[1968 Spitfire Mk3 - Replace heater ducting]

So, one job leads to another.
 

Replacing driver’s side crash-bar and glove box, and found the routing of the corrugated pipe from the heater to the windscreen demister fitting to be extremely tight. And, I guess it’s the original plastic piping as it pretty much fell apart….picture of the piece that came off attached!

but how do you get access to the heater to replace the duct tubing? Please someone tell me I don’t need to remove the dashboard ! 
 

i could buy a 90° joint section to reconnect this piece … that might be an option too….

[Spitfire DIY Headlining bars]

Couple of those profiles look pretty radical! I reckon around 3-4mm will be about right….

[Spitfire DIY Headlining bars]

13 hours ago, Adrian Cooper said:

Hi Rockape,

I measured mine for somebody else a while ago, pictures of the three bars with measurements below. You should be able to get a good idea of the bar thickness from these too. Adrian 

Thanks …. Useful information.

[Spitfire DIY Headlining bars]

1 hour ago, Badwolf said:

I have the headliner rods out of my MkIV hardtop and can measure their diameter if it helps. Just have to find them.

Thanks.. knowing the diameter might help..Although I think this is also a function of the available space in the cloth “tube” which the rod goes through. The Herald bars I have are about 4mm. 

[Spitfire DIY Headlining bars]

Am struggling to find any headlining bars for my ‘68 Mk3. So am thinking I might be able to make some. 
 

has anyone done this and has a plan or specification I can use.? 
 

failing that - does anyone have any bars they can measure and send me the details - especially rod diameter.

looking at the Herald bars I have, they just appear to be made of mild steel rod 

any thoughts?

[Which profile goes where - Spitfire Mk3 hardtop]

I have bought the Paddicks seal set for the hardtop (apart from the glass which appears to be impossible to get)

but I want to check I have the right seal for each of the three areas (front, deck and side windows)

I have marked up each picture with what I think  makes sense - have I got this right?

[Spitfire 1500 Rear Windscreen Glass Seal]

Would the 1500 seal be the same (or close) as the Mk3? 

[Spitfire Mk3 Hardtop Rear Glass Seal]

I have the same issue - Mk3 hardtop being refurbished. But no seals available…….

[Spitfire interior rear three quarter panels]

11 minutes ago, Mathew said:

I think my ones slip behind the carpet.

Thanks - that may work - 

[Spitfire interior rear three quarter panels]

Question for the hive mind. Making progress with re-fitting the carpets and new panels. But the panel that goes over the wheel arch is a bit of a puzzle. 
 

has anyone fitted these and has a good idea to make the fit at the bottom correct? Right now they are no where near good enough 

[Spitfire Boot Carpet Set - Newton Commercial fitting advice]

Putting in the boot set made by Newtons. There is no fitting guide, and whilst some of the pieces are obvious, others appear to need extensive modification (especially to allow the spare wheel bracket through) and there are a couple of pieces I have no clue where they are supposed to go.

has anyone fitted this kit and able to share tips/photos?

cheers

[Gearlever gaiters…..how many is enough…?]

6 hours ago, DanMi said:

what car is it spits 1-3 only had the rubber gaiter later cars also had the vinyl one on the carpets as well I cut the vinyl one off the carpet on my mk2 but totally up to you. I would make sure that all the fasteners are in place on the tunnel cover, the top one go in from the engine side, otherwise the hot air from the engine will blast into the cabin and boil your feet

Its a Mk3. Thanks for the tip on the fittings - will take another look at it. Cutting down the ABS flange means I managed to get a good seal all the way round with the sealing strip though….

[Gearlever gaiters…..how many is enough…?]

I have bought the Paddock’s item - will see how that goes. 
 

managed to fit the tunnel cover - i completely removed the raised edge to the moulding - didn’t get every single fastener in - but more than on the old one I took out which only had two screws bolding it. 
 

Carpets next - not looking forward to that much.

[Not receiving notifications]

I used to get email notifications of answers to forum posts - but now I don’t. 
 

have logged out/in multiple times

checked Profile settings

any suggestions?

[Gearlever gaiters…..how many is enough…?]

