"Spitfire Jon"

Wow! It's been a long time!

2012-01-08T04:15:00.002Z

Finally got the Spitfire working again - As previously suspected the starter motor had jammed, causing the flywheel bolts to shear. No damage to the crank or flywheel thankfully, so it was a relatively simple job (albeit with some clutch issues on reassembly) and cheap too (with the exception of the brilliant high-torque starter motor!)

Took the car for it's MOT which it passed with no problems, however the battery is flat and refuses to take any charge, so that will need replacing...

When I went to collect the car from the MOT station the garage numpty connected the starter pack the wrong way round and blew up my coil - Nice one!

So the car is insured, taxed and tested, but not yet driveable...

Once I have it back I will put the hardtop on for the winter (not the Ashley, I did a swap with another club member for a shiny black fibreglass standard hardtop)

Jobs for this year include treatment of a few areas of rust (particularly in the boot floor where it has rusted through the area where the exhaust bracket is welded on underneath - this will need some welding) Amazing how even a fully restored car can start to show severe wear and tear in just a few years... in retrospect I wonder if I should have had the entire chassis and body galvanised before painting. Expensive, but probably worth it in the long run...

How long before the car has to undergo another retoration I wonder? 5 years? 10 years? Next time I will do all the work myself, and I'm seriously tempted to send it off for chemical stripping and electroplating for corrosion protection... i guess you have to expect it when you use a car properly and enthusiastically all year round and in all weathers...

It's been a while...

2011-04-12T05:21:00.003+01:00

The Spitfire came out of winter storage, charged up the battery and gave it a quick check over. Engine started, all seemed fine. Then a spirited little jauny to show her off to someone at the March Pendle & Pennine Club Triumph meeting resulted in a nasty grinding noise from somewhere around the bellhousing. A quick straw-poll amongst the pub experts concluded it was probably the thrust bearing (why didn't I change it when I last had the gearbox out?)

The next day I drove the short distance to the guy who rebuilt the car and engine a few years ago to get an expert opinion, but by the time I got there the noise had stopped. He thought that it probably was indeed the thrust bearing, that had seized up a bit over the winter lay-up, and had now free'd off. The following day I took a longer trip out to Skipton, but on the way back the noise returned, then there was a nasty bang, the engine stalled, and I coasted to the side of the road. The car wouldn't start and turning it over sounded very nasty. AA recovered me back home...

After a few weeks of depression, thinking I'd need an expensive engine rebuild, I decided to check the end float, with the help of Martin "Raider" Randle. Absolutely no movement on the pulley at all. We put the car in 4th gear and rocked it backwards and forwards to have a listen, and there were still some nasty noises...

At this point it occured to me that the starter motor has been dodgy for a long time, engaging and disengaging poorly. It was a long shot but I wondered if that was the culprit. It's only 2x 9/16" bolts, so I set about removing it, this is what it looked like:

Now, rocking the car backwards and forwards in top gear makes no nasty noises, so HOPEFULLY I have found the problem. I've decided to treat myself to an upgraded hi-torque starter motor (not cheap at £190, but should help starting, which has never been easy!)

New starter will arrive today, so I'll soon find out!

Long Time No Blog!!!

2010-10-06T19:34:00.002+01:00

OK, I think it's about time I revisited/revamped/revitalise/revive my Blog! Since the last post I had yet another gearbox issue, not sure why but my car basically ate my gearbox. Many, many thanks to Dave Pearson at Canley Classics who stripped it down while I waited to diagnose the problem, then rebuilt it with off-the-shelf parts at no cost to me. What a top bloke you are, Dave!

On to future projects for the Spitfire:
* Since the restoration was completed the tail edge of the bootlid has started to blister and bubble. The original bootlid was in pretty poor shape and repaired, but I think it really needs raplacing now. New steel bootlids are around £350, fibreglass ones a lot cheaper, but I don't like the idea of a fibreglass boot AND there is a strong possibility that the paint will fade differently to that on metal bodywork.
* The starter motor is starting to fail, it disengages and spins disengaged about 2 seconds after I start to turn the engine over. I'm planning on fitting a High-Torque replacement starter motor (approx £140)
* Whilst my trunnions have not failed (yet!), I like the idea of maintenance-free front suspension geometry and will probably fit the Caterham trunionless front uprights available from Canley Classics over the winter.

Hoping to do the Historic Counties Run next year, so these upgrades will be done by then.

I plan to take part in the 2012 Round Britain Reliability Run, so I'll be saving around £20 per month towards that to cover fuel, entry fees, spares, etc.

That's all for now, folks!

Nearly there...

2009-04-21T21:09:00.002+01:00

So, the replacement gearbox is in, fully bolted up and ready to go. I've put new wiring in for the o/d switch, and refitted the speedo cable, o/d harness and clutch save cylinder. I then put the fibreglass tunnel back in and bolted it into place. Then I realised I hadn't yet filled the gearbox with oil! As this is a near impossible job without a hydraulic ramp with the tunnel in place, I then spent another 15 minutes removing the tunnel again, so that I can fill the gearbox oil! Seriously considering cutting an access hole in the side of the tunnel for future access to the filler plug. I would then need to make a cover plate and cut a flap in the carpet with some velcro to keep it in place... Probably worth the effort?

Hoping to have the car all back together in time for Drive it Day on Sunday, which should be easily possible if all goes smoothly...

Update on gearbox woes...

2009-04-14T21:06:00.002+01:00

Having removed the gearbox and taken it to specialists K&N Transmissions in Longridge (thoroughly recommended btw!) I now know what the score is with the old gearbox: One knackered mainshaft and 2 knackered synbchro's (it also seems the egarbox had been cobbled together from 2 knackered old ones, as some of the parts were no correct - if you want to know which supplier to avoid send me a PM!)
Having investigated a few suppliers' prices for recon/rebuilt gearboxes (to varying degrees of rebuild, it seems!) I have today received a shint new 'box from Canley Classics (Mik Davies says the one on his racecar came from Canley's and has been thrashed to hell with no problems, so I'm fairly confident I've made the right choice). Dave even threw in a few old copies of Practical Classics, Classic Car, etc. as bed-time reading... thanks Dave!
I whizzed the new gearbox over to K&N to get the o/d and remote swapped over (OK, I could have probably done this myself, but he has the time and all my old bits...), so hopefully I'll have the old girl back on the road this weekend. I'm treating myself to a new Kenwood CD/radio with iPod input too, which I'll install at the same time as refitting the gearbox!

It's out!

2009-04-05T20:23:00.003+01:00

After today I am going to add "Contortionist" to my CV. Undoing nuts and bolts around the bellhousing ideally requires long bendy arms like Mr Tickle, so that you can hold one spanner inside the cabin and another in the engine bay (or a spare grease monkey to hold one of the spanners!). After much fiddling I finally managed to remove them all, along with the clutch slave cylinder, gearbox mounting and starter motor. Then all I had to do was lift the gearbox, complete with overdrive and remote, out of the car. I called on the assistance of Martin "Raider" Randle, and after a bit of persuasion out it came (he had a 10 minute pass from Mrs Raider, but I think he was secretly glad to escape for a while as the inlaws were visiting!) Tomorrow I will nip over to the transmission specialist in Longridge to whom I have been recommended and see what gives...

Gearbox removal...

2009-04-05T11:39:00.002+01:00

I still haven't sent my entry form in for the Club Triumph "Historic Counties Run", which this year is a coast-to-coast affair. The reason for this is that I've been too busy to get the gearbox problem sorted. i've found a place that can repair it locally, but I need to remove it first, so yesterday I took advantage of the lighter evenings and good weather to make a start on it. First jobs are to remove the "H" panel below the dash (and stereo), disconnect the battery, remove the footrest from the side of the tunnel, seats, seatbelt anchoring points, carpets and gearbox tunnel:

You can also see where the tunnel part of the floorpan has been modified to accept the overdrive unit - useful if anyone reading this is planning an overdrive conversion. I have a small curved plate that covers this and joins on to the back of the fibreglass tunnel, effectively giving access to the propshaft bolts.
Today I will disconnect all the electrics for the overdrive, unbolt the propshaft, mountings and bellhousing, then seek some assistance to lift out the gearbox and overdrive in one piece. Before starting I followed the advice in the Haynes manual, which allows the overdrive to be separated from the gearbox if necessary: jack up the back of the car so the rear wheels are in the air, get it up to 3rd with overdrive engaged, then disengage overdrive with the clutch fully depressed. Hopefully I'll be able to drop the gearbox off for repairs tomorrow...

Gearbox woes: update

2009-03-12T16:10:00.003Z

After some investigation into the costs of reconditioned gearboxes, I've decided to see if I can get the gearbox looked at to see if it is repairable, expecially as it was rebuilt less than 4000 miles ago during the restoration. I've been recommended to try a chap in Longridge (near Preston, so not too far away), who's been rebuilding transmissions for over 30 years. I spoke to him and he says he'll take a look at it and give me a quote. He won't charge me a penny for taking the top off and dignosing the fault, so all sounds good! Just need to find time in my busy schedule to whip out the gearbox and get it over to him now!

The Blog is Back!

2009-03-08T10:44:00.004Z

After a long lapse I have decided to resurrect my blog, seeing as the Spring is here and I'm starting to use the Spitfire again.

