Spit 1500 / FOX

[WIMPUS]

Then 2 days before I was coming over for the finish of the 10 Countries.... 

Gearbox started to make noises... 

Front bearing ofcourse.

Didnt want to drive 350kms like this, so with a bit if help from a friend, changed it again.

I had just fixed the gbox with bad laygear (brand new laygear now).

Just an hour before I left the interior was back in.

Late night spannering.. and at the famous.. Rolduc !

[WIMPUS]

Some pics of the last weeks .

Fixed a friend his Dolomite headlight, so could pass the belgian inspection.

And went on another trip to the Netherlands for a british car parts day (and pick up parts for another friend hos Spitfire that failed the inspection 😅 )

 

[WIMPUS]

Then my fuel gauge became iffy..

Fuel sender was failing after 44 years.

Fitted new sender, calibrated the gauge and works better then before.

 

Front suspension got a rebuild again to, 2nd hand suspension arms and new Superflex bushes, trunnions etc.

Also now fitted a relay for the horn.

Was fed up that most of the time I had no horn.

Contacts always burned in (late cars dont have a relay).

so fitted a relay and works great !

 

Then one morning... windscreen cracked after I needed to drive through roadworks.

And cracked all the way..

Only 1,5year old screen.

Only 2 screen in stock in Belgium, so went after a new one quickly.

 

Then over a weekend fitted the new one.

Amazingly... 15 min and 2 try's and it was in !

[WIMPUS]

Now the last few weeks been busy with driveshaft/halfshafts.

Had 4 used one.. all scrap.

Bought a new shaft in the Netherlands and build that up.

Just going to use it at spare.

Or if someone needs help (10countries etc 😉)

[PeteStupps]

Really impressive how much work you do to keep this legendary car in good running order Wim, love it. 

But do tell us how you did the windscreen please! I've got one to do plus the rear screen on my hardtop. The existing rubbers have hardened and shrunk so much there are big gaps around the corners.

[WIMPUS]

11 hours ago, PeteStupps said:

Really impressive how much work you do to keep this legendary car in good running order Wim, love it. 

But do tell us how you did the windscreen please! I've got one to do plus the rear screen on my hardtop. The existing rubbers have hardened and shrunk so much there are big gaps around the corners.

Front screen rubber was only 1,5years old (only rubbet that fits good is from COH baines).

 

Front screen:

Used 3mm nylon rope, lots of tyre lube spray on rubber and surround.

Then 2 people outside and 1 inside to pull the rope.

First try always fails.

After that it goes pretty good.

 

And the trim in the rubber.. dont ask me about that yet 😅

 

[Tim Bancroft]

Wim,

Its great that you are so enthusiastic about the Spitfire. Cannot think of anyone who uses their Spitfire more than you?

Note the car is in primer, are you planning on painting her?

[WIMPUS]

On 11/12/2022 at 10:57, Tim Bancroft said:

Wim,

Its great that you are so enthusiastic about the Spitfire. Cannot think of anyone who uses their Spitfire more than you?

Note the car is in primer, are you planning on painting her?

Tim, 

I know another Spitfire near Liege/Luik(belgium) that has done around 350.000kms to.

 

Yeah... still in primer.

Needs lots of small things done etc before paint.

But because I hurt my hand/finger in may this year... the plan to paint it this year backfired...

So decided to maybe do it next year.

Been to a bodyshop 25 miles away to ask price, seen his work etc and is very good.

Did say he was amazed about my work I had done so far.

Sooo.. the plan is to paint her back in her famous blue/grey color 😅.

 

Oh and the car I could use when Fox gets paint is back on the road now to..

A very low milage Dolly Sprint 🙃.

 

 

[WIMPUS]

Another little job done.

My rear fog light became very rusty inside.

So fitted new 2 Hella ones.

[WIMPUS]

First start up of the new year.

After 42 hours of standing still.

 

Fires right up as usual.

[WIMPUS]

Some pics of what I've been doing over the christmas holiday, exept beeing sick 😅

 

Mostly work was done on a friends TR5PI.

Whole rear suspension rebuild, welding on the chassis etc etc

All new driveshafts and propshaft (sliding splines al had awful play)

Diff needs to be re-sealed.

Diff mounts, one was 'repaired', so I boxed them in to be stronger.

So.. we have a few weekends work.

Hopefully we can put some paint on the chassis and underside of the body this weekend.

 

 

[Banksy82]

On 07/12/2022 at 11:16, WIMPUS said:

Front screen rubber was only 1,5years old (only rubbet that fits good is from COH baines).

 

Front screen:

Used 3mm nylon rope, lots of tyre lube spray on rubber and surround.

Then 2 people outside and 1 inside to pull the rope.

First try always fails.

After that it goes pretty good.

 

And the trim in the rubber.. dont ask me about that yet 😅

 

I need to do this myself in the next week or two. Can I ask, did you use any kind of mastic to seal the screen and frame to the rubber?

My workshop manual calls for Seelastik SR51 which is - of course - obsolete!

Replacing due to perished rubber leaking and would rather not have it still leak with new rubber! Thanks

[WIMPUS]

On 11/01/2023 at 13:47, Banksy82 said:

I need to do this myself in the next week or two. Can I ask, did you use any kind of mastic to seal the screen and frame to the rubber?

