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1976 Triumph Spitfire Build thread


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Hi Harry, I'm very confident that that Layshaft Pin points away from the Mainshaft.  In fact I think the adapter plate is built with a specific little groove for the pin.

When using that Coil Compressor I might be inclined to mount the lower plate the other way, with the welded nuts out the bottom, otherwise you're relying only the welds on that nut, and that's a fair bit of force.

As for wiring, I'd agree with Zetecspit, although I have no idea from which car it may have come.  I'd trace your wires back and figure out how they relate to stock.  Not that many of them really.  The PO may have kept the original Solonoid so he could just add wires rather than extend.  The one thing I'd watch for is provision for increased voltage to the dizzy during starting (if you are staying with the stock system), you're newer starter may not provide that.   If you are unfamiliar with how the Ballast Wire works I put up a brief description on my web-site... https://stevew10.wixsite.com/spit16/ballast-wire-system

HTH

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On 4/19/2021 at 9:46 AM, zetecspit said:

My guess is that you have a dolomite 1500 flywheel and starter. Or possibly just starter, which is pre-engaged as shown. A normal spitfire starter is an inertia type. (i think the pre-engaged flywheel has the bevel on the ring gear different to spitfire, an inertia starter won't work well with dolly flywheel)

Note this.  Only the Dolomite 1500 of all the small Triumph 4 pots uses this starter motor and it is not common with any other vehicle I have discovered.  This makes them rare now and expensive.  They do work nicely when they are working.

Also, for some bizarre reason best known to themselves, as well as having the ring-gear chamfer on the front of the flywheel (for fairly obvious reasons) Triumph opted to use a ring gear with a different number of teeth from any of the others.  The result is that while the pre-engaged starter will work (though not entirely happily due to the tooth mismatch) with the inertia type flywheel, the inertia type starter really doesn't work with the Dolomite flywheel.  Successful engagement from about 1 in 15 attempts and the noises are just appalling (I was desperate, I'd just fitted a 1500 Dolly engine and needed to get back to the scrapyard to claim the starter too!).

My point....?  For future-proofing you might want to think about using a Spitfire flywheel and either an inertia starter or a modern pre-engaged one.  I believe the 1500 Dolly starters make good money....

On 4/19/2021 at 12:19 AM, hardhatharry said:

Sorry another question when fitting the overdrive adaptor plate to the gearbox should this pin be pointing towards the centre of the gearbox or away from the gearbox (opposite direction)

They can in fact fit either way though I think Steve is correct about the factory orientation.  I have previously been advised by no less an authority than Mike Papworth that if your layshaft is showing the starting signs of wear on one side (burnishing, blueing etc) you can rotate it through 180º so the maximum load area is now on the other side.  Maximum load area faces the mainshaft.

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Thanks Nick, this engine is only temporary as it came with the car and the numbers are rather unreadable. My "hot" spitfire engine is currently sitting sulking in a corner of the workshop waiting on me to find the time to strip down, inspect (I know it needs rebore and o/s pistons) and build. This is months (possibly years) away as the car restoration and overdrive build needs completing before the engine. 

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There should be tab or lump on the back of the rim of the reflector assembly that drops into a matching slot in the gold mounting ring and locates it in the correct position. On the sealed beam units this is moulded in the glass. On others a small folded metal strip spot welded to the reflector rim.

Many of the 7” light assemblies sold today are total shite regrettably, even those that come in boxes bearing the marks of once famous (infamous?) brands. 

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Still continuing on the fitting P700 lights to a spitfire. I know it can be done as I have seen a spitty with them fitted. I took the units apart to see the nodules people mentions which stops the sealed units spinning under the beauty ring but these units don't have them. They do have 3 clips on the unit which tie with 3 gaps in the adjuster ring but the units are too shallow for the clips to tie into the adjuster ring gaps. I have seen these clips on the back of old brit sealed units when restoring old triumph bikes and they tie into W clips, would W clips work here? Any other advice?IMG_20210430_160800.thumb.jpg.e9585219aea4ca390a5f770b37d52c08.jpgIMG_20210430_155946.thumb.jpg.5700d2f144f129d6eb2cfaec44d06342.jpg

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Yes, we had a very similar problem first with out Spit, which we got around by mixing and matching parts from two different kits, then again with the GT6. That time I think we overcame it with a pair of original rings, but both times it was a struggle. Kits sold are not fit for purpose.....

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58 minutes ago, Nick Jones said:

Yes, we had a very similar problem first with out Spit, which we got around by mixing and matching parts from two different kits, then again with the GT6. That time I think we overcame it with a pair of original rings, but both times it was a struggle. Kits sold are not fit for purpose.....

An adjuster ring like this?adjuster.jpg.6486d62a6bf0b3264e77a4e20710ded1.jpg

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2 hours ago, hardhatharry said:

At that point trying to make everything fit and inline before paint. Its quite satisfying connecting all the bits back together.

It is. And absolutely necessary as you don’t want to be discovering problems after the paint is on!

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Struggling fitting the o/d adaptor plate to the single rail gearbox. There is a dowel type rod that sits in the adaptor plate (marked in the picture) but it seems to be hanging on it and stopping the plate going down even after tapping with a rawhide hammer. I have cleaned up the dowel and its nice and smooth, does it require some force to get it to fit. The bolts that connect the adaptor plate to the gearbox will span the gap and I could slowly use the bolts to pull the plate to the gearbox if required but that feels like a last resort.

723773657_adaptorplate.jpg.9c764cbd6c181e55e10a0c02ea153a3c.jpg

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Don't ever remember having this problem.  Dowels should be a transition or light interference fit so, if straight, it should go on with a light tap or two.....  Not even sure they all have this - will have to check the single rail 1850 box I have in bits.....

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Found out why the adaptor plate would not seat. the reverse idler spindle was not fully home. Unfortunately with all my messing a couple of needle rollers escaped and the spindle is not running as freely as it should. My assumption is the only way of getting the needle rollers back in is to completely remove all the gubbings from the gearbox to get to the idler gear. If I have to do that I might as well replace all the bearings and refurbed the gearbox.  

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Bit of a frustrating day with poly bushes causing issues fitting the swingarms. I had planned to do both sides today but only managed to do most of one.

I found that the drop links are dead and the track rod ends the same so they are now ordered.IMG_20210522_141246.thumb.jpg.c7bcdf84d58e3bd87907738ae6fdcbc8.jpgIMG_20210522_165931.thumb.jpg.241401db209725f04b4c50069b74fe0c.jpg

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Hmmm. Crusty. But I have seen - and been the recipient of - worse :biggrin:

My personal experience is that it is easier to remove the whole front crossmember and fit a complete replacement rather than trying to stitch in bits here and there.

Just take LOTS of measurements. Especially in respect of getting a good centreline datum

Good luck

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