I ordered a few minor parts earlier this week, which I have been fitting this morning: New wiper blades (stainless steel), as the rubber blades on the old ones had started to disintegrate, new tube for the expansion bottle as the old one was completely perished, and new top and bottom hoses. These were necessarybecause last year I fitted an in-line thermoswitch for the electric fan into the bottom hose, but this was not activating the fan until the temperature guage was nearly at maximum. The solution: move the thermoswitch to the top hose, which is where the water enters the radiator, and therefore will activate the fan at a lower engine temperature. However, the T-piece adapter for the switch is too big to fit between the top spiggot on the rad and the spiggot on the thermostat housing, so I hacsawed off about 1/2" from the rad spiggot, then used butchered sections of the old bottom hose to fit it:

Several other projects are on the list, but two of them are more urgent and bigger (i.e. costlier!) Firstly, the car needs to go back on a rolling road to be set-up again. Last year I had this done by R.E.Engineering in Bury, following a recommendation from a fellow club member, but they don't carry SU needles, and simply reprofiled my existing needles in a pillar drill with some wet and dry - not exactly scientific! There was a good improvement, but nowhere near enough considering all the tuning mods on the car. This time I shall go to Minisport in Padiham, who have a very good reputation and carry a full rangs of SU needles. I suspect that the 1-2-3 Ignition may need it's advance curve adjusting too. The car has been a pig to get started for several months and then won't idle properly until it's warm, needing "feathering" of the throttle to keep the engine running. Getting it set-up on the rolling road should fix all this.

The other major job to do is to change the gearbox. Just before putting the car away for Winter I found that I couldn't change down from 3rd to 2nd (although it was OK if I went down to 1st then back up to 2nd). Double-declutching doesn't make any difference, so it looks like I can rule out a worn synchromesh. Rather than go through the potentially very expensive process of hving it rebuilt, the simplest thing is to get a rebuilt unit on exchange. Following discussions with other club members it seems that the 3 rail 'box is superior to the single rail (although I'll need an adapter plate for the J-type overdrive), so I will start looking for a supplier who is willing to trade my single-rail for a rebuilt 3-rail. Aiming to get this done before the end of April.

Other than these things, there really isn't much else to do. There are a few rust spots breaking through, and a couple of scratches in the paintwork, which is depressing when you've spent so much having a car restored, but that's what happens when you use a car regularly and drive it hard. It was never intended to be a "trailer queen", and if I need to have another respray in a few years, then so be it! I'dlike to replace the stereo too at some point. The one I fitted was an Aldi cheapo, and the CD player has stopped working, and radio reception is rubbish!

Good job I've given up smoking!

2008-03-02T14:07:00.002Z

otherwise I'd be a serious H&S risk. I've been draining the fuel tank in order to try and get rid of any water contamination once and for all. This entails collecting together as many empty fuel cans as possible from friends and neighbours, and lying underneath the car (with the back wheels on ramps) directing the fuel hose from the tank into the pouring spouts fill them all up. Naturally, in the transition from one can to the next, there is a certain amount of spillage. I reckon my clothes have soaked up about 1 litre of Texaco's finest unleaded! Tip: The fuel comes out a lot quicker if you remove the filler cap!

The aim is now to gently "warm" the fuel tank (I'm talking hairdrier, not welding torch!) from underneath, so that anything remaining in the tank (be it fuel or water) evaporates through the open filler.

Hopefully this will avoid having to remove the rear axle and the tank itself. The theory is good, but will it work in practice? Wish me luck! I've lost nothing if it doesn't work, as the tank would have needed to be emptied in order to remove it anyway.

A bit of tarting up!

2008-02-27T19:14:00.002Z

I decided, after advice from various corners, to remove the windscreen base trim panel in order to tidy it up. Good job I did, as the underside was a lot rustier than the top! All repaired and painted now. I just need to buy new retaining nuts for the wiper arms (whose idea was it in BL to use 8-sided brass nuts!?)

I've also removed and painted the expansion tank, and cleaned up the pressure cap (see, Martin, you're not the only one with a tarted-up expansion tank!)

Tidying up windscreen base trim

2008-02-19T20:48:00.004Z

Like 99% of TR7's, my windscreen trim panel (where the wiper blade spindles emerge) was looking less than perfect, so I decided to do something about it. The wiper blades removed, I set about it with a wire brush attachment on my electric drill. About 20 minutes later I had the whole thing cleaned of old paint and flaking rust. Apart from a couple of pinholes where it has got really bad at the bottoms of the A Pillars, it doesn't look too bad. A quick wipe down to get rid of dust, and on with the "Kurust" rust-convertor. This stuff looks like pink PVA solution, and turns purple as it dries. Once it has "gone off" the rusted areas are turned hard and black, ready for a light sanding and paint. Any areas unaffected by rust are left untouched and the excess Kurust just needs to be wiped off. You can therefore splash it on fairly liberally and really work it into the rust. Tomorrow I'l prep for painting, mask up, and spray with an etch-primer and satin black. Should look like new. Best of all, it can all be done in-situ, so no removing old and rusted fixings!

Still working!

2008-02-18T14:39:00.002Z

I thought I'd just go and check if the TR7 still starts. I'd left the battery on charge overnight (we gave it quite a hammering on Saturday), and it fired up on the first turn of the key!

It's obvious that the carbs need setting up properly, and I still have to sort out the fuel contamination problem, and I've also spotted that there is some clutch drag (engine note rises when I dip the clutch), so I guess that probably means the clutch needs bleeding (and possibly new seals on the slave cylinder?) - more stuff to fix before the beast rides again!

A Good Afternon's Work!

2008-02-16T18:32:00.003Z

This afternoon Martin (Raider) and Bryce came round to help me get to the root of the TR7's problem (i.e. it won't start or run!) Martin & I had a bit of a fettle a couple of weeks ago and discovered that the way my dizzy cap is wired meant that the timing was, after all, 180 degrees out, being set at the false TDC for #1. We had therefore already re-set the timing and the contact gap.

Therefore we were at a bit of a loss as to what to do next when we approached the car today. First we took each plug out and checked for a spark, which there was, although a bit weak. We then towed the car down the road with Bryce's Isuzu (it's a private cul-de-sac, so no legality problems doing this), but she wouldn't even give a splutter. Then towed it back. We decided that the problem MUST be to do with fuel. It was definitely getting through, but taking the lids off the float chambers revealed a nasty cloudy liquid that smnelled like petrol but looked more like that revolting cloudy herb-beer! I soaked up the fuel from the float chambers with a clean rag, and we drained some fuel into a clear container. Bingo! Looks like I've still got some contamination problems. We flushed out the system, and ran the fuel pipe into a plastic container of uncontaminated fuel. We also decided that, as the spark was not great, we should try another coil. Martin ran off to get the one from his old spares car (now Bryce's V8 project), and we hooked it up. Immediately the spark was better. Tried turning it over again, but nothing. We took out one of the plugs and it was bone dry, so we deduced that the fuel system hadn't re-primed itself fully yet, so I continued to turn it over to pump more fuel through. Just as we were about to give up the engine coughed into life. I cheered fairly loudly, as you can imagine! It sounds much smoother since we sorted out the timing. So, it looks like I need to mount the replacement coil (or get a new one and give it back to Martin as a spare), and AGAIN flush out the fuel tank. It looks increasingly like I'll have to remove the tank and do it properly!

Very pleased to have it running again, and sounding pretty healthy to boot!

Long time no see!

2008-01-18T10:53:00.000Z

Just realised it's 2 months since my last update. Probably because I haven't had a chance to do much on the Triumphs. The TR7 is sitting there waiting for me to brave the elements and take a look at the cam & ignition timing. Once it's running a bit better I'm hoping to get it MOT'd and then start tidying up the bodywork.

The Spitfire is in almost daily use, despite the weather. This is due to the fact that I've now sold both the Land Rover Disco3 and the Boxster, and bought an old 3 series, so the SPit is officially our second car now.

Today I've posted off my entry for the 2008 Historic Counties' Run, which takes place in May. Before then I need to get the heater blower fan and CD player working properly...

Hardtop

2007-11-09T09:58:00.000Z

I've got hold of an Ashley "fastback" hardtop for the Spitfire. It needs repairing (gel coat cracked), and a new headlining, and at some point one of the side windows needs replacing with glass (it's perspex at the moment), then I'll spray it Signal Red to match the rest of the car. Fitting this hardtop is a slightly more complex job than the standard hardtop, as the bootlid needs to be removed, along with the filler cap (the hardtop has a filler tube that connects to the fuel tank and a new filler cap on the rear nearside corner).

The Spitfire also passed it's MOT test this morning without any problems. I've noticed that there was some water collecting in the offside front sidelight/indicator, so I think a new pair of lenses and gaskets are required. Also the reversing light lens is cracked, so I need to replace this too.

In-line fan controller

2007-10-24T14:33:00.000+01:00

I finally gave up on trying to get a decent seal round the top spiggot where the capillary for the electric fan thermostat enters the top hose, and went for the more "professional" fix, which is to simply fit a T-piece and thermoswitch.

