Triumph T6 Spitfire Gt Build Chris Sherrington.

[Mother Teresa]

 See you Saturday night at Gordano (that's Gor-day-no, not Gor-dahn-o)

[Nick Jones]

Mmmm, Gordano........... 2 am on the second night, home of the zombies with 1000m stare.........

 

Punishment posting for the marshals

 

Nick

[Mother Teresa]

Indeed Nick, although i'm not marshalling; I rather wanted to see the cars and the people!  

[Nick Jones]

Good to see you both yesterday Chris - sorry didn't have more time to chat and look at the car - people wanting roadbooks signed.....  You didn't look nearly knackered enough!

 

Thought as you drove away - dammit - may have a Ford lump and FI but still sounds like a Spitfire!

 

Nick

[CHRIS211083]

It does indeed nick, this really should be the only other engine for a spitfire. Wish you could have had a spin, it really is just like a spitfire but faster and more mpg. Total winner. 

 

Was good to meet. 

 

Chris.

[CHRIS211083]

Well what a great event. Now my Spitfire GT has the stamp of Approval. We finished the RBRR of 2014 within all the timed stops. Its was very good indeed and a real miles stone in this build. Here are some photo's.

 

First Pic, John O Groats.

 

 

We were still smiling.

 

 

Still J'o'g but with the post in the rear of the shot.

 

 

 

Coming down Scotland, this reminds me why I live here.

 

 

 

 

Not so many pic's taken as it was quite hard to keep to the timings. So a real rule of if not driving then sleeping routine was kept to.

 

And finally, back at the hotel after completing the run. Well done to all and thanks for all who helped organise and martial.

 

 

Chris.

[JohnD]

Well done, Chris!  A real commendation for such a recent nuts'n'bolts self-build.

(And to 'er indoors, for not being indoors all the time!)

John

[Mother Teresa]

Well done Chris- you were on top form when I caught up with you in the car park at Gordano- very with-it indeed. Same can't be said for some of the other crews who looked a little peeky...

[Nick Jones]

Yep, they were both looking in pretty good shape Sunday lunchtime...... but then we already knew they are a pretty hardy couple!

 

In fact, many of the crews looked pretty fair considering.  Much better than I remember from 2012 and 2010 - better weather the previous night maybe?

 

I know I was absolutely hanging at that point in 2008 and that foul weather nearly all the way around, but especially on the drive from Gordano to LE, had definitely not helped.

 

Chris is driving nearly all the way back to LE later in the week I think he said....... definitely working for it's living!

 

Nick

[CHRIS211083]

Down to Portsmouth first, then up to Edinburgh on Friday. Then back down to My new drafting in Barnstable Devon on Sunday. So the car is being worked hard and always will be. Before the RBRR it had covered about 4600miles. Now it has covered....

 

 

6726miles. really proud it made it with no issues but I kind of knew it would be fine. I think for me the unknown was the problem. I took no spares, not even the space saver wheel I bought as it would not have got me to the end(two tyre weld cans instead). I did collect two spare second hand front hubs/bearings/stub axles just incase I had any bearing issues but they haven't moved since last adjusted over 2000miles ago. So very happy and really looking forward to the 10CR.

 

Chris.

[CHRIS211083]

Well, its been a bit quiet on the Spitfire GT front. Thats a good thing as nothings happened. I'm just about to pass 10,000miles now and the car is performing great. Oil is still being burned and the car needs mapping properly on a RR but I wont be getting this done yet. Why? Well I've ordered a new recon Zetec SE engine from Shawspeed with the cams fitted etc. This will stop the oil consumption and I will then get the car mapped. I'll get more Ooomph for when the hill climb season starts and I'll get more mpg as I wont be carrying bottles of oil about with me. I've retired from the Judo game now and I'm back in the Marines. They have based me down in Barnstable and I live in Scotland. So the job I originally designed the car to do, before wanting to do hill climbs, it is doing perfectly(and wont rot). The only thing that keeps popping up is the MPG. Its currently getting 44-52mpg with a good thrashing I get 38mpg which I can't complain about. However I do keep wondering how much better it would be with a 3.63 diff in it??? Unfortunately that would reduce acceleration times for the hill climb so maybe I'll get a spare diff made up with a 3.89 ratio. I think this would give me the best of both worlds. It was never going to be a one job car and this will always be the problem. However I believe a happy medium can be reached between the two. A medium which will mean I don't have to swap diff's for a event and then back again for the drive home. As many know who have done a diff swap, it aint a nice or a quick job. 

