Peter Truman Posted December 31, 2021 Report Share Posted December 31, 2021 Happy New Year to you all let’s all hope 2022 will be better than the last, it’s only an hour to go here until 2022, NZ will be there already. It looks like people aren’t venturing out to the civil festivities in great numbers unlike past years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted December 31, 2021 Report Share Posted December 31, 2021 A glass or two should do it have a happy outlook for 2022 regards Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted December 31, 2021 Report Share Posted December 31, 2021 Yes, the sooner we get past this year and into a better one next year the happier I'll be. 2 fois plus de joie 0 souci 2 fois plus de bonheur 2 fois plus de satisfaction. Meilleurs vœux, bon santé! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted December 31, 2021 Report Share Posted December 31, 2021 Happy New Year to you all Thanks for another year of helpful and practical advice - Appreciated Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted January 2, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2022 Right. Now the holiday period is almost over, I am getting ready to actually do something. So the first question is, as I am badly out of touch with the modern materials, what is the fibreglass (FG) resin and hardener which is in popular use these days. I do have somewhere a small, very old, can of what may be David's FG resin but probably no hardener. I also have a bag of FG matting. Now before all of you go nuts about using FG in the car, the resin is to coat the tunnel cover and I will use the matting to deal with any repairs that need attention. I know that the garage did some damage when they freed up the clutch a couple of years ago, which I never got around to repairing, and the flanges around the bottom and rear are somewhat ratty. I was originally thinking about getting a plastic replacement until I saw Colin's approach to the problem. I'm sure that the tunnel is generally sound and it fits --- well, it fits as well as they ever do. I could also do with some idea as to how much resin I will need. A gallon bottle may just be a little excessive and I don't want a great deal left over as I doubt that it will ever be used for anything else. Any thoughts please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted January 2, 2022 Report Share Posted January 2, 2022 1L is more than enough, in fact half of that is still more than enough. I'm about to start a second one and will use fibreglass matting for repairs, plus a bit of strengthening in suspect areas, but I'm also thinking of lightly brushing the whole of the underside, the reason being it will give a good coating for the Dodomat sound deadening to grip, so a litre will be sufficient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted January 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2022 Colin - Thanks for that. Did you use any special type of resin or will something like this off fleabay suffice? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/144150025617?var=443452649090 By the way, how goes 1 litre convert to grams??!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted January 3, 2022 Report Share Posted January 3, 2022 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171187285550 This one, it's gone up by £2 since.....:) That was the entire kit, I'm still using it as it's quite a quantity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted January 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2022 Ok thanks. I have the matting and a stack of old brushes, so just need the resin so 500ml should suffice. I am only doing the one tunnel so perhaps even 250ml?? I have absolutely no idea of how far it will go, so if you still have plenty left!!!! I notice from the Bailey's listing that they reckon that 250ml is needed to treat 4 sq foot of fibreglass matting. Their pricing structure appears to be a little inconsistant depending on the listing for what appears to be the same item. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted January 6, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2022 So, I ordered 500ml of resin inc hardener from Bailey's via fleabay. Not the cheapest but in this case and not having used fibreglass for tens of years, I went by recommendation (no pressure CL!!) rather than getting the cheapest on offer. I received a very prompt personal message from Jo Bailey to tell me that they were having delivery problems and would I accept a can with a hand written label or two 250ml cans. Effectively the 500ml can would have a 250ml label with the quantity altered. Not a problem for me, but what excellent personal service. Hope that the product is as good. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted January 8, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2022 Right, 'it's ask the audience' time again. My order of resin arrived this morning (full marks to Baileys) and I now have no excuse not to do something productive, apart from the cold in the garage. At this point the collective readers of this rubbish shout as one voice... "we know that you have a heater so that won't work"...ok, ok. Here we go. The tunnel cover is coming out to do the gear stick (and other bits) and the cover needs repairing and coating. It's over 30 years since I last used any fibreglass and the memories are very thin, except to recall that it was used in places that these days I wouldn't. I fact an awful lot of that has been removed and scrapped. Now come the questions. .. What do I use to mix it in. As I am a cheapskate, I don't want to buy anything like the plastic/paper paint mixing cups, so what about cutting the tops off old plastic water bottles, which I can salvage from my neighbours recycling bin (and then return!!)