[Spitfire gearbox overhaul]

Thanks Pete I feel your pain!

the advice I’ve had here has set me in the right path 

I bought the car in 2012 from a body shop manager in a main car dealership, he told me that the gearbox and overdrive was good as I didn’t get chance to drive it before parting with cash, so when I got the body off and began restoring I left the gearbox alone apart from changing an oil seal.

Sadly my trust in the previous owners claims disappeared quickly, including ‘there’s no filler’ anywhere. He or someone prior to him was a genius with filler everywhere and an expert in stuffing a bin liner fill of concrete into the near side sill for rigidity!

you live and learn

I will send some pics when I get it on the bench

Best Julian 

[Spitfire gearbox overhaul]

Thanks Pete, anything to help a 67 year old with a bad back is heaven sent!

best Julian 

[Spitfire gearbox overhaul]

Thanks Danny I’ll be prepared now  if it has the needle rollers

[Spitfire gearbox overhaul]

Thanks Josef that’s really helpful

the only issue with the overdrive is that it seems to have to wake up and sometimes it can take ages before the overdrive kicks in.
the solenoid is new and has been adjusted

is there anything I should do to it while it’s out?

Best Julian 

[Spitfire gearbox overhaul]

Thanks Pete, how do I makeup a layshaft spindle? Do I need a used one?

[Spitfire gearbox overhaul]

Evening all

I’m planning to remove the gearbox from my Mk3 Spitfire to deal with a crunch into second gear. I’m planning to remove it from within the car, is it best to remove the seats?

The car has overdrive fitted and I was wondering what other rebuilding I should do while the gearbox and overdrive are on the bench, also where I should go for parts.

Also unless I get the positioning right when I change from second to third there is a horrible crunching noise, so selecting the right position is crucial to achieve smooth selection maybe that’s how it should be

hope this makes sense, any advice would be great

Best Julian 

[Voltmeter Illumination]

Thank you, I didn’t realise that, the other bulbs are certainly old so I’ll change them

they’re all 2.2watt screw in type Lucas bulbs 

[Voltmeter Illumination]

12 minutes ago, Jonah said:

I’ve got used to all other gauges being so dimly lit that when I installed the voltmeter it shone like the North Star!

I’ll change the other bulbs to see if they brighten and if not I’ll try a 6 volt bulb in the voltmeter

its odd because all bulbs are 12v yet the difference is illuminating!!

 

I didn’t mean a 6 volt bulb, should have said a lower wattage bulb, it’s been a long day!

[Voltmeter Illumination]

I’ve got used to all other gauges being so dimly lit that when I installed the voltmeter it shone like the North Star!

I’ll change the other bulbs to see if they brighten and if not I’ll try a 6 volt bulb in the voltmeter

its odd because all bulbs are 12v yet the difference is illuminating!!

 

[Voltmeter Illumination]

And there I was thinking of a more complex solution when all I had the do was change the bulb….doh!

thats why I like this forum, thank you 

[Voltmeter Illumination]

Afternoon all

ive added a voltmeter gauge to my mk3 spitfire, and have used a new replica gauge

the gauge works fine but the illumination is much brighter than the other gauges in the car

could I reduce the voltage to the bulb with an inline resistor to dim the illumination?

best Julian 

[Spitfire Scuttle Drainage]

Now that’s a clever idea, thank you Peter

[Spitfire Scuttle Drainage]

id like to get inside the head of the Triumph designer who thought up this primitive idea!

Has anyone tried to fit a seal of some sort along the top edge of the bonnet to prevent rainwater from getting onto the scuttle and into the heater plenum, which might channel the water off to the side drains?

 

[Spitfire Scuttle Drainage]

I’ve noticed a small rubber flap, opening onto the bulkhead,  is this where excess water is supposed to drain away?

looking through the grilles it’s clear that there hasn’t been any surface protection applied for a very long time

[Spitfire Scuttle Drainage]

Evening all

I’m about to take my Mk3 Spitfire out after restoration and began wondering what happens to rainwater that runs down onto the scuttle and through the grilles

This maybe a dull question but I’m perplexed, I’m sure there’s a simple explanation 

best Julian 

[Spitfire manual windscreen washer conversion]

14 minutes ago, Jonah said:

Thank you so much, I can see the switch link but the pump isn’t available, can you remember any details so I can find an alternative?

best juiian 

Found the pump and have ordered the bits from eBay, nice little project ahead!

[Spitfire manual windscreen washer conversion]

23 minutes ago, Jonah said:

It looks like the whole washer system was replaced at some point with a new aftermarket kit that has never been effective. The pump looks modern as do the T pieces and pipes. There are ball bearing type valves that I can see. The pump sucks then blows back

Meant to say there are no ball bearing valves 

[Spitfire manual windscreen washer conversion]

18 minutes ago, Pimp my Vit said:

 

Thank you so much, I can see the switch link but the pump isn’t available, can you remember any details so I can find an alternative?

best juiian 

[Spitfire manual windscreen washer conversion]

1 hour ago, daverclasper said:

I thought (at least on some of them) the jets each, had a ball bearing type one valve. Think my Vit has these?

It looks like the whole washer system was replaced at some point with a new aftermarket kit that has never been effective. The pump looks modern as do the T pieces and pipes. There are ball bearing type valves that I can see. The pump sucks then blows back

[Spitfire manual windscreen washer conversion]

1 hour ago, Pimp my Vit said:

I did a post on converting the manual pump switch on a Vitesse to electric , I can have a hunt for it if you want!!

Yes please I’d like to look at it

[Spitfire manual windscreen washer conversion]

2 hours ago, DanMi said:

you will need a second 1 way valve between the pump and washer jets. The pump is a simple bellow so without a 1 way valve will bush a few cc out and the suck air back in, the original set up had a 1 way valve in the washer bottle and then another was in the pump, the repros do not have this so you need to fit a valve after the pump.

Thanks Dan I didn’t realise that. The pipe into to bottle just has an open end

[Spitfire manual windscreen washer conversion]

Thanks everyone

i think SC Parts was the supplier of the pump

ill get a non return valve to start with to see if I can restore some squirtage in the old girl

if that doesnt restore function I’ll follow your suggestions for an electrically assisted option

best Julian 

[Spitfire manual windscreen washer conversion]

Thanks everyone

its a Mk3 Spitfire with the one speed wipers and a push pump washer

looking at the pipe work I can only see ‘T’ pieces and a non return valve in the washer bottle on the end of the pipe 

the pump is an SC Parts unit with one supply and two jet outlets hence the ‘T’ pieces

no squirt whatsoever!

 

[Spitfire manual windscreen washer conversion]

Has anyone converted a spitfire from manual pump windscreen washer to run electrically?

my manual pump it seems doesn’t have the grunt to pump the water to the jets, perhaps the pipe runs are too long and too many’T’ pieces

Perhaps I should convert it

Thanks Julian 

[Spitfire Mk3 Ammeter Gauge Wiring]

Thanks Doug you’ve summed up why I was thinking of an ammeter, I hadn’t t appreciation the overheating risk and I guess the dangers of taking heavy current cables through the firewall into the cabin

Like Colin I’m feeling more than a bit chicken now!

I bought the Smiths used gauge which came with a heavy gauge brown wire attached which waved at me like a big red flag 

ammeter will be on eBay shortly