Spitfire Scuttle Drainage

[Jonah]

Evening all

I’m about to take my Mk3 Spitfire out after restoration and began wondering what happens to rainwater that runs down onto the scuttle and through the grilles

This maybe a dull question but I’m perplexed, I’m sure there’s a simple explanation 

best Julian 

[Pete Lewis]

the base of the heater plenum has a rubber drain valve 

it can block and fill with debris then heavy rain can flood over into the car 

have a look in the engine bay for  the drain spout    later had a rubber flap like    Heater Hoses, Pipes and Demister Nozzles : Canley Classics

Pete

[Jonah]

I’ve noticed a small rubber flap, opening onto the bulkhead,  is this where excess water is supposed to drain away?

looking through the grilles it’s clear that there hasn’t been any surface protection applied for a very long time

[Jonah]

id like to get inside the head of the Triumph designer who thought up this primitive idea!

Has anyone tried to fit a seal of some sort along the top edge of the bonnet to prevent rainwater from getting onto the scuttle and into the heater plenum, which might channel the water off to the side drains?

 

[Peter Truman]

My daughters Mk2 Spitfire has had the top 2 mesh grills on the top of the scuttle removed by a PO and now have 2 removable chrome expanded metal  grills in their place popped under the scuttle, with each held in place by a small metal bar across each on the top/outside of the scuttle by a single bolt and Rivnut locked into the expanded metal grill. They look good and being removable enable easy access to the plenum chamber to clean out. 

[Jonah]

Now that’s a clever idea, thank you Peter

[daverclasper]

20 hours ago, Jonah said:

Has anyone tried to fit a seal of some sort along the top edge of the bonnet to prevent rainwater from getting onto the scuttle and into the heater plenum, which might channel the water off to the side drains?

 

Sound like the same set up on my Vitesse, it can cause a water trap on the ledge and my steel brake M.C also pipe runs under the heater box  .

Your idea has got me thinking to look into that.

I currently tape it over with black gaffa type tape in rainy weather (though over the years, it has taken some paint off when removed) and have squirted wax oil under that area.

 

[Colin Lindsay]

The heater intake is open to the air anyway, so rain falling down is going to drop straight in. Early cars (Heralds anyway) had the same idea as Peter T's, the mesh was held in by screws and so could be removed. Squirting Waxoyl in through the mesh does help.

[daverclasper]

41 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said:

The heater intake is open to the air anyway, so rain falling down is going to drop straight in

Doh. Hadn't thought of that!

[Pete Lewis]

you could make a cowl to give the air some extra ram effect it would act as an umbrella in the rain but water driven up the bonnet while driving 

it then makes a water shute   

with some rot or rust or Not the basic set up has lasted all these past 50 years 

Pete

[daverclasper]

49 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

with some rot or rust or Not the basic set up has lasted all these past 50 years 

For sure. I'm just into any preserving of the the old girl, especially, as used all year round

[Pete Lewis]

well a squirt of oil down the mesh when topping up the dashpots   Ha!!

Pete