triumph Spitfire MK 1

[Duane]

Hello All,

I am a newbie and currently have a MK1 without Engine and gearbox, you have probably heard this a thousand times before so I apologise if you have, but trying to source a MK1 spitfire engine is almost impossible however I can get hold of herald engine and gearbox, so my question is does it fit ok?, I think I am correct in saying there are same engine, failing this does the 1500 engine and gearbox fit, not ideal as would like to stay true as possible, which laughable in one sense as cannot find MK1 Engine (NUMBERS).

many thanks in advance for help

 

Duane

[Clive]

all the herald/spitfireengines are interv=changeable and fit in the cars.

However, there are significant differences bewteen a spitfire 1147 engine and a herald version. Camshaft, compression and so on, that is before you get to carbs, distributer etc.

But a herald 1147 engine can be built to spitfire specifcation. 

A 1300 or 1500 will give better performance, but teh 1500 really needs the spit 1500 diff. And the 13/1500 are visually a little difr=erent to the earlier engines.

Herald and early spit boxes are the same, but watch out for flywheel/clutch/throwout bearing variations

[NonMember]

Hello Duane,

Yes, a Herald engine will be a straight drop-in for a Mk1 Spitfire, with a couple of caveats. Depending on the age of the engine it may have either a coil spring or diaphragm spring clutch, and you need to correct set of bits for whichever it is. Mk1 Spitfire would be coil, as would an earlier 1200 Herald. The 1300 engines and later 1200 Heralds were diaphragm. Also, the Herald engine has a milder cam, which may lead to entertaining times if you're fitting the proper twin SUs. Of course, if you go for a 1300 engine then the head's different so you need all the appropriate 1300-style manifolds and exhaust.

Dropping a 1500 Spitfire engine in adds a little extra complication. The late ("single rail") gearbox is longer and needs different mountings and prop. You can mate a 1500 engine to a Mk1/2/3 / Herald gearbox but there's fun to be had with clutch driven plates.

And all the stuff Clive beat me to saying 🙂

[Duane]

Many Thank Clive

appreciated

[Duane]

I should have mentioned guys the herald engine offered is a 1300, I know MK 1 came with 1147, but I may as well be trying to source a space shuttle LOL, although I am new to this.

[Duane]

Many thanks ROB

[DanMi]

other minor difficulties are 1 connecting the spits pushrod throttle arrangement to the carbs (you could put a mk4/1500 pedal and cable). 2 getting the tacho to work as the herald didn't have one so the distributer won't have the drive, you could get a distributer from a 1300 spitfire and of course the exhaust, you could put a mk3 system on. I am not sure if the mk1 downpipe will connect to the 1300 manifold (it may). 1500 will also fit I had one in my mk2 for many years but really needs either overdrive or a higher geared diff as less revvy.

[NonMember]

2 hours ago, DanMi said:

I am not sure if the mk1 downpipe will connect to the 1300 manifold

No, it won't. Like the Herald, the 1147 engine has a vertical downpipe but the 1300 is slanted.

[Josef]

On 25/04/2022 at 17:28, Duane said:

I should have mentioned guys the herald engine offered is a 1300, I know MK 1 came with 1147, but I may as well be trying to source a space shuttle LOL, although I am new to this.

Unless you’re really dedicated to building an original spec car, then taking the Herald 1296cc engine you’re looking at and building that up to Spitfire Mk3 / IV spec is probably the way to go. You could fairly easily find a Herald 1147 engine, and build that to Spit Mk1 spec. There’s all sorts of ancillary bits, radiators, header tanks, manifolds etc that are specific to the Mk1 too though and you’d have to locate them, appropriate later equivalents are a little easier to find. 

[Duane]

Thank you to all, its been a real help, I am now thinking one of 2 ways to go as a result of advice recieved 

1. Herald 1300 engine and box 

2.fit a 1500 spit engine and box

Many thanks guys

[Duane]

Hi guys, just a catch up, I decided to go with the 1500 engine, gearbox, prop and diff.

The Engine has had a complete rebuild, with new bores inserted  new pistons etc.

It sits neatly on my rebuilt/painted chassis, with rebuilt suspension, I have replaced nuts, bolts etc, but have used all original parts, just had them blasted and painted etc.

I am just fitting brake pipes and fuel lines to chassis.

Thanks for you help again.

Duane

 

[Stratton Jimmer]

Thanks for the update Duane. I had wondered what you had decided to do.