Peter Truman

interesting info. but that's a really bashed up old vice & still doing service! David it must be your grandfather's, grandfathers! Peter T

My Sprint idles well on startup and generally when pottering around BUT after a fast 100kph, 15klm Freeway run at 2700rpm in O/D 4th coming off the freeway it won't idle at the traffic lights, just stalls. Sometimes all comes good at the second set of lights but other times it plays up all the way home say 10klm or 15mins. Next time I start it's all OK. The HS6 SU spindles are worn, I've put some "O' rings tight up against the body to minimize air leaks & I'm currently rebuilding a replacement set of HS6 carbs, new shafts, bearings, needle valves, jets and full set of gaskets, & dashpot pistons. I'll fit them in the next couple of weeks I'm currently still on points and condenser, but will upgrade to Lumenition Magnetronic Electronic Ignition MTK007 next month, its the only type that appears to fit in the distributor. The exhaust valve seals leak a bit but not too bad a little puff of smoke if idling for a while, I have new seals ready but don't want to go there just yet. 20yrs ago my daughters Sprint had the head rebuilt by a very reputable local Melbourne Triumph experienced garage & they started to do the same (leak) within 6 months so I think it's inherent flaw with the slant engine Any idea's what else it could be?? Regards Peter Truman Member 70692

Well Nick you've got the grey matter going there are only a few import 13/60 Heralds here, the 1200 or here 12/50 variant with Vitesse bonnet was CKD assembled from 62 to 65 by AAMI but after that no subsequent Herald models. NZ has a lot of them but to ship from NZ is as expensive as the UK! Now locally here in Melbourne ironically there is a rebuilt 3:27 rebuilt GT6 Diff for sale with new original crown wheel and pinion for $900. That can go in the Mk2 Vitesse and it's 3:89 into the Spitfire Mk2 with my rebuilt 1500 J Type 3 rail overdrive, that should keep the daughter happy, She loves the 1147 rev-ability, which is a conflict to her past work with GMH here, where she worked on the powertrain of the Commodores including the go faster V8's SS etc, and also the Pontiac V8 7litre conversion of the local Monaro for the US market, ALL long sloggers. She scared the sh*t out of her mum with the latter when taking her on a test drive, we live in a court and she'd have to do a 3 point turn to get around I casually told her to spin it out, for once in her life she did what I told her. We didn't hear the end of it for days! Peter T

I did the same with a college friends clutch plate in a MG Midget in the mid 60's. We had to meet our then girl friends for lunch & after putting the engine back, doing everything up I looked over to the bench and behold the new clutch plate, it took us 2hrs to strip and replace we were an hour late for lunch at the Kings Head I think in Great Ayton, just in time for desert, coffee & pay the bill! I'm just rebuilding a Spit 1500 engine for my daughters Mk2, as a spare, now Nick has me questioning "have I put the thrust washers in right", I checked and checked but did I do it right!! She wants a Mk3 1300 engine, as an upgrade for the original 1147, but there RARE over here now. Yes Guppy I'm in Melbourne. Peter T

Some very interesting discussions here, and very sorry for Guppy re the extent of damage to his engine. Ref the valve springs binding I understand everything locking up but I would have thought that the weakest link would be the valve pushrod wouldn't they bend, before the cam journals & bearings were damaged so badly? I do however accede to your combined extensive knowledge though. Eons ago around 1971whilst driving my wife to Teesside airport our Mk2 Vitesse which normally ran at 75psi (still does) the running oil pressure dropped to 40, I reasoned that as it was still 40 and all was quiet I'd get her to her flight OK, whilst there I removed the blow off valve, and refitted it all back the oil pressure reverted to normal ie 95psi on start up and running warm at 75, it only drops to 60 here in OZ on really hot days around 40C. It's only had the head removed once around 1973 a sticking valve we think, just before its shipment home to OZ. So why did the oil pressure drop, I always thought the blow off valve didn't seat properly, and removing and refitting; reseated it. I know you'll all say the oil pressure is too high, but its always been like that a change of oil pressure gauges didn't change anything, even fitting a works proven calibration test gauge. Last weekend I drove a friends TR4 as he has a hopefully temporary medical condition. The engine was rebuilt around 5yrs ago and has probably only covered 10Klm, I happened to notice the oil pressure had dropped to 20 running and around 5 at idle. Once again no noises we ran this way for around 25klm before finding a garage NO OIL a good top up and back to 60psi. My friends misfortune has enabled me to drive his concour fleet of TR4, Mini Cooper S, Jag 3.8 Mk2, and 68 series 2 E Type Roadster (bare metal restoration with everything NEW), and hopefully in the near future his Stag with Leyland Aus installed 4 litre P76 V8, married to a Supra 5 speed box, currently undergoing a strip and bare metal respray, I thought it was OK! Hope Guppy's rebuild fix's the problem but you always like to know the cause. Peter T