The T-piece cost around £18 inc P&P from Dem,on Tweaks, and the thermoswitch was £10 inc VAT. The switch goes on at 98 degrees C and off at 87. Fitting it was simplicity itself. First I removed the Kenlowe thermostat from the wiring, retaining the two wires that went to the coil of the relay, so that they can be attached to the thermoswitch. Then it was simply a case of cutting through the top hose, removing approx 1/2" of hose, and fitting the T-piece with jubilee clips, and finally screwing in the thermoswitch after wrapping the thread with PTFE tape. All I need to do now is extend the wires to reach and refill the cooling system.

Next job is to fit yet another replacement choke cable to the Spitfire, and a new temperature sender.

Spit & Choke...

2007-10-07T19:57:00.000+01:00

A few months ago I managed to get hold of a replacement choke knob & cable for the Spitfire. The old one refused to lock, so I had been using a clothes peg yo hold the choke open. I fitted the new one, but tightening up the locknoy behind the dash proved to be a virtual impossibility. I have therefore STILL had to use the clothes peg so far with the new

Managed to get it started again!

2007-10-04T15:59:00.000+01:00

The TR7 has been frustrating me, and I've been sulking by completely ignoring it, leaving it at the back of the carport. Basically, due to a water-in-the-fuel-tank scenario, I'd been running it from a "temporary" tank fashioned from a 5ltr plastic bottle under the bonnet, while I "fettled" other bits and worked ou how to get rid of the aforementioned water. Then one day it wouldn't start. The temporary fuel tank was empty, so I filled it up, but still no go.

The plan today was to push the car out and try starting her up with 24V, by connecting the Land Rover up with the batteries in series (A good tip this: If youre not sure how to do it, you basically disconnect the +ve terminal on the non-working car, and use the jump leads to connect the "donor" battery in series with the slave battery). If this didn't work I would try towing it to get the compression up, and bump starting. Luckily after some perseverance the 24V method worked, although it's obvious that the timing and/or carb mixtures are way out.

The next step is to get the car to the petrol station, fill her up, and add "Wynn's Dry Fuel", which mixes with any water in the tank and makes it combust through normal running. I can then work on the remaining few issues to get her through the MOT...

Some of the other jobs which need attending to (immediate, for MOT):
Remove the timing cover and fit new cam-chain tensioner and gaskets.
Fix offside headlight (not popping up, probably a bad connection)
Fix/replace rear fog light.

Long-term jobs:
Rust-cure and touch-up all rust spots
Repair dent in drivers' door
Fit new carpets
Fit stiffer springs and new shocks
re-upholster and re-fit centre console lid
Locate and seal leak in windscreen
Replace courtesy lights in doors
Fit chin and roof spoilers!

Vroom!

2007-09-27T18:43:00.000+01:00

Since adding the fan and all the gubbins that goes with it, I've been struggling to cure the inevitable leak on the top hose where the temperature sensor for the electric fan enters. Various complicated and expensive-sounding options were suggested, so I came up with a cheap, simple solution. First I made sure I had the capillary bent to a shape which matched as closely as possible the profile of the metal connector at the top of the rad, then I put a nice big blob of silicon sealant on it and pressed the capillary into it, securing it with some garden wire until the silicon had set. I then removed the wire and smoothed over the whole area with more silicon. Once set, the hose makes a nice watertight seal around the capillary (yet to be pressure tested, but I'm reasonably confident...)

I thought I'd add a shot of the engine bay to my blog, as I think it looks pretty damnned good. Not pretty, or clean, but "purposeful" ! The engine bay still has Ziebart all over it, but as this car is being built for competitive use rather than showing, I've kept it as it was - I'll take all the rust protection I can get, thanks!

Things are looking wedge-shaped!

2007-09-19T19:52:00.000+01:00

The Sprint-powered TR7 is now running, and starts on the first turn of the key. At the moment it's running off a "temporary" fuel tank (a 5 litre plastic bottle with a fuel pipe stuck in it) because the proper fuel tank seems to have some water in it! I'm going to have to syphon it out and dry it somehow (hairdryer? Not so hot it will cause an explosion, but hot enough to evaporate the water...). Alternatively it has been suggested that I could fit a filter bowl, which would effectively trap any water going through the pipes, as the water would sink to the bottom of the bowl as it passes through - sounds like a good theory! I also need to tune the carbs a bit, as it takes full choke to start her up, but she won't run without choke even when warm. Next on the list will be to figure out a way to stop the top hose leaking where the temperature sensor for the electric fan enters it - a common problem with no well-documented solution as far as I'm aware! Lastly, I need to fit a new auxiliary fog light, as the existing one is literally falling apart, and figure out why the offside headlapm pod won't open (probably a bad earth)

All this needs to be done before Tuesday, which is when the MOT is booked for, so I'll be praying for warm weather this weekend!

Very, very close!

2007-09-17T15:35:00.000+01:00

The Sprint-powered TR7 is now extremely close to being back on the road (pending MOT). The only things stopping it from starting first time were contaminated fuel (well, it's been sitting around for about 2 years!), a knackered battery and badl ignition timing. I've had to order a new cam-chain tensioner, and I'm going to put new timing cover gaskets on at the same time. The last job will be to wire up the thermostat for the electric fan, then I'll get it MOT'd, taxed and insured.

Triumph Puzzler...

2007-08-12T18:51:00.000+01:00

Sprint engine finally goes in!

2007-08-12T13:22:00.000+01:00

The sun was shining on Barnoldswick on 11th August, the appointed day for getting the Sprint engine into the TR7. First task was to finally sort out the dreaded task of shimming all the valves. I had a large collection of shims available, having begged, borrowed, bought or scavenged them from various sources. The advice I'd had from several people regarding doing this exercise with the head torqued down was heeded, and makes sense, as we're working to quite fine tolerances here. I started by fitting all the thinnest shims, having measured them all carefully with digital calipers and recording which thickne ss of shim had gone in which valve. When it came to measuring the initial gaps, the imperial set of feeler guages I'd orrowed were a little too worn to be sure of their accuracy. Luckily by this stage the first volunteer, Dave Marshall, had arrived, and he had a brand new set of feeler guages. Unfortunately these were metric, and I'd measured all teh shims in thou" ! However, once all the gaps had been measured, we simply unbolted the rocker arm and removed the head nuts so that we could remove the shims and re-measure them in metric units. I have to say that the whole process is a LOT easier working in metric units. Several of the shims we'd started with were well within acceptable tolerances, and the rest were quickly found or substituted. With everything torqued back down the rocker cover could go on and we were ready to drop the engine in, after installing pizza and beer!

The next obvious question is, "Why is Dave Marshall standing in the engine bay wielding a garden spade?":

Well, the answer is that he's trying to get leverage on the old downpipe so that he can twist it to break the seal at the exhaust joint further back...

There's an old saying that you can fit any engine into any car, as long as you drop it from a high enough point! We were hoping to do it with a little more finesse. Having got the rear axle up on stands to give us the best possible entry angle (and enough clearance underneath for the gearbox as it was lowered in), we eased the engine into place. This went pretty smoothly and the engine mountings were bolted up asap.

The next few hours were spent doing various bodges and Heath-Robinson-esque enhancements to try and get as much of the plumbing, electrics and ancilliaries done as possible...

The car now realy feels like its coming together, and although I still have to source some parts and fit various items, I'm confident that Project Sprint will be on its way to the MOT centre in the next few weeks!

Many thanks to Martin Randle, Barry McGrath and David Marshall for the help, expertise and spannering skills!

Preparation for the big day!

2007-08-08T16:21:00.000+01:00

This Saturday will see the TR7 fitted with the Sprint engine and my original 5-speed gearbox, with the help of Club Triumph members Martin Randle, Dave Marshall and Barry McGrath (beer and pizzas to be provided by yours-truly!). Yesterday I collected the engine crane, and then last night Martin and I set about refitting all the valve gear to the Sprint head. All the valves, springs collets, etc have had a good soak in cellulose thinners and then scrubbed, and refitting the valves was a fairly quick job (although I had to wire brush the collets on the exhaust side, as they had a thin layer of rust on them which stopped them from being fully "seated"). I then measured all the available shims with a digital vernier guage (having liberated all 8 shims and buckets from my old engine). Then I hit a stumbling block: I don't have any bolts for the roker arm (described in the workshop manual as "bearing cap bolts" and "rocker shaft pedestal bolts"). I have now ordered new head nuts and washers, head bolts, rocker shaft bolts and gearshift remote bushes, all of which I can see I'm going to need for the next stage of the build. Next job will be to shim up all the valves and fit the cylinder head, then fit the carbs and linkages to the Spring inlet manifold, and all this needs to be done before Saturday!

Getting there...

2007-07-30T05:13:00.000+01:00

I feel like I'm starting to get somewhere with the TR7 now. I've now swapped over, from the old 8V engine to the Sprint, the engine backplate, flywheel, clutch, oil pickup, sump and engine mountings. I reckon I can now mate-up the gearbox and drop the engine in, as the rest of the ancilliaries can be bolted on with the engine in-situ. I only hit a few snags along the way, such as rounded-off allen screws, removing a sump which hadn't been drained (!) and then finding I didn't have the sump gasket.

Rain stops play...

