Another Triumph Spitfire

[dikkie]

I just ordered myself a colortune - Halfords had them for £25 which seems to be the cheapest around (for once!). You're welcome to borrow it if you want to try the twin carb tuning technique...

[robp]

Shock, horror!  After over two months, I made it back to the garage and got my hands on the Spit again!  (I've been working on the house for weeks so I haven't had any time for the car).

Right, time to sort out this effing fuel issue.  I fired up the electric pump but it couldn't pull any fuel through.  Fuel tank half full.  OK, disconnect pump and see if I can suck some through.  Arrh!  Mouth full of petrol!  Put mechanical pump on; no feed.  Elec pump; no feed.  Do I really want to drink anymore fuel?    I'm now working my way back down the car with the fuel line.  No fuel in line from tank.  My mouthful must have been what was left in the line.  I wonder if it's something to do with the pick up inside the tank? 

Now it is a couple of hours since I left the garage and I still getting petrol burps.

[Moleman]

Well I suppose it's cheaper than drinking whisky? If drinking fuel does it for you mate?    Good job you don't like a fag with your drink? 

[YellaBelly]

Rob, I have just put my fuel pump back on as we are nearly at the 'first start' stage! I was getting no fuel at all on the starter motor (plugs out) so I took the pump off and checked it manually with a little fuel in a jar and still nothing. Took the cover off and checked the filter gauze but it seemed fine. So I put it back together and just nipped the cover down a little tighter than it was. Tried again manually and it was fine! Put the pump back on the car and tried on the starter and got a lovely stream of fuel I reckon that the cover might not have been nipped down enough and had a little leak of air so not getting the suction?

Anyhow, I know you have tried your electric one and still the same but if you can suck fuel from the tank I would be surprised if the pump can't. Try blowing down the line back to the tank and also try the pumps off the car, might be worth a go?

HTH.

JB

[robp]

I have decided to work my way down the fuel system starting right back at the tank.  First job is to get the tank out and check it's innards.  In the Spit, it sits between the seats and the boot.

First job was to remove the inner panel in the boot.


Next, I disconnected the filler hose and five bolts and it's out.  That was easy!  Mmm, hole on the right must be what is left of the breather.


Once the tank was out the car I flushed it out with some fresh fuel.  Bit of crap came out but not too bad.  Next, I cleaned out the pipe that draws fuel from the bottom of the tank.


After cleaning everything up and re-fitting the lift pipe, I connected the fuel pump directly to it with a short piece of hose.  Job done.  Works a treat!


Finally, I refitted the tank to the car.
Next step: Replace the fuel line from the tank to the engine compartment.

[Daley Down Under]

Good progress Rob - keep up the good work 

[YellaBelly]

I've got one of those tanks in my Locost Rob

[robp]

I was wondering if I work hard enough and really pull out all the stops I could getting my Spitfire looking like this example on EBay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-Spitfire-1500-1976-/261349663933?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3cd9a764bd

[Lucky Ed]

I was wondering if I work hard enough and really pull out all the stops I could getting my Spitfire looking like this example on EBay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-Spitfire-1500-1976-/261349663933?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3cd9a764bd

WTF

[Moleman]

I like all types of creations but I'm not sure about this one. 

[bluehornetrider]

I'm impressed someone would go to such effort to butcher a decent shape into something so cocking awful!  The fake air intake on the top of the engine really did it for me.

[Daley Down Under]

I was wondering if I work hard enough and really pull out all the stops I could getting my Spitfire looking like this example on EBay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-Spitfire-1500-1976-/261349663933?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3cd9a764bd

Shambles or even Omnishambles

['The Gaffer']

Not sure what to say really.

[robp]

I wouldn't worry too much mate, in the 'old' days they reckoned at the factory "if it shuts, it fits"

I've just seen this photo on another forum.  The panel gaps look awful so perhaps I don't need to worry too much!! 