 

Things for the future.........

 

1. Rebuilt engine fitted and re-mapped.

2. New LSD with 3.89 ratio

3. Look at making a rear hatch like a stock GT6.

 

One final thing I'm not sure about at the mo. Brakes. The stock setup works great with the black diamond discs and mintex 1144 pads. However I have had the brakes under very heavy use start to grip less. I wouldn't say they over heated or glazed as they didn't however they were not too far off this. I never had this problem with the hill climbs as they are short and only very fast driving in the hills for a few hours saw me touch this issue maybe twice. Never did the brakes not work or fail to stop me. I have had the current setup lock up in the wet so this does make me question if I need to upgrade atall but if I do then I'll be looking at Canleys Caterham conversion. Only time will tell.

 

More when it happens.

 

Chris.

[thebrookster]

Brakes sound like a touch of heat fade Chris!

 

I'll think you'll find that they will continue to be fine for road use (touches of fade as you describe won't harm the pads normally, they should recover fairly quickly and you'll know if they don't!), however for the hill-climbing you may find you are starting to move up towards hotter pads. Braking in competition driving is normally harder than what you will do on the road, and coupled with the fact you are not exactly the worlds smallest guy you're giving the 1144's a hard work out!!

 

Maybe run a second set of 1155's for competition use, should be a quick swap over?

 

Cheers,

 

Phil

[JohnD]

I'll second that 1155 suggestion, Chris, for road or competition  use.  I got them for Silverback, which was a road/race car and never found them lacking even from cold and never to fade even when racing.    I also fitted vented discs which I'm sure contributed - are yours of that ilk?

 

JOhn

[CHRIS211083]

Hi Guy's, 

              I get no brake fade or reduction in braking when hill climbing. It's only prolonged heavy braking over a long time. 

 

Currently no vented discs John. I don't think I would go for 1155's as I think it would still have the same issue. I now think a vented disc is the only way forward. So looks like I'll be giving Canleys a call for Christmas.

 

Chris.

[thebrookster]

Try vented discs Chris, but I suspect you may well be wasting money tbh. What you describe is the start of brake fade due to overheating on application, vented discs will not cure that.

 

A vented disc will remove general heat from the brakes, i.e. if the discs start glowing then vented will help cool. Big heavy cars put a lot of energy into the discs under normal conditions, which then needs to be dissipated, this is where vented discs can help, as they essentially provide twice the surface for cooling.

 

You are describing the interaction between the pads and the discs, and a vented disc makes bugger all difference here, as the heat transfer doesn't happen that quickly! This is where the different pad compounds come into play. You are putting a lot of energy into your brakes with the engine change, so the "normal" upgrade of 1144's may simply not be enough!! What happens when the pads start to overheat is they produce a gas between the pad and the disc, which reduces the friction. Changing the pad compound is pretty much the only way to solve this. Drilled/Grooved discs are useless (all they really do is reduce the braking area, creating even more heat where the pads are touching!), and vented discs will only be of real use where you are performing heavy sustained braking you describe constantly.

 

Vented discs will however look good, just don't buy them expecting to fix the problem. For that you need 1155 pads, or slow down :P

 

Cheers,

 

Phil

[twincamspit]

M1155 or slow down? Think I can guess which Chris will go for

[Nick Jones]

Ferodo DS2500 is also an excellent compound - if somewhat pricey.

 

Nick

[Hurricane1500]

Not sure I agree with this

 

The problem with spitfire disks is that they are too small

 

The heat builds up in them over prolonged hard use - ie down a large mountain - ask me how I know 😀

 

Better pads will help with this but not resolve the issue

 

Spit callipers can't be fitted with vented disks as there aren't any that fit - can only be done to the larger gt6 type

 

So your options are the gt6 callipers or something none triumph

 

Have to say I love my Canley classic set up and have never had any issues / fade

[Hurricane1500]

Use them with minted 1144 pads

 

All good

[pomwah]

They're showing Commando School on the idiot box over here. Can we expect to see a certain Judo player feature during the series?

