First Classic - Spitfire Mk2

[DanMi]

http://vitessesteve.co.uk/Servicemanuals  this site has loads of good docs inc the parts manual and service guide.

If it is a copper gasket I would suggest that it is either been in there a long time or a new old stock one has been used as the one supplied today are no longer copper (asbestos!)

[Pete Lewis]

there is the reprinted workshop manuals  available from club shop and most others

 

Autobooks do a good DIY description of everything with good old fashioned   artwork which makes easy reading and some good pictorial ex[poded  explanations 

Pete

[Pete Lewis]

cylinder head fixings suffer badly from soft deformed washers so you loose any torque on the head nuts 

a re torqure is worth a try  38-42lbft    its not anything excessive a firm hand pull on a decent ratchet and socket would work 

not everyone has a torque spanner in their tool box .

just dont gorilla the nuts  they are at a max use for a 3/8" stud   bear in mind a std  hand pull would be 30 lbft  so special nuts are imperative as are hard washers 

on these cylinder heads 

Pete

[RichTeaBiscuit]

Thanks all, I've got a torque spanner coming in the post today.

Drove down to Race LTD in Charlwood - absolutely amazing service there and they ran some tests. They confirmed it's the head gasket. Pointing out the engine mounts look quite worn too. It's booked in with them now for the end of the month for new mounts, head gasket replacement, new hoses and rad etc etc and a good cleanup and a lick of paint on the engine. 

Also getting a twin exhaust fitted. Was hard to stop really since my wife wasn't there telling me not to spend money!

[DanMi]

I am afraid to say this, but if you look carefully in your video, you can actually see a jet of water coming from a bit below the head gasket and hitting the pipe that runs under the manifold. This would indicate to me a cracked block (runs for cover!)

 

As to the engine mounts worn looking originals may be better than the poor quality ones supplied today

[Paul H]

1 minute ago, RichTeaBiscuit said:

Thanks all, I've got a torque spanner coming in the post today.

Drove down to Race LTD in Charlwood - absolutely amazing service there and they ran some tests. They confirmed it's the head gasket. Pointing out the engine mounts look quite worn too. It's booked in with them now for the end of the month for new mounts, head gasket replacement, new hoses and rad etc etc and a good cleanup and a lick of paint on the engine. 

Also getting a twin exhaust fitted. Was hard to stop really since my wife wasn't there telling me not to spend money!

You might think twice about twin exhaust . Might be a tad loud plus road clearance could be an issue . 
Paul

[NonMember]

18 minutes ago, DanMi said:

As to the engine mounts worn looking originals may be better than the poor quality ones supplied today

^^^^ this ^^^^

I had one fail at zero miles and the other within a few thousand. Unless your originals have actually failed then leave them alone.

18 minutes ago, Paul H said:

You might think twice about twin exhaust

This too. The Mk2 already has a straight-through exhaust which is well matched to the engine for optimal noise/performance trade-off. The wheelbarrow ones are too loud and too low, and don't make it any faster.

[NonMember]

23 minutes ago, DanMi said:

I am afraid to say this, but if you look carefully in your video, you can actually see a jet of water coming from a bit below the head gasket and hitting the pipe that runs under the manifold.

I'm not convinced. In the video, I can see a hair of something resting there and waving in the wind. It doesn't look like a jet of water to me.

[DanMi]

28 minutes ago, NonMember said:

I'm not convinced. In the video, I can see a hair of something resting there and waving in the wind. It doesn't look like a jet of water to me.

I hope you are right but worth a look,

you may be right as it doesn't look like the pipe is getting wet but really hard to tell in a video

[Casper]

another vote for aa book of the car 1976 version, out of print but available second hand.

And a vote against a wheelbarrow exhaust.  you will regret it!

C.

[Neil Clark]

Just one observation, I left water sitting in my immobile Mk1 for 2 years while awaiting the rebuild completion and Inow  regret it.  When I bought it, the engine was in good shape before and the dregs of the water in the radiator were of proper anti-freeze coolant.  Now I have a rusted core plug at the back of the engine which needs replacing, the coolant leak is getting worse daily.  As a newbie I had had no idea that water could rust these from the inside whereas coolant has rust inhibiting properties.

[1969Mk3Spitfire]

3 hours ago, RichTeaBiscuit said:

Thanks all, I've got a torque spanner coming in the post today.

Drove down to Race LTD in Charlwood - absolutely amazing service there and they ran some tests. They confirmed it's the head gasket. Pointing out the engine mounts look quite worn too. It's booked in with them now for the end of the month for new mounts, head gasket replacement, new hoses and rad etc etc and a good cleanup and a lick of paint on the engine. 

Also getting a twin exhaust fitted. Was hard to stop really since my wife wasn't there telling me not to spend money!

