Brit car fan

Thanks Michael, I'll do that. Dave

Thanks guys, I've taxed it in the usual way - £165, in the hope that I can claim any refund when it's due, or when (or if) the new V5c arrives - a bit disappointing - will see what transpires next year but at least I can drive it without having to look over my shoulder. With thanks for your help and comments, Dave.

September 2020 - DISASTER!! - 'covid 19' or just incompetance? My Spitfire 1500, registered 1st August 1980 should now be tax & test exempt. I received my tax reminder about three weeks before hand, and went to the post office to do the biz. She scanned the bar code on the V5c and said that it's not yet listed as tax / test free so come back just after the 1st of August. I went in again about 8th August and she said the same thing, all assuming that there's probably no-one currently home at DVLA, and suggested I send the V5c to DVLA myself (?!) which I did + form V112, and proof of posting. I returned to the post office on 4th September, this time with a copy of the V5c, only to be palmed off again with same answer, so I took screen grabs of DVLA's web pages showing the vehicle's tax status (not taxed) + instructions to take it all to the post office, as I had done - all to no avail. I am now totally stuffed, the car's MOT'd and insured but I'm unable to tax it. If I get pulled over I risk a heavy fine or even loosing the car. So - is it the present situation or is she just bloody useless at her job? Has anyone else had a similar experience? HELP!!!, Dave    

Having had similar difficulties bleeding the clutch on my Spitfire 1500 I designed and made a dedicated remote clutch bleeder which was very successful. I now sell these on eBay if anyone's interested - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/273761793912 I've also made access ports in the transmission tunnel. The left hand one was to get at the bleed nipple on the slave, no longer needed. The right hand one exposes the oil filler hole in the side of the gearbox. The plates hook under a bracket at one end and are located with two M6 cap head screws at the other end. Both plates and the tunnel edges are lined with neoprene foam tape to seal gas tight. Hopfully these links will work: Driver's side:  View on pedals:- http://oi63.tinypic.com/nl62x1.jpg RH panel off:- http://oi64.tinypic.com/2yjsrus.jpg RH Panel Close up:- http://oi63.tinypic.com/zmcxz8.jpg Passenger side: Cover Half Off:- http://oi63.tinypic.com/24nqo12.jpg Showing Slave Cylinder:- http://oi63.tinypic.com/2u8jmn6.jpg On clutch bleeding: Pressure bleeding at around 10psi is good. I use a Draper pump type pressure bleeder. I would not recommend vacuum bleeding as the seals are only meant to seal against pressure, under a vacuum air is bound to be drawn in. Note also my previous comment on jacking up the rear end of the car. Dave.  

For the clutch I'm flogging these on eBay if anyone's interested: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/273663005728 They make clutch bleeding a LOT easier!

Just trying to upload some pics. Can't get the insert photo thing to work so have tried just inserting the URLs   [IMG]http://i63.tinypic.com/znsyl5.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i68.tinypic.com/b8meqp.jpg[/IMG] If anyone can educate me here I'll be grateful.

Don't know the age /year of your Spitfire 1500 - ie whether you're looking for vinyl, leather or hound's tooth. Mine's the late model. I got the authentic hound's tooth covers from Canley Classics and the foams from Park Lane Classics. The hound's tooth covers from Canley are fantastic quality and Owen at Park Lane is very helpful. Both products come with comprehensive instructions. The rubber straps (webbing) if perished, and the hooks may need replacing. Can't remember where I got the webbing, hooks were ok. You'll also need a tin water based Evo-Stick, the solvent based stuff might be a bit fumy. I would suggest you look for frames / knackered seats on eBay - they are bound to need cracks welding, they always do - easy fix with the mig. Take the trouble to fully de-rust the frames and paint with Hamerite black, or get them sprayed with two-pack (but don't risk doing it yourself for health reasons). I took loads of photographs but don't know how to post them here. If anyone can enlighten me I'll be grateful. Dave S

I had aged DOT4 fluid in the system and it corroded it solid. I replaced the master cylinder, calipers, rear cylinders, flexibles front & rear, and replaced the rear pipes with Kunifer. As the system was just about all new it was the ideal time to change to silicone fluid (Automec DOT5) and have had no issues since. The fluid will change colour from blue to yellow in time but this is normal. When I was pressure bleeding the brakes the reservoir on the after-market master cylinder split at just 14 psi (I used to bleed the old Girling one at 25!) - not only did the contents of the reservoir flow out but before I could release the pressure the pressure bleeder had also discharged most of its contents all over the car and the driveway. Fortunately it just made a mess - Just imagine what it would have been like with DOT4 !!

