Nick Jones Posted January 16, 2017 Author Posted January 16, 2017 I thought they were quite tough...... a former colleague has one which has done 215k miles on the original 1.4 pushrod engine. Not a thing of beauty but it still moves....... Nick
JMH Posted January 17, 2017 Posted January 17, 2017 (edited) Problem with the old pushrod engine is - if it blows a head gasket, the entire cylinder liner will often come lose (overheating of the lower sealing ring). No chance of a quick head gasket change; you will have to drop the piston, change sealing ring, skim the **** thing etc. Seen quite a few with the 'for sale - just fitted a new head gasket' (...=that will keep you going until you have left sellers doorstep... ). Edited January 17, 2017 by JMH
Nick Jones Posted January 17, 2017 Author Posted January 17, 2017 Ah, ok, had forgotten they were wet-liner engines...... Nick
Nick Jones Posted January 21, 2017 Author Posted January 21, 2017 Was downright Baltic in the garage today - didn't get above freezing. Progress was mixed. First up was fit handbrake linkage..... This is in effect a Spitfire with rotoflex and has two sets of handbrake guides - we are intending to use the roto ones as mounted on the body (by us).Problem number 1 relates to the relay arm. We have two to choose from and they are different. One has the arm in the centre of the pivot bush. The other is offset roughly 1/3 - 2/3. This gives us 3 possible vertical positions between the two arms. The offset one mounted with the arm uppermost gives the best alignment with the handbrake guides, but fouls slightly on the floor where the front cable attaches towards the end of travel. We have no idea which arm a roto car should have or which way up it should go! Any one know?Problem number two was fitting the rear cable through the guides. Not a fun job. Then the cable appeared to be too long, at which point we realised some dimwit, me unfortunately had fed the cable through the chassis guides not the body ones. Getting the cable out again was a real cow. Re-threading it through the body mounted guides was much worse. The cable now seems to be too short! I have no inclination remove it again without very good reason, so there will be more fiddling about! Problem number three came when building up the rear brakes. The new shoes I've been keeping as spares for the Vitesse (which should also be correct for roto Spit) turned out to be about 10mm too wide. They look right in all other respects. Wish I could remember where I got them.......We did manage to bend a bit of tube to serve as the exhaust centre section though. And the brakes are now hydraulically complete, though not yet fluid filled. Oh, and the fan belt is fitted, so we guessed the length right!Nick
oldtuckunder Posted January 22, 2017 Posted January 22, 2017 Was downright Baltic in the garage today - didn't get above freezing. Progress was mixed. First up was fit handbrake linkage..... This is in effect a Spitfire with rotoflex and has two sets of handbrake guides - we are intending to use the roto ones as mounted on the body (by us). Problem number 1 relates to the relay arm. We have two to choose from and they are different. One has the arm in the centre of the pivot bush. The other is offset roughly 1/3 - 2/3. This gives us 3 possible vertical positions between the two arms. The offset one mounted with the arm uppermost gives the best alignment with the handbrake guides, but fouls slightly on the floor where the front cable attaches towards the end of travel. We have no idea which arm a roto car should have or which way up it should go! Any one know? You need a poly tunnel My Vitesse workshop documentation which doesn't differentiate between rotoflex and not, has an offset bush and shows the longer portion being fitted top side i.e. body side not bracket side, felt washer top, rubber seal bottom. Correct angle when handbrake off 15deg towards rear Alan
Nick Jones Posted January 22, 2017 Author Posted January 22, 2017 Thanks. Yeah, was experiencing polytunnel envy yesterday..... We experimented some more today. What you say about the Vitesse one makes sense - for swing axle cars - that would give the best alignment with the chassis brackets and clears the floor easily. Flip it up the other way and it gives the best alignment with the roto floor brackets - but would potentially foul on the tunnel - though perhaps only if the adjustment was incorrectly shared out between front and rear cables. In the end we fitted the symmetrical one - and put a small twist in it so the compensator was following the slight angle the cable wants to be at and the front cable clears the floor. All greased up and free moving. Can't finally test it as the shoes don't fit...... Otherwise, the brakes are done bar filling and bleeding. Also fitted the propshaft (already fitted a new UJ at the UJ end) and then returned to the exhaust. The newly made link pipe was fitted and then the Y and silencers offered up to mark the length. Now cut and fitted together but awaiting bracketry. We're going to make some brackets to use modern hanging rubbers at the rear and at the diff. Not a big fan of cotton reels or straps. We've also being surveying our fuel tank collection. All are different and all fairly ugly. Front one has the outlet on the bottom and no other connection. Middle one has the outlet on the top plus a vent (and looks like it's been stored in the sea) Back one has the outlet on the top and no other connection. Chris has been making brackets for non-standard header tank and washer bottle plus tinkering with pipe layouts. We're getting there...... Then Chris was off to panto rehearsal (sound man) and I had a date with a hedge...... unholy mixture of blackthorn and bramble so my arms now look like I've been wrestling a grumpy leopard...... Nick
