Spit 1500 / FOX

[WIMPUS]

Eum... a bit more snow today ...

[Rubce]

15 hours ago, WIMPUS said:

Eum... a bit more snow today ...

Handbrake doughnut conditions 😆

[Tim Bancroft]

Bruce, you hooligan!

[Rubce]

9 hours ago, Tim Bancroft said:

Bruce, you hooligan!

I was doing snow doughnuts in the local B&Q store carpark with our GT6 a good few winters ago until the store manager came out and glared at me😆 I wouldn't have minded but I had been into the store to purchase something 😉

[WIMPUS]

Fox was playing up the last week.

So.. time for a tune up.

Mixture and carb balance was a bit off.

Now runs well again 🙃

[WIMPUS]

Helped a friend this last sunday.

He also bought 2 Spitfires.

One in bits and 1 together, but been outside for years.

The body wasnt that much worse then Fox was, but shockingly welded, plated over etc.

 

But needed to work on his Spitfire that had been layed up inside for 20 years until 2 years ago.

[WIMPUS]

On 06/02/2024 at 09:59, WIMPUS said:

Helped a friend this last sunday.

He also bought 2 Spitfires.

One in bits and 1 together, but been outside for years.

The body wasnt that much worse then Fox was, but shockingly welded, plated over etc.

 

But needed to work on his Spitfire that had been layed up inside for 20 years until 2 years ago.

Yellow Spit has now got a good handbrake after fitting a new cable etc, new starter, new heater valve.

Got a head out of his parts parts cars.

So that can be rebuild.

He has a very big oil leak at the engine no. , a bit to much.

But now hes a bit shocked how much a head rebuild is 😅.

[WIMPUS]

Last saturday check up , wheel bearings, brakes etc

And more rustproofing.

[WIMPUS]

Bought some carb parts from Bastuck.

Nothing fits... 

Great 😑

[MarkB]

Frustrating to say the least! You put me to shame with the amount of maintenance work you carry out on your car, but you do really use your car which is great. Keep up the good work.

[WIMPUS]

Some more cleaning up.

Noticed from last year all the brackets up front where going rusty.

So repainted them.

[WIMPUS]

Got to fed up with Bastuck there awful costumer service.

So had a try with the throttle shafts and disc that where to big.

 

A drill and sandpaper did the trick for the shafts.

[WIMPUS]

After a visit to my uncle and his TR7, I found out the 1 wrong throttle shaft Bastuck send me is actually for an... HS6 carb.

Now hopefully they will understand.

[WIMPUS]

Yesterday evening fitted the new rebuild carb bodys.

So that means.. swapping over everything of my carbs that where on Fox and tune it again.

Still needs a better look this evening, but got to work today 😅

The idle is a lot better at first sight.

 

The old dirty and a bit worn.. 

Time to swap parts over..

1 carb done, time to do the other one !

Done and then it was time to fit them again.

But first..

Clean the headshield a bit better.

It does have a few cracks, but holds up well.

Got this many years ago via Mike Charlton and I fitted a 2nd plate behind it with spacers.

 

I also had 1 float with a drop of fluid in it.

Not bad after 46 years, lucky i had spares.

But.. looked for new ones.

They are not made anymore, only 'unsinkable' ones wzx1304.

Edited March 21 by WIMPUS

[WIMPUS]

This weekend more tuning, mostly mixture check.

Now spot on it seems.

But did a small service, oil, spark plugs etc.

Fitted/made better seals from between bonnet / wheelarch and bulkhead.

Now bulkhead is a lot dryer.

[WIMPUS]

Ffs... now waterpump weeps after 5 and a half months.

Did notice a bit of coolant on the inside of the bonnet, but just had changed the thermostat to 82° one.

Contacted the supplier now.

[WIMPUS]

The seller I bought it from.. no reply.

As i need Fox to be in good shape for next weekend and the next 2 weeks, i wanted to get it sorted asap.

So another trip to Anglo Parts.

Man behind the counter comes with the new pump 'these are really good ones'.

I look at the box .. Q parts.

I said it was the same brand of the failed one now and in 2021 when my older pump failed and bought a new one .. that failed after 100kms... also Q Parts .  Sh*t quality.

Looking up this brand, nothing to be found.

 

Time to have a spare one it seems now.. 

I was offered by a friend from the UK an early rebuild waterpump with grease nipple for free, but seems the pullys are smaller.

[WIMPUS]

Over the easter weekend done a job for a friend.. 

He had a head rebuild, now fitted it.

His car is very low milage and very original.. as was the head gasket etc.

Found inlet and outlet was blowing.

After head was on.. would not start and was flooded + cars overflowing.

 

So monday went back, seemed fuel pressure was to much.

His old pump was bad to, so i donated parts of my spare that was in the boot.

Eventually his new float needles changed to the old ones.. then it seemed happy.

 

Tuned the carbs fully and now drives well.

 

[Rubce]

Fascinating commentary of life with a Spitfire. Thanks for posting. Please keep it coming

Regards

Bruce

[WIMPUS]

Yesterday a friend came over to get the hardtop off and put soft top back on.

 

Then done an 80mile drive.

Fuel use is a lot better with the rebuild carb body's now, but pedal feel needs looking at.

Next i need to also look at the rear end noises.

 

[WIMPUS]

This morning went to the openday and british car meet at Anglo Parts Belgium.

Then this afternoon was asked to work on a (to me) special Spitfire.

Its owned by my 75 year old neighbour, now having skin cancer.

He had leukemia and other cancer before, but cured from that in 2017.

Back then his car had a full body rebuild by the local garage and I helped to, so he could drive his Spitfire to the Netherlands before he went to hospital, it was a 50/50 it would work.. but it did.

 

In 2017 local garage stopped to.

So now he asked me for help.

Carb where flooding and valves needed setting.

 

So fixed it all for him.

He build this Spitfire out of boxed in 1990 !

He done a few interesting 'mods' back then, incl a Honda brake master + servo.

 

[WIMPUS]

Found a picture of Fox from the openday at Anglo Parts yesterday.

 

Typical, I was showing the engine bay to another Spit owner i knew 🫣.

[WIMPUS]

Yesterday... hail !

Ordered another ɓrand of 20 Liters  20w50 oil (MPM), as my usual supplier stopped selling oils..

 

[WIMPUS]

Yesterday was wooden dashbord day.

 

Sprint vs. PI power 

 

Was asked to do an oil change on his 3 cars, MGA, Dolly Sprint and TR5 PI.

and testdrive of the Triumphs.

But TR5 , there is a bearing in the diff (i think) that is getting really loud.

So needs looking at asap !

 

Dolly needs technical inspection (MOT) in the next 2 weeks.

Just need to fix a rusted solid rer numberplate light.

But Dolly is coming home with me and i will sort it out for the inspection.

My friend and owner of these cars has a very bad hernia, nearly cant move and probably needs operation.

So will try and sort it out for him.

[WIMPUS]

Again playing on other Triumphs on our bank holiday.

Fixed the rear numberplate lights on the dolly.

But was rusted to the holder, broke it apart etc, sandblasted it and now works like new.

 

TR5 has a bearing noise...

Suspect the diff.

So got that out, got play in the right output shaft, shims/spacers of the little gears inside worn and endfloat out of spec.

 

And suspect a yoke of the driveshaft that is not made to spec.

As the UJ has play in it, less then 1000miles old.

Saturday will take it apart more.

And then I will leave Fox there and take the Dolly Sprint home for a few days.

As the owner asked me if I can take the Dolly to the technical inspection  🫣