Spitfire Mk IV History

[tim smallshaw]

Thanks to all who added comments earlier to this thread, from today this Spitfire is back on the road. 🙂

I have replaced all suspension bushes (I went with standard rubber ones in the end), including front & rear trunnions, etc. I have replaced the tyres (resisted going wider and kept to standard size) and inner tubes - the garage insisted the Spitfire wheels should be tubed and as tubes came out new ones went in.

I have added a picture of the car - this is just after the first test drive after about 12 years off the road. Just a few minor tweeks required (reduce idle speed, fuel gauge temperamental, etc) but there is plenty of time for fine tuning and improving the bodywork. 

Other than that great fun to drive and sounds great. Didn't even rain during the test drive ... 😁 

[Josef]

Pretty sure the Herald chassis cars had tubeless tyres from day one, though the D style wheels least (J too?) don’t have a safety ridge that is a feature on modern tubeless rims.

Looks good, glad it’s up and running!

Edited April 1, 2023 by Josef

[Pete Lewis]

agree all were tubeless even the crossply early ones 

[NonMember]

2 hours ago, tim smallshaw said:

the garage insisted the Spitfire wheels should be tubed

I had exactly the opposite - my GT6's alloys are porous and it needs tubes to hold pressure, but the lad at my local tyre centre insisted it was illegal to fit tubes (at least until his dad came out and told him not to be a *&$£").

As Josef and Pete said, the factory never fitted tubes on standard wheels (they probably did on wires) as they are of a tubeless spec, albeit not the current one.

[tim smallshaw]

😆 Yes, my memory from back in the day was tubeless. Looking at other chat rooms on line there is a lot of conflicting opinion & "information". 

The main reason according to the local garage was because the wheels don't have the bead to retain the tyre to the rim. Either way, other than an extra £13 per wheel I am not all that bothered - they hold air and run smooth and the tyres are modern spec Falkens, much better than what came off. 

[Pete Lewis]

modern tyres inner carcass  are not as smooth as the olde ones and the constant flexing can cause a modern tyre to abrade and fail a inner tube 

the trouble is any puncture on a tubed tyre and its instantly deflated  ( one of the worst things about wire wheels)  

with tubeless they deflate in a far more controllable manner 

ennoy the drive but next time  dump the tubes 

Pete

 

[Steve Polden]

On 31/01/2023 at 13:54, tim smallshaw said:

I have just bought a Spitfire IV and was wondering if anyone knows any history about  this car. It is a 1974 MkIV in mimosa yellow reg no VYA576M. 

I bought it as a non-runner having been stored since approx 2010 in a dry garage in Ashbourne, Derbyshire. Paint and interior are a bit tatty but overall looks to be solid. I'm just going over the car now but it should be back on the road soon, so another Spitfire will be off the SORN list.  

So far I have got the engine running (runs beautifully - just needed fuel system draining and going over) and have freed off the clutch so after 13 years it can move under its own steam. Suspension, brakes and steering to be checked before first run out across the Peak District.

Any knowledge about the car anyone has will be appreciated. 

 

Hi Tim, I owned the car between 1988 and 2001. I have a number of photos, the car had a body off overhaul in 1994/5. Again have some photos. Be great to see it again, doesn't sound like it has been very far since I sold it. I sold it with a steel hardtop but not sure if you have that. The only reason I got rid of it was we started a family and bought a Vitesse