Sorry to read about your issues. That said, there is a certain satisfaction to be had in fixing such things.

As others have already commented and with great respect to you but I see your replacement exhaust proposal as an act of vandalism and a sure way to devalue the car.

A bit of tinkering and fettling and you’ll have a great example of a period car. Cherish it for what it is 😁

[RichTeaBiscuit]

Thanks for the info about the exhaust, it's a shame as I don't want anything louder but love the look of the twin pipes.

I hadn't considered the authenticity aspect. Maybe not such a bright idea after all!

[Paul H]

7 minutes ago, RichTeaBiscuit said:

Thanks for the info about the exhaust, it's a shame as I don't want anything louder but love the look of the twin pipes.

I hadn't considered the authenticity aspect. Maybe not such a bright idea after all!

Save you some pennies . When I bought my Vitesse I had the same idea but was quickly and correctly dissuaded 

Paul 

[Dick Twitchen]

Depending on exactly where you are I would suggest getting along to a local TSSC gathering ('Areas' on the front page of the Website).  Bound to be people there with experience of 'old' Triumphs who can take a look, and hopefully save some money and provide help/instruction/tolls at the same time.

Enjoy yourself in a welcoming community.

Dick

[Paul H]

When I bought my Vitesse the incorrect carbs had been fitted and the diff blew up within 3 miles . The previous owner had fitted a new differential but forgot to fill with oil 😱Welcome to classic car ownership . That was 5 years ago and learnt a lot since then and the most important lesson was to teach myself how to maintain and repair my Vitesse as garage costs are very high and no guarantee that the quality of workmanship is there as I’ve found to my cost . The forum will help you at every stage. 

[RichTeaBiscuit]

This forum has been so helpful (I've joined the club!), I look forward to learning lots so that one day I can return the favour.

 

Does anyone know what these mirrors are? They aren't the bullet style I've found online, they are a different shape, are they aftermarket? 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZkfVgKiML9615gaY7

[DanMi]

mk2 had no mirrors bar the rear view as standard so yes they are aftermarket, could be dealer fit but likely fitted later at any point over the last 55 years, can be replaced with anything that fits the holes

[RichTeaBiscuit]

Thanks Dan

Before I have another rush of blood to the head, anyone have an opinion on wire wheels?

[Neil Clark]

My drivers door bullet mirror is useless.  It can't be adjusted to see anything useful except the side of the car or the sky.  Take care if buying door mounted bullet style mirrors.

RTB, if you are in reach of Moss (the classic car parts specialists) at Feltham, at the top end of the M3, one of the team there is Will Chignell who is a Triumph club member and knows a) a lot of stuff, and b) a lot about the social side.  His direct line is 020 8867 2026.  

[Neil Clark]

I've inherited them on my car.  I wouldn't buy them new, I actually like the steel ones that you have vs mine but as ever it is a matter of personal preference.  I've also inherited a Weber 45DCOE carburettor but apparently it doesn't add much at the speeds I'm likely to drive.  So there's a cool £3,000 or so of stuff that theoretically I didn't pay for when I bought the damaged wreck!

[DanMi]

5 minutes ago, RichTeaBiscuit said:

Thanks Dan

Before I have another rush of blood to the head, anyone have an opinion on wire wheels?

I have a set of wires that I used to use, that have been sitting in my garden for 10 years, put the car back to steels (vitesse so slightly wider) I don't want to open a can of worms but I found that they flexed when cornering, were a pig to balance and I would only ever consider tubeless as modern tyres do not have a smooth inner surface designed for inner tubes oh and unless you are constantly tightening them they clonk. They do look good though if you like cleaning them (I think you guess that I am not a fan)

[Adrian Cooper]

7 minutes ago, RichTeaBiscuit said:

anyone have an opinion on wire wheels?

I love them! Many folk will tell you that they are a pain to keep clean, need constant maintenance, spoil the handling by being too flexible and unsafe because they need inner tubes fitted into modern tubeless tyres. Plug your ears, the Mk2 looks fabulous with wires and, apart from being time consuming to clean, I don't agree with any of the negative views.

I do agree about the twin exhausts though, far too loud.

Adrian

[Neil Clark]

Adrian I think that all the new ones are tubeless from MWS, like the ones I've inherited on the Spit which are 2017.  I agree that wires aren't a performance problem because I have MWS painted tubeless wires fitted on my 1966 MGB GT and they've never given me an ounce of trouble.  On the Mk1, because my memory is of envy of friends' parents' Mk1's in the mid 1960's, I like the steel wheels.  Entirely subjective as you will all guess.

[NonMember]

I would have to defer to Adrian's actual experience of wires but, for me, the only benefit is they look nice and that's only true if they're clean, and I've already not got enough time to waste it on constantly polishing my cars - I just want to drive them. So original steel wheels for me.