[CHRIS211083]

No mate, but its funny to watch. Very light hearted and far from the truth. Apparently they were trying not to put people off joining. Ha Ha. Enjoy.

 

Chris.

[pomwah]

I remember another show on Para training, my brother was somewhat dismissive of its relation to reality, same sort of reasoning behind toning that down too I suppose.

 

Commando School is being broadcast here by a channel called SBS, I only just realised the connection.

 

Cheers,

J.

[CHRIS211083]

Well, Spiddy has been very busy this last few months as have I. He is now up to 13,500 miles and will be at 14,000miles as of Sunday night. I'm happy to report no issues bar  a small coolant weep. I'm still awaiting the new engine but there is no rush as the current engine works fine. The passengers door hinge has become stiff and the elongated hinge mounting holes in both doors need filling in to stop a small draft through the inner part of the door. I also need to fit new felt seals to the drivers window channel and adjust the front quarter lights to seal better. However that is about as long as the list goes. I've also been invited to take part in the classic Monte Carlo rally but i'll be doing the shorter route in Spiddy. I'll be raising money for Help for Heros and will add a link so if any one would like to donate then they can. Apart from that not much happening but if anything does then I'll let you know.

 

Chris.

[CHRIS211083]

Well, I'm now home over the Christmas Period. I've taken an extra week as I have some more PR events that I've been asked to attend so i'm off but still busy till next week. Anyway today was work on the car day. I have not had a day like this in a long long time now and I was actually dreading it. The coolant weep had turned into a leak, this was my main worry. However upon inspection it was just a loose hose clamp. 3/4 of a turn and now no leak. I'm up to 14,500 miles now and wanted to strip and check the front wheel bearings and re-grease them, this also all went fine and the bearing and faces all look great. I also needed to adjust the rear drums and grease the rear axle bearings as they have not been done in 14,500miles. This also all went very well. I really do wonder why I was dreading it so much. I then checked all the drive shaft bolts for tightness and all where fine although the diff had a bit of play in the rotation of each drive shaft. I don't remember it being so before but it makes no noises etc so should be fine. I top it up every 1000miles just to make sure there is plenty oil in there and the alloy diff caseing from Canleys increases this amount to 800mls from 500mls I think so all should be fine. At this point the light was fading so I downed tools after removing the winter wheels and fitting the Alloys again as its getting photo's done on Wednesday for the Monte Carlo Rally. Tomorrows job is to Remove the RBRR and MacMillan Cancer stickers and fit the new replacements. First of which is the Help For Heroes Roundels and secondly The Scottish Salmon Company Logo. H4H is the Charity and Scottish Salmon is going to make a large Donation to H4H as I'll be leaving the logo's on my car till the next event.......When ever that may be. Jobs to do over the Christmas Period are simple ones really. 

 

1.Fit new Front Quarter light inner seals.

2.Fit new Felt seals to drivers glass window channels(passengers already done)

3. Add more sealant to the front windscreen rubber and rear window rubber till leaks stop.

4. Finally adjust the drivers window to touch the seal at the top of the door more as in fast wind it blows the glass away from the seal. 

 

However that is all the action with the car at the moment. The replacement engine is due to arrive in the next week or two but It's not just a case of fitting and running it as it will need mapping etc. Which will be another £350. Also I'm wondering about the max hp the current clutch will take. I've had no spin as of yet but there will be an extra 25bhp+ going through it. Should I just fit one anyway??? So the engine will be placed to one side for a few more weeks till more cash becomes available. As it's amazing how much cash is needed just to get the car back running again. I'm really looking forward to the new engine but it will have to wait. 

 

More when it happens.

 

Chris.

[egret]

I'd be tempted to wait until you can get somewhere nice and warm for sorting the rubber bits.  My experience of rubber parts of late has been that getting them hot makes all the difference with making them seat and seal properly.  I spent an evening trying to seat some E46 front suspension bushes and got nowhere with all sorts of lubricants and hammers, then the next night I went out with a thermos mug of boiling water and had them both on within 5 mins - the brake master cylinder boot also went from plastic to rubber with the addition of some hot water!

 

I don't know what the cause of the windscreen leaks are, but if it's a seating issue with the seals I'd thoroughly recommend trying to get the rubber bits hot to soften them.  I imagine the luxury of sorting it out in a hot garage would make it all the difference!

 

Oh, and congratulations on having so few snagging issues!