Peter Truman

if I remember the early square ones had a little black push button, knowing that I modified the later square ones by drilling a small hole in the raised (boss) plastic & fitting a small plastic rod into it which I can push to remotely operate the starter. Being an Yorkshireman dragged up in Australia I was taught "Where there's a will there's a way'.

I believe the 80's GM Pontiac Fiero, a 2 door sports coupe had composite body panels and the composite (plastic) door skins were bolted on, easily removed for internal repairs and cheap to replace if damaged. I looked at buying one in the late 80's but couldn't accept the heavy 4 potter cast iron lump in the rear! Some I believe had a V6 engine, the engine/transmission was a mid rear location, for a yank tank looked good.

Is the October Courier available yet on the website? Regards Peter T

I used my dynamo bracket when converting to an alternator as stated the spacer stub had to be shortened but whilst modifying I made it lighter by drilling largish holes in the bracket all over, why! Cause It just seemed to heavy and seemed the right thing to do! I think there are 3 different Lucas alternator pulleys I assume the size Used is determined by the Crankshaft pulley size.

Done the same except the glove box!

Further to above post an why you've been asleep I've been shopping and thinking why would my tank originally have been fitted with a larger pipe? From the late 50's to mid 60's Heralds were assembled here in Melbourne by AMI (Associated Motor Industries) from UK supplied CKD kits, but to minimise import tax's 20% of the car had to be locally supplied,. In the case of the Triumph Herald, Spitfires and 2000/2500, this included all electrics (Lucas Aus) propshafts, radiator's, hoses, and all upholstery manufacture. Now if radiators were locally manufactured why not fuel tanks, what are the possible clues, looking at Colin's photos the reserve slide bracket is spot welded to the tank, where as mine looks brazed, similarily the pipe boss on Colin's looks brazed in vs mine possibly welded there's a lot more fill on there. Re as to why the possible Aus made tank uses larger suction pipes, I would assume that whoever made the tanks also made tanks for the local car manufactured cars eg Holden, Falcon, Valiant, which being bigger 6 cylinder cars would use the bigger 5/16in fuel pipe and the manufacturer would possibly standardized on piping. AMI also assembled Ramblers, Mercedes & Toyota's, with Toyota ultimately taking over the business (70's to 80's) and stopping building Triumphs which was transferred to Leyland Aus, unfortunately Toyota binned ALL AMI's records re Triumph production and history, so everything is here say..

Interesting about the different sized pipes in the Herald & Vitesse tanks, it's logical, the NOS small tank I have is equipped with a 0.315in OD tank internal curved suction pipe & similar ID sized brass sealing plug this pipe is the same OD size as the Vitesse fuel delivery pipe in the boot and passing thro the floor. Question why do I have the big Vitesse tank curved internal suction pipe (0.315in) in the smaller NOS Herald type tank, so does the NOS fuel tank come equipped with the internal curved suction pipe or do you have to transfer over the old pipe wgen fitting a new tank, ie could someone previously have done the Vitesse pipe conversion on my NOS Herald tank? Colin I've attached a photo of the smaller Herald tank with it's larger suction pipe outlet from the tank, the hole in the outlet boss has a slightly raised lip similar to both yours Colin and at the bottom of the steel boss it has a slightly smaller dia due to swarf so I don't think its been drilled oversize, it also appears to have the internal tinning through the hole. Photo incorrectly titled & should be "The Smaller Herald tank with the larger piped outlet fitting" ie Vitesse!. Is anything "Standard" on a "Triumph"

The tank I removed the suction pipe from was a NOS Stanpart part, I can’t remember any olive under the brass sleeve and as Colin said the pipe is a neat fit in the brass sleeve not tight. I was really responding as to what stopped the supply pipe pulling out, ie the Reserve lever and guide. As I have converted the tank to a gravity feed thro the drain plug I have removed the suction pipe from the top and fitted a blank plug. Obviously the parts manual should be as it was assembled.

My mate the Doc who always corrected my spelling and grammar mistakes died 4 years ago there’s no hope for me now! Thanks

Here's the one out of my Vitesse its actually a Herald one, there is no olive or rubber seal it relies on the brass bush and the pipe is stopped from lifting out of the tank by the lever which engages the reserve slide on the fuel tank body. This is a spare from my NOS Aus supply small Herald tank as I converted my fuel tank to gravity feed by adapting the drain plug, but with the draw off level is the same. I was having trouble getting my Facet cube pump to pull the suction from the top of the tank, Facets advice a max of 13in suction and there dead on!!