Nick Jones Posted February 2, 2017 Author Posted February 2, 2017 Got some brake shoes that fit - even if they do look like they were made by a 9 year old under a tree in India. There was then an extended wrestling match to get the handbrake cable fitted as it's a bit short. We got it on, just, at the limit of adjustment everywhere, but the brakes bind something fierce. The handbrake has been pulled on hard for a week to stretch the cable, which does seem to have done the trick, though this is still with the suspension at full droop and I'm fairly sure the problem will recur when the car goes on it's wheels..... Possibly a side-effect of our suspension mods marginally widening the track..... Propshaft now fitted, driveshafts painted and will go on tomorrow - making the driveline complete. Exhaust has been offered up, bent and beaten, re-offered and so on.... Seems to be about there now and is awaiting some creativity with hangers. Carbs now properly fitted and throttle working. Fuel system complete apart from tank and electric pump (at rear). The electric pump at the rear and pipe routing is designed to minimise heat pick-up and vaporisation issues - we hope! We've swilled out a couple of the tanks this afternoon and discovered that they both have baffles. Our third one (seems to be later - has top outlet and vent port) has no baffles and is really rusty. Planning to use the bottom outlet one at present. Cooling system is complete, but empty. Lot's of wires to connect up. Windscreen to fit. Engine bay shot...... not happy with the hose routing at present Nick
oldtuckunder Posted February 2, 2017 Posted February 2, 2017 Looking good, are you having grandfather thoughts? Alan
Nick Jones Posted February 10, 2017 Author Posted February 10, 2017 Grandfather??!!! Progress continues - slowly. The "odds and sods" jobs always take 5 times longer than expected and it's flippin' freezing in the garage. (More poly-tunnel envy!)Trying to get the fuel system buttoned up as I'd like to be firing this thing up soon - but on it's own systems, not jury-rig.Fuel tank is in and we are now trying to figure out how to get the filler neck in.The issues are:The filler neck has a lump on the side which looks like it's intended for a breather connection, though it is actually blank. This lump on the side means that although the grommet will stretch over it, there is no way the neck will pass through the grommet once the grommet is fitted in the deck. It also seems that there is no way that the grommet can be persuaded into the hole in the deck whilst the filler neck is in it.....While all this is going on the filler neck also needs to engage with the hose sleeve on the top of the tank.There has been some (well, quite alot of) cussing already - any clues would be appreciated! It's possible that the grommet/seal we have is not the correct one - it's a conventional grommet with symmetrical cross-section, with an equal lip both sides of the panel groove?ThanksNick
Nick Jones Posted February 12, 2017 Author Posted February 12, 2017 Exhaust now fitted. Has been a bit of a mission, not helped by our fitting boot-riggers which has made things very tight. This is the roomier side I was also determined to avoid those bloody horrible straps which are so good at transmitting noise into the car. This meant fashioning some extra bracketry. Still, it's on now, and pretty well tucked up for a twin system. Hope it's not too loud...... Nick
egret Posted February 13, 2017 Posted February 13, 2017 Is that just rear boxes without a centre box? I'd love to know how loud it is. I've got a carbon silencer from a 100hp honda CBR and I plan to do something similar (although with a single exhaust), but I've a nagging worry that the low frequencies might be very loud.
Nick Jones Posted February 13, 2017 Author Posted February 13, 2017 No centre box. I'm also most curious about how loud it'll be. The twin system (round boxes, not oval like these) I had on my old Herald years ago was VERY loud. I hope this isn't as no room for a middle box........ Nick
oldtuckunder Posted February 14, 2017 Posted February 14, 2017 on the Vitesse I had a central box and a single rear similar to the one in your picture, it was whisper quiet and rather unexciting, I also had to be careful loading on trailer not to catch centre box, so I took it off expecting it to be a bit loud, but was still quite acceptable and next noise test came out at 95db at around 4K static. So I think how loud a single box is depends a lot on the type, baffle or absorption, and if absorption (as mine is) how knackered the stuffing is! Alan
Nick Jones Posted February 16, 2017 Author Posted February 16, 2017 How knackered the stuffing is or how choked with carbon........ The box I run on the Vitesse is a rather nice stainless straight-through one that came from Canleys. Sounded nice - until the first time I went on a long run and got it properly hot. To cut a long story short I eventually dismembered it (there's a thread on here somewhere) and discovered that whomever had assembled it had used most of a roll of tape to hold the wire wool around the perforated pipe and this had melted and effectively sealed the pipe off from the box itself - so the reason it had sounded as though it was doing no silencing was because it wasn't. So, meanwhile, the Spitfire now has a working clutch...... and brakes. Both a little lower in the pedal than I'd like so there may be another round of bleeding in the offing once things have settled. We also managed to get the fuel filler neck and it's B@$T@RD grommet into place - that involved a lot of cussing! Now playing with coloured spaghetti - complicated by some raving optimist having refitted the dash and instruments first. There are a few little complications caused by swapping dash and instruments ( law of unintended consequences coming out to play again), so there will be some additional piddling about to make all that work...... then there is is the extra extra wiring caused by electric windows, central locking and electric fuel pump...... Still planning to get it running this weekend. Nick
oldtuckunder Posted February 16, 2017 Posted February 16, 2017 ...... then there is is the extra extra wiring caused by electric windows, central locking and electric fuel pump...... Still planning to get it running this weekend. Engine? or electric windows and central locking?
