Peter Truman

Ean, Melb 33C yesterday and very strong north wind little humid but could work in the garage OK, today 24 & cooling blustery southerly well it is Spring. Re Covid second wave recent Lock down was 4 months, but no cases for 16 days, still some restrictions on meetings and gatherings but we can now travel within Vic, masks still reqd, office workers still have to work from home (since March). South Aus was free for months but have a small cluster now due to returning Aussie quarantine and security guard getting it, there are still around 30,000 Aussies still trying to get home, but the other state Governments are only allowing around 6000 per 14 day quarantine cycle & after the Vic Gov second wave quarantine debacle we in Vic are still not receiving returning citizens! You were born in Vic, I did it the opposite way, I was born in NE England, left at 6 months old July 45 for Canada, 4 years in Toronto then Vic, Aus for 13 years, dad recalled to the UK in 63, so we returned to NE England, 10 years loosely based there long enough to get married before permanently returning home to Vic in 74, with my 68 Vitesse (Oh and wife), still have both!!. My immediate family, brother, parents, and offsprings are all based here, it's HOME!

Or even if someone has replaced the rack bush’s with poly bush’s the very little plastic damper may have gotten misplaced mine did!

My next door neighbour has a Toyota Kruger from new at around 3 years old the engine had to be rebuilt because she had it serviced by a friends small garage who had used synthetic reinforced when full synthetic was specified cheap service = expensive rebuild ($9k) my Jag service agent uses Penrite full synthetic on the Triumphs I use Penrite Classic nice and thick doesn’t leak out as quick

The GT6 had an in floor fuel tank like the Dolly Sprint very easy to remove the fuel sender and you can see right to the bottom of the tank. Ran out of fuel in the Dolly due to misreading gauge (sender float hung up) there wasn’t a drop left in the tank still living that one down in the club!!

I have one too Colin and like yours its staying put! I know a chap in Tassie who looked all over for one for a long time with no success. If you made one out of thicker gauge steel you could probably avoid the cross section strengthening profile.

PeteH have you been looking in my garage, When my dads old secretary died a few years ago when cleaning the garage out it was a minefield of old bits incl taps ad dies of all sizes and threads plus other tool goodies, including the old big Macintosh's tin of railway detonaters like starter gun caps was around 2kg of them. I took them to the police station & I was there over an hour filling in forms and answering questions! Sec's husband also worked for dads Co. he was was Mr.Fixit could do anything. Mind you looking at the electrics and fittings in his garage I'm glad I didn't let him loose at our house, the things he made cigar box's into!

avoid rubber products from India too, here in Aus we received a batch of T saloon engine mounts made in India we were lucky to get 12 months out of them before they seperated! My mate was an expert in changing them at the side of the road. The daughters Mk2 Spit is fitted with Michelin tyres around 10 plus years old, no marks no cracks but they are getting hard so replacement reqd, I'll go for the softest tyre I can find see how they go unless son comes up with some freebees or cheapies! The 13in wheel dia is getting problematic here with a reduced selection.

can you provide manufacturer's name, model designation, and any stockists please

Be positive it’s a Triumph it’ll make it it’s only an EMR (early morning run) from Liverpool to London. The seller didn’t push it onto the Ferry did he! very nice looking car I’m envious the Mk2 looks great

Kimba, Cat hater extroadinaire at his peak a 43kg Foxhound, he hated the Burmese down the street used to tease it sometimes walk past other times would lunge at it, you try holding a 40kilo plus foxhound in full flight. He hated the ducks more if they landed in the pool he could sense it from up the front of the house then it was open the screen doors quickly or he'd go thro them without changing stride!

Attached two versions of rad fan switch install for a Spitfire and Vitesse, latter in top hose and uses stock in hose barrel nipple with 1/4in NPT thread, hoses are 2 modified Holden Gemini (Isuzu) that fit well. The Spitfire one I modified an early Spit/ 2000 thermo cover (with boss) drilling out and treading 1/4in NPT it's relatively large dia so I had to be very careful to ensure I kept enough metal to hold down bolt hole, latter fitted to daughters Mk2 Spit for elect fan auto control works very well and we have 3 different ranged temp switch's for experimentation. I have a near new in perfect thermo cover that I've modified too to replace the photo one which has seen better days. I hate those capilllary tubes that push under the hose to rad or thermo cover joint.

