GT6 Mk1 early engine rebuild

[BODSGT6]

Hi all , ive owned my 67 GT6 Engine number 3600 ish for about 16 years now , i tucked it away a couple of years ago with the intention of rebuilding it because the bottom end just started to knock a little. Well doesn't time fly ! 2 years later and i'm just getting round to either having the engine bottom rebuilt by someone or doing it myself . The thing is i seem to remember these early engines pre engine number 5001 can be difficult to source parts for. ( am i right ? ) . Can anyone recommend a trustworthy company to carry out the work or tell me where i can source the necessary parts to complete the job myself. 

[poppyman]

What area do you live in?

Tony.

[RobPearce]

Indeed there was an engine change at KC5000 (or possibly KC4500 - sources differ on that) which means very little in the bottom end of a post-5000 Mk1 engine is the same as a pre-5000 one. The early type bearings are difficult to source, as are cranks, con-rods or flywheels, should you be unlucky enough to need to.

As to trustworthy companies, that depends a lot on where you are and how far you're willing to travel. Around here, Ivor Searle are the go-to place for any engine work (indeed they're the people a certain other club based some way from here use for their "remanufactured" engines)

[BODSGT6]

I’m based in Norfolk . There was a company called Whitmores based in north Norfolk but sadly they are no longer trading . I’d be happy to travel if I thought I was getting a good job . 

[poppyman]

https://www.chaseengines.co.uk This company are excellent, not the cheapest but you do get a photographic record of what has been done and specialise in classic engines. Long way to travel though.

Tony. 

[Tim Bancroft]

For parts have a chat with Chris Witor, he is a mine of info on early 2.0L 6 cylinder engines.

Might be worth having a chat with David Aspinall of Anglian Triumphs to see who he uses?

[RobPearce]

2 hours ago, BODSGT6 said:

I’m based in Norfolk

Right, I forgot this forum doesn't show locations for people so my "round here" wasn't helpful. Ivor Searle are in Soham, Cambridgeshire, which isn't too far from some parts of Norfolk.

[BODSGT6]

cheers all some thing to get me started

 

[thescrapman]

Bottom end is Vitesse 1600 if it is ne of the early ones.

Witor may have bearings, Rimmers were clearing out the early bearings a few years ago, I bought couple of sets in larger under sizes.

[Ben Hutchings]

Probably worth mentioning that as it’s an early Mk1, this is a good opportunity to avoid ‘the thrust washer problem’ - where the tiny thrust washers rotate and fall into the oil pan, causing huge crank end-plan, bad if it happens at speed as it did on mine. Took car off road for a long time.

There are far more experienced and technical folks here to explain the solution, but following the incident my engine was rebuilt by Maynards in Stroud, and they sourced ‘tabbed’ thrust washers and machined the block accordingly. Others use little brass screws to pin the bearings. (Search web for “pinned thrust washer spitfire” for an example). 

I think an experienced Triumph fettler will know about this issue and probably suggest it before you mention it. 

[Slimboyfat]

I'm doing a couple of these at the moment, no problem with bearing supply (or anything else come to that).

I'm not sure where the rumour started that there were supply problems with parts for these early engines, we have built loads, and supplied parts for same for over 30 years with rarely a problem. There may be the occasional undersize that's temporarily unavailable, but usually sorted in time. Always worth checking with your supplier before grinding to a particular size.

[thescrapman]

Perhaps some of the traders do not keep the early bearings on the shelf as they are I suspect not the biggest sellers?

[glang]

I think theyre available ok but, as said, not in all sizes or in the different types that the later bearings are: aluminium, two layer and 3...