KevinR

There is always Rimmer Bros in Bracegirdle Heath for parts and local advice

Never been local, I was working on the airfield between November last year and May this year. Now only visit every couple of months for a day trip.

I parked in that car park (often in that very space) every weekday morning for 6 months, so I recognised it immediately you posted the picture. I also suspect I’ve seen the car driving around the area as well.

Yes, apparently Phil knows his Weber carbs

Then turn right out of the car park, right at the roundabout and then immediate left into the garage car park and go and talk with Phil.

Was the photo taken anywhere near home ? I wont say on here, but I know EXACTLY where the photo was taken.

They exist if you know where to look 😜

Pete, Do you have any other "Club" cars on an insurance policy ? If so, who is it with. Peter James (and many of the other previous insurers that the Club had agreements with) have "Multicar" policies available, and it is usually a lot cheaper to ADD an additional car to a multicar policy, rather than taking out a new policy for the additional car. Also, don't forget to get the Agree Value form completed and submitted - the previous agreed valuation lapses on change of ownership !

According to the Rimmer Bros site, all three Round Tail Spits (Spitfire 4, Spitfire 4 mkii and MKiii) ALL use the same Windscreen frame - part number 714767. The Spitfire 4 and Spitfire 4 mkii use the same capping - part number 806189. The Mkiii has a different capping, and it then varies according to early or late chassis number, and from the photos it looks like yours is fitted with a 714429 capping. Theoretically, it should be possible to "convert" your car back to the Spitfire 4 mkii hood by changing the capping, and fitting the other relevant parts.

This problem has been cover in the past - see

It is possible that you have the wrong thread on the new "gold" taper plug. Lots of traders make the same mistake and sell the wrong plug. Small Chassis triumph cars use a 3/8" NPT (or possibly NPTF) threaded sump plug. Other cars use a 3/8" BSPT threaded sump plug. The two are NOT compatible - use the wrong one and you will get a leak. https://wavelen.com/2018/03/15/painful-lesson-of-the-day-npt-vs-bspt/ Also, it is ONLY the threads of the PLUG that are Tapered. The thread of the fitting in the sump is NOT tapered.

In pre-fuel injection days, it was common for VAG cars to have an electrically element within the inlet manifold for the same purpose.

John, You cannot equate protecting a rubber boot before the part is fitted with the service life it will see after fitting. In use, the rubber boot on a TRE, or other ball joint, is not being impacted by other metal objects that could distort its shape sufficient for it to "nip" the rubber between a sharp edge of another TRE in the box, and the main taper pin within the TRE that the rubber is protecting. When this happens, its possible that the rubber will be punctured - regardless of its quality ! I've fitted new TREs and other ball jointed parts to many cars over the years, and even modern OEM ones (with descent rubber that lasts years) come with the protective cover to prevent damage to the rubber boot before the part is fitted.

John, you misunderstand. there are a number of sharpish pointed corners/edges on a TRE and when there are lots of them in a box, and the box is being roughly handled, such as when being shipped, the sharp edges will do more than put a dent in a rubber boot, they will puncture it if the inner surface also hits a steel surface, such as the spigot it’s protecting. you and others have long complained about parts quality, and now we have a supplier that cares enough about the quality of their part to fit a shipping protector and you are complaining. would you be happy to receive a TRE with a punctured boot, I bet that if you did you would complain and ask for a replacement.

When it’s only in a plastic bag and there are hundreds of them in a big box it is inevitable that some of the boots would get damaged by the weight and impact of those above, then fitting a plastic protector is a cheap way to maintain a pristine product.

I'm not sure if he is still doing them, but the person who is expert in this refurbishment is Ian Gittings. His contact details are in the attached thread

The black plastic cover is there to protect the rubber boot when it is in its packet

If it starts in FM, its a genuine Spitfire 1500 engine. It it starts in YC, its a Dolomite 1500 engine that has been fitted to your Spitfire. Any other prefix and its going to be a 1300 engine (or smaller)

What's the engine number ?

Which means you have the wrong water pump for a 1500. The GWP200 has a 4" pully and is for the MKIII Spitfire and earlier. The GWP128 has a 5.25" pully and is for MKIV and 1500 Spitfires. There are three possible fixes : 1. Replace the water pump for the correct one 2. Fit a shorter fan belt 3. Extend the adjustment slot in the arm. Ideally, you should replace the pump, as with the smaller pulley, the pump is rotating faster than Triumph intended.

And what size is the water pump pulley ? It's possible that you have a fan belt that is too long, or you have a water pump from a spitfire/herald that has a smaller pulley (as used on cars fitted with a Dynamo rather than an alternator.

I would consider using a NON Acetoxy Silicone. (note, Acetoxy cure silicone releases acetic acid when it cures)

As Midget1500 has indicated, using a crows foot fitting on a torque wrench can give an incorrect reading. Ideally, if you have a torque calibrator, you can set the torque wrench up to include the crows foot in the breaking torque. If you don't have a torque calibrator, then the error introduced by the crows foot can be minimised by setting it at 90 degrees to the shaft of the torque wrench, rather than inline with the shaft.

Hi Darrell, welcome to the forum. The good news is that the DVLA website says that the car is currently taxed, and its last log book was issued on the 14 January 2021, which means that it probably has a new owner and is "on the road". The bad news is that it is impossible to identify who owns it, so unless the current owner is also a TSSC Forum member and sees this post, or another TSSC Forum member knows of the car then identifying its owner will be nigh on impossible. I dont know what colour it was originally, but the DVLA website says that it is currently Blue.