Triumph T6 Spitfire Gt Build Chris Sherrington.

[CHRIS211083]

Thanks but my install "guide" is more a what I did. That way I have no liability. People can find out this stuff on their own with a little digging. Shawspeed will respond but I would give them a call too.

 

Chris.

[GT6_sleeper]

Ok, no worries.

 

Cheers Chris. 

[CHRIS211083]

OK so I picked up the rebuilt engine over the weekend from Jon @shawspeed. Yesterday I sat it next to the original engine and tomorrow I should start to swap parts across. 

 

Old verses new!!!

 

 

I like this picture. It shows how well shaped the inlets are and although Jon did clean them up a touch there has been very little needed. Note how simple having the injectors in the head makes things.

 

 

Then on the rear you can see the different rear water outlets. 

 

 

Still need to get bits and bobs to complete but should be done for next month. I'll post some pic's of the progress I make tomorrow. As a small Morale booster I looked back to my Hill climb video's, the new engine should be at least 20bhp more and at least 10lbs ft more torque through out the whole rev range. Its gonna be a beast.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpJPfetPkp8

 

More when it happens.

 

Chris.

[Spit131]

At least your engine is not in need of a rebuild because it's sat in your garage for so long . M

[CHRIS211083]

Ok so started swapping the parts over tonight starting with the rear of the engine.

 

 

Didn't know how far I would get but I did as much as possible. Removing the clutch showed that the flywheel had been hot but was in good condition

 

 

As was the pinto clutch plate, all good news.

 

 

The difference in the rear water outlets.

 

 

Next it was time to remove the front cam belt covers from the old engine and refit to the new one.

 

 

Off with the alternator and then off with the throttles.

 

 

Then engine mounts and water pump pulley swapped.

 

 

It was at this point I noticed that Jon @ Shawspeed had actually done quite a bit with the exhaust ports, didn't spot this before but it should add to the awesome ness.

 

 

 

Everything needed wiping down as the oil engine was leaking oil out the breathers and all over the place.it took a while but I got everything cleaned up and bolted on. I also found one of throttle inlet tubes has worn a hole through the side. I'll need to fix this, will call for a price of a new part but JBweld will probably do fine.

 

 

Only a minor issue but something else that needs sorting. I then tried to fit the Aux belt and it turns out the crank pulley is smaller on this new engine. Will need to add a different length belt to the list.

 

 

And then finally.

 

 

The last few parts to swap.

 

 

Final job before finishing was to grind down the front sump fins to give the chassis clearance needed.

 

 

Still need to buy and fit the spigot bearing and the Aux belt but apart from that and the hole in the throttle body the engine is ready to be refitted.

 

Exciting times.

 

Chris.

[mattius]

Out of interest Chris, how long did it take your protech shocks to arrive? I ordered some last week, not heard anything yet nor been billed.

[CHRIS211083]

Hi Matt,

            I think they arrived within two weeks as he needed to make some new brass spacers. Best to give him a bell and ask.

 

Chris.

[mattius]

Ok cool, just wandered if it was the norm, didn't want to pester the bloke.

[CHRIS211083]

Progress, tonight I started to refit the new engine and new gearbox back into the car.

 

 

 

 Progress will be slow as I have very little cash and have a few ideas to make the car lighter and less complicated on the heater part of the coolant system. Will post once I've done more. There is loads of corrosion on the car from last winters driving. 27,000 miles has taken it toll. Look like I'll be needing to get out the red paint.

 

Chris.

[CHRIS211083]

Did a couple of things to the car last night. One big thing was to improve the heater hose system. It looks a little like this.

 

 

The Ratchet is the heater, it currently runs into the cabin and goes in to the driver and back to the heater to then come out of the heater out the car. New plan was to remove the driver operated valve and this would mean less hose, less clips and more importantly less coolant. So less weight essentially and less hoses under the dash to loosen off and leak. Less joints less issues. So I chose the Taxi heater valve from T7 design. Its 16mm ends and is light weight metal. I was going to put it in the engine bay but after seeing the corrosion to the hose clips and a broken earth lead I decided to fit it inside the car. Here is the new routing, bear in mind the piping is actually shorter than this.

 

 

Much smaller system inside the car, hopfully less issues. I've got 13mm silicone hoses almost everywhere but they do relax over time. So where you do a service you must go round and tighten them up!!!! On the plus side the 13mm silicone hoses will go over the 16mm valve outlets perfectly so this meant the no adapters were needed.