2007-07-15T18:26:00.000+01:00

After what has seemed like interminable weeks of rain, today started fine, so I decided to do some work onn the TR7. I collected the Sprint engine from Martin's garage next door, and wheeled it up my drive on a sack truck. The aim was to swap over the engine backplate, flywheel, clutch and sump. Good old BL have used a combination of metric and imperial sizes, so a broad selection of spanners and sockets was required. First job was to remove the cast alloy housing that fits between the engine and gearbox on the Sprint engine. Now it's easier to see the main differences between the clutches and endplates of the two units. I had to fashion a device with which to lock the flywheel, as you can't loosen the bolts on the clutch housing unless the flywheel is prevented from turning. A root-around in various toolboxes found a suitable pice of bracketry with which I was able to lock the teeth of the flywheel, and after 15 minutes the clutches were off both engines. The flywheel is held on with 8 imperial bolts, which can be quite stubborn. Luckily the previous owner of the TR7 had spent a few quid on new bolts when the clutch was last replaced (which looks like it was probably fairly recent - lucky me!). One of the crucial differences between the endplates on the TR7 and Dolomite engines is that the afforementioned cast alloy housing means that there is plenty of space for the endplate bolts to be ordinary socket-set jobs, whilst those on the TR7 are countersunk allen bolts. And imperial sized to boot! After knocking on a few neighbours doors I located some imperial allen keys and set to work. Even using the bar from my trolley jack as an extension bar, they were a pig to shift, bending the allen key and requiring one of the bolts to be drilled out after I rounded off the hex-hole. A new set of these bolts will be fitted, as they seem like a weak point and I'd hate to have to go through it all again if I ever have to remove the endplate again! As I was just refitting all the parts to the opposite engines (I'm finger tightening everything from the Sprint engine back onto the old block so that nothing gets lost, and at least I'll know where everything goes), the heavens opened. Both engines were covered in tarpaulin, and all the tools were hastily put away. I do have an undercover area I can work in, but I like to work in daylight if possible. The sump will have to wait for another day, but will (hopefully) be a fairly quick job. 10/10 for effort. 7/10 for success!

P.S. I've also discovered one of the many reasons people fit lightened flywheels: the full-fat ones hurt like hell when they land on your toes!

Work on the head...

2007-05-25T15:39:00.001+01:00

Started fettling the Sprint head. This started with getting it down to a local garage who kindly lent me their parts washer so that I could get the worst of the crud off. I then visited a local friendly metalworker who adapted the original end plate from the Sprint head to take an elbow joint and the original threaded pipe from the 8V engine's water transfer housing:

Next I attacked the carbon deposits on the valves, then attached a wire brush to mt electric drill to clean up the valve faces and finally gave the gasket surface a good clean with wire wool:

New valve stem oil seals arrived in the post this morning, so next week I'll take the head over to my friendly mechanic who's going to show me how to remove the valves, etc...

Gearbox breaks free

2007-05-02T18:25:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I took all the nuts and bolts out of the bellhousing, but I wasn't sure how the gearbox would come away, never having split an engine and gearbox before. I soon realised that I needed to unbolt the sump protection plate, but these were underneath the engine. Luckily it was still attached to the hoist, so a quick lift and they were off. Having the engine in the air also allowed the weight of the gearbox to release any bond where the gasket was, so that there was now a nice 3mm crack between the engine and gearbox. I lowered the engine back down onto some wood, and the gearbox slid away easily. I figure I can now return the engine hoist to its owner, but I'll check with a few "Trumpy's" that there's nothing else that needs the engine in the air before I do...

It's out!!!

2007-04-29T19:42:00.000+01:00

It took just one hour this morning to undo the last few bolts on the gearbox and engine mountings and lift the engine out. A brief moment of panic when we tried to move the engine crane (with the engine hanging from it) on my sloping driveway, as with such a high centre of gravity the whole thing fell over on its side. Following strict health & safety policy we jumped out of the way quickly! No damage done.

I had this wheely good idea...

2007-04-26T18:08:00.000+01:00

I've spent quite some time in the last couple of weeks thinking about a cool retro colour scheme for the TR7, and I think I've cracked it. Pageant Blue limits the choice of colour you can put with it, so I'm going for a Yellow curvy stripe like the Coca-Cola TR7, with an additional thinner green stripe either side, and yellow wheels. Should look a bit "Benetton" I reckon!

The TR7 may have been one of the first cars to be fitted with alloys as standard, but what an ugly set of alloys they are! I thought I should have a go at one of the wheels to see how it would look. This is what the wheels looked like to begin with:

Next, I attached a rotating wire brush to my electric drill and attacked the wheel to clean of some of the cr*p:

Finally, I used a white primer and Ford Yellow to finish it off:

This probably looks a bit shocking right now, but once all 4 wheels are done, and the vinyl graphics, I reckon it will be quite something!

I also picked up the engine hoist today, so engine removal is imminent!

Looking at the jobs I can do while the engine is out

2007-04-25T15:39:00.000+01:00

With the engine nearly out of the TR7, there's going to be a lull in activity while Martin and I find the time to build up a Sprint engine from all the old parts he has knocking around. In the meantime, I'll turn my attention to some of the cosmetics. I'm not going mad, but there are a few bits that just need tidying up, like THIS:

Bad rust patch at the rear nearside of the sunroof. I'll have to remove the sunroof, then grind back the badly bubbling rust to a smooth finish. Next will be a dose of rust converter, then filler, rubbing down, and finally paint. This, it has to be said is the only REALLY bad bit of rust on the car, all the rest are just small spots which can just be rubbed down with wet-and-dry and touched up.

The other thing needing immediate attention is the armrest/cubby box lid:

I removed this last night (just drill out 6 rivets). The vinyl and foam have suffered badly in the sun, so that it's now all gone a bit crispy. It's also perfectly positioned to catch your funny bone, and I've done this several times already, so I'm planning on a bit of extra padding!

Gizmo nearly ready for engine removal:

2007-04-23T10:06:00.000+01:00

All the wires and cables have been detached and LABELED (!), and the radiator, alternator, airbox, battery and gearstick have been removed.

I unbolted the exhaust manifold, and the clutch slave cylinder (after getting the car up on ramps at the front), and then it was time to unbolt the driveshaft from the gearbox... I started to try and loosen the first bolt, only to find that the car rolled forwards on the ramps, as I was turning the driveshaft (thank goodness it wasn't backwards, must remember this when I come to re-assembly!) So, I hop in, drop the gearstick in and engage 1st gear (luckily I was able to get it into gear, as I'd already removed the clutch slave cylinder). Now, with the help of my neigbour (Martin Randle, AKA "Raider") we manage to loosen off and remove 3 of the 4 bolts, which were extremely tight. Now we need to rotate the driveshaft to get to the last bolt, so back in the car to disengage 1st gear, then jack up the back with a trolley jack under the diff so that we can rotate a wheel. Drop the car back down, remove the last bolt = driveshaft now disconnected. My car seems to be missing the driveshaft guard, so in order to stop the driveshaft dragging on the ground I have used a metal bar accross the centre console and some 2.5mm twin & earth dropped down though the gearlever aperture to hold the shaft up tight underneath. Just the gearbox guard and the engine mounts to do (once I've collected the engine hoist from my mate Mick at Hyndburn Motors in Accrington). Mick is a really good mechanic who has looked after the whole family's cars for several years and is a classic rally car enthusiast, and has 2 TR7's (one a V8!)

Notes on putting a car on ramps without any engine power:
I prefer to get the car on ramps rather than just axle stands, from a safety angle, but getting the ramps under the wheels is quite a challenge unless you have access to a trolley jack with a high lifting range. Mine is only a small 2T trolley jack, so I had to be "imaginitive"!
1) Jack up offside
2) Put first axle stand under
3) Jack up nearside
4) Put second axle stand under
5) jack up offside with a paving slab under jack
6) extend height of first axle stand
7) repeat for nearside
8) Move Spitfire, as it's precariously close to the TR7, and it would be messy and expensive if the TR7 fell off the axle stands!
9) Continue as before until both axle stands are at full height
10) Offer up ramps, only to find that it has all been a waste of time because the wheels are still too low to get the ramps under.
11) Swear
12) Have a cup of tea
13) Condider towing the TR7 onto the ramps using the Discovery
14) Decide that this is a bit tricky for one person to do alone, plus the ramps would probably just slide on the gravel drive
15) Consider acking up the suspension to raise wheels, but then the jack would be in th way when I try to slide ramps under..
16) with car still on axle stands, jack up nearside again, but with 3 paving slabs under
17) Find that with a bit of a kick I can now get the ramp under!
18) Repeat for offside!
19) Sigh with relief!

Slow but steady progress

2007-04-12T16:50:00.000+01:00

I've started the early stages of engine removal on the TR7, following Malcolm Paris' excellent guide on his website

All radiator hoses off, along with the radiator. Distributor off, and the bonnet lock unbolted to give better access at the back of the engine bay. Airbox also removed, along with the battery.

Next will be the starter motor, and all the electrical connections, but not until I've got hold of some labnels to tie on, so I know how to reconnect everything!

"Gizmo" comes home!

