Clive

I believe so. 

It is not uncommon for people to add a temp gauge, but it does involve that 2" hole in the dash. I expect some have done it using a bracket just under the dash. 

However, on the plus side, 1200s never seem to suffer with temp issues (possibly because the drivers don't know, so one less thing to worry about)

No, never fitted to the 1200.Only the 1360 had one (as a dual gauge with fuel)

It is unusual for car people not to lose stuff. And generally not found until you order another. 

yes, there is some blurb on the net somewhere. 

Chances of it getting beyond a concept car? something approaching zero.

1 hour ago, Paul Daniels said:

Hi all, I'm looking for advice. I would like to buy a Herald convertible. Had one briefly in the early 80's. I'm not a classic car enthusiast, and I have very little mechanical knowledge, just  feeling a little nostalgic as I near retirement. What should I be looking for ? how much should I be paying for a road worthy, nice looking example? I live in East Sussex, but, for the right car, I would be happy to travel. 

 

Any advice and recommendations from the experts would be very much appreciated.

Hi Paul, and welcome. 

East Sussex? May I suggest you pop along to the CT/TSSC monthly meeting when you can (no need to join a club, but if you do, CT is excellent!) We have plenty of people who can help/advise etc, and even a pet mechanic. Not sure if there are many Herald Convertibles in the group, certainly a few vitesses though, and herald saloons. 

We meet on the first wednesday of the month at the Halfway House, Rose Hill TN22 5UG https://www.halfwayhouseisfield.co.uk/

Agrre with Sam, but Fitchetts are good too, especially for panels. 

But sometimes it is worth asking here for specific things. SOme supplies are great on some stuff, less so on others. 

Ian, this is a Triumph car forum, not bikes. So not likely anybody will be able to help.

Try https://triumphmotorcycleforum.com/

37 minutes ago, stevie said:

Ellis 

I have paid the camping fee on line with the links, when will the tickets be sent to me ? 

another couple of TRDC members are also in the same position.

Stevei Allan

@Ellis

I wonder if it is a sudden airleak. That would cause the idle speed to increase, and then too weak to run. Maybe a servo hose, or PCV valve issue? 

Just ideas.

39 minutes ago, standardthread said:

That brings in to play the clutch plate, e.g. a 1300 Dolomite, and they are like elephants' eggs to find. Or you risk a dodgy refurbished plate as the owner of a my previous Dolomite did for it to exploded on me, literally damaging the bell housing.

Dolly 1300 clutch is for single rail box to herald clutch (6 1/2")

The herald box to 1500 engine (or at least flywheel) uses some midget/minor clutch plate from a hazy memory.

Plan B, use a flywheel from a 1300 that has the larger crank holes, or drill a herald one out. Then use a herald clutch. 

On 27/06/2023 at 12:23, samwhite95 said:

@Clive are you suggesting the lack the MOT history should be prohibitive to my purchase? Also am I right in saying the above photo is indeed a 1500 spit engine? The owner believes it is the standard herald gearbox, can the 1500 spit engine mate without adaption to the herald box?

Regards,

Sam

Sorry, been away thrashing the Spitfire around Europe.

No, Lack of MoT is just something to think about, as it means you have to check the car over yourself. Or better, get it MoT'd prior to purchase.

A std herald box will fit straight onto a 1500 with a change of clutch plate. However, it REALLY needs a diff change to make the car drivable at over 50mph, or ideally overdrive.

I have owned a couple of 1500 heralds, both kept teh original diff but did have overdrive. Great combination.

No, as the engine is the same "family" and the conversion is commonplace "back in the day"

However, it only matters for mot exemption, and anybody with sense gets their cars mot'd as it is the only practical way of proving the car is roadworthy.

You could work out how long a belt you would like. The easiest way is to cut an old belt, work out how much longer or shorter it should be, then order the length. Plan b us to use some thick cord or electrical flex etc (it needs to sit at the top of the pullys) to get the length.

And yes, for some reason no1 plug access is tight. 

You can view the entry list here

https://www.clubtriumph.co.uk/national-weekend/entry-list/

Mid 50s camping,half a dozen or so extra on the sat eve. A good number.

Yes, I have some nos vandervell bearings, and they are stamped 0.10 so I am certain yours will he std size.

You will be very lucky to find vandervell bearings, so may have to settle for whatever is available.

On thrusts, I have always bought a pair of whatever was fitted, plus a pair of 5 thou bigger. That give options to get the clearance nice and small.

I have been prepping the Spitfire for a holiday. Really it was just swapping teh rear spring back to the one that was on the car until I swapped it a few months ago. That was a last ditch attempt to locate the source of a clonk. I have changed shocks, radius arm bushes and sorted a bot of wear in the radius arm brackets. Spring swapped, all no difference. I am now wondering if it is my brake cables (I have used shortened MGF cables) but also happy it simply can't be anything serious. 

I have also relocated the wideband sensor location, but not used it since. I will reprt back on how that pans out...

Now, the Vitesse. The trip to Silverstone went pretty well, but there are a couple of issues to address. Firstly a missfire once warm and over 3500rpm. At Silverstone I found NOS dizzy cap and rotor arm. I have also fitted an aldon electronic ignition. And arrived yesterday a new set of BP6es plugs (when I changed them I found it had BP7es fitted, and they were a little wet/fouled, possibly from the pottering about in town. A new set of leads from Mr Retrolead also fitted, as some of the old ones were corroded to the old cap, and even after a couple of hunderd miles, one lead lost its end in the new cap. I need a good run in it to check it out, but I am hopeful.

