Eric Smith

Hi Guys, I decided to try different combinations of words and names into my search engine and came up with MG Midget, Austin Healey Sprite, 1200cc, down draft manifold and carburettor and came up with all sorts of photographs of manifolds and carburettors of which a few looked promising. My question is: The “A” Series engines including the Mini were upgraded over the years and I am told the SC Herald engine has a lot of similarities therefore in relation to the inlet ports only - are they close enough to swop over or do they need fettling? Your thoughts please Eric

Hi Guys - Firstly I don’t work for them, I am not getting paid by them - I am just giving you all the heads up, because if you don’t know you won’t go! On the 19th and 20th of April Cheffins Auction site in Mepal near Ely Cambridgeshire is having a huge action of all things classic and vintage - they are selling - Vintage signs, vintage petrol and oil cans, tractors, classic motorcycles, classic spares, classic trucks, stationary engines, agricultural spares, tools, classic vehicles and traction engines so if you want to indulge your desires rather than bank balances have a look at the Cheffins website. For more information T: 01353 777767 | E: vintage@cheffins.co.uk | W: cheffins.co.uk Good hunting Eric

As I started this string, I want to add a few more thoughts. The late Terry Wogan a renowned and famous radio and tv presenter coined the phrase “is it me?” Well my friends, I have to ask the question - are all of these potential suppliers rubbish or is it me? I thought I had found a potential supplier, they have flash website, they say “talk to our experts - we are here to help and they have a built in request form! I used the request form two and a half days ago, have I had a reply - er no, so is it me? After reading all of the comments and seeing that over 300 people have read this growing string and a lot of people have read and replied to it - can we conclude that Napoleon was wrong in his assessment that “the British were a nation of shop keepers” because if it were true they would probably reply to emails, phone calls and messages because the would be a lot of competition! OR IS IT ME? (and a lot of other people) Thanks for reading and replying - Eric

When I started this string, I was mildly ranting about suppliers not responding to emails and phone calls and how it could affect the mechanics who do work for us or the likes of you and me when trying to get in contact with a supplier. A list of good or bad suppliers could be compiled by any of us and they could or would differ by either the good or bad results we might have - the thing is, there are a lot of companies who are great BUT there are a lot who don’t reply to emails etc. Trying to telephone people is the old fashioned way, but often they do not reply to answer phone messages or actual in person calls - this is not acceptable. I phoned Past Parts in Bury Saint Edmunds last week, they were great but my experience says they are in my very small list of good guys. For me as a customer - all I want is a reply and good service, I don’t care if the company is big or small, from the north or south, east or west and the staff range is anywhere between 18 or 98, after all their job is to sell stuff! Final point: I have done a lot of jobs, of which I have been a auto parts Store-man and an auto parts Salesman in a National Company, I also worked in 3 car accessory and spares shops and there were only a few rules, they included - honesty, professionalism, dealing with customers promptly, always responding to phone calls and never selling retail and trade customers things they did not need. Eric

Hi guys this is just a rant but I am getting fed up with trying to contact companies who might be able to supply me with parts and equipment for serious amounts of money. Like most of you I am trying to restore a car, but getting companies and businesses to respond to emails is like pulling teeth - I want to know - what is the point of email addresses, answer phone numbers and company websites where they have their own customer enquiry forms who say talk to us and we will get back to you BUT DONT. I have attempted to contact 3 companies this week via emails and enquiry forms and had no reply, one company website even said “we will get back to you in 30 minutes” - 4 days later nothing. These three companies are not the only ones, I have now got a list of 8 companies who have not responded to enquiries. THINK ABOUT THIS: If you are getting a company to restore a car for you and they are going to research and supply parts your car needs - I can well imagine they could eat massively into your budget because they will be spending hours on the web and phone and not getting responses to their enquiries. Think about it - 3 hours fruitless research at £45 per hour = £135 out of your budget! Sorry for the rant guys but our hobby could be doomed because of companies not responding to our needs - how are they making money or have they given up??? Eric

Hi Colin Thanks for your help so far, I am looking forward to hear from you next week. I hope we can get around the problems Eric

Hi Jon. The manifold I would like to fit is the one off the early Spitfire, but there is no room to fit twin carbs in the Standards engine bay without moving the clutch and brake master cylinders. To get around the lack of space fitting a good HS2 or HS4 SU on a single side draft manifold is the only way forward and would give the car a bit more umff. There was a suggestion to find an early Mini manifold and I was amazed when I managed to find one an Auto Jumble in Suffolk a few weeks ago. I have to admit that I have not pulled off the manifolds off the engine but the Mini manifold looks as it will do the job. If you are going say it won’t work, then the manifold goes on eBay and I am back to square one - but better informed. Eric