Interesting Clive pls stay as one from the antipodes I appreciate your input, the advantage of a FORUM is the diverse thoughts, experiences and ideas. Yep we all get caught sometimes saying what we said, BUT its a result from our experience or knowledge & others can either use it or ignore it. As one who also sometimes gets into shallow water passing on knowledge I always appear to float and survive! So don't go on sabbatical please! On the comment of Spitfire adapters, we've had my daughters Mk2 Spit 17yrs and I converted it very early on & use a BMW refluxed filter and never had a problem, sometimes during the oil change the adapter unscrews from the block, I think there's about 3/4in length of thread on both ends, with a hex between the two threads. Eons ago I was following a complete stranger in a Spit along St Kilda Beach Rd here in Melb, when he pulled over I stopped to help, it appeared it had pumped ALL the oil out between the block & filter. It had just been fitted with a filter adapter & filter supplied by a local Triumph protagonist here in Melbourne, it had gone around 30klm and the filter/joint failed pumping the oil out, nowt on the dip stick. Interesting the filter was tight on it's thread? so had the adapter failed ie jumped/locked a thread or had the filter seal failed, I didn't find out, the owner RACV trailered the car away. I did subsequently hear negative comments re this suppliers adapters, short threads and no hex between the two threads. Regards Peter T

I'm rebuilding a Spit 1500 engine. actually it's a MG Midget 1500, I'm currently reconditioning the cylinder head & I'm missing one of the two lower spring collar washers, the one that locates the bigger outer spring, ie the lower bottom collar I lent one to a college but it was never replaced! Ref the attached photo, top collar is the top unit and is machined (takes the collets), the centre holds the smaller inner spring at the bottom and the bottom collar fits under the centre one and locates the outer spring. The bottom collar is a cup washer with a raised cup on the inner and outer circumferences, the inner being a snug fit over the valve guide. Rimmer's and other suppliers don't show the two part lower collar, but have a one piece machined unit with NO raised outer lip. In fact I cannot find anything in the parts catalogues that are similar to the two part lower collar. What was the original fitment on the later 1500 engines, the two piece pressed steel lower collars or a one piece machined type, part No. 157510, or is that after market? The inner spring is a snug fit over the raised centre section of the centre collar and the bigger outer spring a snug fit in the outer cup of the bottom washer. Interestingly there's a bit of pitting on some of the bottom cup washers, but no apparent corrosion anywhere on the head or its other parts. The corrosion is minor and won't affect the collars performance. I have found a replacement lower cup washer in my general parts bin, BUT it only has the raised cup on the outside and the inner dia is a little larger than the valve guide, but the inner lower collar holds the two lower collars in place and the two collars hold the dual valve springs? with virtually no side play. Question were the two pressed steel lower collars standard fitment on the 1500 engine, or the single machined collar and if the two collars are original where can I get a replacement lower cup collar from. Regards Peter Truman

