Peter Truman

It’s a matter of availability you try finding a 3 rail 4 synchro case here in Australia Ironically there is also a Standard 8/10 all alloy box locally on Gumtree there’s been no Herald gearbox’s for years then 2 on Gumtree but not a later 4 synchro option The last GT6 case I brought was ex USA & unfortunately it had a crack on the output side. The cost with delivery was probhibitive

And the answer was right under my nose! 1959 hence the very lightweight alloy bell housing wonder if the very early 3 rail gearbox case could be adapted for 4 synchro use? Any feedback?

On Gumtree here relatively locally a Twin SU Carb engine and 3 rail gearbox cast iron case, with early thin Alloy Bellhousing is for sale the engine No. is KA 1750. I can't find a ref to Herald KA engines? I assume a 948cc engine.

I'm originally from Co Durham, Stockton/Norton born there left at 6 months old mid 45, 4yrs Canada, then 13yrs in Aus, then in 62 back to Stockton, worked for a large Chemical/Heavy Engineering Contracting Co. till 73 then returned to Aus. Met and married my wife (ex Norton) whilst in UK, also for my faults got hooked on Triumphs at that time. Till mid 60's lived at Guisborough, next to Lord Gisborough's Farm, spelt differently since 1066 and all that, typo!!! I worked overseas most of the time 64 to 73, BUT I did build a Rotary Cement Kiln plant at Eastgate around 66 went past it many years later and felt very guilty all the white dust had killed the natural vegetation for miles I understand its now returning to its natural beauty! Also worked in Jarrow for a week couldn't understand a word they said!! Only 40 miles from Stockton and a completely different dialect.

My Mk2 Vitesse rusted out locally at the bottom of the A post drivers side, I thought about after removing all the rusted metal of just leaving it but couldn't do it so had a new metal floor welded in then tank cut a drain hole in it. I cut a drain hole in the passenger side too even tho it had NO rust. A post was well Rust proofed with plenty of fish oil, I think the problem was the RH windscreen surround let water in somewhere i needed a small patch where where the side window rubber strip seal is located.

Bfg ref the pin screws and the black holes in the HT lead I had a problem with my Dolly Sprint with the carbon filled leads and the pin screws penetrating thro the insulation and the graphite/carbon the pin burnt around the carbon breaking the contact continunity and giving a poor spark and misfiring took me ages to determine the cause/effect in the end I changed leads for copper core problem solved

Changing tyres was mentioned this Could get expensive if you have 5.5 in wide wheels as if I remember 155 tyres are too narrow for 5.5 rims so new wheels might be reqd too. stick with other solutions

I thought the 6 potters had a tapped water offtake nipple as shown above into the inlet manifold, not like the 4 potters which had a cast in steel tube, but looking at Thomason's book not sure about the Mk3, which might be like the Spits. The inlet manifold shown has a strengthened inlet so could be safely tapped to take the brass nipple. I've done this tapped brass nipple mod on a Spit Mk2 and 1500 inlet in place of the steel tube.

Just bought a small tube of Ceratec ex UK supplier as I couldn't find a local supplier here the cost was ridiculously cheap $16 delivered by air mail just to upset Colin L postage was only around $3.50, how do they do it compared to eBay where even the smallest item is over 30 quid GBP! I'm not arguing delivery quoted by the end of next week. Folks, thanks for the update re the Mintex Ceratec vs Copaslip.

Usually on the shelf but fortunately the paint had gone solid by then!

Very Weird but there again Colin I thought ALL Heralds of all variations had passed thro your hands at some time in their lives!! I'll get my Hat! Must look to see if the plate is attached and how to my 68 Vitesse which I've had since 70 and would be original still the same ignition and key tho very thin now!

A good drop too, but a lot of sugar!

If you want a DIY version or you get bored this is what I did on the daughters Mk2 Spit with Aussie Superlite Performance wheels center hole.

Interesting you still use the anti squeal shims with the Ceratec, I'd assumed it replaced them, wrong again!

Copper pipe is NOT allowed on Aus Car brakes under ADR (Aus Design Rules) for exactly that reason work hardening and fracture, I brought a set of Automec copper brake pipes to fit on the Vitesse I was advised it would fail the RXC had to switch to steel bundy pipe

I was only considering the concentric clutch as the major surgery on the Vitesse/GT6 bell housing and clutch lever arm necessary with a single rail gearbox. Let’s face it the small chassis gearbox removal ain’t too difficult! Think I will stick with the original plan as I did with the Spitfire put the single rail internals into a 3 rail case

So how did the spanner get from Ireland to Durham? there must be a story in there! Is it like a Library book that's incurred a horrendous fine over the years!

