Stratton Jimmer

Good to hear of the CDD shafts in use. I think I will go for a spring lifter as I have taken a good look and access to the diff casing is not easy as Rob suggests. Sound advice about the shimming which I will adhere thank you.

Thanks Rob. Yes, the car has OD!

Thanks Nigel. I can see that that would work and would allow both sides to be done with one operation but is the job easier with the lifter?

Having spoken to a few people and read extensively about it, I have decided to do away with the rotoflex on the six and fit CDD CV shafts. Just wondering if anyone in the Swindon area has a rear spring lifter that I might borrow when I come to do the job in early October? If anyone is interested, I will photograph the whole job from start to finish and publish it here. Let me know or I will keep quiet!

In a fit of madness I decided to buy Don Davies GT6 as featured in the sales column of the latest Courier. It is a bit of a strange one as the owner prior to Don had taken it off the road to use as a racing car. Anyway, the odd thing is that it appears to have two chassis numbers (Commission Numbers) as shown below. The KE0829 seems right for a 1971 GT6 Mk3 (CWD 760J) but the one on the plate doesn't. KE35290 is listed on the registration document but I haven't a clue what that is. Can anyone offer any explanation as to how I get two numbers? The paint code is also one that shouldn't be appropriate for a 71 GT6 (Delft Blue).

I use a syringe and short length of 6mm tube but essentially follow the same method as DanMi.

I would agree with what Johny says but before you attempt to unscrew and remove the stud, apply plenty of heat to the joint with a blow lamp or welding torch. The last one of these that I did, (Mk1 GT6 circa 1978) I was able to use mole grips to turn the stud and it came out intact. Before replacing it with a new stud, I used a smaller diameter bolt (not a set screw) to hold the exhaust in place together with the two remaining good studs.

In the past I have removed and refitted the gearbox in a Vitesse 2L Mk1 from within but that had no OD. I did swap out an overdrive box and OD from a Mk2 GT6 which was at the time parked on the edge of the parade square at RAF Uxbridge in 1982. I don't recall any major problems in removing it from inside the cab.

I concur with Chris that a 100ml syringe is ideal for the job. It produces a much greater degree of vacuum than the human gob can achieve.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I will test the system as outlined by Adrian and if it is found to have failed due to a leak will follow Pete's advice and give Speedy Cables a go. You lot are worth a hundred Haynes manuals!

Having had a closer look with my specs on, it does seem to be a bourdon tube (I thought they went out with the Arc). It's possible that the tube has been damaged although a close inspection doesn't show any visible sign of damage. Supposing (and I have no reason to doubt you) that your summation is correct, any ideas how to go about proving it and I wonder then what the fix would be? If the pipe is sealed to both the sender and the gauge, is it then necessary to replace the whole system?

Is it possible that the "connector" is a bourdon tube?

My temperature gauge suddenly stopped working. The sender unit looked ok so I had a look at the gauge end. I expected the gauge which is a Caerbont GD1301-62C072 to have a spade terminal for a 10 volt supply but it hasn't got one. The green wire with 10 v on is present but disconnected and there is nowhere for it to connect to. Can anyone explain to me how the gauge could possibly work with this scenario?

The bits arrived this morning and have been fitted as per your advice. All is well so thank you all.

Thank you all for your sage advice.

My recently acquired six pot Spitfire was found to have a fuel weep from the pump outlet. The brass tube nut had been rather damaged and appeared to have been tightened up with a mole grip. I managed to remove it and found that the pipe wasn't quite straight and so the tube nut didn't meet the olive but some PTFE tape had been wound around the pipe which seems to have allowed the joint to have been temporarily made fuel tight. Unsurprisingly, it had begun to leak. I have removed the final 1/4 inch of pipe together with the olive and ordered a replacement tube nut and olive from Moss. Anyhow, I am just seeking any advice on fitting the new olive and tube nut. Should there be a flare to the pipe end? There wasn't one previously but the whole pipe appears to have been a recent fit. I seek the guidance of the wise!

Oh yes, forgot to say that the GT6 was RPK67F. Plans include changing the fibre glass bonnet for a steel one, similarly the boot lid. Getting rid of those K&Ns on the HS6 carbs - they would foul the inner wing which has been cut away on the present fibre glass version. I'm saving up the £1500 for a TD Fitchett bonnet!

Thanks for all of the welcomes. I got a small detail wrong in my original spiel. The engine number is PBR 001. I also have a couple of motorbikes - Inevitably, a Triumph Sprint St 955i, a Kawasaki ZX6R and a Honda CG125. In the past I have had a Velocette Venom Clubman's, a BSA B175 Bantam and a Triumph T100S plus a number of Japanese machines. There was also an Aerial Arrow engined drag bike back in the early 70s. Sorry Colin but apart from the registration, I have no further details of the GT6 other than I sold it to a guy in the RAF who had a beaten up Mk2 and he canabilised my (far superior condition) Mk1 for spares. Incidentally, both of my brothers also own Spitfires. Tom is a member of the club, lives in Uttoxeter and he and his wife Lorna have a very smart 1500. Youngest brother Bob has a Mk3 which he rescued from a trip to a German scrapyard while based over there with the RAF. It goes pretty well but is a work in progress. He still works for a living! I will post a few photos of the Sixfire later for your delectation. For info, "Pimp my Vit", I'm in Upper Stratton about twenty minutes from Kempsford and similarly, if you want a hand with anything... All best Jim.

Just a quick note to introduce myself: Having owned both a Vitesse 2L and a GT6 Mk1 back in the days of my youth, I have returned to the fold having bought SVO123R. This car has had numerous owners and started life as a Spit 1500. At some point it was in the hands of Yorkshire Triumphs and re-emerged as a 2L with a very odd engine number - PDR 001. I guess this was from a reconditioning shop but I have no idea which one. Anyway, it has a nasty fibre glass bonnet similar to that of a Mk3 GT6. The plate says it is a 72K (pimento red) but has been resprayed by Yorkshire Triumphs in "Red". My intention is to fit a proper bonnet but the carbs have been replaced with HS6 and K&N filters which foul the inner wing. Got to sort that out first! Jimmer is the 'monicker' that I was given by the locals when I first moved to Upper Stratton - part of Stratton St Margaret which is itself part of Swindon in Wiltshire. I answer to any of the following: Jim, Jimmer, James, Hey You etc. etc. At heart however, I am a proud Black Country man hailing from the centre of the universe or Wednesbury as we call it.