Well as someone from the hot ANTIPODES, the comment re the rubber washers on the Vitesse Rad is interesting & I'll implement Aluminum ones. Some interesting facts we have a Spit Mk2 with no mech fan but an electric pusher fan, a Chinese cheapie, up to now its been a manual over-ride, but will convert to temp control in the next weeks. On hot days say around 40C if you don't switch it on early in anticipation and the engine gets hot it takes some considerable time to drop it to normal. I've been thinking for some time of putting a removable floor between the chassis legs in front of the rad as it being open underneath I think it causes too much turbulence affecting the air flow through the fan & radiator. Ref pusher or puller fan there seems to be stalwarts for both. A fan designer friend prefers a puller with a full radiator shroud except over the swept area, ie. so the fan pulls air through all the radiator fins. Ref the original Mech fan, on a Vitesse its mounted to the crankshaft pulley so at idle it only spins at engine speed say 700rpm, but with a Spit the fans mounted on the water pump pulley running at say smooth engine idle of 900rpm and with a crank pulley of 6in with a water pump pulley of 5in the fan will spin at around 1100rpm, supposedly providing better cooling. Here in the hotter climes and in peak traffic its normal with the std mech fan to increase the engine speed using the throttle to say around 1500rpm to aid cooling with increased air flow through the rad, it seems to help keeping the gauge from rising too much. On a club run BBQ a couple of summers ago coming back from the beach/bay when the temp rose to 42C, say hotter on the tarmac road and the sun blazing down with no shade and too boot a 1/2hr stationary traffic jam it gets Bl++dy hot, a day to be in a modern A/C tin top not a Mk2 Spit, there's no way you would put the heater on to aid cooling. Modern convertibles use their A/C flat out with the roof off but its still HOT! I must say the Spit performed faultlessly on the day, didn't overheat or vapour lock, I checked the dip stick when I got home and the oil was so thin it ran off the stick like water, but she still held just under 20psi at idle, not like a club members 1500 Spit who's oil light was on at idle and only 40 psi running at 3000rpm Oh they do need the oil cooler. The Dolly Sprint we have runs a std viscous fan and just gets above the halfway mark in 36C type weather, I wouldn't trust her at > 40C I've been thinking of treating the Spit to a puller fan and a larger reputable Davies Craig Fan, but the cast iron head takes some abuse. Regards Peter T.

It's possibly not related, but the wife's X Type Jag which where've had nearly from new (14yrs) when it's been in the garage say a week unused, and running on Australian 95 fuel it can get a slight Sulphur smell for the first minute after starting, its only happened a couple of times and only if unused. It could be fuel related as our fuel goes off fast! I use BP here in Victoria it has no sun flower rubbish YET, other makes can/do up to 10% esp in other States. I frequently use Injector cleaner I wonder if its after that and coincidental with being stored? must keep a record. Talk about a slightly smokey exhaust esp on startup run a Dolly Sprint, those exhaust valve seals appear next to useless, 6 to 9 months life & I ain't pulling the head!, No oil top up between services so it can stay, and it appears worst on start up. Peter T

A local supplier here in Melbourne had Triumph 6 potter water pumps on special at around $60 the aftermarket specials? the pulley offset was not quite right for a friends 2500 so he took it back & their solution was to push the pulley further onto the shaft, all still working OK. I brought a Repco (Aus) repair kit on ebay for the 6 potter (Vitesse) curiously from America and have rebuilt the original brass impellor pump, using a home made S/S shaft haven't used it yet its a spare on the shelf. I notice the pump seals are available for the UK suppliers. I should have purchased an Ally pump body from the UK as the original lump of cast iron offends me. Regards Peter T

A year ahead of us at a prestigeous private school here in Melbourne wired a suitably earthed telecom 90v battery (if I remember correctly) to the brass door handle of the teachers common room, this caused some hilarity amongst the pupils, no detention on the last day of school. At the end of middle school (around 14yrs old) we put the French teachers Fiat 500 in the tennis court, easy to unweave cyclone fencing, punishment was to wash the head of middle schools Chrysler Imperial, we removed carb and fitted a full face cardboard gasket then re-assembled!! Got a 40 pound bill at the start of next term plus a weeks detention, mum didn't tell dad! Aah the good old days. When we got to senior school the school head decided to channel our enthusiasm by putting us in charge of the physics an chem labs, not a good move, but the school and us survived that too! Regards Peter T

mind you don't get any carpet jammed in the bolt or the captive nut threads it can lock/sieze it up solid so you cannot tighten or undo the bolt. I usually get an old soldering iron or piece of pipe heat them up and burn singe the carpet back local to the bolt holes. I had a top of the range Mits Verada here in Aus and mounting a grandkids rear seat anchor on the back shelf got it seized with carpet it tore the anchored bolt out! regards Peter T