To me looks like the two adapters are the same so I reckon there to adapt HS2 SU carb which has vertical mounting studs to the Stromberg RH offset stud mountings. Don't know if they would fit a Strom 150CD mount, what's the dimensions diagonally across similar mounting holes.

A word of general caution re silicon the normal stuff incorporates an acidic to help bond and cure which obviously causes corrosion if you have to use it on a car body specify “neutral cure” silicon it won’t attack the steel!

You were watching a pretty girl in hot pants bending over filling her sports car up and not concentrating on your work! Thats what one of my staff did eons ago filling up a govt car we still don’t let him forget it and we’re over 75 now, imagine what I had to write on the accident report to cover the balls up! We did tell his wife and she just roared with laughter!

Sorry about the drift must have clicked on th wrong topic thought I was responding to Colin losing his spammers to his wife and daughter And horse shoe repair

Good one Colin somewhere I have one of those from the kids BMX days. only relavence of Whit spammers was he could have pinched and buried them and no one would have missed them.

our first dog a Beagle when we lived in Stokesley Yorks used to pinch my spanners when I was working on the car & bury them! His favourite party trick was to pinch the 2.7lb short handle lump hammer and run round the back garden with head on one side as it was so heavy "catch me if you can style" then thump you in the shins with it! Dog buried in back yard here in Aus, Lump hammer still in use and hangs on the pegboard behind the work bench the handle end still chewed away etal "Baron" style! I still have a full set of open and ring Whitworth Gordon spanners dad brought in the 50's here in Aus. & there've travelled "Aus, UK, Canada, USA, UK, Aus" there've probably lasted because Whitworth's were never used!

No such luxury on a Spit4, or Mk2, no interior courtesy lights! They come up on eBay new every so often but stupid prices, most Triumph nuts should have spares, I do but too far away unless your really stuck!

Unlike Colin's problem with using straps to replace the diaphragm, I used these substantial straps/bungees on the Dolly Sprint and am very happy but I did add another strap in each direction to those shown in the photo, I did the repair 3 years ago and still OK, there is a strong carpet type material (boat carpet) under the normal seat foams, to support and spread the load. I tried furniture seat webbing it didn't work but I left the outer straps there, from memory it was the 9in solid rubber bungees that worked on the Dolly

I watched a program today on the building of the Jaguar F type the front to rear wiring loom looked to be 2in dia With probably hundred of wires imagine trying to rewrite that I don’t think they’ll ever become classics

Thanks for the info gents it helps a lot, the valve I'll use would be a Whitey which is all brass with stainless steel working internals, which must be classified as the RR of hydraulic instrument & piping fittings of similar quality, all ex upgrade & renew of major pump station restorations, built for a lifetime of service. I have a good selection of brass 1/2in UNF unions and olives to fit the tank outlet.

Colin the new shiny backplate looks to be a thinner gage than say our Triumphs? Well done sir I assume copper grease was put on the threads upon reassembly

Could it be an anti run on solenoid not wired up but if operational venting to atmosphere when ignition turned off. I have a Lucas one fitted to my Vitesse Mk2 to stop it running on. Mine looks different to yours..

Can anyone please tell me the thread of the union that screws into the bottom of the Mk2 Spitfires fuel tank I believe part No. 60176. Reason I want to put a on off valve in there so I can isolate the tank and make replacement of the rubber hose to steel pipe easier, currently there are two flexible rubber hose pipe lengths in the boot and to remove replace I'll have to drain the tank or get a boot full of petrol. I only want to do that once!! I have a good comprehensive selection of small dia hydraulic pipe accessories from my old work days, all of very high quality manufacture, so it should just be my labour..

This is the best, my great aunt in Florida married her boss my dads uncle. She used to boast she always won at the races she bet on all the horses she Pocketed the winnings he had to cover all the bets, he could afford it! unfortunately there both dead now but they were a riot when I was working in Canada and the States late 60’s early 70’s I’d fly down every second weekend by cadging a lift.

I thought the horse was the wif's so shouldn't the trailer expenses come out of her clothing allowance! Good luck with that? My wife hasn't been out for clothing shopping for 6 months due to Covid she's amassed a small fortune for the ultimate Beeno! She'll probably blow it all on a handbag, I just don't get it how many does she need, her response to my grumblings is to walk me out to the garage, enough said!