 

I also decided as the 13mm hoses fitted the 5/8 or 16mm adapters so well that I would change the bulkhead passenger side (feed). This allowed me to use just one size hose right passed the valve to the heater. Although the heater connections are 1/2 or 12.7mm and these the 13mm hoses don't like so I've used and adapter here. 

 

 

 

 

New heater valve in place and a Classic mini type heater cable operating it.

 

 

 

Will need to type out some new heater instructions now. This also got me thinking about obvious weight. I've got more tail pipes than I really need and they have corroded on the mild steel Monza pipes. The silencers are stainless so they are fine but the other bits are rusty. I could easily remove one and the noise wont change much. This would very easily remove some weight and I kind of miss the 2" large bore tail pipe I use to have(not the noise). Maybe the local exhaust place could use my current silencer to make one similar. We shall see.

 

 

More when it happens.

 

Chris.

[CHRIS211083]

Well I popped the diff out tonight. Its off to get checked before going back into the car. I thought there was a slight bit of play in the diff but it turns out there isn't but there is a a touch in both output flanges so maybe the splines are worn on them. Will find out soon enough. The operation was totally painless, it came out nice and easy. No bleeding knuckles or stuck bolts etc. Crazy that. 

 

 

Unfortunately my enthusiasm has died again. I've had plenty of chances to put it back on the road but am just not that bothered. To be honest I'm considering options, if I sell it I wont get much for it and I'll need to spend on it before it will be ready to be sold. I also wont recover as much for it selling it whole as if I break the car. I've got all the best parts bits and bobs. After seeing what Willie's car went for there is no way I would sell for that. I have spent about £23,000 on this car. I'm sure I could sell most the parts quite easily and at least double the sale price of willies T6. Would be a bit heart wrenching but it seems like the sensible thing to do. I'm in no rush for the cash but I do have other projects that could be speeded up by Spiddies parting out, the LSD diff is worth £800 on its own once serviced and rebuilt with new seals. What to do??? I did get excited recently about the RBRR but in reality I've done it. Is it worth holding on to the car just for one event each year, I don't think so. Time will tell but I think its time to move on.

 

Chris.

[itiejim]

It'd be a shame to break it. You might get more for it that way but it could take quite some time. My experience of breaking I interesting cars is that the headline parts go quickly and for good money but that the rest can take ages...

 

I'd try advertising it for what you realistically think it's worth before signing the death warrant! You might just find someone prepared to pay a fair price.

[Nick Jones]

Haven't we been here before?  That time you regained your mojo, finished it and have since done 27k miles in it including RBRR and other events and seem to have hugely enjoyed it.........  

 

Needs putting back together, using and enjoying to banish the dark thoughts IMO.  Would be a massive shame to break it as it seems to work so well as a package.

 

As regards costs and money, if you'd spent 23k on a new car 2 years ago, it would now be worth maybe 10K and still dropping like a brick.  Don't see this as being much different, except you ought to get a bit more than that and it's pretty much levelled out as it won't go much lower if you keep it nice (which I'm sure you would) and will probably actually go up over time - you rarely get build / resto costs back unless you pick a car that is riding the crest of a bubble (AH3000, TR5, maybe GT6).

 

Jim's point about selling it piecemeal is well made IMO.  Serious risk of it's ghost hanging around and making you sad for months.  If determined to get rid (personally I think you'd regret it) a better way might be to swap selected high $$ easy sell items (like the diff) for standard items so you can recover a bit of a premium and still sell a complete usable car.

 

Serious thought needed for sure.

 

Nick

[pomwah]

Been in a bit of a slump myself lately, can't seem to summon the motivation to do anything to the car. It's almost as though now I've worked everything out I can't be bothered putting it all together. Hell, I've even stopped looking for T50 boxes to add to my collection. Doesn't mean I don't ever want to get it on the road, just means I'm happy to let it sit in the garage while I think of other things to "improve" on it.

 

To that end, I've just ordered a laser cutter and now I can ponder the intricacies of pulling the upholstery apart, creating templates, cutting leather, including the stitch holes, and creating my own, bespoke, colour scheme. A laser cutter also means I can cut out very intricate dash panels, parcel shelves, glovebox etc. Thinking, also, of getting myself a CNC router, cut my own alloy louvres, maybe a honeycomb grille, so many "optional extras" to add.

