Peter Truman

Pete That stabiliser must be electronic as surely the old style bi-metallic units would work with either pos or neg earth. With alternator conversions and just over the years wouldn’t most Triumphs have been converted to neg earth, or even just for modern radio’s. The daughters 65 Mk2 Spit had been converted to neg earth when we got it and it was still running a dynamo, maybe AMI here assembled them as Neg earth, must check with the old wizard.

A ex-friend has a Spit 1500 who had the interior retrimmed locally several years ago it looked good, but the trimmer cut roll carpet and glued it down/in so there's little triangulated fillets everywhere and trying to get the tunnel out was a PITA having to remove small make up pieces of glued carpet! Glued fitted carpet ain't a good idea in a convertible! I did advise him before he had it done to get a molded set from Newton, but he's a tight A**E and wouldn't pay the shipping, well the interior ain't as good as it was, as the glued bits didn't go back as easy! Pete the adjustable push rod and threaded yoke I have one somewhere is a good idea I picked mine up in a job lot of spares, but the quick release yoke option as shown in your "Merlin Motorsports" website intrigues me do you know how it connect/lock and what mod has to be made to the push rod?

Colin you said you wanted photo's here's my Mk2 Vitesse Front Outriggers there original fitment but the bottom flange where it's welded to the backbone has been replaced insitu only, but on both sides one was a little blebby but backbone was good!

I've modified a Spit MkIV inlet manifold with DIY Aluminum Adapters to take Stromberg 150CD carbs, the pedestals on the inlet manifold that sit (bolt) to the exhaust manifold were too long so I've shortened them and now they JUST clear the exhaust support lug, I can slot a 6 thou feeler gauge through the gap between the pedestal and exhaust manifold mounting lug, the bolts DO fit thro and align! but I probably won't fit them. Is the 6 thou gap adequate I assume the original Spit 1500 H4 SU set up was bolted up tight so it should be! I just don't like the idea of the stress that's created with bolting the manifolds together where the two mounting and anchored (bolted) faces are at right angles to each other.

The front mounting I always understood to be the datum, ie no movement fixed position and a solid washer between body and outrigger, no rubber? Are the outriggers on both cars the same dimensions the white one looks wider at the chassis mount, looking on ebay there are many versions of the front outrigger available, constant taper or slope on the bottom flange to the more correct as original double angled taper/slope also some look narrower in their width. I have two original NOS Triumph ones in the garage with the double slope, was going to fit to the Vitesse but it was only the bottom flang that was rusty so it was cut out and replaced the main chassis rail was still solid. You've checked the black outrigger is positioned correctly via the official chassis alignments, easy enough to triangulate the front mounting bolt. I recently had to unbolt the rear tub on the Vitesse to close the rear door gap just 3mm, what a bugger of a job that was now I have to reset the door longitudinal alignment and locks and antiburst fittings Uugh!

there's a complete interior light assembly for sale on ebay currently item No. 124651335625 priced at 17.70 GBP if it helps the #D base fitting looks great well done

The daughter was complaining that her Spit Mk2 brakes were lousy so just over a week ago i stripped the rears down after finding the LH seized, they were both Girlock 0.7in pistons, I only had one 3/4in new Girlock as a spare so I contacted Mick Dolphin who had 1 new Girlock 3/4in available, it arrived here in Aus in around a week very happy with that, good service. Ironically the Spit Mk2 should have been fitted with 3/4 in anyway, so all is right now. I chose Girlock for exactly the reason mentioned ie the handbrake pivot pin is fully recessed & therefore ensures the slave cylinder can slide to centralize. I did check the condition of the slave before fitting as it was old NOS, the grease was dry so all cleaned out and lubricated and reassembled. I can get Protec here 0.7in are reasonable but 3/4in are double the cost so it was cheaper to buy ex UK even with postage & Girlock to boot, Mick's always helpful and prompt. Also Protec I'm not sure if the recessed handbrake lever pin is fully recessed.

I have a similar switch fitted to my Vitesse Mk2 to facilitate the modified 2 speed wipers and an electric windscreen pump. I brought it here in Melbourne, Aus, locally from a chap who had it as a spare for his Australian version of the Chrysler 180, here known as the Centura and powered by a 6 cylinder 3.5 or 4.0litre Chrysler Hemi engine from the Aussie big saloon Chrysler Valiant/Charger, I believe the Centura could be a handful if driven with spirit!. The only downside of the switch was the plastic hexagonal spindle vs the old Triumph steel one, so you have to be a little careful when rotating the knob..