2007-04-05T10:07:00.000+01:00

How do you get a TR7 onto a trailer without a winch and the car doesn't drive? Well, it's not going to be simple! First, you have to unhitch the trailer and attach the ramps, and get the car lined up with the ramps. Then you use a long tow rope attached to a big 4WD, which goes OVER the trailer and attaches to the car. Then, when the car is halfway onto the trailer, you find that there isn't enough clearance for the gearbox or exhaust, so you get a few spare mechanics to lift the car (thanks to the guys at S&S!) Getting the car off at the other end was easier, as a] we could just let it roll off (in gear, using the clutch to control the descent), and b] my driveway has a slope on it, so the ramps weren't at such an angle, and the underside didn't catch on the way off.

I gave the car a good wash once it was home. I know this might jeopardise my chances of winning "Car Most in Need if TLC" at the June Pendle & Pennine CT meeting, but there was a lot of moss growing in its nooks and crannies, which is an invitation to rust I don't want! I also attacked a section of bonnet and the nearside front wing with 3M "Finesse-it", a miro-abrasive polish used by the pro's, and was pleasantly surprised by the finish it produced. This car is never going to win any beauty contests, but with a little work it could look quite respectable. The offside rear light cluster was missing (presumably donated to a better car), but S&S were good enough to find me a good used replacement, a good job too, as these cost £75 each from certain breakers! A previous owner has tried to smarten up the interior - the original red carpets are faded to orange-rust colour, and some black felt had been fitted over these along with some new carpet mats in the footwells. I don't want to go to the expense of new carpets, so I'll see if I can buy some cheap black nylon carpets and make a new fitted set myself. The seats and doorcards are in reasonable condition, but need a good clean, as the car has been left outsiode getting cold and damp for a long time, and mildew has started to form. Nothing a good scrub won't fix! Too cold outside today for anything m,ajor, so I'm just going to put some air in the tyres (wish we'd done this before attempting to move it!), put the battery on charge, and fit the rear light.

Here it is!

2007-03-31T14:22:00.000+01:00

Went to visit "Gizmo" (as the TR7 has been christened, due to the GMO numberplate!), and took a couple of photo's while we were there.

I'm a "Wedge" convert!

2007-03-27T11:31:00.000+01:00

I'd been keeping an eye on eBay for any interesting Triumph's, in particular a fixed head I could use for Autotests, etc. and spotted a nice looking Red TR7 FHC which had been "restored" two years ago. I spoke to the chap who was selling it on behalf of a friend (which always rings alarm bells!) to find out more, and decided the reserve of £1000 was a bit steep. Also there were no pictures of the interior or engine bay. In the meantime, my neighbour, friend, and TR7 enthusiast Martin Randle called TR7 specialists S&S Preparations in Bacup to ask if they knew of the car. They didn't, but offered me the more reasonable prospect of a Pageant Blue FHC TR7 (Solihull built) in pretty good shape but a non-runner. As I always intended to put a Sprint or V8 engine in it anyway, this was not a problem, so I went down to see it. £300 later I'm now the owner of another Triumph. My good friend, Stephen Willan (nephew of the National Lottery "voice of the balls", John Willan) who runs a local courier company has agreed to collect the car and dliver it to my house for £30. I can't wait to get my teeth into this car!

Better weather, Spitfire gets an outing!

2007-01-30T03:37:00.000Z

As the weather improves, I'm getting mopre chances to take the Spitfire out on the road.

The headlight problem has cured itself (I think it may be a dodgy switch, because sometimes the dash lighting doesn't come on)

Touching the temperature sensor wire to earth sends the temp guage needle up, so it's definitely the sender that's faulty (Phew! a lot cheaper than a new guage!)

I was having loads of difficulty engaging 4th gear, but I've now realised that this is because there is a slight dogleg to the left from third to 4th. Now I know where it is she drops into 4th smoothly.

Other than all this, the car is loosening up beautifully. I've done 380 miles since the rebuild, and I'll be getting a few more under her belt before she goes in for her first service. Currently the engine has running-in oil, so all the fluids will be flushed out and replaced, and the head re-torqued.

As I've mentioned before, the dizzy is knackered, and there's no point trying to get the timing and carbs all tuned up until it's been replaced. However, a replacement rebuilt unit is around £185, and for similar money I can get one of these babies: an all-singing, all-dancing electronic unit. They cost similar money, but the complication is that the original unit has a drive for the mechanical tacho. So replacing the dizzy with the electronic ignition unit means that I need to replace the tacho with an electronic tacho. I'm now watching a Dolomite tacho on eBay, which won't look EXACTLY period, but will be better than one of the modern units...

Mystery Tour and a few more "teething" problems!

2006-12-31T11:13:00.000Z

Yesterday afternoon I took the Spit out for a spin in what I can only describe as foul conditions! Why would I do this? The reason will become apparent in next month's edition of "Club Torque", the bi-monthly magazine for Club Triumph...

On the drive, a few more teething problems have revealed themselves:

* The horn on the aftermarket steering wheel is still not working properly - somethimes I can't make it work, but then I'l turn the wheel to a tight lock and it will go all by itself...

* The temperature guage is not working. Faulty sender unit?

* The knackered distributor means that I have to set the idle speed quite high to avoid stalling - a new dizzy will need to be fitted in 2007, but I'm torn between original reconditioned or one of these fancy new electronic jobbies (the tacho cable runs off the dizzy, so I'd need to fit an electronic tacho too if I went for this option)

* The headlights aren't working! Luckily I got back home on sidelights before it became too dark!

I've now but 300 miles on the newly built engine, so I'll do another 200 then get it back to the workshop and get all these things sorted.

Over Budget, Over Schedule, and Gorgeous!!!

2006-11-16T16:37:00.000Z

Spitfire sees daylight...

2006-11-05T11:51:00.000Z

....and blinks its eyes after more than a year inside the workshop. Here you see Neil from AMK Engineering fitting the new hood (sorry about the poor quality pics, taken with my phone)

Blimey, I think there's light at the end of the tunnel!

2006-10-24T19:59:00.000+01:00

...and a bloody long tunnel it's been!
The engine and gearbox are IN. So is the re-cored radiator (bigger core) with it's electric fan, and the alternator upgrade has been done (originally fitted with a dynamo). The propshaft is connected up, and the tubular manifold has been fitted (bizarrely it was a tad too small and had to be modified, presumably because they shrink as the cool - you'd think the manufacturers, especially those as well regarded as Moss, would know about these things!)

All that's left to do now is fit the exhaust and the carbs, bastardize two gearsticks and remotes to make a GT6-style knob overdrive version, and fit the carpets, seats and new hood!

The seat frames were rather rusty when I stripped off the old covers, so they've gone off to be sandblasted, before repainting and re-upholstering. The seats will probably be the last thing to go on the car at this rate!

Engine going in!!!

2006-10-23T10:58:00.000+01:00

The day has finally arrived that the engine and gearbox go into the Spitfire. The new tubular manifold arrives tomorrow, so by the end of the day on Tuesday we should be able to fire her up for the first time. How exciting is that???

Starting to look like a car!

2006-10-03T13:38:00.000+01:00

Seats...

2006-09-24T10:25:00.000+01:00

I decided it was time to get the seats sorted out. New covers and stuffing were ordered months ago from Newton Commercial, so I had everything I needed... or so I thought! However, once I started to unpack all the bits, I found that the new cushions for the squab (the backrest) look like doormats, and I can't see how anyone could possibly turn them into a comfortable seat! Furthermore, the packaging says "Mini/Minor", so I thought they must have sent the wrong items. A check on their website confirms that the part number is correct, so I put them to one side and I'm getting some foam cut to size properly for the job!

September 3rd BCC Autotest

2006-09-06T12:22:00.000+01:00

This was the second time I'd enteredan Autotest run by the Bedford Car Club. An early start (5.30am) is required in order to arrive in time for signing in (between 9.00-9.45), with a stop on the way for coffee and breakfast. The last time I did one of these I was in Martin Randle's TR7, but this time he had daughter Rebecca as co-driver, so I made my own way down in my wife's Ford Fiesta and met up with Doug Foreman on arrival, so that I could compete in his GT6.

The sun came out, which meant that what started out as a slightly damp field got dryer throughout the day. By the end of the event we had to keep the windows up to prevent dust and grass getting into our eyes on the tests.

Unfortunately, just as I was doing test 3 the gearbox on the GT6 broke. It was already having problems, jumping out of reverse, but now it wouldn't go into any gear. We couldn't complete the event competitively, but I was damned if I was going to miss out on all the fun, so we asked the organisers if we could complete the event in the Fiesta "just for fun".

Driving a diesel fiesta round the tests was a totally new experience, not least because the technique with front-wheel-drive is totally different.

With RWD you get the back end round using sheer power to make the rear wheels break away whilst you are on full lock. In FWD you use the handbrake to lock up the rear wheels, whilst keeping the power on through the front wheels, effectively "dragging" the rear wheels round. As I say, a totally different technique, but once you get used to it surprisingly fast!

After the usual 8 tests there were two "bonus" tests, both of which used both courses combined. Incredibly, by the end of the event only 7/100's of a second separated Doug & me. (not that we're competitive!!!)

Unfortunately our retirement in the GT6 meant that we only scored 1 point each in the Club Triumph drivers/co-drivers championships. Not really an issue for me, as I've only just begun the competitive stuff, but Doug was gutted, particularly as it meant he would also miss another event the following day.