 

Just delaying things ..... quite possibly but it serves to build my enthusiasm for completing the car.

 

Take a break, cover it in sheets and do something else for a while. Get your mojo back and then put it all back together. Go do a couple of track days, pit crew for someone at a race meet, anything to take you away from Spiddy for a while but something that will, ultimately, rekindle "the love"

 

Cheers mate.

James

[CHRIS211083]

Cheers Guy's for the thoughts. Its been sat stationary now for 7 months. I could have easily done all the work it requires in about 6 hours but I've not felt the need. Its not like earlier before the RBRR where I was upset everytime I looked at it. Its more of a calm well I've done that now and i'm shifting onto other projects. Will I miss it, yes when the RBRR comes along but I wont miss throwing cash at it. Although it's quite Bomb proof now and it would be a shame to break it. Will see how things progress but if I'm gonna sell it then it needs to be right which means cash for the dyno etc. and that means more time just sat here. Will see how things go but I don't want to throw more moeny at it and it still need paint etc.

 

I've got a few more weeks to think, will probably make the final decision after Christmas.

 

Chris.

[GT6MK3]

Jeezuz Marine.

 

Suck it up, spend the 6 hours, take it for a spin.

 

It'll either re-invigorate, or confirm.

 

6 hours?  I spent more than that today at work, doing something not fun, with only a wage at the end.  You can spend 6 hours and have a 23000 pound toy at your disposal.

 

Less whinging, more spannering...

 

;-)

 

C.

[CHRIS211083]

Can't spanner anymore until the Diff comes back. Spanner Wanking is my day job in the Marines. Its not the spannering thats stopping me. I've spent £23,000 on a car that I'll get £10,000 for if I find the right person and spend another £1000 on it I wont get back. Or I could brake it up and get about £13,000 or more for it without spending on it. I've had fun driving it and I think it's time to move it on to the next person. Just depends on if thats in bits or one piece.

 

Chris.

[zetecspit]

trust me, breaking a car is a real PITA. Yep, the goodies go, sometimes for what you expect, sometimes not. But you end up with a load of stuff that is worth (eg) £5-£50 and can be a mare to sell. I have a T shirt or 2.

[mattius]

The time and effort breaking the car will kill you if thats the way you feel, been there before as well.

 

My Spitfire has sat in the Garage / drive for the last 4 years whilst life gets in the way, i have often been thinking about selling it and buying a caterham. But in reality, i will never have a car like this again, i won't have the time and the mojo to rebuild a car from the ground up.

 

To me the occasional few days a month tinkering away repairing it is almost like therapy away from the bump and grind of daily life. It often involves walking away for 2 or 3 months at a time but its still there and will be back on the road again, just in my own time and when i can be bothered.

 

I was in the exact same place as you 5 years ago when i built it, you totally burn yourself out and loose motivation after such an intense build. I don't regret keeping it and im sure you wouldn't. When mine is back on the road, it will only be out a few times a year, a waste? maybe, but its my car and i want the occasional fun of taking it out, its different from taking the Corvette out, its different from driving the BMW, its just alround different.

 

That being said, only you know the full circumstances of your thought processes, so if you decide it has to go, no one can blame you, i just seems a waste of all that time and effort.

[JohnD]

Chris,

I've had my two previous Vitesses die under me - the second time, over me!    Each time I felt like you, but then that all the skills, knowledge and spares I had would be wasted if I became a Caprinut or a Lotusman.

Each time took at least two years, and since the third time, when SofS's engine blew, it's been two years to get back on the road.

 

Do you have another, lesser project to work on until you d get that mojo back?

John

Edited October 21, 2015 by JohnD

[CHRIS211083]

Well, It's gonna sit in the Heated Hangar till after Christmas and then I'll make a decision.

 

Chris

[CHRIS211083]

[Nick Jones]

Yo ho........ masochist!    

 

See you at Badgers Holt again then.

 

Nick

[GT6MK3]

Yay!    

[CHRIS211083]

Your right Nick. Dont know why im doing it again. Best reason was because I technically only did half of the RBRR last time. That and now I have a reason to put the car back together. Fingers crossed I can get time off come the event.

 

Chris.