I've cut cable rubber grommets thro one half in the past slid them over the cable then joined the cut joint with superglue let it dry then put the grommet in the hole with cable still thro it. should be able to do the same with the trunnion top seal, will try it myself in the near future as my ageing cracking seals need replacing in the near future!

As I said the pipework isn't the best and very thin, why they couldn't have made it better for the sake of a couple of cents? the rad cap fitment is turned Al and strong so why not make the pipe to rad tank stronger. Like most Chinese things the product is marred by their lack of testing and understanding of its use! But as I said our cheapie has lasted well 20 years and its been used on some pretty rubbish Aussie backroads that shake the hell out of British cars.

Same as Steve's, the daughters Mk2 Spit has had a cheap PRC full width aluminum rad fitted for 20 years it cost $100, there still sold locally here in Melb by the same company for $175 incl rad cap and free postage. The only weak point I can see is the inlet and outlet pipework there relatively thin and easily damaged so don't overtighten, the rad inlet pipe is made from two sections mitered and welded together so looks a bit untidy, but hey after 20 years obviously fit for purpose. To recore an original brass/copper Rad will cost well over $400, I keep an old one just in CASE! but it's a no brainer I'd replace with a cheap PRC Ally when the time comes! A local and obviously better made ally rad by a specialist rally rad Co for the Vitesse would cost me well over $800,

Speeders!

Also be aware the chrome rose nut that holds the choke push/pull to the dash come in different sizes ie OD and dependent on the switch/push/pull control they have different threads too. I recently built up a Spit Mk2 Heater Valve push pull/on off control using an old Triumph Choke control with detachable knob, it reqd the new aftermarket generic choke cable outer sheath and inner cable to be soldered into the respective parts of the Triumph push pull assemblies. I also had to change the sign in the knob from a choke to heater matrix, this only requires the plastic lens to be prized out of the knob and the thin alloy pic disc to be changed then reassembled. Daughters very happy BUT when in Aus is she going to use the heater esp when she lives up the coast near NSW!!! I do as I'm told!

Without stealing Iain's thread has anyone tried a concentric clutch slave cylinder as used extensively on modern's, reason for asking is I have an 1850 Dolly single rail gearbox with J Type OD, and major surgery is reqd to the Vitesse/GT6 bellhousing to accommodate the single rail selector and hence the clutch pivot pin and operating lever has to be mangled too. By using a concentric clutch all I'd have to do is make an oil tight boss for the single rail selector where it protrudes thro the front of the gearbox case, as no pivot pin or operating lever is reqd. Would a concentric clutch slave help in Iain's setup/issues?

I had a misfire issue with my Dolly Sprint with all the HT leads when I got it 8 years ago I purchased a set of new HT leads with the proper long plug caps ex UK they were graphite/carbon filled & fitted in the small 7mm dizzy cap side entry holes. I just unscrewed the tapered screws holding the old leads in the cap and replaced the new leads screwing the tapered screws thro the cable and carbon/graphite filling. all was OK for a couple of drives then the misfire started, upon stripping the dizzy cap down I eventually noticed burning where the tapered screw went thro the cable, this investigation unfortunately took a couple of weeks of pulling my hair out! After determining the cause I pushed a thin strip of brass up the inner carbon core and bent it back over the outside of the cable, pushed that up the dizzy cap holes and used a flat ended screw to clamp the cable into the cap no penetration of the cable, it required fine alignment of the brass strip and screw. No more misfires and still good many years after. An old hand was looking at the arrangement and advised me to hold the graphite cables as if they flapped around the core could break causing a misfire so obviously I made HT cable clips to stop any excessive movement.

It's my spare set of Vitesse keys complete with an aftermarket brass ignition key with the Triumph (Standard) shield as the main part. I keep the broken on that set so their easily found out of the 3 Triumph model sets of keys& spares I keep on my bookcase. I agree I think it was broken on first run in 68 there are radial scores on one side and no rubbing/wear marks on either surface, as said previously I think the Rotaflex drive feeling any effects.