Only 1 problem: I'm now thinking that I need to get another Triumph just for entering these events, as I don't want to subject the Spitfire to this type of event. They're not particularly harsh on the car, but I'd rather use something I've built for the purpose...

On a different note, with the RBRR exactly 1 month away today, I'm getting nervous about the car being ready. The wire wheels have arrived, and I've switched the tyres over. I have to say they look fabulous, and will really be the icing on the cake when the car is finished!

Rethink on wheels!

2006-08-29T15:05:00.000+01:00

Having spent time and money refurbishing the classic Dunlop Alloys that came with the car (<--see September 2005 in the links on the left), I've now been persuaded to go for a set of wire wheels. Although these will increase the unsprung weight, they look so nice that I'm prepared to make a small compromise on performance. The new set of 5 chromed wires will arrive from Rimmer Bros by the end of the week. Just need to get the tryes transfered onto them and have the balanced, then I'll deliver them to the workshop to be fitted...

Will she make the RBRR?

2006-08-24T16:31:00.000+01:00

There's been a lot of speculation from certain quarters within Club Triumph (Martin? Tim?) as to whether my Spitfire will make it to the start line on October 6th (6 weeks and 1 day from now). So, today I paid another visit to check on progress. The head is back from having hardened valve seats fitted, and will be ported in the next few days, and the Kent cam is on order. Also double valve springs, new valves and new valve guides are ready to go in. The car itself is now starting to gain some of the cosmetic details which make such a difference, such as the chrome fins on the wings, fuel cap (tank is now in), boot lid, handle and hinges... Also all the new badges are on - "T R I U M P H" on the bonnet and "Spitfire" and "Mk 3" on the bootlid.

The interior is starting to go in, too, with the rear panel and side inserts, as well as some of the new carpets now fitted.

A real sign of progress is that they asked me to get the new stereo and speakers to them so that they can get the wiring in for them. Please excuse the picture quality - taken with my mobile phone! (although it at least gives a much more realistic impression of the colour, not as orangey as the previous pics...)

Shiny bits

2006-08-07T10:57:00.000+01:00

Some of the exterior trim is now going back on, which really sets off the beautiful Signal Red paintwork. I took the bumpers apart, and treated the insides with rust converter, before applying black smooth hammerite to protect them from rust, and finally plenty of elbow grease and Autosol brought them up to look like new. The brackets for the rear bumpers have been sent of for blasting and powder coating. Additionally the headlamps and all other lights have been refitted, with new rubber gaskets so that no water can get into them. Only about 8 weeks until the RBRR, and lots of work to do. Hopefully the rear suspension and all the brakes will be finished by the end of the week.

The suspense is killing me!

2006-08-02T19:22:00.000+01:00

...or to be more accurate, "The suspension is thrilling me"!!! That's because all the wishbones, etc have been blasted and powder coated, and the front suspension is now all bolted togerther, with the new (harder, lower) springs and (adjustable Koni) shocks, along with poly bushes all round, and BOY OH BOY does it look sexy!

The anti-roll bar linkage only just clears the lower spring cup, but this should clear easily once the suspension is under load with the engine in place. All looking very good. Hopefully by the end of the week the rear suspension will also be hooked up, now that the diff has been given a thorough inspection (perfect condition inside, probably the only part of the entire car which hasn't needed any work!), and put back together with new seals. The new swing spring needs to be attached to the top of the diff (with a 3/4" lowering block in between in this case),3 so the rear suspension could not be built up until the diff was done.

I've also managed to source a Mk 4 prop shaft from Spitbitz (01189 732648), as mine will no longer fit once the overdrive gearbox is in place. The Mk4 propshaft is the same length as the Mk 3, but the flange will need to be swapped over from the old one, and I'll fit new UJ's.

Today the new steering wheel arrived: a 13" Moto-Lita with polished spokes and leather rim, complete with the correct boss and a Triumph badge in the middle of the horn push. Total cost around £150 from Rimmer Brothers. Expensive, but it was a late 40th birthday present from my kids. Thank you Georgia and Louis!!!

New master cylinders/Koni's

2006-07-31T19:26:00.000+01:00

A few "teething problems" have now been ironed out. The first was that I ordered two of the larger, plastic master cylinders, having been told that you could use the same unit for both brake AND clutch. However, this is not true of all models, and certainly not the Mk3. The pedestals on which they sit are at different angles, and when we lowered the bonnet (very carefully!) the clutch cylinder was fouling. Canleys kindly did a swap for the original spec alloy unit, and all was good. I've also had to wait several weeks for the Koni adjustable dampers for the front, as there was a supply issue. These have now thankfully arrived, and all the suspension parts are currently being powder coated. Additionally, the diff has been stripped down and deemed to be in excellent condition. Strictly speaking I should have a different ratio diff with the overdrive 'box, but I'll try out this configuration before going to the expense. This setup should give better top end (higher ratio) in overdrive at the expense of some acceleration.

I've ordered a nice leather Moto-Lita 13" steering wheel. I don't fancy the idea of 2000 miles gripping onto something skinny, cold and shiny!

The only other current issue is the prop shaft. Do I shorten the existing one, or get a reconditioned one, and what length do I need with the o/d box? All these questions and more will be answered here!

Some up to date pics here, along with a photo of a rather nice Elan +2 which is currently sharing the workshop with the Spitfire.

Things are starting to move!

2006-07-15T09:22:00.000+01:00

I returned after 10 days in France, and was eager to see how much progress had been made (if any!)

The workshop at AMK Engineering is always very busy, and several projects have been and gone since the Spitfire first arrived there almost a year ago. A totally original BRG MGA had arrived to have a front wing repaired after somebody had crashed into it - the owner was pretty upset bacause the car was 100% original. However, a simple repair has turned into a full-blown restoration. A nice orange Lotus Elan 2+2 had arrived for a simple job, but has ended up with a full mechanical rebuild. A nice old MG-T has been restored to stunning perfection. But what of the Spitfire?

Well, the rear suspension has been dismantled ready for the rebuild/upgrade. Unfortunately one of the rivets in the new swing spring has come out, so the leaves will have to be split so it can be repaired. The bulkhead is now starting to be built up with wiper motor, coli, solenoid, new brake and master cylinders, etc. I expect to see things moving forward pretty quickly now. I've also paid the final bill to the painter (£1470, which I think is pretty reasonable for what is a superb finish), although the windscreen frame and a couple of other anciliary parts (eg hood frame) are still waiting to be done.

Lots of lovely parts!

2006-07-01T10:50:00.000+01:00

Various parts have now been blasted and powder-coated ready to go back on the car, and more new parts have been ordered (fibreglass transmission tunnel and sealing strip, new clutch master cylinder).

This means that all new parts for the brakes and suspension have either arrived or been ordered, and a lot of the ancilliaries are in pristine condition following the powder-coating, such as pedal boxes, radiator cowling, diff access plate, rocker cover, radiator brackets, etc. The engine and gearbox rebuilds are almost finished, so it should be full steam ahead over the next few weeks.

All painted now

2006-06-14T13:38:00.000+01:00

Finally the car comes back from the paintshop (doors and bootlid to follow), finished in beautiful Triumph Signal Red. The finish is absolutely perfect (Thanks to Bob Strickland for his expertise).

Suspension and brake parts are now ordered for the next stage of the build-up:

New Brake discs, pads and shoes
Braided hoses all round
New master cylinder
Rear Swing spring conversion (including 3/4" lowering spacer)
Uprated (330 lb) front springs (1" lower)
Koni adjustable shocks all-round
New trunnion joints.

New copper brake lines will be fitted, and the whole braking system will be filled with silicon brake fluid.

Once suspension and brakes are sorted, the rebuilt and tuned engine, along with the reconditioned overdrive gearbox will go in. Then I
think we'll finally be on the home straight!

Who was I kidding?

2006-02-13T13:43:00.000Z

I've just been reading through my entire blog since June 2005, and I now realise I was being very optimistic when I frist got the car. Phrases such as, "The X looks like it's in good condition", and "restoration will take a couple of months" now bring a wry smile as I remember that the car is now STILL waiting for a final coat of paint, and the final restoration process will eventually have taken about 10 months, at a cost of around £7000. I know I could go out and buy a really good Spitfire for less than that, but at least I'll know exactly what's been done to my car (everything!), and that it will be reliable, safe and useable. Hopefully I'll be the proud owner of one of the best Mk3 Spit's in the UK by the time it's finished.

Red, See?

2006-01-11T16:18:00.000Z

Well here she is at last in glorious red (the digital images look a bit orangey, but rest assured, this is Triumph Signal Red). This is just a guide coat (a blow over that allows the bodyshop to see any imperfections in the bodywork, as the light reflects off the glossy surface). This weekend it will all be flatted down with wet and dry and the topcoat applied.

The spitfire gets naked!

2005-12-19T18:38:00.000Z

Paint preparation is now well under-way, with all panels now being taken back to bare metal and any irregularities in the contours getting a skim of filler to even them out...

Engine/Gearbox developments

2005-11-18T13:18:00.000Z

Last week I got round to discussing my engine options. As mentioned before, the car currently has a 13/60 unit from a Herald, with a non-overdrive 'box, and some nasty noises from the big end!

