Her name is Bella…..

[Nick Jones]

 

Quite presentable. Rather nose-up stance. Front seems elevated. 

No 2 son, aka the house cyclist, wanted a Spitfire. Not a project.  After looking at various seriously over-priced tat in distant places, for better or for worse, we’ve bought this from Yeovil.
It’s no rougher than others we’ve seen at twice the price. Still a bit dear Imo.

POs wife (he’s no longer with us) came to see it leave and said they called Bella, and even her daughter came to see it off….. so it appears to be held in some affection.  Find it hard to believe they traveled in it though - loudest Spit I’ve been in. Exhaust may as well be a straight pipe.

Odd mix of fairly original, lowish miles car with some slightly dubious mainly cosmetic repairs. Pretty solid in most areas. Some odd corrosion damage on the right hand side of the bulkhead by the bonnet cone bracket.

Engine appears to be a fairly recent rebuild and sounds mechanically sweet.  Crappy idle - carbs need some love, plus full service. Gearbox (non- OD at this point) seems ok, from the change point of view. Can’t comment on noise (or the diff) due to exhaust noise!

It has issues obviously…..
Duct tape on bottom hose…. Yep, it leaks. And irritatingly the hose is a bit longer than the spare one I had, and the second spare I bought specifically. 

Rad is mounted in the lower of two possible positions. Not sure if correct or not. Late viscous fan. Has play in the coupling…,.

Top of the list is an exhaust. Big bro has provided a 4-2-1 manifold and there’s a GT6 Mk2 middle pipe and Mk3 back box coming. 
 

Front suspension has been investigated this weekend. There is some ugly…. Top ball-joint gaiters gone (joints ok though so new rubbers fitted), trunnion bushes bolloxed and one side rusted in the sleeve (been a while since I deal with that little joy!). Actual trunnions have been greased and though they felt ok…. RH one has corrosion at the top of the thread, needing replacement….

Then there’s this. Yep, arb link welded (very badly) to the wishbone. 
 

Dampers very crusty and looking like the spring pans were about to pop-off…. Aluminium collets are very corroded. Actual dampers are Armstrong OE and functional, if very ugly. Springs seem to be standard. 

It’s got new looking brake calipers and B pads, but discs are ugly. Luckily enough we had some in “stock” and better yet on hubs with usable bearings as the bearings it came with have corrosion marks.

The list is getting longer. Haven’t even looked at the back yet…..

 

 

[yorkshire_spam]

12 hours ago, Nick Jones said:

Rad is mounted in the lower of two possible positions. Not sure if correct or not. Late viscous fan. Has play in the coupling…,.

I think the lower position is correct. On mine the rad-cap could vibrate/rub against the under side of the bonnet with it in the upper position. 

I threw the viscous fan out on mine and went back to the earlier fixed fan. I know in theory that's a backward step, I just wanted something more reliable on runs like the RBRR/10CR.

What's the colour on the commission plate? Looks like it could be one of the jubilee only year Flamenco Red (CAD) but on a T that would mean a gat between build ('77 only for Flamenco) and registration. More probably Vermillion Red (CAE '77 - onwards)

From the pics "she" looks like a solid starting point to improve on. Hope you aren't the only one doing the work and your son is helping!

 

[rogerguzzi]

Hello Nick

                  I have a  viscous  coupling if you want it? or go to electric fans?

Roger

ps I fitted a full width radiator with a sensor boss at the bottom!

[JohnD]

Surely:

"Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl
With red feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there!"

John

 

[Nick Jones]

It’s vermillion I think.  

Could well be interested in a viscous coupling. Ours has quite a bit of “wiggle” to it.

Full width rad and electric fan would be the ultimate goal (actually full-on “Roger Spec” is the ultimate goal, especially 50 mpg!)

Yes, he’s had a fairly hard weekend and went home dirty….. Hopefully next session we can be putting stuff together and not just finding busted stuff an haemorrhaging cash!

[Escadrille Ecosse]

Bella-donna?