1 hour ago, Pete Lewis said:

also keeps noise down  the leatherette one wont 

so yes  agree you need the two

Pete

I kind of guessed that would be the case - what’s the best supplier for these things? Club? Somewhere else?

[Gearlever gaiters…..how many is enough…?]

So…the new carpet has arrived. It has a gaiter for the gearlever.

the original (knackered) tunnel cover has a gaiter

the new ABS tunnel has a hole, with screws for a gaiter.

do i need to buy a new additional gaiter to replace the original. Or just have the “carpet gaiter”.?

 

[Replace gearbox support bushes]

Well - thats that job jobbed. Found the root cause of the right hand bush being distorted (and a pig to get out) - the “U” bracket on which the bushes sit was off square.  It was further forward on the RHS by about 8mm. 
 

But that’s what the slots are for in the support plate I guess. Loosened the bolts, gentle tap with a rubber mallet on the “U” bracket and everything lines up nicely…..

 

thanks for the suggestions regarding marking the prop shaft and jacking/supporting the g/box. This helped.

[Replace gearbox support bushes]

19 hours ago, Pete Lewis said:

you may need  to remove the support bracket which is just as much a faf 

so give it a lift and see   its some years since i did one 

its one of those 10minute jobs that might take an hour 

Pete

A faff. ? I’ll say… the bracket is on top of the chassis members as can be seen in the photo .So same issue - getting clearance for the bushing bolts - I guess a combination of removing support bracket bolts to allow lateral movement, a trolley jack under the gearbox and a lever under the UJ and I might get enough space…….

 

sigh…..

[Replace gearbox support bushes]

Update - block of wood and a long lever appears to give me quite a bit of relative movement between the gearbox and the chassis - would that do it ?

[Replace gearbox support bushes]

Another question on those gearbox support bushes.

 

Bough new ones from Rimmers using original part number - they are a couple of mm longer than the ones currently fitted - would that be due to compression of the existing ones and the new ones are correctly sized. 
 

or - is this dimension difference going to give me grief?

 

second - I have started to unscrew the bush - and have jack under the gearbox - but it seems to me that I am going to have to raise the rear of the engine and gearbox assembly quite a lot to be able to start the thread into the casing. And as I increase load on the jack - the whole of the front of the car is starting to lift 

 

Any advice  greatfully accepted before I do something stoopid……

 

mark

[Now I have the cover off….(Spit III)]

One more dumb question. The dashboard support bracket - the yoke that goes down and connects the dashboard to the floor-pan

I had to remove this as it was bolted through the old carpets. Is that normal? Or should the bracket  be fitted and firmed-up first, and the carpets fitted and cut around this after.?

[Now I have the cover off….(Spit III)]

Thanks chaps……

found the Tunnel cover in the club shop , and the seal (thanks for the tip on fastening)

about the bushes - I don’t see those specifically listed … I am  looking for “drive shaft bushes” - I guess they are called something else?

[Now I have the cover off….(Spit III)]

Having removed the original cardboard  and bodged fibreglass tunnel cover, a few questions arise…

1 - where can I get a new ABS tunnel cover

2 - I reckon I need to replace these bushes - any snags likely doing this?

3 - there appears to be a grease nipple on the UJ. And  there is the Clutch cylinder and speedo drive. It will be faff taking the cover off once all the carpets etc. are back for access - or is that just the way it is ?

[Mk3 Spitfire Seat Width]

I am going to check the dimensions of the rails - there are only 4 bolts so not sure now which of the six holes on the passenger side are being used.
 

the drivers side “looks” right - with the four bolt locations being on the raised section of the floor pan (meaning they are at the same height, and match the four green circles on the passenger side. The extraneous red circled holes may be for some long forgotten project !

 

anyway - I think I have the main answers - they are Mk4 seats, and the rails need to be mounted on some spacers ….

[Mk3 Spitfire Seat Width]

Thanks - should have been more clear - the seat I know is the drivers side - it’s just the mounting holes are more clear on the passenger side as I have the silent coat installed on the drivers side …

although looking at this drivers side photo the mounting bolts are pretty obvious! Which makes me wonder why there are new/additional holes on the passenger side…

 

 

grrrrr