What have I got ?

[ShaunW]

I've moved this topic to a new thread as it was clogging up my thread about my OD issues.

Any info on what's what or corrections would be appreciated. The car is alledgedly a '76 Spitfire ...(modified at some point to be a Spit6?)

Engine : CP77469HF
Started life in a 1972 TR6 and would have had PI ?
Would have had the more aggressive cam (originally, not nec what's in there now as I haven't checked it)
...that's all I think I know

Carbs : Strombergs tagged as 3581 (but only 1.375 across the filter side inlet) Marked "CD" but no other designation.
might these have started life on a GT6?

Inlet manifold : 311749
Late GT6 ? But the vacuum takeoff isn't tapped?

G/Box : 3-rail, can't see a number on it anywhere

OD : D-Type
Probably not strong enough for the engine?

Chassis : FC2777774
All I can find on that number says Mk2 Spitfire, but surely that's not correct!

Commission# : FH82626
Plate is obviously new, model says 'Spitfire 1500' but the number is from a Mk4 ?

Trim code : 11
s/b Black Vinyl (Smooth grain ‘Stag’)
but it's got cloth covered seats with vinyl sides & headrests (could these be from a GT6?)

Quartlights :  Yes
So are these GT6 doors or can quartelights be fitted to Spit doors?

Hubs & Calipers :
Seems to be from a GT6 but there's no brake servo. Spit bearings didn't fit, GT6 ones did.

 

I realise I've got a bit of a bitsa on my hands. I'm not too bothered about that, but I just wanted to know exactly what bit's she's made from.

 

 

 

 

[Clive]

Where did you find the chassis number? 

On these cars the ONLY number that really matters is the commission number, which is as you say for a mkIV.

Does it match the commission number on the V5? If not, tread carefully....... That has the potential to be disastrous.

(and is the engine number and cc correct on the V5?) 

Engine number likely HE suffix, denoting an injection engine, but badly stamped like so many.

[dougbgt6]

My chassis number is on a metal label on the middle of the chassis under the engine. It's engine out to read it!  It has nothing to do with the commission number, it was just used for stock control in the factory. As Clive says only the commission number counts.

GT6s don't necessarily have servos, it was an extra until the very last ones, after Feb 73. The servo fitted as an extra, or later as standard, would be Girling and not so good. So I could see it getting ditched on a bittsa.  

Cloth seats with vinyl sides and head rests, late GT6

I would invest in a heritage certificate, then you'll see what you're V5 is supposed to say. If there are discrepancies advise dvla to get the V5 changed. BUT, as advised on another thread recently, do it one change at a time,  else they'll start asking questions and you'll end up with a Q plate. Take a look at the other thread, Colin Lindsay's I recall, to see what problems you might run into changing V5 reference numbers.

 

[Guest]

Shaun.

For the sake of aprox. £5 it may be worth sending a V888 to DVLA requesting all previous owners / V5's pertaining to the car - you would then be able to identify any changes (if recorded by PO's) since the car rolled off the production line. Usual turn around time is about 14 days.

I did this for my Vitesse with a view to obtaining previous history about the car, it proved worthwhile as I received some photos from PO's and a summary of work undertaken on the car during their ownership. It certainly will not fill all the gaps but may prove to be more than you have already with the bonus of some interesting reading.

As Doug says a Heritage Certificate is worth applying for as well and if nothing else it is certainly a decent looking piece of paperwork to go with your car; it will even state what extras where ordered by the original owner of your car.

Regards.

Richard.

 

[ShaunW]

The chassis number is on the outrigger on the battery side.  I'll definately look into the V888 and Heritage Cert. That sounds interesting.

V5 says :
Model : Spitfire 1500
Capacity : 2500cc
VIN/Chassis/Frame No. : FH82626
Engine number : CP77469HE

...which all seems to be correct.

[Clive]

just had a check and it seems all pre VIN spit 1500 were also FH prefix. So it seems not to be an issue. (I thought they changed to FM, butit seems that is enginenumbers,not commission numbers)

Somebody has been lazy with the "2500cc" bit, but probably good enough and not worth correcting with DVLA. 

HE engine suffix just poorly stamped on the engine like many.

 

As to that chassis number, never ever use that especially when contacting DVLA. They will get all over excited and it has potential to cause much grief. As Doug says, it is just a stock number and not recorded anywhere.

So, you have a Gitfire, using a TR6 engine, GT6 box (will be fine as long as you do not go drag racing, or accelerate too hard from standstill) and probably the spitfire diff, which is really a tad too low geared for a 2.5, and a 3.27 is s better ratio. However, they are rare and weak, I broke several before going back to a spit 1500 diff which coped fine. GT6 brakeswill cope fine,and even if it still has Spitfire rear brakes, they will be OK as long as they are properly maintained and set up.

So enjoy the car. Just take care when ordering parts!