Attached are photos of our J type cone which I replaced with a reco unit around $90Aus ex UK ebay when I rebuilt a single rail internals into a 3 rail gearbox with J type attached using the single rail O/D mainshaft. The cone internal band was OK and hardly worn, but the outer was just above min thickness and showed signs of spoiling at the outer edge. I opted for a separate reco unit rather than reco-ing the original purely on cost, to get the original reco'd in Oz was $600, I didn't understand why it was so expensive when it appears a similar material/structure to an auto gearbox band which are relatively cheap to reco. There is a small taper on the O/D cone, but that didn't seem to worry the reconditioner's. I was told the bonding is simply Aradalite cured in an oven? Yeh or Nah? The relatively small surface area on the cone wearing surface for the loads transmitted has resulted in numerous clubhouse discussions on the beast way to engage O/D, ie slam it on, back off a little then engage, or even depress the clutch! I use the back off method. What's your thoughts. As a teenager (now near 73) I remember riveting brake linings onto a Mk1Sprites brake shoes when at college in the NE of England, easier to replace the O/D linings than bonding Regards Peter Truman

Here's my specialist Sockets for the Bezel removal & more importantly tightening them up! They are ex USA Specialist Tool manufacturer brought individually over several years, there for 1 in, & 7/8in multi prong and a 3/4 cross slot bezels. There well engineered and the prongs are very strong, the only down side is they have two flats for an open spanner to tighten, but in reality their not needed as you can get adequate purchase with your hand to tighten up enough If needed I can find the US supplier, they weren't cheap at around $30ea plus expensive USA international postage. Regards & how do you remove the second image Peter T

Never thought about being able to fit the UJ cross piece in backwards, but eons ago I modified an extended grease nipple as suggested ie a thin bit of copper tube about 1in long (ex oil pressure gauge) & it fits easily after 20yrs and frequent use on our small chassis fleet still OK & hasn't broken BUT you do have to be gentle when using esp fitting the grease gun hydraulic end on and off, as it is soft copper. Oh and yes it is just soft solder in. I've attached a very poor quality photo taken with the phone, but you get the idea. Regards Peter T

If wanted I can remove the over rider on my Mk2 and take a photo, if you need help I'm just hear in Melbourne, and I've had my Mk2, 47yrs both in the UK and Aus, there isn't a nut or bolt on it I don't personally know at least once! Peter T

You will also notice I have replaced that HORRIBLE rod and lever throttle arrangement with a later 1500 style throttle pedal & simple bike cable system (15yrs ago), so throttle clearance wasn't an issue as its fed from the top.

I made my own two separate heat shields in aluminum after severe vapor locking here in OZ. The vapor locking was accentuated by the float insulators failing permitting them to rotate from vertical back towards the exhaust extractors. I also removed the inlet manifold flange studs replacing them with threaded bar which protruded through the back of the flange where I mounted the heat shields this permits the shields to be removed for access without removing the carbs. See photos attached Regards Peter T

My daughter has a 66 Mk2 Spit with removable stick soft top, we put a new hood on around 15 years ago, & whilst it isn't leaking yet it's due for replacement as the UV here in Australia has taken it's toll. I purchased a new US Robbins Mk3 folding soft top some years ago as a prelude for converting the Mk2 to a Mk3 folding style roof. I have access to a complete Mk3 folding frame with header rail, & can purchase from Rimmers the Rail Seal & Retainer (708251 & 629584) & the rear deck retaining angle (715842), I have 2 sets of spare hood clamps (609332 & 609331). So what are the issues in converting to the Mk3 folding soft top; 1. On removing the Mk2 B post roof stick holding tubes can the Mk3 holding bolts four per side be bolted direct to the Mk2 B post inside face using suitably sized and located Threaded Rivets, or is the Mk3 B post different in mounting face/profile necessitating the Mk3 B post or part thereof to be fitted? 2. Can the existing Mk2 Windscreen polished alloy header be used in place of the Mk3, or is the latter required to effect a good seal. 3. I assume the door glass profile is the same for both Mk2 & 3. The other option is to convert the Mk3 soft top to fit the Mk2 car, by making sleeve pockets for the front and back locating bars. Hoping some one can steer me in the right direction. Regards Peter T

aren't the stub axles different too the Vitesse shaft thicker?