? Then there is the mixing stick.. ok, I have plenty of wooden stick thingies lying around, even bits of old microbore copper tube. Old paint brushes I have in abundance and can try to clean them with gun clean or panel wipe before the resin goes off so I can reuse for the next coat. Then there is the question of adding the correct amount of hardener/going off time. I do have some old, large needle, syringes from refilling my inkjet printer, they might work...can I clean them afterwards and with what? What is the recommended working time before the mix goes off. I know it depends on the temperature and the amount of hardener. Is there a minimum temperature below which it won't go off (like paint)? Over to you all. All thoughts are, as always gratefully received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted January 8, 2022 Report Share Posted January 8, 2022 I mixed mine in an old carryout container, the clear plastic type (plenty of those in our house, c/o Babus Indian Spice) and mixed it with the wooden stirrers from Costa Coffee. I always think I'll need a dozen of those then only use one for the coffee, and it's a waste to throw the others out... be prepared th throw the utensils out if the resin goes hard - I use a cheap 50p paintbrush from the hardware shop each time. Cleaning it is a nightmare so into the bin it goes. As for setting time... experiment. The more activator the more quickly it hardens, but you do need enough to make it start to go off in the first place. If the instructions say that a tube of hardener does so many millilitres then fraction that up, half a tube will do half as many and so on until you hit the quantity you need. If you're building the fibreglass matting up you'll be doing it all at once so no need for further coats unless it's a huge area, so make a small quantity and if you run out, make more - mine wasn't even an inch depth in the bottom of the container, and it covered quite an area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted January 12, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2022 Things are moving, at long last. I have, after a great struggle, managed to get the tunnel cover out. More of that later, suffice to say that it was not a great idea to seal it in with a mixture of silicon sealer and 'sticks like sh!t'. I have got everything out right down to the gear stick which I have removed and, to my absolute horror, had a good look at. I can only say, that getting my Christmas present when I did (no, I don't mean at Christmas) was just at the right time. This was what I found... Old one at the top, new one below. It gets worse... ..and finally... I don't think that the old stick would have lasted much longer. I had thought of having it built up with weld and grinding down, but maybe not such a good idea after all. I think now, that I need yet another refurb kit. I will have a close look at the bits that dropped out and see who has the best deal. Are there any more jobs that anyone can recommend that I do, while I have the gear stick off, maybe investigate the rail mechanism etc as, as far as I know, it has had nothing done to it since the car was recommissioned in 1986. I may need to order other washers and stuff depending on your thoughts. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve P Posted January 12, 2022 Report Share Posted January 12, 2022 I would want to know where all that metal has gone in the box,do you have a magnetic plug? Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted January 12, 2022 Report Share Posted January 12, 2022 Oil seals! Ok it's just the cover off and gearlever removed, and it's a bit more work, but you've come so close to replacing the rear seal that you may as well, now, while you have the tunnel off and avoid leaks later. Speedo drive O-ring too. That gear lever is scary... it must have been fun selecting gears. I've edited this after seeing Steve's reply above - can't remember if yours is overdrive or not but with any gearbox I get so far with, I remove the bottom drain plug and wash it out with petrol from above. Any debris drops out the bottom and thereby can't recirculate. All my gearboxes are 3 rail so bits off the lever can't drop down inside, but it gets rid of any other little particles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted January 12, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2022 Steve P. No magnetic plug yet, on the list to fit one. I think the spare that I have will fit. As for where the metal went ???!!! It's been going downhill since 1986 when my ex-brother in law, the professional mechanic put it together with no washers, shims or anything. Just a nut and bolt to hold the stick on. Colin L - Yes, it is an overdrive, three rail unit. Selecting gears was not too bad. The refurb kit was done a couple of years ago to see me along, but I knew that the gear stick was on it's way out so did my best to make it last with a fitting kit, but that looks like it has suffered with the old stick Doing seals on the gear box... that's scary for me. Not even considered that sort of thing but while I'm ordering spares I might as well get a seal kit..do you have a reference for a kit please so I get the correct one. I am currently watching this video which appears to cover the stuff that I am doing, but not watched it all yet. More to come. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d6me3C4Ozc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted January 12, 2022 Report Share Posted January 12, 2022 Just the rear seal behind the propshaft flange: https://www.jamespaddock.co.uk/rear-gearbox-oil-seal-overdrive-j-type--3 Or if you feel up to the entire kit: https://www.jamespaddock.co.uk/overdrive-seals-set-j-type-4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted January 12, 2022 Report Share Posted January 12, 2022 What does the part that gearstick has been wearing against look like? (The rod that connects the stick to the selector mechanism in the box I mean) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted January 12, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2022 5 minutes ago, Josef said: What does the part that gearstick has been wearing against look like? (The rod that connects the stick to the selector mechanism in the box I mean) Not managed to look yet, but a good point. I might risk taking the top section off, but wasn't originally planning to go that far. You know what it's like. Just one more thing, then another, then it's a total rebuild...or on another level.....all the chocolates have suddenly gone from the box. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted January 12, 2022 Report Share Posted January 12, 2022 1 hour ago, Badwolf said: Not managed to look yet, but a good point. I might risk taking the top section off, but wasn't originally planning to go that far. You know what it's like. Just one more thing, then another, then it's a total rebuild...or on another level.....all the chocolates have suddenly gone from the box. When I rebushed my Herald’s gear change I took the selector arm bit off the top of the box so I could do the rebush on the bench, and did manage to leave the rest of the gearbox alone! Thinking about it, the stud part that forces you to push down on the stick to select reverse was terribly worn on mine. Would probably be worth renewing that. I made my own on the lathe by modifying a suitable bolt just cause I could. Just checked though and they’re NLA, buuuut Mick Dolphin apparently has some for £2.50. Part no 118054 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted January 12, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2022 OK. I can see that the remote selector unit is held on with 4 bolts. Is it fairly easy to remove this on a Spitfire, without dropping the gearbox or is it something that I should leave alone. I am very worried that if I undo the four bolts and try to remove it, that it is going to get stuck in a sort of no-man's land where it won't come out and won't go back in!!! If it does just lift off, are there any foreseeable problems in aligning everything when I try to put it back together? This sort of thing is well out of my 'comfort zone'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted January 12, 2022 Report Share Posted January 12, 2022 It should just be a case of undo the 4 bolts and lift. There’s no alignment issues, you just need to get the selector arm into the slot of the selector forks (they’re all aligned when the car is in neutral unlike the photo, but I didn’t want to get oily messing with it just now!). And obviously keep things clean so you don’t drop any muck into the box! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted January 12, 2022 Report Share Posted January 12, 2022 27 minutes ago, Badwolf said: OK. I can see that the remote selector unit is held on with 4 bolts. Is it fairly easy to remove this on a Spitfire, without dropping the gearbox or is it something that I should leave alone. I am very worried that if I undo the four bolts and try to remove it, that it is going to get stuck in a sort of no-man's land where it won't come out and won't go back in!!! If it does just lift off, are there any foreseeable problems in aligning everything when I try to put it back together? This sort of thing is well out of my 'comfort zone'. You don't know till you've tried it! The remote selector is held on with four bolts and lock washers, put the gearbox in neutral before removing, and it will lift off unless, as usually happens, a PO has used tons of sealant. You'll be able to see where it fits on reassembly, into the slot that goes right across the three rails - left of the pic below. If you go further and take the entire top cover off, it has bolts and lock washers all round, but once again it lifts almost straight off, and if you study the internals you'll realise it all makes sense as to where it fits on reassembly - the forks, for example, can only sit in the spaces between the gears themselves. Unless you go any further you won't upset anything or cause damage - check the teeth for wear or breakage, clean it all up, and fit fresh gaskets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted January 12, 2022 Report Share Posted January 12, 2022 Just flipped my cover back into neutral for a better photo but Colin has beaten me to it! And his is cleaner anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted January 12, 2022 Report Share Posted January 12, 2022 yes you need to remove the remote as there is another pivot and bushing halfway along the remote the remote kits generally contain more than you need as some of the bushes changed over the years and the kit has all the reverse inhitort plate if worn can be turned around to wear to other side do deburr the kit cup washers as they can be sharp cropped nasty things that mince up new plastic cups i wouldnt get involved with the top cover shaft 0 rings if they dont leak much leave alone( they fit in grooves in the top needs the front shaft removing to fit them and they often get chopped on re assy and removing the squared headed dowel bolt can be a disaster Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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