On a local trading estate we have a small spring manufacturer/retailer, I just go down there with my bits showing him what is needed he vanishes for a couple of minutes comes back with a S/S replacement spring I give him $5 and all fixed! I have fixed several block coolant taps and have a couple of spares ready for any engine rebuilds. The spring is the only thing that can fail in the tap assembly, so they are always restorable.

Colin I had the same issue with my Vitesse with the rear tub off no way was the spring going to compress down onto the diff, even with a 2 mt long spring compressor bar that just lifted the chassis off the ground, even with me and my mate both big boys standing on the chassis. Our solution was a long length of 4 by 3 timber braced against the garage roof beams and then jacked the chassis up compressing the spring down, all the while checking we weren't lifting the roof up I did reinforce the beam to wall fixing prior to jacking ! It worked.

Geese we are all Triumph Tragic’s aren’t we and if we add the other Triumph books like “guide to originality” to our repair manuals it gets worse, it surprises me how often I refer to them. As I said Triumph Tragic’s,but who would be without them! I reckon Pete L probably has the best library of original manuals he always finds info others don’t

interesting price variance Pete how can it be justified! Last year I brought front and rear rotors & pads for wife's Jag X from a local Jag dealers ebay site cost only $250 all up delivered complete with a tube of hand cleaner. I'd previously asked at our local major rotor supplier (RDA) $250 each front and rear ie $500. I also asked for the daughters Spit $250 a pair, I advised I could buy ex UK and ship for around $150, the local supplier RDA price matched at $130. It pays to be grumpy!

Do the rotary need machining, they look a little scored. ineed to buy some new rotors for the daughters Mk2 Spit there downtown the min thickness.

I don’t miss that grief of rusted and seized components. Gee we’re lucky here in Oz occasionally may need a little heat Mapp Good job well done

A friend has fitted electric PAS on his 68 Series 2 E type a Bolt on fitment which only required removal and replacement of the top shaft it was ex Belgium or France and has variable input don’t know how he achieved the low cost of around $1k Aus, excl postage really nice to drive. But I have trouble with E type leg room Spitfire is better!

Pete re Bullets I agree generally useless for decoration only, even limited use on drivers side!

We have them too, on the Beach Rd around the bay here in Melb, there's a bike track but they ride two abreast on a two lane highway, & on a Sunday there out in their hordes and stop for no one esp when there've got a head of steam up. Several years ago one didn't stop at a pedestrian crossing and ran down and killed a pedestrian caused a furore but didn't change there attitude

BPT Snap!

A fellow club member here in Aus worked for a 3D Medical Co which relocated to the US hence he left as he wanted to stay here, but he made a new skull cap in plastic for a Dutch woman which was grafted in, he also made a new heel in metal which was honeycombed so the flesh could grow into it, the chap had his heel removed due to Cancer. My daughter did a research project for a US car co over 10 years ago on the future potential of 3D printing of spare parts at the dealership spare parts desk,

I can tell you my daughters Mk2 is a Porsche Blue colour, it looks somewhere close to the other Spit. Must admit I like the Anthracite wheels! we might have to invest in some powder coating.

A fellow club member has had an issue with his Mk2 Jag it wouldn’t start after Tach issues, he finally determined the problem the spring on the points was bowed and touched the baseplate it took him a couple of weeks to sort it after replacing all but points. Things do come out of left field to bite you!

Agreed very stylish and very functional, side flashers and riding lights in a neat package, forward thinking then they lost it, why.

Re Luminition Optic I had one took it off for the self contained Accuspark unit, which is obviously neater. I gave it to a friend who’s Stag had one fitted and it had failed, then my old unit failed a year or so later he’s on his third unit now. OK it’s been over 20 years! But relatively their expensive.

I run the cheapies from eBay have done over 10 years no issues, BUT I do carry a spare in each of the 2 cars just in case already fitted up ready for a quick roadside change over. I also carry the points set up just in case, but that's just me belt and braces! In the Dolly Sprint I had to use the Luminition Magnetronic due to space issues in the distributor same effect but a lot dearer, hence no spare, but I carry the old points & wiring!.

Well done and good lateral thinking re wiper switch fix