I called Richard at the Spitfire Graveyard (01142 700886) to see if he had a spare 1500 engine. He did, but no overdrive gearbox. In addition, the cost would have been around £500 for engine and gearbox before rebuilding, so that was ruled out. What he DID have, however, was an FD 1300 unit (the correct original spec for the Spitfire Mk 3) and a matching overdrive gearbox, which he sold me for £300. They look to be in pretty good condition (better than the ones in the car at the moment, certainly), and he has also supplied various other bits I'll need, such as the angle-drive and longer speedo cable. Thanks Richard! Unfortunately he didn't have a prop-shaft, so I'll have to either get a reconditioned one or have mine shortened...

I also had a look at numerous colour chips to choose the exact colour. Modern paints can be matched more easily, meaning that "localised" repairs can be made to small dents and scratches in the future if required. After looking at a dazzling array ofsamlples of BLMC, Alfa Romeo, Toyota and Nissan colours (these seem to be the best reds) under daylight correction lamps my eyes were starting to become desensitized to red - I felt like I needed to stare at a green wall for ten minutes to reset my rods and cones! Anyway, the colour I went for still turned out to be Triumph Signal Red. The colour chip will be scanned to find the nearest modern equivalent.

I also posted my entry form for the 2006 RBRR (Round Britain Reliability Run) this morning - a 2000 mile non-stop trip from Lands End to John O'Groats and back over 3 days to raise money for charity...

Some real progress at last...

2005-11-08T09:46:00.000Z

The bootlid has now been repaired, the alloys are fully refurbished in metallic silver with several coats of clear lacquer, and welding will be finished by the end of the week. Body panels repaired or replaced: 4 x inner arches, 2 front wings, 2 rear wings, 2 door skins, 2 "D" panels, 2 sills, 2 floor pans, plus several other "patches" (eg inside the boot).

Despite all my previous references to wanting to keep the original "Saffron" colour, I have now been persuaded by my wife to have her repsrayed in red, so Triumph Signal Red will be the new colour. This will set off the chrome beautifully. The engine has not yet been removed, as it's important to have the chassis in its "stressed" state when doing welding repairs - this is how to ensure that all the panels fit nicely once it's all put back together! The engine will therefore be removed next week, once the welding is finished, and will be rebuilt while the respray is done.

Putting the boot in!

2005-10-21T12:04:00.000+01:00

The bootlid, although it looks at first impression to be OK, is actually rusting quite badly along the bottom edge. The paint is starting to bubble, which can be fixed, but it will ineviably return in future. Boot lid skins are not available, only complete boot lid assemblies. The cost? £284.81!. Alternatively, I could buy a fibreglass replacement for £64.75, but the finish on fibreglass panels is always doubtful. I'm not prepared to shell out nearly 300 quid for a new steel bootlid, so I think the old one will have to be repaired. Plenty of rust converter/inhibitor will be applied before preparation and paint, which should slow down any further deterioration, and perhaps I'll treat her to a brand new bootlid in a few years...

Update on the bodywork

2005-10-12T11:01:00.000+01:00

The bodywork repairs on the nearside are now almost complete. New floor panels, sills, wings and door skin, plus a few repair panels, have all been replaced.

In addition, a new front valance has been fitted. Most of the panels have needed some degree of alteration, as pattern parts are never a perfect fit.
By the end of next week the offside should also be well under way, and hopefully she'll be ready for the paint shop in about 2-3 weeks. Whilst the bodyshell is being painted, the engine will be undergoing a full rebuild, along with an unleaded conversion.

2005-09-08T14:35:00.000+01:00

This is what they looked like before bead-blasting...

Refurbishment of Vintage Alloys

2005-09-08T14:25:00.000+01:00

These lovely, and rare, Dunlop Alloys have now been bead blasted (£15 per wheel) ready for repainting, and I have to say the effect is incredible. A tatty looking set of alloys will be transformed into new-looking retro alloys once I've sanded them and painted with 2-pac paint and lacquer. Masking will be a challenge, but I'm going to start with just one wheel to see how good I can get it before starting on the rest.

2005-08-18T18:38:00.000+01:00

All door seals etc will need to be replaced. The bumpers and various pieces of trim have now been brought home to be renovated before refitting. Meanwhile, new door skins, front and rear wings, sills and floorpan will be welded in, before she goes off to the paint shop. Thanks to Canley Classics, the 2 door skins + 4 wings came to just £460, and will give a far better end result than trying to patch the existing panels.

2005-08-18T18:32:00.000+01:00

The stripdown begins! All the interior and exterior trim has been removed, except door handles, mirrors and headlamps.

Work finally starts!

2005-08-12T11:54:00.000+01:00

The restorer will finally, after "storing" my Spitfire for over a month, begin work today. The problem has been a backlog of jobs for the paint shop, along with numerous additional jobs for existing restorations. New front and rear wings and door skins have been ordered from Canley's (total £460.10, which I reckon is pretty good!), and will be delivered straight to the workshop. This is a better solution than trying to patch up the existing bodywork. Less work and a better finish. One of the reasons for the hold up is a green Mk 4 Spitfire which Steven is restoring. This car is having the full treatment (estimated £8k bill!). At some stage it has had new sills and floor panels, which were all fitted AT THE SAME TIME! Result: the car is about 1/2" too short and the doors didn't fit properly... Repair panels have been used on this car, and although the end result will look 100%, it's a time-consuming and expensive way to go about it when replacement panels are so cheap.

I'm still deliberating over what to do with the engine. I could have the existing engine rebuilt, maybe with a hotter crank/cam, and some tuning (tubular manifold, etc.), or I could go for a reconditioned engine (maybe a 1500 or the original spec 1300 FD engine which my car would have had). I definitely want to fit an overdrive gearbox, so this will have a bearing on the ultimate decision...

Goodbye for now...

2005-07-12T09:12:00.000+01:00

There is now a big space under my car port where the Spitfire usually lives. Why? Because yesterday she finally made the trip to the restoration bodyshop www.amkengineering.co.uk, where she will have the following work done:

All bodywork prepped and professionally repaired for painting
"Rectangular" badging removed in preparation for the older style (and aesthetically superior) "script" style badges.
Full professional respray in the original Saffron colour.
Seats re-padded and re-upholstered in black vinyl with white piping.
New roof to be fitted.
New carpets to be fitted.

Of course, I could probably do some of this work myself, but when it comes to cosmetics I prefer to trust a pro, especially as the parts are so expensive.

I won't get her back for about 6 weeks, but when I do she'll look fantastic. Can't wait! In the meantime, I'll be popping into the workshop with the digital camera to get pictures of the progress, so I'll keep the Blog updated...

Once the car is back with me, I'll be fitting a reconditioned, original spec engine with overdrive gearbox and getting the alloys reconditioned.

Total cost to date approx £2200 (including the car!), but I'm expecting a sizeable bill from the restorer. You don't get this sort of quality of workmanship cheap, you know!

New Glove Boxes...

2005-07-08T19:23:00.000+01:00

The old glove boxes/parcel trays were tatty and torn (made, as they are, from cardboard!), so I decided to make new ones. I bought 2 sheets of Millboard from Woolies (suppliers of restoration trim), which are only about £7 each, and dismantled the old ones...
It's easier to cut round the rivets than to try and remove them - you just have to remember to "fill in the gaps" when you use the old parts as a pattern to mark out the new ones. You also need a lot of new Stanley knife blades, as the Millboard blunts them very quickly! The only other thing required is a supply of new brass split rivets and self tapping screws with cup washers (all available from Woolies)

2005-07-08T19:21:00.000+01:00

As you can see, the results are quite satisfying. Just have to do the other one now!

Better Carburettor

2005-06-21T12:19:00.000+01:00

Having found a small petrol leak from the float chamber of the front carb, I decided to invest in a carb overhaul kit from Rimmers. Not cheap, but very useful, and you're a lot less likely to order the wrong parts! The air filter was removed and the carbs unbolted from the inlet manifold. All the parts were than taken indoors for dismantling and cleaning. Cleaning was done with lint-free cloths and petrol, then the carbs were re-assembled with new gaskets, jets, needles, etc. I was concerned that I would not be able to get the carbs balanced again afterwards, but it was fairly easy to get them balanced well enough for smooth running. I'll get the Spitfire to a specialist for proper carb tuning in due course, but at least she's running! I had also intended to replace the fanbelt (literally a 2 minute job), but the new belt I bought from a local motor factor is too short - I guess that's the advantage of using specialist classic car part suppliers! Now the carbs are back on the car, and effectively "sealed" from the outside elements, I'll give the outsides a good clean with more petrol and a toothbrush. I intend to clean and polish up each part as I renovate it, rather than trying to get everything clean and shiny in one go.

"George" gets a mechanical healthcheck!

