Nick Jones

Heh…. Well, actual “right” answer in environmental terms is to just donate the money you would have spent on fuel direct to the charity. But obviously there ain’t no fun in that…. I suppose you could also try getting your more environmentally minded friends to sponsor you for not going and add that to the pot…. Or, as a half-way house, go through the process of signing up, preparing your car, turning up at the start, and then break down terminally just after leaving - then donate the money you would have spent on fuel direct to the charity. This way you can enjoy at least some of the excitement, aggro and suffering. Or you could go in an Acclaim rather than a PI or Stag and hope to save a bit of carbon that way….. All of the above tending to make carbon offsetting look like the best way to have your cake and eat it. One further possibility occurs to me…. Possibly outside the spirit of the event…… Stick a Triumph badge on your Tesla (or other EV of your choice) and attempt to do the run in that. Could be an interesting (frustrating?) exercise. Wonder if it might prove that even a Herald 1200 or Atlas van can travel further in 48 hours than a modern EV at the mercy of the UK charging network……? Tortoise and hare story springs to mind. Nick

KYB make a decent damper. Is it listed for anything other than GT6 by BPNW? Will they ship to the UK? Nick

What seems to be missing from all of the threads so far is the open/closed lengths of a “proper” Roto damper? The Koni 80-1389 recommendation is for rotoflex cars using the chassis mounts, not for use with original inner wing mounts.

The info is here amongst much else, some of it red herrings! https://sideways-technologies.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/6445-damper-sizing-on-lowered-gt6/&tab=comments#comment-105919 Not the thread I was thinking of but has the Koni numbers towards the end.

Yes, had forgotten about the Mini shock….. I think it’s pretty much perfect except the bottom bush need changing or the sleeve drilling out. There’s a thread about it somewhere on the Sideways forum which gives the Koni number. I’ll look later, not going to try and find it on my phone….. Nick

Burying charcoal is actually a pretty good way of storing carbon. Would be much more ecologically sound to bury it in Namibia though! Totally with you on that one Jim. Or those who drive their low tax hybrids at speed up and down the motorways, feeling self-righteous, but using nearly as much fuel as everyone else.

Probably because the only application is the few thousand (if that) Mk2 and early Mk3 GT6s, so it’s not worth making/stocking them. The other option is to get chassis extension brackets and fit the swing-axle dampers. Has the benefit of not battering the shock mounts/inner arches any more. If you have CV driveshafts you can just fit the swing axle dampers without brackets, though there is a bit of offset on some cars. Nick

I can see why you might say that but it seems it's the other way around GSA385 is listed for Spitfire, Herald, Mk1 Vitesse etc, but GSA 280 only listed for rotoflex GT6. Rimmers website for the quick check but easy enough to confirm on other sites too. Nick

Yeah….. but if you don’t plant them they’ll never grow up to be big trees….. Nick

I did a pricing exercise last year thinking of my GT6. To do a half decent job using new, modern hardware very easily got to around £14k, just for the “big bits”, so I’m afraid that the £25k figure is probably in the ball park. That’s not to say that it couldn’t be done for a lot less with a forklift motor, especially if you are good with electronics. However, the batteries will always be a big ticket item and I really doubt you’ll fit 200miles worth in a TR7. For damn sure you can’t in a GT6. Even 120 miles was looking problematic. The itch to do it hasn’t entirely left but the cost is a big problem. You also need to consider that there is a danger aspect to it. Serious energy in the batteries, that can kill or cause life changing injury very quickly. Nick PS. I had a long chat with “Moggy” at ECC and he reckoned £60k….for them to do it or £30k for parts. Not happening at those prices!

Eh?? None of the ones I’ve seen have had any inserts at all….. Nick

The paradox you have is that as a tall person, the original pattern seats are about the only ones that sit you low enough in the car. People say fit MX5 seats, but those happy with that solution will mostly be short people! I went with early Spitty 1500 seats in my GT6. That’s the vinyl ones with headrests. The head rests do come up just about high enough and with fresh foams the seats seem reasonably comfortable though I’ve not done more than 2 hours so far. My son has MX5 NA separate headrest seats in his Spit. They were way too high (look over the windscreen high). With a double foam-ectomy they are merely too high. He’s also modded the seat structure in the rear corners so they go back far enough. Better, but still some way from ideal. I’m 6’3”, he’s a couple of inches shorter though similar in the body. Nick

I have seen a 6 cyl head with double inserts on one cylinder only, I think to address a crack between the valves. It’s not an easy job for sure, but should be possible. If this is really what is needed I’d be considering another head. Are you sure the inlets are recessed, not typically a problem on inlets. Got any pics? Where do the valve faces sit relative to the roof of the combustion chamber. Should be a couple of mm proud approximately. Big skim making the pushrods too long, or just plain using the wrong pushrods could have the same effect. Nick

I think you are looking in the right area. Definitely a volt-drop issue and the other symptoms make the earth question worth a look, though I thought the pump had its own earth. Not familiar enough with the late Spitfires to point you closer but iirc there are also some multi-plugs behind the dash which don’t always make great contact. Nick

Realistically a nice car is £10 - 14k. Even allowing £5k for paint (my GT6 was half that though I did a fair bit of the initial prep)….. and a couple of weeks pro labour to put it together….. There aren’t so many round tails left, especially the early ones. £5k would be fair, and even then I’d say there’s margin in it. It would cost more to get to where you are unless you were really lucky with your starting point. You can always come down…. Nick

Ok, top end for sure but https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1394480 Or https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1393825 or https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1313925

You are seriously undervaluing this…… just saying. Nick

Still could be the beginnings of a wheel bearing problem, but also, how about your tyres? Any bumps, bulges or feathering of tread blocks? Had an issue with a big Audi a few years ago where it sounded as though all four wheel bearings were shot. I even changed one of them, which made absolutely no difference. It also had some odd handling traits so I got it 4 wheel aligned. It was well out, but actually drove worse afterwards. The alignment guy had been fairly rude about the tyres on it, so I bit the (large) bullet and invested in 4 new tyres. Utterly transformed it for the better. No more noise and drove so much better….. Nick

The old style 70s/80s gutter clamp type roof bars should work without damage if properly fitted. Going to spoil the looks though…… I have a tow bar in the shed…..

It’s on Car and Classic. https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1384493 Maybe elsewhere too. Seems like end of an era….. Nick

As many as I like @ £4/tyre 😳 I have about -£60 worth on that valuation….. Nick

Check out your local mobile fitters. Some of these guys are extremely reasonable. Or back street garages often have tyre fitting gear….. Nick

I have a diy changer because I'm a skinflint (I said it so you don’t have to) Yes, they do need to be bolted to the floor. On mine I also had to modify the bead breaker as there was no chance of it working as supplied. Fine for scruffy steels, but really quite hard not to leave marks on nice wheels. Also there is something about the 5” steels that makes fitting really hard….. I failed and took it to my local guy who struggled even with the proper gear. Something to do with the position or depth of the well he said…. Tyre disposal is a royal pain…… I have a substantial heap….. Nick

Buy a nice car in the US and bring it back after….. Nick

52k is a pretty good innings for driveshaft UJs IMO. Still could be something else but it’s a pretty common cause of the noise you seem to be describing. Nick