My workshop manual calls for Seelastik SR51 which is - of course - obsolete!

Replacing due to perished rubber leaking and would rather not have it still leak with new rubber! Thanks

I didnt use any as the windscreen needs to come out of paint.

It does leak at 1 corner now.

 

Lots of people say to use 'Gutter' sealant.

Edited January 12, 2023 by WIMPUS

[PeteStupps]

On 11/01/2023 at 12:47, Banksy82 said:

My workshop manual calls for Seelastik SR51 which is - of course - obsolete!

I bought this stuff but haven't used it yet, so can't comment on quality! So that's not much use to you... 🙂

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B085RCTNMP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Banksy82]

6 hours ago, WIMPUS said:

It does leak at 1 corner now.

Thanks for the info.. That is my worry, I'll attempt to add some goo!

5 hours ago, PeteStupps said:

I bought this stuff but haven't used it yet, so can't comment on quality! So that's not much use to you... 🙂

It's the only one I have found that states it is for windscreens in rubber so I'll give it a go.

As for technique the manual seems to suggest that I should seal the screen into the rubber - fit the screen to the car and then seal the rubber to the frame... What could possibly go wrong!

[WIMPUS]

Last few weeks/saturdays been really busy on a friend his TR5 PI.

Now that is finished and drives great!

Some pics 😅

New prop, new uprated driveshafts, all new bushes etc etc.

No expense spared.

 

Edited February 26, 2023 by WIMPUS

[WIMPUS]

And this weekend... time for Fox.

I knew the UJ's needed a good look at, as they hsd done +60.000miles/100.000kms since 2018.

So builded new shafts (in a pervious post)

Now this weekend replaced the shafts.

Lucky I went this route.. as bearing housing had play to (could just feel it move)

 

A day of work and it was done, today brakes nreded another bleed... now the pedal is good again 🙃

 

(Another 200kms and we are at 355.000kms !)

Edited February 26, 2023 by WIMPUS

[WIMPUS]

Last weekend used a friend his ramp.

Could hear ticking sound.. 

Fitted thicker clips in the UJ cups.

2 1500's side by side 😅

[WIMPUS]

Still had some odd noises.

Found out the Spax shocks where going bad.

(I know spax should be yellow, but repainted mine red due to rust during covid).

But.. they had done 238.000kms/140.000miles since sept 2013 !

Bought some Koni's from Bastuck Germany and fitted them today.

 

Wow.. what a difference

[Alex]

I’ve just switched from spax to koni….. I think they’re a lot better. However I can’t decide if it’s just that I spent so much money they have to be 🤣

[WIMPUS]

As always.. been very busy the laat weeks with other Triumphs.

A friend his TR4 needed some work.

All bushes and trunnions etc where very very worn, probably original.

Steering was all over the place to.

Oh.. and engine resting just on the steering rack, because of very bad engine mounts... a pig of a job to do !

So been busy on rebuilding it fully up front.

Oh yeah.. and its my first TR4 im working on.. so all a bit new for me.

[WIMPUS]

And another friend his diff was leaking.. but then very big oil leaks started.. 

Opened up the diff.. ffs this had a bad day.

But he was oh so lucky it seems, can be fixed.

A crown wheel bolt washer fell apart.

Got between the pinion and crown.. a small piece of the pinion broke off..

That piece and pieces of the washer went behind the inner pinion bearing and got stuck.. and worned out the bearing.

Need a few new parts and bearings and its all good to go.

 

Oh and it has a 6 stud case with 2 closed off as its in a late Spitfire.

And typical on 1500 diffs, fibre washers.. gone.

Time to upgrade to the earlier style.

NTN bearings now ordered and waiting for them to arrive to crack on.😅😅

Edited April 13, 2023 by WIMPUS

[alan123]

18 hours ago, WIMPUS said:

And another friend his diff was leaking.. but then very big oil leaks started.. 

Opened up the diff.. ffs this had a bad day.

But he was oh so lucky it seems, can be fixed.

A crown wheel bolt washer fell apart.

Got between the pinion and crown.. a small piece of the pinion broke off..

That piece and pieces of the washer went behind the inner pinion bearing and got stuck.. and worned out the bearing.

Need a few new parts and bearings and its all good to go.

 

Oh and it has a 6 stud case with 2 closed off as its in a late Spitfire.

And typical on 1500 diffs, fibre washers.. gone.

Time to upgrade to the earlier style.

NTN bearings now ordered and waiting for them to arrive to crack on.😅😅

Hi Wimpus, glad you are still posting (TSSC have got it very wrong on their forum).  Was that drain plug your addition ?

[WIMPUS]

2 hours ago, alan123 said:

Hi Wimpus, glad you are still posting (TSSC have got it very wrong on their forum).  Was that drain plug your addition ?

Hi !

Yeah.. its really depressing that they have done it like this.

No other Triumph forum does it like this.

 

Drain plug I made/drilled.

Only takes 5min 😅

[alan123]

22 hours ago, WIMPUS said:

Hi !

Yeah.. its really depressing that they have done it like this.

No other Triumph forum does it like this.

 

Drain plug I made/drilled.

Only takes 5min 😅

Cheers is it magnetic ?  I was thinking of doing the same, I presume its a BSP thread ?