At a recent ZOOM meeting of the umbrella organisation for Victorian Car Clubs the AOMC (Assoc of Motoring Clubs) the Vic Roads (Govt Reg Authority) a senior officer giving a presentation and answer session on the future of the CP (club Permit Scheme for classic cars) did advise that next year there was going to be a wide ranging review of the whole Victorian car registration system to cover the the future. We assumed it was to cover electric vehicles as around 50% of petrol tax comes back to the states for new roads and maintenance and obviously the states are losing significant revenue with the change of the car fleet away from gas, diesel and petrol vehicles. Assuming there's some follow the leader we might get some of your tax systems? Thanks for the info. Peter T

Colin just interested obviously being in Aus info not relevant but the Northern Ireland reg details says taxed to July 21 but underneath the writing says if you’ve just brought the vehicle the tax or scorn doesn’t come with it, Here generally the rego/tax is transferred with the car except the historic/club Permit Cars where the permit is with the owner not the car and the permit to use the car expires with change of ownership. I know all very confusing the registration authority uses the word Permit on the club permit applications but in their general web page explanations then generally call it registration so even we get confused! A club permitted vehicle is restricted to 45. Or 90 day usage per annum Dependent on annual fee paid and for social or private usage only.

here's 2 pics of a 3 rail gearbox fitted with a J type O/D using the single rail Jtype OD gearbox to OD adapter, don't know who or when i was done but I found it when getting ready to convert a Dolly 1850 single rail into a 3 rail for my Mk2 Vitesse. The pic's show how the single rail adapter extends successfully above the 3 rail gearbox case.

I've done it ie single into 3 rail 4 syncro case and selectors, yes the single rail adapter will fit the top hole doesn't get used the earlier Spit iV gasket is used theres enough sealing face. Beware the existing 3 rail reverse lever on the idler shaft it doesn't align with the 3 rail gear selectors and needs major surgery I think my problem was I used the single rail reverse idler shaft spacer which is longer maybe I should have used the shorter 3 rail spacer sleeve BUT would the single rail reverse idler gear then have cleared and engaged correctly? also there's a small washer that has to be fitted to the reverse selector rod to avoid engaging two gears simultanuosly! On our Spits conversion of J type and Single rail into a 3 Rai box casing I used the Spit IV J type 3 rail adapter which needed a 1in additional spacer annulus as the single rail mainshaft is 1in longer. Somewhere in my archives computer files I have my email comms with John Kipping then in NZ telling me what I needed and to watch out for he was very helpful and I'll always be in his debt! In the attached pic you'll notice the early Herald thinwall bellhousing it's been replaced with the later thicker alloy one same casting as cast iron one and far stronger. 3 Rail J Type Conversion - 1in Adapter.pdf

I still use the alloy ones on the Spitfire and the Michelin garage I go to for tyres is very aware of the alloy's weakness and always remove and refit by hand and old wheel brace! Mind you I do have one wheel nut and stud of the later larger dia. so I have to carry 2 spare alloy wheel nuts in case there's an issue!! Unfortunately other tyre factors installers aren't as good with the Jag X/XF wheel nuts and over torque them resulting in when later undoing them the nut shears off leaving the threaded built in tapered washer and sleeve in place which then has to be chiseled off to get the remainder of the wheel nut/washer sleeve off and out, cost around $400/NUT pure labour, don't ask how many I've had to have done in an emergency with a flat tyre. The issue is the designer wheel nut has a crimped on stainless steel over shoe that to secure in onto the machined nut is crimped or the nut machined/necked thinner between the main nut body/head and the tapered washer WHERE's the weakest point at this necking. The last time I had this misfortune my Jag service guy had 3 cars in with the same problem one XF had 5 nuts sheared $2000 and nothing to show for it! With the service guy I have developed a brass sleeve that fits into the wheel hole down onto the remainder of the wheel nut (washer) the brass sleeve is drilled internally so a 1/2in high speed tank cutter less drill insert can fit over the wheel bolt/stud and hence drill thro and cut the washer enabling the wheel to be removed leaving the wheel nut sleeve in place which is undone with mole wrench's and sometimes heat! I believe Rangies have a similar type S/S dress wheel nut BUT far more substantial in size, A very poor design feature and Jaguar should be disgusted with themselves!!! the issue is the overtorquing of the wheel nut esp by the rattle guns then the nut seizes and no way hosa will it come undone.