I had a Renault8 which incorporated a bleed screw in the high point of the heater core, I always thought it was a great idea and incorporated the same in my Vitesse Mk2 after noticing how much higher the heater is than the rad and engine. The old girl has got a bit close to boiling here in Oz when the temp was over 38C (it has been as high as 45 once) Also she got hot when in a 2hour traffic jam outside Lyon France in 1972 on a hot summers day, sat with the engine at 1500rpm + to get more air flow as the fixed fan is on the slowest moving part the engine crank, at least the Spit is on a smaller pulley on the water pump so spins faster. I spent 80% of my working life as a Water Supply Ops Engineer in the UK & here in Melbourne and when recharging a large trunk or any water main air will always rise to the highest point and it is important to get all the air out as it can be held in suspension causing all sorts of problems. So when restoring the Vitesse I incorporated a 1/4in bleed screw in the top heater hose at the heater using a 1/2in Yorkshire Tee with a brass nut soldered into the offtake with it pointing up for final refilling and air bleeding. The Sprint has the header tank notionally below the brass filling plug in the thermostat cover in the head so I have a temp header pipe/tube that I fit over the plug housing and I overfill the system and run the engine until warm and the level in the tube drops, then install the plug and remove tube. Peter T

Ref the stalling My Sprint recently had a similar problem, checked for air leak found the carb mounting bolts were not loose but only finger tight so tightened them car was no better, whilst checking the points happened to brush the back my hand past the coil and it felt damp, the year old Bosch 1.5Ohm coil was leaking oil and the coil overheating. Replaced the coil with the original 40yr old Lucas carried as a spare and all's sweet. Similarly the Mk2 Spit a couple of years ago started stalling when hot, rebuilt the head cause I could and checking for airleaks, but eventually noticed the carb floats were angled back towards the exhaust manifold and it was vapour locking. I replaced the plastic insulator/locator bush that mounts the floats to the carb $20 worth and also installed a DIY heat shield which is mounted one to each carb and behind the carb to manifold flange and therefore removable without removing the carbs making work access easier. Problem fixed vapour locks are not unusual with Trumpies here in OZ. Peter T

Well I finally got the earlier Herald (with reverse spacer washer fitted in the selector for the 4 syncro box)) style 3 rail cover onto the GT6 style 3 rail gearbox case. As Marcus correctly advised the reverse lever had to be bent sideways further. Initially I couldn't move it enough as around 5mm reqd, even with MAP gas getting it red hot, so I drilled a 1/8 hole in the centre of the lever just below the bend and above the welded nut then hacksawed down to the hole and the belted the top of the lever until the slot opened to 2mm trial fitted it then removed AGAIN, then off t0 a mate who is a very competent welder (rebuilt to concour 4 big Healeys, plus Twin Cam Escort, and Mk1 Sprite) and welded the slot, it hardly needed any filing. Fitted it back in the box and viola cover fitted and I can select all gears TOO. I reckon I moved the pin over around 6mm. I'm an expert now at dismantling the internals of a 3 rail box, some think I found to daunting in the past! I got so good at it I didn't have to drop the gear cluster. Now to fit the J type Overdrive. Interestingly Re the Healeys John is on No.5 a BN1 4 potter, ALL the chassis and body superstructure panels are made locally here in Oz at Ballarat to a very high standard and they ship worldwide. The chassis has been repaired with new parts, rejigged with any damage and panel distortion removed. He's now repairing the super-structure again all new parts where necessary, It is fantastic to see the quality of his work, this BN1 will sell for $150k not a bad pastime for a retired plumber & it gets him out of his wife's hair! Like everyone he needs more garage space to work. Thanks everyone Regards Peter T

Thanks for all that good info Gents, I'm still having trouble getting the rear selsctor (wide one 1st/2nd) o clear the reverse lever so as to get the cover in place. from the top cover side bolts is 48mm to notch in reverse selector and 46mm to the lever boss/pin so that should clear and there's one full thread protruding past the lever. The rear wide selector is a in VGC but is probably a very early Herald version, I don't think Triumph changed them during the 3 rail gearbox run not be Rimmer's listings anyway. I'm contemplating removing the input & main shaft then screwing the reverse lever on one more thread, then I can try Pete's vertical method. Thanks all for the great amount of info, and Marcus I'll save your expansive advice for future ref and use by our local Triumph Stalwarts. Peter T aka Grumpy

Paul I ended up cutting an 1/8in off the Spacer length with the hacksaw, quite chuffed I was vey straight & accurate now the Spacer is btwn 0.930 & 0.933in with a spare 1/8in annulas free. Pete your right the Spacer MUST fit at the rear of the box GT6M (M) thanks for that info I think your right, whilst now the reverse idler sits free of the other gears when not in reverse the reverse lever looks too far back still, can you remove the lever without dismantling/removing the geartrain again! I cannot find a mention anywhere of what gear the selectors and gear train should be in to replace the selector cover/forks back on the box Thanks all again for your help Peter T