Rear diff bolts

[Roger89]

Having just bought my first spitfire after nearly 30 years without one I unfortunately had the rear diff explode on me on the way home. 

I've ordered a second-hand one from the spitfire graveyard but upon taking the original out I've noticed that the the rear mounting bolts on the differential should be 1 straight through bolt not two separate like mine was? It's a a  Y reg 1978 and I see in the manual that only the very early ones that had two. Does it matter?

[JohnD]

It was a production engineering 'fix' that put one bolt in the place of two.  Half the time to assemble.

For a restored car it makes no difference.

John

[Colin Lindsay]

As John says it makes no difference really, but the long bolt is still available if you want originality. All of mine are two bolts, although I have two unused long bolts for future cars sitting unused on the shelf. They seemed like a good idea at the time.

[Clive]

I find the long bolt easier to use. At least less faff. 

I am sure I have come across original cars with 2 bolts, and they were not early, probably mid/late 60s, poss mk2 vitesse. Maybe they fitted 2 if the long bolts went out of stock? Who knows?