Sorry if I misread your post but it was 4AM here, the important thing we cleared up it must be a parallel BSP thread. Ref the nipple not being able to hold the earth eyelet, agree it could be an issue BUT my Mk2 Vitesse has had a permanently fitted grease nipple with earth eyelet for the last 50 years and I've never had an issue, suppose it depends on the size of the hole in the eyelet, the strength of the eyelet some modern ones are very weak, and the across flat measurement of the nipple. I modified my daughters Mk2 Spitfire with a permanent grease nipple & the standard Triumph earth strap 20 years ago when we got it and its always been OK too! In both cases I still have their respective brass plugs for prosperity came across them when searching for something else just the other day!

Non member your previous post said the large nipple was used on the steering rack and you advise this is 1/8BSP tapered? Isn’t the rack earth strap fitted under this grease nipple or bolt head so surely it must be a parallel thread to go all the way into the rack housing and lock the earth eyelet

Agreed Colin because they have spire clips pushed onto the sill that is then bolted with screws from the front thro the tread plate

you can buy 1/2 nuts, I realise that there would be a lot of load on these nuts! Are there different suppliers of these adjustable wishbones as the actual wishbone shown looks very short and there's a lot of adjustable track rod thread showing. any members who have installed aftermarket wishbones had similar issues or used different wishbones!

Simon, Te pregnant woman in Melb she easn’t pregnant but was a young mother who I can’t fully remember had refused to do as police requested. Initially the police appeared heavy handed but there was justifiable cause if I remember she was the leader of a proposed dis-obedience march against the lock down, we’re free to do what we want and Covid was a conspiracy. Story died quickly and she got no public support.

back on subject midnight tonight after 139 days of second wave lockdown Melbourne is open for business and can go to restaurants/pubs and retail shop in limited numbers, but the 25klm and city rural divide still exists as do sate borders. Our cases have been around 3 per day for the last fortnight and zero over last 24hrs, slight hickup late last week with a school cluster (Islamic) 800 people isolated for 2 weeks and thousands tested appears our contact tracing is now up to scratch, but cause was once again State Govt caused confusing directions to original isolated family. Early Nov we hope Victoria willl be totally free can travel statewide BUT still some eating out and shopping limitations re numbers state borders still to be negotiated West Aus will be keeping their borders closed till next year, methinks part political state election coming & they have been totally free for months never had a second wave other states hope to be open & free travel before Christmas. Only Vic had a second wave due too State Govt incompetence in managing returning travellers and quarantine breeches. Like the Taiwanese Hello Kitty Airline my daughter in law will be into that next time she gets home!

During a recent 1500 engine rocker shaft and ALL rockers replaced just for that reason, once had the grub screw at the rear that holds the rocker shaft come out on a 6 potter buggered the shaft in 100klm, rockers siezed.

Have you thought about mini lite replica’s tell you my story my daughters Mk2 Spit like yours had Formula Ford what we call reverse rim style wheels that were white powder coated I brought locally 6 Spit oval holed wheels 2ea 4.5, 5 & 5.5in I had them re-rolled to straighten and fix the rim lip damage, then sand blasted and powder coated silver the final cost was around the same price of 4 locally made and supplied Superlite mini lite replica’s, at wholesale costs. I assume you want originality for your car. Now around 10 years ago I fitted 2 sets of new Michelin tyres (165 75) one for each Triumph (my Vitesse) in the switch over I ended up with the Spit wheels and the Spit with my Superlites that’s the way it still is and the issue is NOT open for negotiation with my daughter, good job I like the Spit original style wheels, but hated they plastic hub cap cover, so during the current lockdown I modified them so they don’t protrude as much, and they now sport the old triumph world logo.

I believe there are a lot mothballed at Alice Springs from all different and country airlines it’s the dry climate I understand