Sorry all, the two links above appear to be dead so have included them again Dave

Before I got my block rebored from standard to +20, I checked the compression ring gaps in the unworn area at the top of the bore - even with negligible peripheral wear the gaps ranged from 38 to 40+ thou. The engine had suffered from blow-by pressurising the crank case. So IMO be conscious of making the gaps too big. The bores weren't bad except for a step at the bottom of No 4 indicating a twisted rod. If the ring gap data is not available from the manufacturers, the Leyland manual gives 12 to 22 thou, and rule of thumb gives 4 thou for every inch of bore, so 12 thou in the case of a Spitfire 1500, which I would treat as a minimum. My engine refurbisher suggested about 16 thou which seems about right. The N.O.S. TRW pistons I've bought come with rings gapped at 10 thou which seems a little tight. In the absence of any manufacturer's ring data I'm opening these up to 16 thou. It is imperative to get the ends clean and square - I would not recommend hand filing. As a point of interest: I've made an attachment for my lathe for precision gapping of piston rings. The angle of the cut is controlled by the compound slide and the actual cut is taken on the rotary swivel of the compound slide so that the end angle is always in line with the centre of the ring. I always keep one end untouched for reference. The dial test indicator shows exactly how much has been removed. The grinding wheel is mounted on an arbor between centres. It's very accurate, currently increasing gaps from 10 thou (as supplied) to 16 thou. http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t386/Vulp53/P2052850_zpsuwqsw96u.jpg http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t386/Vulp53/P2052848_zpsgnyx8ay6.jpg

It could be the solenoid sticking, such that the motor is still running after engagement. This could account for the repeated problem with the replacement motor kit as it would not have had anything to do with the motor. Perhaps try removing the rubber cap and spraying some switch cleaner into the solenoid. Could check function by disconnecting the motor and checking that it clicks on and off ok. Dave

Also some have suggested blocking off the two blind holes (?.

Looking at the pictures the gasket has blown initially into the blind 1/2" hole adjacent to the fire rim where it breaks into the recess. From there it then spread to the water hole. Why BL put these 1/2" goodness knows why BL put these blind holes there but it means there is no support for the fire ring at that point. A quick (fuzzy) photo of my own 1500 block:- http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t386/Vulp53/PC272794_zpsghmaejbi.jpg My own head gasket blew between pots 1 and 2 which are very close together. Whether after market gaskets can accommodate the recess is a debatable point . Triumph / British Leyland did not (as far as I am aware) have any serious head gasket issues prior to the Spitfire 1500, so why they decided to recess the bores is an anathema to me. I currently have both my Spitfire 1500 engines (prefix FM) completely stripped, just had one block re-bored +20 and the other will follow. If you compare the two pictures at: http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t386/Vulp53/PC242792_zpsyfgzkftn.jpg and http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t386/Vulp53/PC242793_zpsyyqyevkg.jpg As the clock drops into the recess the needle goes anti- clockwise. You will see on my newly re-bored block that the recess is 27 thou (0.027") deep (difference in clock readings). Looking at the two new gaskets (correct type by the way), measuring with a 0 -1" mic (Mamas calibrated): Gasket 'A': Basic material thickness = 56 thou, at reinforcement between pots = 65 thou, at fire ring = 85 thou. Gasket 'B': Basic material thickness = 56 thou, at reinforcement between pots = 63 thou, at fire ring = 80 to 83 thou. These are average figures as the gasket materials vary by up to 15 thou. Using gasket 'A' as an example, subtracting the basic thickness from the fire ring leaves (85 - 56) = 29 thou, giving an interference of only 2 thou before tightening. Given that gasket crush is say 5 to 10 thou (I didn't measure the old gaskets) this 7 to 10 thou crush at the fire ring - the fire rings need to be compressed (in my opinion) at least fifteen thou in order to do their job. There is evidence of burning across pots 1 and 2 on my original block, so although the engine ran fine for 6000 miles it still clearly was never right (torqued to 46lb ft and re-torqued after 1000 miles) - then after the head gasket blew between pots 1 and 2 (where it had been burning) I went through four head gaskets just trying to get some compression. I did a (cold) leak-down test and it was blowing a gale between pots1 & 2 and 3 & 4 just at the head joint. Decking the block to any degree will make no difference to compression ratio as the pistons will need to be decked by the same amount. And whilst decking the block completely is a bad idea it definitely looks as though removing five or ten thou will aid gasket compression between the pots, in fact it would seem ludicrous not to do it given the mathematics . Dave S

Sorry, just seen that you've got it fixed, Dave

It still sounds to me that the clutch is not sufficiently bled. In a Spitfire the engine slopes upwards slightly towards the front, since the slave is in line with the engine a bubble gets trapped at the front end. Unclamp the slave, point it sightly toward the ground and bleed it again (suggest pressure bleed at 10 psi). Gently feel the clutch pedal - should be solid. gently bend the slave back up and re-clamp. An alternative of course is to sgnificantly jack up the back of the car.