Smallfry Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 Anyone ever fitted tandem brakes to a Herald/Vitesse ? This evening I went out to the garage clutching my brand new late Spitfire master cylinder. Removed the old cylinder, and discovered that the new one is far too long to go in the available space :(I cant do the obvious and take a hammer to the bulkhead to get a space for it because it looks messy, and secondly, my new two speed and intermittent wiper lives behind there now.It would be fairly easy to make a new bracket and pedal to operate it at a steeper angle, but this still leaves the problem of the reservoir, which would be tilted back too far.Surely someone has done this ? Any idea what cylinder was used ? I know this is not strictly necessary, but I like the idea of the safety factor !Maybe a low fluid warning would be a better idea ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herald948 Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 It wouldn't be all that difficult to do with nothing more than the appropriate bits from a tandem-cylinder Spitfire. In fact, this was done by the (Belgian-assembled, as far as I know) "Puerto Rican" 13/60 models built to US safety and emissions specifications in 1968-69. See <http://hometown.aol.com/herald1200/database/gh1360.htm>. Like tandem-cylinder Spitfires, these had a rather nicely pressed indentation in the firewall to accommodate the larger cylinder.I suppose you could simply "bash" on the firewall, but a more elegant solution might be to cut that part out of a late Spitfire and graft it into the Herald's firewall (oops, sorry, I mean bulkhead)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 Was considering doing this on my Vitesse and was stopped by this very issue. The 'fix' is to chop a hole in the bulkhead and let in a suitable pocket. I've seen this done with varying degrees of tidyness - quite alot of work to do nicely unless the car is already in pieces.Another possibility may be to use one of the Wilwood tandem masters mounted at a steeper angle with a remote reservoir. I'll get around to it one day......Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 I think you would have to bash one hell of a bulge in the bulkhead - as Nick says, an alloy box will fill the hole and there is plenty of room with nothing essential behind. Why? How? Have you fitted a windscreen wiper behind the bulkhead, Smallfry??Heres a pic of the Silverback's tandem master cylinder. I think that you must mount this more or less level. At an angle the long double reservoir would flood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallfry Posted November 1, 2006 Author Share Posted November 1, 2006 Mr Herald 948...........How can it possibly called a "firewall" when the gearbox, oops....transmission ( see, I can speak exotic foreign languages too )cover is made of cardboard ??? Mind you, "bulkhead" implies something of strength, and its hardly that either !Yes John. the standard type cylinder must be mounted at the correct angle, otherwise the fluid would leak from the cap, and the front part of the reservoir would have very little fluid in it.I dont like the idea of hammering the bulkhead because its too crude, and I dont really want to go down the road of twin cylinders and balance bar mullarkey on a road car. I like any sort of modifications to look like a factory fitment. I suppose I enjoy the detail ::)Why did I move the wiper motor ? It was in the way really. I have installed an expansion tank and a windscreen washer system there instead. Its on the inside of the bulkhead up behind the dash now. I have used a later motor, which has two speeds and an intermittent facility too. Why ? Just for the hell of it really !I may have found a way to mount the master cylinder at a steeper angle so as not to have to "modify" the bulkhead. I will let you know ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heraldcoupe Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 Later Spitfires (Mk3 onwards?) have a bulge spot welded into the bulkhead, to accomodate the dual circuit master cylinder specified for some markets. What about cutting one from a scrap Spitfire?Cheers,Bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted User Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 A Heralds firewall is more of a fire promoting wall, I can imagine that tunnel cover would go straight up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallfry Posted November 1, 2006 Author Share Posted November 1, 2006 That sounds a good idea Bill..........I dont suppose you would have anything kicking around ?Yeh..........the firewall, I suppose it might give you a couple of seconds before you end up looking like that scene from "Saving private Ryan" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herald948 Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 [quote by=heraldcoupe link=Blah.pl?b=hervit,m=1162250303,s=5 date=1162422567]Later Spitfires (Mk3 onwards?) have a bulge spot welded into the bulkhead, to accomodate the dual circuit master cylinder specified for some markets. What about cutting one from a scrap Spitfire?Cheers,Bill.[/quote]Yeah, that's pretty much what I said! ;D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heraldcoupe Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 [quote by=herald948 link=Blah.pl?b=hervit,m=1162250303,s=8 date=1162442425]Yeah, that's pretty much what I said! ;D[/quote]Indeed you did! :BCheers,Bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herald948 Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 [quote by=heraldcoupe link=Blah.pl?b=hervit,m=1162250303,s=9 date=1162456934]Indeed you did! :BCheers,Bill.[/quote]Yet another example of two nations separated by a "common" language, huh? I kept saying firewall whilst intending to say bulkhead.... ;D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallfry Posted November 11, 2006 Author Share Posted November 11, 2006 Oh well.............having tried a few of the Triumph breakers, none of them seem willing to even go out and have a look at their amazingly valuable rusty bulkheads, let alone cut a piece out. Annoying really, as although I don't mind travelling long distances to do it, I don't want to be wasting my time either.Anyway, I see in various manuals that sometimes the tandem brake system in GT6s was servo assisted. Anyone know how this was done as I dont seem to able to find any info. Was it done through a tandem remote servo (if such a thing exists) or was it just the front cercuit that was assisted ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herald948 Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 Good GRIEF, man. I'd be happy to take a power saw to a scrap Spitfire tub and then mail the piece to you...and I'm several thousand miles (and one ocean) away!No idea about the servos...they were not very common on this side of the Big Pond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallfry Posted November 12, 2006 Author Share Posted November 12, 2006 Well thats nice of you Andy, but I have started to fabricate one today !While you are in such a helpful frame of mind.................. What about a nice 350 Chevy engine with a TH 700 R4 autobox ? There are not too many over here to find, so if you could pop one in a jiffy bag and send it to me..................Not Triumph related though, it would be for my old Rover ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herald948 Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Autobox! I dunno....maybe a Muncie "rock-crusher" manual.... ;D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallfry Posted November 14, 2006 Author Share Posted November 14, 2006 Nooooo thats a bit too uncivilized for the Rover. A manual box does not suit the cars character at all ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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