Gully

There does seem to be a bit of a 'one size fits all' approach to sender units. My GT6 one is perfectly accurate over 3/4 of the gauge (full to 1/4 full), but then stops at 1/4. The tank is 1/4 full at this point, but the float is at the bottom of its travel and so is supended in space for the next 40-50 miles until I know (from experience!) I need to fill up. One of these days I'll work out what resistor I need to add into the circuit to make it accurate over the lower 3/4 of the gauge, which would be much more useful! As for sealing the sender gasket, I add a smear of Vaseline which seem to work. However, being positioned on the top of the tank on the GT6 it only really encounters splashing when the tank is really full, never immersion. Gully

Hi all, I need to replace the solenoid for my D Type overdrive - it is only intermittently switching from pull current to holding current, so around 50% of the time it's quietly frying itself. Having removed the tunnel and rubber boot from the back of the solenoid, the plastic switch section has parted company from the metal tube and rotates freely, which is probably why the switch is only working part time - I'm actually surprised it's working at all. Anyway, all the usual suppliers (Canleys, Paddocks, Rimmers) stock an unbranded solenoid looking much like the one I have that's come apart for around £35. Overdrive Repairs have a similar looking unit listed for £40 and Moss want £57 for the same item. eBay has a few unbranded and modern Lucas in the £30 ball park, but also a new old stock Lucas solenoid that looks more like the one I had on a previous overdrive unit. So, do I go for for brand new made in wherever, or a NOS Lucas? Many thanks, Gully

I have a vintage barometer full of mercury hanging on the wall... Gully

Well done! Never had the courage to take one apart :-) Out of interest, on the one you calculated as 1180 TPM from its innards, what does it say it is on the casing? The TPM is written in small numbers below the mileage reading. Gully

The GT6 Mk 3 parts book is very clear on the factory fit overdrive cars having different diff ratios (except for German market cars) and correspondingly have different speedos - Plates 05-41 and 06-04 refer. The latter specifically notes the overdrive German market cars as having the same as other market non-overdrive speedometers. The original figments were 3.89 diff ratio 1152 TPM, 3.27 diff ratio 980 TPM. If you do the maths, these ratios assume the speedo drive ratio is the same. I believe on the Mk 2 GT6 the 3.27 diff was fitted irrespective of the factory fitting the overdrive option - according to Richard Dredge's complete story book. Gully

The 980 TPM speedo is for a non overdrive car with the 3.27 ratio diff. For a 3.89 diff you need the 1152 TPM speedo. A 980 will over-read considerably on an overdrive car (3.89 diff) as the prop is turning faster for each revolution of the rear wheels. Minty Lamb will cover off the tyre size variance percentage, but the ones you've cited are pretty close. Speedy Cables can re-calibrate - they did mine when I changed to a 3.63 diff. Gully

That's interesting - I bought a spare from Paddocks in amongst some other stuff and was surprised at how short it was - certainly considerably shorter than the current 'patched' one. The heat shrink is also a cut to fit / expose the contacts! Gully

Early cars such as yours Nick would have had the ballast resistor originally, with later ones having the resistor wire. So, if you still have the original wiring harness you should be missing the resistor wire, but after 40 years who knows what has been done! As Pete has outlined, best way to check is by looking at what you had working before and establishing the coil resistance. Gully

Well done - great to see another back on the road Thanks for sharing the story in pictures, Gully

Nick, Are your's mounted on the wheel arches, or do you have the chassis bracket conversion? If they are still on the arches, then you'll struggle to find 'simple' rotoflex shocks - you're looking at Gaz, Koni etc adjustables. The main parts dealers generally stock them, although I bought mine second hand via a Courier advert. I've a half inch lowering block on mine and there's plenty of travel on them. Gully

I hope for your sake that I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure Nigel Hawes - Northants Area Organiser and Silverstone Classic co-ordinator - posted on Facebook earlier in the week that after 31st May the club display packages are no longer available, which means no display pass, no 2 for 1 entry and no parade lap. Only general admission tickets from 1st June. Gully

Years ago you used to be able to buy a product called hose bandage, which i seem to recall was akin to thick duct tape! No idea if it's still out there, but may be worth a Google. Gully

TD Fitchett lists the Mk3 bonnet as available. Gully

I'd never had those springs on mine so I bought some from one of the usual suppliers. Damn things were such a heavy gauge spring that I gave up with them! The retaining pins have never fallen out yet... Gully

There's a bracket available as part of the conversion kit from the Club shop and other suppliers which provides the replacement top shock mount. Gully

If you still have the rear shocks attached to the inner wheel arch, even the smallest amount of play in the top bush sounds horrendous. Also worth checking how well adjusted the tailgate is - if it's sitting on the latch and floating away from the seal then that rattles too. Gully

Welcome! I suspect every Triumph, irrespective of condition, is in reality a rolling restoration! Gully

A lot of teenagers seem to be drifting (like this thread...) away from Facebook. In our youth group for 13 to 18 year olds we held a poll recently and all used Instagram, but none Facebook - that was for 'their parents'! Gully

1152 TPM was for the overdrive cars with 3.89 diff ratio. 980 TPM was non-OD with a 3.27 diff. I had my 1152 TPM recalibrated by Speedy Cables to 1075 TPM as I run a 3.63 diff - having checked it against the speedo app on my phone, it reads about 4-5mph over at 60mph, so much in line with modern speedo readings. I paid £80 + £12 delivery + VAT. Gully

The needles you have for the quoted carb set are correct according to the Zenith Stromberg workshop manual. However, as you have indicated, they are for the 1972 onwards GT6. My 70/71 GT6 ran rich and used to stall when hot idling until a certain Mr Lewis of parrot fame (amongst other things!) closed up the temperature compensators and reset both needle heights. Mine is on a 3335 R/L set and B5BT needles. Now likes full choke for cold start, with it rapidly pushed halfway in to prevent the engine choking itself and then progressively pushed home until completely in when the temp gauge starts to register - as you'd expect really! Gully Gully

Welcome aboard! Good luck with the Triumph hunt. Gully

The WSM indicates 65-70 lb ft. Gully

Before sending it off, an easy test is to run the speedo (in the correct direction!) with a battery drill - that will confirm if the speedo inner workings are causing the jumpy needle or the drive cable to it. Gully

NGK BP6ES work fine on my GT6 with electronic ignition and have done since before I owned the car (so 4+ years at least). Gully

My car had an MoT advisory of slight play in a trunnion last year, so it was replaced by a local reputable Triumph specialist who, on the basis that 'all the new ones leak', filled it and the vertical link with graphite grease. So now I have one oil filled and one grease filled, but I'm not using my car as a test subject to answer the age old debate :-) Gully