around 15mm thickness. Hence I'm thinking about an adjustable reamer. Ebay sells cheap tools in the £12-£15 range. I usually need to do this job once a year. Does anyone have experience of cheap adjustable reamers / are they up to the job?