RobPearce

Or in a TR7. Front pads straight off a Mini. That was one of my best modifications, to replace the pathetic joke production front brakes with four pot calipers. Mintex 1144's would probably have made a fair difference as a cheaper alternative.

Is it still the case that you can only get them in Lucas shape without the tacho drive? No good for any of mine if so.

My GT6 lost its chrome screen finisher shortly before its (and my) first RBRR in 1994. I feel no urge to attempt to replace it.

On a different note, I'm currently sitting at Wetherby services. It's busier than I'm used to, but no Triumphs in sight.

<sigh> This argument is not helpful. McJim - calm down. I realise that may not be easy for a Glaswegian, but overreacting to JohnD creates only noise and fury, no enlightenment. John- next time, try rewording the plea so as to be harder for Jim to misread. P.S. I'm posting this from Glasgow. Nice city.

Old cars always have issues. Usually they're fixable. Horn not working is probably trivial, and easily diagnosed with a bit of electrical knowledge. Can you be more specific on the driver's door? The striker mechanism has a fair bit of adjustment and if it's wrong then the door will not close, or will be floppy. The inner handle not working could be a missing connection, but someone who knows them would need to have a look inside. I can't see from those photos whether the bonnet gap on the driver's side is longitudinal or lateral. The former may well be adjustable, the latter is common and not really a fault (the panel curvature was inconsistent even when new). As Amy said, get it along to your local group. Someone there will know.

I have heard many reports that most new springs are wrong - too strong - and give big positive camber. Sometimes they settle if driven with a lot of weight in the boot for a while. Alternatively, fit a lowering block as Alex said. (Mine has the opposite problem, having been swing-spring converted with a second-hand spring)

Hurrah! Excellent result.

My brother and I did the 2021 RBRR in a Mk3 Spitfire (albeit with later seats and 1500 drive line) and found it more pleasant than the previous three times in a GT6. Not as smooth as the two years I used a 2500 (one S saloon, one PI estate) with three drivers, of course. We also did the C2C last year, in that same Spitfire, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I agree with Rubce and Tim - it's a good idea to get the confidence on that.

My chosen steed for this year is Tessa: She last did the RBRR in 2006: Since then she's had a new engine (found a crack in the block) and a fair bit of welding.

Welcome, Linda! The RBRR is certainly a challenge (what would the point be otherwise?) and if you're not used to old cars then you will find the Spitfire somewhat odd. If you get her in the next few weeks then you've got plenty of time to acclimatise, though. The things your husband worries about will rapidly transform from "problem" to "quirk" (and even to "benefit" when you discover how much feedback modern cars lose from their power steering). You may have moments of hating it for a while but, if it's in good condition, you'll soon come to love it. I can't say whether you're actually mad. The last time my Vitesse did RBRR, I had a very last minute change of co-driver and the lass who eventually stepped in had 1) never driven a Triumph before the start, 2) never even seen my car before I picked her up from the station, 3) left work in Bournemouth on the Friday afternoon and was back at work on the Monday morning. I think even we hardened veterans would say she was mad, but she loved it.

What's the protocol if we aren't yet sure who our co-driver will be?

I'm off out for a drive in the GT6 today (well it is Captain Black's birthday) but will probably take a look at the website this evening. 😄

That depends on your reading. The Mk2 Spitfire engine was not a 1300, so it is true that "only FD (1300 Spitfire blocks)" had bearings, and your choice to read it as "only (FD 1300) Spitfire blocks" is not necessarily correct.

I'm probably not going to Gaydon but our neighbouring TSSC area are joining a nearby TRR area for a convoy around Baldock, so one of mine will be joining that. It won't be its first outing of the year, though, as the GT6 was at our regular pub meet last night (second time this year) and Tessa had a trip to Old Warden on Sunday. Toby, sadly, is still in the dog house.

Well, it's definitely supposed to be the 10th, which is Friday, and the opening post says Friday 10th, so I suspect the title is in error (possibly carried over from last year). @Staggershould be able to correct that by editing the first post.

Looks like some rear wheels might help, too 😜

That depends on the model, and we've already established that this is not a pure Mk3 engine. Some had the tee, to feed both the heater and the bypass, while some fed the heater from a tapping in the head (between the rear two head nuts). It looks like this engine has that tapping but with a blanking plug fitted.

As Tim says, they are the fuel feeds. His photo is of a 1500 - the 1300s usually had the float caps swapped so the incoming feed went round the front of the engine, but that doesn't matter. Also, your breather hoses (and hence carbs) are Mk4 style, not Mk3, but again that's a minor point.

All the Herald derivatives would originally have had a rubber boot. Some of them also had a vinyl gaiter above that. I've also quite often seen a foam ring under the boot but I don't know whether that was factory fit.

I also got that email (having renewed for another 3000 miles, like Tim). Two million miles is not that much. It's only ten RBRRs (assuming 100 cars average - so a few more starters but fewer finishers) or the typical annual mileage of a mid-sized company car fleet. But in "ordinary" classic car terms, it's quite a few cars.

Possibly... I'd have to check. I definitely have some type 16s but not so sure on the 14s

I don't recall where I bought my previous set from but one of them failed before I'd even started the engine and the other within a year of getting the car back on the road. Granted they'd been fitted to the rolling chassis for some years before that but apart from a few trips on a trailer they'd not seen any action. The new ones (3/4 years old now) still seem OK, having done some miles around Yorkshire, then the Peak district, then an RBRR and last year's C2C.

I have one, refurbished, early Spitfire 3.5J wheel, in white. It owes me about £70 for the refurb (an accident - it had crept into a pile of 4.5J wheels I was having done).

I'd be interested in having a go.