Busy weekend the pair of you. Putting good stuff back on will be rewarding.

And I note that the engine is painted 'Jones grey'. Must be destiny.

 

Edited November 18 by Escadrille Ecosse

[Nick Jones]

11 minutes ago, Escadrille Ecosse said:

I note that the engine is painted 'Jones grey

Seems to be primer….. it’s thin!

[Escadrille Ecosse]

50 minutes ago, Nick Jones said:

Seems to be primer….. it’s thin!

[yorkshire_spam]

2 hours ago, Nick Jones said:

Full width rad and electric fan would be the ultimate goal (actually full-on “Roger Spec” is the ultimate goal, especially 50 mpg!)

My 1500 has the full width rad but with the earlier fix fan. No issues overheating with "spirited" usage and a fast-road spec. engine. 

 

[rogerguzzi]

Hello Nick

                  I will sort the coupling out and check it  tomorrow!

This is my fan set up and uses a 2 temp sensor so normal temperature just one fan on only two when very hot!

Roger

 

[Nick Jones]

And oil cooler and fuel cooler. Oil cooler is a good shout on a 1500.

[Nick Jones]

Shiny……

[JohnD]

Shiney!!!!

[andymcp]

I have a full width 'Stanpart' radiator (ex Herald).  It would benefit from a re-core...

[rogerguzzi]

Hello Nick

                  I have found the coupling and it seems ok as best I can tell?

So if you want it pm me your address then its just a donation to Children in Need 

Roger

ps if buying new? electric fans would be cheaper!!

[Nick Jones]

For those wondering where the fuel cooler/supply discussion went, it’s there 

Please continue it there, not here.

[Escadrille Ecosse]

Thanks Nick. And apologies fir drift once more 

[Nick Jones]

Meanwhile….. parts have been arriving. Just lacking time and weather to proceed.

[Nick Jones]

Apologies to Roger for not responding on the viscous coupling question.   
 

I found this in the “maybe useful one day” pile.

it isn’t very beautiful but appears ok. It didn’t come from a Spitfire either…. But some other Triumph. Dolly Sprint or 1850 I presume (I haven’t owned either of those since 1991 - gulp!).

No idea if it fits a Spitfire (Rimmers appears to say not, though looks very similar)…… or how to get it off its current home without hurting it.

Meanwhile I’ve been cleaning up and painting stuff…..

Improvised paint booth….

[Sprint95m]

5 minutes ago, Nick Jones said:

Apologies to Roger for not responding on the viscous coupling question.   
 

I found this in the “maybe useful one day” pile.

it isn’t very beautiful but appears ok. It didn’t come from a Spitfire either…. But some other Triumph. Dolly Sprint or 1850 I presume (I haven’t owned either of those since 1991 - gulp!).

 

That is from a Dolomite Sprint, Nick.

When they fail, the fan goes through the radiator ,
for that reason fitting an electric fan is the choice for many.

Ian

[Nick Jones]

Yep….. electric fan is the future.

[rogerguzzi]

1 hour ago, Nick Jones said:

Yep….. electric fan is the future.

Hello Nick

                 I think my 2 fans tick all the boxes 

Only one works most of the time but can cope with a bit more heat(when in Spain or a quick thrash!) so ticks the box for over the last (lost track) 6 to 8 years!

Plus I think it works like moderns but may change the speed of one fan??

And Another plus I only bought cheap ones as they do not run that often and if they fail cheap again(not silly money that this kits are with rubbish controllers??

Roger

ps just my drunken thoughts or it experience ?? 

pps still we all make our own choices but with bit of luck and feed from this site not to many cock ups??

ppps an old photo i know but roll on the summer as I am running out of time probably??(Still booked for Spain Again!!)

 

[Nick Jones]

That’s a real castle!

[rogerguzzi]

Hello All

              If you want Castles here you go??

Roger

ps This just a few we have seen/been in!!

pps There are a lot of them in Spain but the best part is they are cheap to go in and even Free a lot of the time??