Hi Guys, thanks to everyone who has replied and contributed information so far, your advice is helpful. Obviously many thanks to Colin L for his offer to sell me the tubular manifolds, I would be very interested in buying the manifold, however l have no idea as to how we can move forward because of these strange regulations?? There is no logic to all of these new rules and regulations, it’s not as if we are talking about moving toxic waste. Eric

Hi Guys I am looking to buy a new Sports exhaust system to fit to my Standard 8 which was fitted with an 1147 Herald Engine. The current old Solex inlet/exhaust manifold combination can now be replaced as at long last I have managed to find an SU side draft inlet manifold at an auto jumble. I have seen that Rimmer Brothers have sports exhausts on their websites, I have not asked if they currently have stock because I first want to see if there are any other independent manufacturers out there who can supply me a new system for the car. The question I now need to ask is do any of you guru’s and sages have any advice on potential or actual suppliers who I can contact - or - do I go to Lincoln and talk to Rimmer Brothers? Thanks for your time Eric

Hi Guys, I have been looking at the classic cars for sale at this weekends auction in Kings Lynn, I stood outside their fence on Wednesday and had a peek, the cars I could see were interesting, however according to their list there are 5 Triumphs for sale this weekend at the Anglia Car Auctions Herald 13/60 Lot 14 Herald 12/50 Lot 58 2000 Lot 216 Spitfire 1500 Lot 261 Spitfire 1500 Lot 300 If you are thinking about increasing your collections or buying a different car, the cars all look good in the photographs. God forbid you are looking for something a little different, but there look to be a lot of nice cars - good luck. Eric

Hi guys - Happy New Year! Re the photograph: There were garage workshops like this all over the place when I first started work in the early 70’s, where I worked was not far off it, the staff room was a health hazard in itself let alone the complete lack of PPE and not much Health and Safety. On New Years day I had a look in the front of a classic car garage in Castletown in Derbyshire which was open, it was full of old cars, mostly pre war but it was just like the photograph - full of stuff and lots of lovely honest grime but it was lovely to see, made me feel good. There should be a list somewhere on the net which lists the remaining old factories, workshops, iron mongers, black smiths shops and garages where time has stood still, then we could go on pilgrimages like battlefield tours - I would go. Best wishes to all Eric

To Colin L and Steve P Thanks for your replies, both of you made me laugh, many thanks for your support and help. Being a baby boomer and owning a car in the distant past has left me with a vast collection of memories about things like body rot, breakdowns, endless running repairs and Car Accessory Shops. Saturdays were often lost to hours standing in and buying stuff in Accessory Shops, then Sundays was all about chasing rust bubbles and rot, fixing things which just fell off or making things to get out of a problem so you could go to work to fund even more repairs, insurance and petrol. If all of the above was not bad enough, there were all of the delightful arguments with parents and members of the opposite sex about the amount of time we spent working on the b****y car. I know why I did it then but why am I doing it now? Aghhhhh nostalgia! Thanks Again Eric

To Colin L, Pete L and Casper - many thanks again for your help and advice. I have one belief which has never let me down and that is “Talk to people who know” I always taken advice and tried to work with it. The car I want to build, is the one I wanted when I was a teenager and worked in a garage in the early 70’s when my daily ride was a rapidly rotting white 1965 Spitfire with red hard top (BEA 98C). Hot Hatches did not exist, so it was up to you to do things like add stickers and go faster stripes because they added at least 50mph to any car. Strangely removing bumpers then putting lots of spot lights and additional stuff including switches which did nothing also added power and performance but the height of raw power improvements was the addition of a blue sun strip on the windscreen. I will be happy with my Standard 8 doing at least 150mph but actually doing 60 as long as it’s fun for me, makes most people smile and the purists a bit peeved. Thanks again - happy new year. Eric

Hi and thanks My questions are sadly necessary because I know the basics but I have been out of the game for a long time and I need help. My engine is GA180841HE, so it’s a late one and as I said previously it’s only recently been rebuilt (relatively speaking) so I would like to give the engine a go before I risk spend money on another bigger engine. I would like to get rid of the down draft carburettor and have it side draft if there is a decent benefit, sadly twin SU’s are no good without a lot of changes to the engine bay so a single SU, Stromburg or Webber all have potential, even bike carbs if they are ok but it’s getting inlet and exhaust manifolds are the problem. Advice on manifolds and where from would be helpful? All of you who have offered advice so far along with your help and experience is much appreciated. Eric

Hi Colin - many thanks for your reply, I liked how you kept it simple for me, simple is good - my teachers always said I was simple! Question: The idea about the Morris Minor carburettor and adapter - is that to convert the down draft to SU? Am I barking up the wrong tree over carburettors - would ditching the Solex for a Webber improve things? My 1147 engine had been been rebuilt with new pistons etc, buying a bigger engine is not out of the question but I would like to stay with this engine but get every drop of power out of it before I go for mor cc’s Eric