Nick Jones Posted February 16, 2017 Author Posted February 16, 2017 Engine. I'm really not fussed about the other - his problem! (no doubt will become mine though....) Nick
Nick Jones Posted February 18, 2017 Author Posted February 18, 2017 It's alive After priming the oil system, fitting and timing the distributor and powering the fuel pump, I just pulled out the choke and it fired up instantly...... Didn't have the camera running for that unfortunately. Seems smooth and eager. Only run for about 10 mins as it puked up it's coolant, possibly because the pump was leaking and let the level drop a bit. Drove into the garage under it's own power this evening. Plenty left to do though! Nick
Nick Jones Posted February 18, 2017 Author Posted February 18, 2017 And for those wondering about the exhaust note - it sounds rather nice. Not too loud either. Thanks to Alan for the manifold and to Bruce for the ex-GT6 twin system - they play well together Nick
triumphlux Posted February 19, 2017 Posted February 19, 2017 Well done! The exhaust looks and sounds good, lets hope that the baffling doesn't fall to bits after a few thousand miles.
egret Posted February 19, 2017 Posted February 19, 2017 Sound's good. Not too loud and hopefully not obnoxious at motorway speeds!
Nick Jones Posted March 3, 2017 Author Posted March 3, 2017 New water pump fitted. It now holds water, and runs up to temperature at which point the fan cuts in and out at low speed as it should. There's a high speed in there too, which will probably only be needed in Nice traffic on a hot Friday afternoon......Video specially for Bruce https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP3MxIt19L8&feature=youtu.beNote the fabricated alloy side panels...... Not sure why he painted them - they were rather beautiful naked!We also now have lights (headlights via relays), horn, brake lights and the wipers work via the original switch - though as he wants to use an non-OE switch (though it looks and functions as OE), intermittent wiper box and an electric pump there is still some more monkeying around to do.We managed to get the OD circuits working after some effort. Both the gearknob switch and inhibitor switch were non-functional initially but fortunately fixable.The reversing lights don't work (another stuck switch probably) and the indicators are resisting us too. Also need to figure out how to add the Hazard switch though need to get the indicators working first before breaking them again.....The boot lock arrangement is also coming along. It's going to be really quite slick when he's got it all working but it's eating the hours! The electric window wiring and central locking remain future challenges. Fog light, running lights and high level brake light are also planned.Nick
Nick Jones Posted March 5, 2017 Author Posted March 5, 2017 Spot the boot lock...... .......it even works!
oldtuckunder Posted March 5, 2017 Posted March 5, 2017 If its where I think it is neat, new headlining going in?
Nick Jones Posted March 6, 2017 Author Posted March 6, 2017 It's in the middle of the right hand reflector........ an Audi trick. Difficult to see in that pic as the reflector still reflects. Headlining was taken down to see how much it influences head room. Not very much....... Not sure whether he's decided to put it back or what. We've yet to try a hood on it so I don't know whether the head-room will be more or less than the hardtop with the hood up. Nick
Nick Jones Posted March 11, 2017 Author Posted March 11, 2017 Our Spitfire project has arrived at the seat belt stage. It's an early Mk4 so presumably had static belts originally. We did get a few seat-belty odds and sods in the heap of bits that came with the carcass, but nothing that looks like it might have belonged. Some even have Citroen markings which figures as the PO had a 2CV problem.Anyhow, we'd like inertia belts really and as all the usual suspects list 500/30 for the Spitfire we bought....... 500/15s (listed for GT6 strangely enough) as any fool can see that 30cm stalks are stupidly long for the job.Looking at them today I can see no half reasonable way to attach them, using the original mounting points without making up some decent bracketry as those supplied with the kit are just a bad joke. Even then belt angles will be poor so they won't run smoothly and will wear out quickly.I have found some pics that seem to show inertia reels on late US market cars mounted on the inside face of the wheel tubs and this would give a sensible belt run. This of course calls for new holes, re-enforcement plates and, ideally, welding on our nicely painted tub..... which is unwelcome at this stage of the game.Anyone found any cunning way round this? Advice appreciated!TIANickAnd why do all the suppliers and even the manufacturer list what is clearly the wrong product that has no chance of providing a safe install?
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