 

 

[ShaunW]

Thanks for the detective work Clive.

The diff is a 389 (and it's non-rotoflex btw), hence my need to get the OD fixed. 3000 rpm @ 50mph and you really feel like you need another gear.  It should be a good ratio though for my drag racing starts ...oops I'm not allowed to do those am I?.

Rear brakes are indeed Spitfire. Scariest thing I find with the brakes is knowing it's all single line. It's good incentive for keeping your handbrake well adjusted.

Hehe I know what you mean about parts. I did the front shocks & springs and when I gently lowered the jack, the car went lower, and lower, and lower and settled about 2" off the ground.   I have to say it did look as mean as hell but it was aggravating as you can imagine.  So I took the springs off, took them back to Rimmers and they exchanged them. It's blessing and a curse that I live 25mins away from Rimmers. It's a blessing because they're handy, but a curse because they're a bit dear and a bit too handy. It's all too easy to go a dozen times for every little this and that and use £10 in petrol everytime.

 

[Clive]

Swap the diff to s spit 1500 3.63, and get the od sorted (fingers crossed!) should have a sensible car.

You can also fiddle with wheel sizes to give slightly better gearing. Not sure if 185/65 14 wheels will fit but they will give 3% change over 175/70 13 tyres. Changing your diff to a 3.63 gives about 7% change. added together gives 10%, about half what od gives, but in the real world it makes a noticable difference.

The 2.5 produces loads of torque, but often not a huge amount more power than the 2 litre (my 2.5 vitesse went on the trollers at about 115bhp, against 2 litre cars at about 95. They were REAL figures, same day, same rollers. But mine had loads more torque from 2000rpm up, making it a great road car but not great over 5000rpm)

[ShaunW]

Clive,

You mentioned in an earlier post about the carbs: Maybe switching to a pair of SU HS6 with the short dashpot as used in the Sprint.

I've got questions arising from the fact that these are hard to find:
1. Would it be possible to get a pair of std dashpot HS6's and have someone machine a shorter dashpot and shorten the plunger? (or can you buy them?)  My father-in-law makes little engines and he might have the skills to do it, he's certainly got the equipment.
2. I saw that people have also used a triple 150 setup like the pic below ...have you any experience of this?...is it a case of getting a new manifold, 1 new 150 and some sort of connecting kit?

If there's a thread all about this already I appologise but  i can't find it.

[Clive]

There was a chap years ago who shortened the dashpots. As long as you can cut the damper thread it should be easy enough.

Or try Mick Dolphin, he may have some new ones, or they do turn up(I stumbled across 2 pairs about a year ago, nobody seemed interested so I sold them on at Stoneleigh. Since then seravl people have been looking for them! Andrew Turner can usually supply recons.

The triple set up looks good, but is VERY difficult to get to work correctly, even then no advantage over twin SU's. There was a chap on CT a few years ago who got it done, the amount of work was unreal. Simpler to fit EFI I reckon.

But the simple answer is twin 1 3/4" carbs! They just work.

[Casper]

Quote

Carbs : Strombergs tagged as 3581

150 CD3 as fitted to T2000, european 1972/73 with B5DG needles and blue springs

C.

[ShaunW]

8 hours ago, clive said:

There was a chap years ago who shortened the dashpots. As long as you can cut the damper thread it should be easy enough.

Or try Mick Dolphin, he may have some new ones, or they do turn up(I stumbled across 2 pairs about a year ago, nobody seemed interested so I sold them on at Stoneleigh. Since then seravl people have been looking for them! Andrew Turner can usually supply recons.

The triple set up looks good, but is VERY difficult to get to work correctly, even then no advantage over twin SU's. There was a chap on CT a few years ago who got it done, the amount of work was unreal. Simpler to fit EFI I reckon.

But the simple answer is twin 1 3/4" carbs! They just work.

Thanks, I was just exploring the back roads before admitting the A road is probably the best option.

[dave.vitesse]

The wife's Gitfire, now gone to a new owner. The Gitfire that is not the wife.

 2.5 Litre engine.

Dave

[KevinR]

This is an extract from the latest FBHVC newsletter written by Ian Edmunds -

 

“Several people have drawn my attention to an unfortunate revision to the DVLA service to supply information about a vehicle in  response to a V888 request.  Up until September it was possible for a vehicle keeper to obtain all the registration history that DVLA held for that vehicle on payment of a small fee.  DVLA considered that researching the vehicles history was ‘reasonable cause’ for needing the information.

 

However, since September DVLA have revised the requirements for ‘reasonable cause’ and researching the vehicle history is no longer acceptable.  The V888 form itself has been revised to reflect these changes.  Further guidance on ‘reasonable cause’ can be found at www.gov.uk/request-information-from-dvla   We will discuss this further with DVLA but we believe that the General Data Protection Regulation does unfortunately leave them with no choice.  Thus, we have all lost a valuable service.”