2005-06-17T16:20:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I took the Spitfire to Mick at Hyndburn Vehicles (classic rally car expert and all-round good guy) to get his expert advice on the engine and mechanicals. On the whole, the news wasn't as bad as I'd expected: Front track rod ends, rear shocks (at some time the car has been fitted with adjustable Spax shock absorbers, but these are now looking very tired and starting to leak, and the adjustment screws are all ceased), brake pipes need cleaning off with a wire brush and greasing to prevent further damage by rust, front wheel bearings, and various bushes and mountings (perished rubber all over the place). I'll take the opportunity to upgrade wherever possible when replacing parts (eg nylon buses, uprated shocks and brakes). All of this should be within my scope of ability, so the only thing that will need his expertise to be called upon for is the worn big end. This is something I'd already suspected, as the car has a nasty rattle on startup, which comes back when the engine is revved hard. It's not an urgent job, but when I do get round to it, it will be an expensive one! At least it will give us a chance to see how the rest of the engine is wearing. It looks like the recorded mileage of 76,000 miles is about right, though, which is remarkable for a car that's 36 years old.

Out With the Old...

2005-06-09T20:12:00.000+01:00

New carpets arrived, and boy do they look sexy! This photo shows the difference between the old, knackered carpets, and the new ones:

The old ones must have been replaced at some time (at least those in the footwell, as they are from a LHD model (note the rubber mat built in to the left hand carpet, and the hand-cut slit for the pedal in the right hand one). The exhaust also arrived today, but frustratingly Rimmers seem to have only sent 2 of the 4 clamps needed. Sure, I could go and buy some, but that's not the point. The exploded illustration in the catalogue shows 4 clamps, the invoice has 3, and they only sent 2, one of which may be the wrong size anyway, as it has the wrong part number on it (They've sent a 42mm and a 45mm). Looks like I won't be doing much work on the Spit tonight!

A Hard Day's Night!

2005-06-08T21:34:00.000+01:00

This morning a large parcel arrived from Rimmer Bros, so I had plenty to get on with. First up was a new oil filter and oil change. I'm trying out the new Halfords oil specially made for classic cars from the 60's and 70's, so I'll let you know how I get on! I was encouraged to find that the oil draining can just fits under the drain plug without jacking or ramps, and that the drain plug itself can be reached from above - heaven! Next came replacing the broken Tacho cable. The obvious way to do this was to remove the dash panel in order to gain access to the back of the tacho dial. After consulting the Haynes manual, this looked simple. "Unscrew 4 nuts located in the corners of the wooden dash panel..." Easier said than done! The nearside nuts were easy enough, but on the offside my access was hampered by the steering column and the small piece of dash infill next to it, into which someone had grafted a cigarette lighter and a mystery toggle switch (more of that later). After struggling for about 20 minutes, I decided to get on my back in the footwell and have a look, and it soon became apparent that the cable was actually accessible without removing the dash. Now I was flying. The cable is fed through 2 bulkheads and a diaphragm in the heater unit, so it was a bit of a pig to get out, although next time I'd know what I was doing and have the whole job finished in 5 minutes! I then spent another 10 minutes replacing all the bolts from the dash that I'd previously removed in my failed attempt to dismantle it, and decided to figure out the mystery toggle switch while I was at it. The switch seemed to be an earth swith (weird, eh?) - one contact went to earth under the dash, whilst the other went under the seat and into the boot, where it terminated in a dangling spade connector. My best guess is that it was for a manually-controlled electric aerial (that's an oxymoron if ever I heard one!) The switch has now been unceremoniously ripped out, as will the cigarette lighter be in due course (although I may relocate the socket hidden under the dash for satnav/iPod power etc.) The next job of the evening was to fit all new hoses to the cooling system. The old ones were perished badly, but it was a pretty straightforward job. All 7 hoses achanged in about 20 minutes. Radiator water topped up and new wiper blades fitted (these had to be ordered, as off-the-shelf Halfords jobbies don't fit), then a bloody good shower! Phew! A good evening's work!

2005-06-06T13:36:00.000+01:00

After much deliberation, I've decided to keep the car in it's original colour (Saffron) when the respray is done. Modern colours always look wrong on a classic car anyway, and I'm growing to like this colour. Today I visited AMK Engineering in Earby, Lancs (see link on left) to get an idea of what work was required in respect of welding and bodywork. This place is an Aladin's cave for any classic car enthusiast, and current projects in the workshop include a TR6 (in Saffron!), 2 MGA's, 2 MGB roadsters, and a Mk4 Spitfire. There was also an incredible rally-prepped TR4A. Steven who owns the business also does tuning and showed me the engine bay of an MGB he is preparing for a customer which is like a work of art! Looks like he'll be able to start work on George in about 4 weeks. The doors will be re-skinned, sills replaced and various rusty holes repaired, before the car goes down the road to Lunds for the respray. In the meantime I will be giving the car a service, fitting new carpets and exhaust, and sourcing new seats. A lot of people have commented on the unusual alloys, and after some research it seems that they are ultra-light Dunlop magnesium racing alloys. I've seen a set advertised for £400, so they're quite valuable. I may decide to keep them (for competitions?), as the weight saving over wire spokes will be considerable.

2005-06-05T10:01:00.000+01:00

Seats and carpets stripped out. Floorpan looks a bit rusty on the drivers side, but a screwdriver given a hard thump with a hammer failed to penetrate it, so it seems sound.

2005-06-04T18:43:00.001+01:00

Nice bum. Rotten exhaust. New stainless steel exhaust on order. The seller kindly left in the boot a new hood, Haynes manual and the original chrome hubcaps from the (missing) pressed steel wheels.

The car behaved well on the journey home (once I'd stopped to put air in the tyres and top up oil and water and fill the tank with LRP). Only cost £25 to fill up, which is about 1/3 of what it costs when I take my Land Rover to the pumps! On the last 10 miles of the run I took her up to around 70mph and she felt very stable (although there was some vibration through the steering wheel, so tracking and balancing needs checking I guess). The gearchange feels very smooth, and the car is very peppy for a 1300 (apparently the Mk3 is well known for having the best engine)

2005-06-04T18:43:00.000+01:00

The car is a 1970 Triumph Spitfire MK 3 in Saffron Yellow. Considering the age, the car is not in bad shape. The engine runs well, and the bodywork and chassis are reasonably rust-free (apart from the sills and the front wings). The interior trim, however is a bit of a mess. The hood, which was damaged, had been removed, and the seats and carpet are wet through, which made the 80 mile journey home a little uncomfortable! Luckily the rain held off, though, so I didn't get even wetter. Note the hood frame without hood, and generally tatty interior.

2005-06-04T18:42:00.000+01:00

Spitfire Mk 3 in need of TLC! On arriving home there was a strong smell of petrol, and on lifting the bonnet it was obvious why: the fuel hose had split where it joins the fuel pump. The fuel pump looks new, and it looks like the inlet on it is too big for the hose, so when it was forced on it split. My neighbour (TR7 enthusiast Martin Randle) had some fuel hose knocking abut and quickly came to my aid, but by the time I'd got the new hose on and tightened thejubilee clips I'd lost nearly half a tank of fuel (most of it onto Martin's drive)

On Friday evening I attended the Pennine Club Triumph meet and came 2nd in the "Most in need of TLC" class, of which I was quite proud (I think!)

"George" arrives!

2005-06-04T06:43:00.000+01:00

I bought "George" (the number plate begins with GRG) on eBay at around 10.15pm on June 2nd - a nerve-wracking experience! I always leave bidding to the last minute and was successful just £1322, and actually paid £1300 (the seller kindly agreed to let me keep the odd £22 for fuel, which was fortunate, as you'll see later!)

The car is a 1970 Triumph Spitfire MK 3 in Saffron Yellow. Considering the age, the car is not in bad shape. The engine runs well, and the bodywork and chassis are reasonably rust-free (apart from the sills and the front wings). The interior trim, however is a bit of a mess. The hood, which was damaged, had been removed, and the seats and carpet are wet through, which made the 80 mile journey home a little uncomfortable! Luckily the rain held off, though, so I didn't get even wetter.

The seller kindly left in the boot a new hood, Haynes manual and the original chrome hubcaps from the (missing) pressed steel wheels.

The car behaved well on the journey home (once I'd stopped to put air in the tyres and top up oil and water and fill the tank with LRP). Only cost £25 to fill up, which is about 1/3 of what it costs when I take my Land Rover to the pumps! On the last 10 miles of the run I took her up to around 70mph and she felt very stable (although there was some vibration through the steering wheel, so tracking and balancing needs checking I guess). The gearchange feels very smooth, and the car is very peppy for a 1300 (apparently the Mk3 is well known for having the best engine)

On arriving home there was a strong smell of petrol, and on lifting the bonnet it was obvious why: the fuel hose had split where it joins the fuel pump. The fuel pump looks new, and it looks like the inlet on it is too big for the hose, so when it was forced on it split. My neighbour (TR7 enthusiast Martin Randle) had some fuel hose knocking abut and quickly came to my aid, but by the time I'd got the new hose on and tightened thejubilee clips I'd lost nearly half a tank of fuel (most of it onto Martin's drive)

On Friday evening I attended the Pennine Club Triumph meet and came 2nd in the "Most in need of TLC" class, of which I was quite proud (I think!)

Jobs requiring immediate attention:
Mini service needed (plugs, dizzy cap and rotor arm, oil and air filters, plugs and leads)
Tachometer not working - new drive cable on order.
Fit the new hood, after removing, respraying and refitting the frame
Clean up the interior, and fit new carpets and seats