Clive

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.

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.

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.

My 1600 has Solex carbs, but I hope to change to the later Strombergs. I believe they are unique(?) to the 1600 but would like to confirm. Something about a heavier damper and no damper spring. Can anybody confirm? Or is there a needle spec if I were to source some later strombergs? Ta

I am in the process of putting a sprint engine together. A few weeks ago I refitted the head. Both the the block and the head have been skimmed, so nice and flat. Anyway, after a bit of deliberation about the order in which to torque the head (there are 2 different theories, all down to the angled studs) all was fine. After a week of being sat on the bench, I retorqued the head. And yes, the gasket had "given" and every nut got an extra bit of rotation. I will retorque again when the engine is in and been heat cycled. And again after a few hundred miles. I am hopeful that will do the trick!

Meet Vicky, a 1964 Vitesse 6. Not mint, but rather nice. I inherited Vicky from a friend (Jon) who passed away last year. Things took a while to sort out, but we collected her after the CT autosolo a few weeks ago. I have done a couple of things. (1) fitted seatbelts, as she never had them. (2) fitted some mx5 seats, using the exact same mountings as the originals. So if required the originals can easily be refitted. I have a few other things I would like to do, but more pressing is a change of a coolant hose that is looking well past its best

Seems fine, not very perky but as the sprint engine is almost built I haven't put much any effort into improving the situation. It has a little prop vibration too. But all those things will be "fixed" when the sprint running gear is fitted.

I couldn't work out how to fit it back together, but luckily found a spare on my workbench (I suspect from my Toledo, but have no recollection of how it got to my workbench) So that was fitted, and all is well with the dolomite again. I have had a proper look at the broken switch, and now it is easy to see all the bits and bobs, I have worked out how most of it goes back together. The only thing I haven't tackled is how teh return spring works (for when the starter is engaged) but I am sure I will get there when I spend another 10 mins on it.

No, the loose handbrake cable will have zero effect on the footbrake. It may make the handbrake lift too many clicks though. Other causes could be the wheel cylinder not moving freely. Looks like you need to pop the brake drums off, and check everything moves as it should. If you get carried away, taking the shoes off and the U clips for the wheel cylinder, so you can clean everything up and smear some copper grease can pay dividends.

Have you adjusted the rear brakes? (and what car) If a spit/herald/Vit/GT6 then the way to do it is disconnect the brake cable from the lever at the back of the drums, and then adjust up the manula adjuster until the drums are locked solid. I then move the lever with a screwdriver to "apply" the handbrake, in case it hasn't moved fully. Check still locled solid, back the adjuster off until the drums can just rotate freely. People often adjust the handbrake cable, so the first dab of the brake takes up the freeplay. Cable is adjusted AFTER the brake adjuster has been set. That is the most likely cause from your symptoms. If not, ask again.

My dolomite refused to play ball yesterday, key in, suddenly the spring tension went and the starter cut out (before it started the car) Today, I dropped the cowls, and was presented with the electrical switch in bits. I reckon it would go back together IF i knew what went where, especially the ball bearing Any tips/links to where the 3 little springs fit and the ball bearing. (or has something else disappeared?)

They were ofen used on sump/gearbox etc plugs.

I have seen one, probably in my dads toolbox. I have always assumed it was for undoing plugs with a square recess. But we all know what assumptions are like.

It is an associate of a main member ie my wife is an assciate member, doesn't get the magazine but otherwise gets the membership benefits. Associate members should live at the same address.

You can put the handle upright. Up or down. You could use baggage scales, or even a fishing scale. Anything that is pretty accurate for weight. just zero the scales for the orientation you use them.

Torque wrench in teh vice same as yours. Set to (say) 50Nm. Measure the length of the wrench, and to keep it simple here I will say 1/2m So I would expect the wrench to "click" when I apply 10kg (1kg=10N) via the scales.

Always difficult to put a value on a car. It looks like some work has been carried out, but no idea how much more is required. And the mechanical condition? As a resoration project, probably £1000-1500, boosted by the fact it appears to have overdrive. If you want to sell it, your best bet may be ebay where it will find its level. Take LOTS of pictures, and if it runs/drives, or you definitely know the engine gearbox etc were good, say so. (people are not keen on phrases like "I think the engine is OK") When you list, give plenty of time for people to come and view, ideally covering 2 weekends.

I have done similar to John, but used bathroom scales so I could try different settings. Same maths equation applies.

A good jetwash off, a wire brush and then soak in some citric acid overnight may help to see what is left... Or electrolysis which won't damage good metal at all.

We appear to have a few spammers on the loose again. One of which keeps promoting airline tickets, which is pretty obvious (he was live for 4 mins before getting shut down, he foolishly chose my tea break to post!) Another recent spam monger had signed up a year ago, then suddenly started posting many inane replies to random posts. I suspect it was an attempt to get round the need for non-members to post 10 times before being able to send private messages. So please keep 'em peeled, and report anything that looks suspicious.

Yes, helicoils are a great idea for the ali blocks at the front and back of the engine. I do mine as a matter of course when I have an engine apart.

If you really want to use some noise reduction stuff, a splurt or underseal would probably work, or a bit of bitumen sound pad. But as John points out, it seems to make zero difference. I have always cleaned the cover up back to bare metal and painted. Other advice. Be VERY careful about the tensioner. Most (all?) new ones are inferior to the originals. So I would use a good used one every day of the week.

Leakdown tests are so much more informative than compression. Glad you found it, and at least the weather is perfect for working on a car.

A wider search (ie not just for seatbelts) revealed a variety of pics of early herald/vitesse. And those 2 fixings are indeed for a plate that bridges across the setscrews. So factory fittings by the looks of it. I could add a length of steel bar behind the trim to put the load down to the wheelarch which would make it all very strong. (within the cars design if that makes sense)