Tunz202 Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Hi all, just a quicky!I have a MK3 spitfire with a dead engine. I also have what I believe to be a reasonably good 1500 engine.Can anyone confirm please?I have removed the clutch from the 1300 to fit it to the 1500 engine but the flywheel is also different. My intention is to swap the flywheel as well. Am I going in the right direction & are there any other changes to look out for? :-/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. J. Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Having just done this on a Mk 1V, it's quite an involved job. The gearbox has a different number of splines; i changed the gearbox to the 1500 one and had to put in the shorter 1500 propshaft. You may just be able to swap the flywheel from the old engine onto the 1500, but I don't know if it's possible.Once you've fitted the 1500 engine, you will see that there is no drive on the distributor shaft for the rev counter. You need an electronic distributor from a 1500, and then need to run a lead from this back to the coil. This is an easy job in itself, but the electronic rev counter is a Smiths make with chrome trim. The old dials on mine were Jaeger ones with no chrome. I changed them all as the chrome ones look better. Again, you may be able just to swap the dizzy over from the old engine, but again I don't know about this.Finally, a lot of people think that the 1300 engine is the better engine. It depends on how much it's going to cost yoy, and how much work you want to put into it....You pays your money and takes your choice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard B Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 I think Canleys may sell a suitable friction plate. or try some of the other suppliers.Alternatively drill out the flywheel to take the 1500 crank bolts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveKent Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 jj, no need to change the gearbox, just the clutch plate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 As above. I "think" the clutch plate for early gearbox to 1500 clutch cover is from a morris minor/midget, but is sold by canleys and others. A neater solution is indeed drilling out the 1300 flywheel bolt holes. Can be done at home.Dizzy, just use you mk3 spitfire one. It will be close enough after all the years of wear to a worn 1500 one. I have done it and no ill effects.The one issue that is important is the gearing. If the spit has no overdrive, and the original diff, the 1500 will not like motorway journeys. Either a diff swap to 1500 spec, or overdrive box, or both, is well advised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunz202 Posted May 5, 2011 Author Share Posted May 5, 2011 Thanks all for the quick response. I have the 1500 dizzy & the 1500 box + O/D, but I was hoping the get the box & O/D checked out before installing them. At the moment I just need to get her going. She has been off the road for a few years so I will emphasise the NEED. I will have another look at the week end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. J. Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 DaveKent said"jj, no need to change the gearbox, just the clutch plate!"Too late now L.o.L!I had the gearbox anyway, but had to get the propshaft. I did measure up the clutch plate, but the 1300 seemed quite a bit smaller than the 1500, and wondered if the smaller one would take the extra torque for too long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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