The next is the propshaft. It is out of balance, and I suspect a new one will be the sensible option as it feels like the UJs are worn, and the sliding joint is a bit tired too.

The bid issue is the fuel system. If I stop after a run, and leave the car for say 10 mins, the fuel pump is very hot. Manually pumping starts to fill it, but air is being sucked it somehow, or at least bubbles are appearing. I know Jon suffered something similar a few years ago, and he had wrapped teh fuel pipes on some insulation stuff. I need to investigate further...

I have given the coolant systema  good flush, replaced a couple of hoses, cleaned/lubricated all jubilee clips. A fair bit of grot came out but nothing was actually blocked. This is leading to another job, and a couple of core plugs have a slight weep. A sachet of CeLit will hopefully keep the weeps under control until I have more time to sort all the plugs. And that got me thinking. If the head comes off, I will probably get a hefty skim done and may even swap the  cam for one from a later Vitesse or GT6. Tempted by an 18/58 or 35/65. While that is happening, convert it to unleaded and so on. And did I mention I have now got a 4 synchro OD box, all stripped/cleaned and a few bearings etc. It has been restamped stamped 1998, and that would fit with the condition of the internals having been sorted. It has a 16mm mainshaft tip, which aftermarket. And oddly, it has the large synchros on 1-4, but the small synchro from the early boxes for top. Not sure what that is all about. 

That is more than enough to think about for now...

I know of somebody of similar stature who had a spitfire and no issues, but your best bet is to find one and go have a look and see what you think. It depends on age/flexibility too. It isn't as easy for me after 30 something years of Triumph ownership. 

There is always the Stag or a TR if you need something bigger. 

The easiest solution is to add a push switch somewhere, and an electric pump. The neater way is as above, or source a 2 speed wiper switch with electric pump, tr6 and my old toledo used such a switch.

it is possible to fit the complete steering column from a late 1500 spitfire. That will do what you want, and I am trying to remember what I did to fit mine. But it is all bolt-on stuff, I can't remember about the wiring, except it wasn't complicated.

In all honesty, your best bet is either a specialist MX5 breaker (a few of theose about), or join some of the MX5 facebook groups. Of course, Ebay is going to produce a few.

Must say I don't recall seeing many in black leather. I managed to find a pair in red leather, a remarkably good match for Triumph Matador red. And if you are careful, you can fit them by chopping off the "ramped" bit of the MX5 runners, removing the "pins" leaving the holes though the runners, and enlarging the holes a little. Need something to pack the runners up, I used 1" box section. And then cap head bolts imperial bolts into the original floor fixings. 

the 2 captive nuts shown in the pic are for the B post attachment. 

I am not familiar with the mk2, but on the mk3 there is a bracket attached to those, plus another on the hood frame attachements, then a bolt between. I know teh mk1/2 are going to be different as no hood frame as such. 

Found these on fleabay, my give you some idea, looks like they just locate into the hood stick tubes?

10 hours ago, Dannyb said:

If you remove the lock I'm sure but not certain the chrome rivet goes all the way through where it is splayed over to stop it coming out.

What I would do is junk the chrome rivet/pin and replace with a pin from a rivet. If the hole does not go right through to the underside of the lock then you can drill it so the pin can go straight through and cut an splayed over. Does that make sense 🤔 

Danny

This has got me thinking. How about a small diameter bolt. m2 0r 2.5 are available, in stainless. Using a button cap head would be neat.

I am unsure about a repair. You may be able to solder? or similar something to keep it on. However, many/most late spitfiores have lost them, and the new repro ones don't have the cover in the first place. I think it is a weak fitting at best.

On 06/06/2023 at 15:57, J J said:

I have a Mk3 Spitfire and am having ignition problems after the car was running well, although on the last run it was running roughly

ive checked the static timing and can get the car running but it struggles to maintain an idle, it coughs, pinks and then dies. There’s fuel and a spark.

When I used a 12v lamp to set the timing it was difficult establishing the switch point and I’ve noticed that when clamped the dizzy body wobbles when I push it

the dizzy is a Delco Remy, not sure if I could rebuild it.

hope this makes sense, any thoughts would be useful

julian 

I would look for a good used one. I recently fitted one to an engine, been sat in my garage for possibly 20 years. A quick clean up checked weights/vac module and popped it in teh car. The car ran OK ish with the points (not replaced, but faces filed, reset etc) but was perfect when I fitted an electronic module. You may even be able to use a 6 cylinder dizzy to rebuild yours (I know you can with Lucas stuff)

Plan b is to temorarily fit a lucas, but you need the dizzy pedestal too. You will lose the rev counter drive, but that is a sacrifice worth making to be able to use the car.

8 hours ago, Nick Jones said:

I have seen this written too, but no direct experience. You need that Pete fella on the TSSC forum….

I have been delving into parts diagrams on Canleys website. It seems the 13/60 doesn't have a damper spring either?

I know damper spring rate can change the fuelling significantly, so just chucking 1600 needles in the wrong carbs will be hopeless.  

But I will give Pete a try.