[Gear selection problems - GT6 Mk3]

Any cut out more than about an inch says an overdrive was factory fitted.

 

Think long and hard before going type 9

[Bodge of the Month Competition]

I have mentioned before the monumental bodge found on a 2000 I owned.

 

Brake master cylinder resealed with silicon bathroom sealant.

 

Quality bodge.

[Priming oil pump]

I have a worn out PI dizzy drive shaft. Made for the job.

[Pistons]

I was told to buy County pistons, and the separate County rings as the rings bought separately come from a different source.

 

The good rings come from Israel ISTR.

[Fitting club exhaust]

When you get further back, a couple of bobbins off the boot floor with brackets to attach the rear of the boxes.

 

A couple of rubber straps and U-clamps to support the rear of th boxes to the diff front cross member.

 

Bracket off the rear of the gearbox supports the centre pipe near the front.

 

Get some Mikalor clamps for the collector to manifold joints.

[Workshop options]

I built myself a 40ft by 26ft garage 2 years ago.

 

Run out of space so building another the same size.

 

First was block and tiled roof, steel frame holding up roof so no rafters. 2 post lift to go in it.

 

Second will be a steel framed building, insulated roof panels and I will board the walls with insulation behind. This one will be all permitted development.

 

Best not to mention price.... :-)

[Parts Prices]

One that used to really bug me was A/D type overdrive solenoid. Triumph version was £60 but the Healy version was £30 or even less.

 

And don't get me going on TR tax....

[Chassis Strength]

Make sure you have the spare wheel bolted in place. It forms part of the rear impact protection.

 

You used to be able to buy the US rear riggers cheaply in the U.K. I have a pair fitted to an old MK3 chassis.

 

Not sure if you can get them easily now,

[Herald 13/60 Headlight advice]

I purchased a set of the Valeo ones that Euro car parts have on offer regularly.

 

Brilliant. Far superior to any of my recent modern cars.

[Correct speedo for GT6 Mk3 with overdrive]

I think 980 goes with a 3.27 diff.

 

Do you have a D or J type overdrive and what diff ratio?

[Best manual to learn about classic car electrics]

Looking at the small preview that Haynes manual looks like it might be very good.

[SPITFIRE MKIII hood frame]

Bent frame. It should just drop down and sit a couple of inches below the rear deck I am sure

[GT6 Electronic ignition OR timing issue]

 

ever read on here or the previous  forum  of anyone having seat recession  ...No Never...  its not a complete myth but our cars dont really suffer 

 

Pete

I have come across 4 or 5 that have suffered, all Mk1 2000 engines in either Vitesse or big saloon.

 

So pretty rare.

[SPITFIRE MKIII hood frame]

Can you show us a photo of how you have folded the hood?

[Exhaust Too Loud]

Tailpipes look like Phoenix. Is that what Moss sell?

[Exhaust Too Loud]

A friend has recently fitted a dB killer to his spitfire system to get it through scrutineering on the local 12-cars, dropped it 5dB so halved the volume.

 

Do you have a photo of your tailpipes, the system can usually be identified from that. Phoenix systems are about 2" and have ends turned in, TT systems are similar but smaller diameter. The Phoenix boxes are longer than some of the other ones.

 

The Bell systems have shorter boxes and straight tailpipes that reduce in diameter as they enter the box.

[Old Engine Autopsy]

You need to remember that rings fitted to County pistons are not the same as County piston rings, they come from different manufacturers.

 

The separate rings are apparently much better quality, from an Israeli company?

[GLK 684T Spitfire 1500 Vermillion 1979 Damned Data Protection Act!]

You can't get a commission number from a heritage certificate as you need to provide the commission number to get one.

 

There is no cross ref to reg numbers possible,

 

Cheers

[Triumph Herald 1200 Leaking Master Cylinder]

I have been hearing reports of master cylinders from at least one Triumph trader being rubbish of late. The replacements have had the same fault so they must have a lot of them.

 

Cheers

[Locking choke on Mk3 Spitfire]

I thought the wooden peg was a factory fit option.

 

Mine has been doing 45 odd years of service, possibly even the same peg!

 

To make the original stay out (it doesn't lock) I suspect you just need to strengthen the clip that pushes on the solid bit at the beginning to increase the resistance.

 

Cheers

[TR6 Tips...]

As prices rocket ever higher, the prospect of finding a tarted up dog increases.

 

I have seen what £8k can buy you, and it was shocking. Should have been half that price.

 

How much you looking to spend? £15k? £20k?

 

Don't go rushing for a CP car, a CR isn't that much different, and will be 2 or 3k cheaper.

[Classic car restorer wanted near the Brentwood area]

I can recommend a couple, neither that close to Brentwood, one is near Harwich, so still Essex, the other near Norwich.

 

What needs doing?

 

Cheers

 

Colin

Suffolk AO

[Luminition magnatronic]

Don't do what i have seen a number of times and use the feed to your 6v coil as the supply to the new electronic ignition, as suggested in the instructions, as they assume you have a 12v coil. You only get 6-8v.

 

That said, I saw a SimonBBC unit fitted to a 2.5S saloon, that had, due to the fact it had a much earlier engine fitted, and an electical novice as an owner, both a resistive wire and a ceramic ballast resistor, and teh unit was working (ok-ish) at the 4v it was being supplied.

[Pistons]

 

I think the only other brand of piston you can get for our cars now are made by an Australian company called JP, they are worse quality still, so if you embarking on an engine rebuild, just be aware of what you're buying. I called all the usual suppliers and they all sell County sets. I'm not saying all the rings in all County pistons are poor, but there must be enough dodgy ones out there for him to feel he has to get alternatives made.

 

I am sure I was told that County Pistons are fitted with one make of rings, but if you buy a set of County rings they are from a different supplier (one from Israel or Switzerland??) and are of a much higher quality.

 

So you buy the pistons which are apparently a good quality, if slightly heavy, casting, and well matched on weights, discard the rings, and fit a set of the rings from the other supplier.

 

Now whether that is correct.....

 

Cheers

 

[Angle grinder buying advice]

I have had my Black and Decker 115mm one for almost 30 years now, still seems to be going strong, has helped rebuild at least half a dozen cars now.

 

Perhaps i am more gentle than other people.

 

I do occassionally borrow a 9inch grinder, for which I bought a 6inch cup brush for rapid rust removal. Only thing I think it wants to remove is parts of my anatomy, the gyroscopic effect of the cup brush is something to behold!

 

I will be keeping my eye out for a couple of cheap Aldi / Lidl ones so I can had multiple discs availabel when doing certain jobs. Just to save time and effort.

 

Cheers

 

Colin

 

p.s. on the subject of appropriate PPE... I watch a mates dad cut up an old Herald with a petrol powered slab cutter wearing just a pair of shorts and a flip-flops. The things we did when younger....