[Iancider]

Rob,

Being a little long in the tooth - I remember that cars from the 60-80's had lost the bespoke perfection of their predecessors and body panel fits were pretty approximate.  On several occasions I bought near new cars with dodgy fits and had to straighten them out - it was normal.  It was in the time where Fords were called Dagenham dustbins and they fitted doors with an oversize wooden mallet - yes the did, they really did!  From the mid 80's Quality became a lead issue and fits mattered again.  High pressure presses became the norm and they "coined" panels (as in hit them really hard) to fix their shape and remove the variability.  We have now got used to the precision and expect it but it wasnt like that for a long time.

It also reminds me of that thing about "Cars were made better then". No they weren't - it is only the good ones that have survived.  The Worst car I ever encountered was a Rover SDI 3.5 V8.  I used to Valet cars for dealers when the Rover SDI was delcared Car of the Year.  I was asked to valet one at 6 months old and cut my hand badly when cleaning under the drivers door - the bottom had rotted-out.  When I opened the tail-gate the whole of the hinge mounts and the rear of the roof flexed.  It was a rot-box at 6 months and none of the panels fitted at all well.  The dash panel had only half of its fixings, the speedometer read high and it had half a dozen intermittent faults.  I bandaged my hand and the dealer wrote it off at 6 months old.  My guess is that the lovely engine lives on in a much better-built kit car now. 

[YellaBelly]

Like I said before Rob, a quote from an old MG fitter: "if it shuts, it fits"

[robp]

Right.  We are moving again. 

I moved house a few months ago and since then the Spitfire has been sat on the drive under a cover.  The garage has been so full of junk left over from the move there was no room for the car.  There has been 101 jobs to do on the new house and the Spit has been ignored. 

Well, there is still plenty to do on the house, but I have managed to get around to clearing the garage.  A few trips to the dump and finally there was enough room to get the car in the garage.



The car seemed to have suffered no ill effects from it's time under the cover.  I pinched it's battery for the Westfield a few weeks ago which will now need to be replaced.

I was going to get on with re-skinning the doors and replacing the front wings.  However, since JB is busy with the SUs on the MG, I think I'll join the fold and get my engine running smoothly first.

[robp]

Ho, ho.  Just got this message when adding my post! 

Warning: this topic has not been posted in for at least 120 days.
Unless you're sure you want to reply, please consider starting a new topic.

Yep.  Need to get things moving again! 

[Iancider]

Yeah,

It is disappointing when mere machines start to nag - I mean we're only blokes doing our best - we don't multi-task - we just do one thing at a time and sometimes there are just too many things happening one after the other.  120 days is not a "delay" it is a normal interruption in a bloke's intended schedule. 

The good news is you are back in your comfort zone now Rob!

[Moleman]

Nice one Rob. Glad your back on it mate.    I think you have sent my house warming invite to the wrong address mate. 

Ian speak for yourself I'm good at multi-tasking, what ever I'm doing I still can think about half naked ladies while doing it. 

[Bulldog Bri]

Nice one Rob. Glad your back on it mate.    I think you have sent my house warming invite to the wrong address mate. 

Ian speak for yourself I'm good at multi-tasking, what ever I'm doing I still can think about half naked ladies while doing it. 

Especially when your arm is stuck in a piece of furniture your putting together. 

Wish my garage was that tidy!

[Pilgrim Anna]

Well done Rob. What a tidy garage . Poor Bri doesn't get much time to tidy his what with work, looking after Joao, dogs etc....

[YellaBelly]

Nice one Rob! Great to see it's moving again

But I now feel really depressed, moved from a HUGE duble garage to no garage and miss it like mad, especially with this long hot summer we aren't getting! All my jobs on the Midget need to be squeezed in between rain

Still fighting with the rich running too!!

[robp]

Wish my garage was that tidy!

Thanks Bri.  To be fair, that is the good view.  If I had taken the photo looking the other way it would be a different story! 

[Moleman]

My other half always comments on how I keep my garage spotless but not the house. 

[robp]

One thing good about Spitfires is how the whole front of the car lifts up to get access to the engine.  This gives lots of room for working on things and you can (just about) sit of the front tyre whilst grafting.  However, good as this is, I'm starting to get bored with banging my head on the corner of the bonnet everytime I go and get another spanner.  Enough is enough.  Off it comes!



Now there is loads of room 

Couple of things to note in the photo:
1. Rag around the brake master cylinder.  It has been leaking brake fluid and has managed to ruin the paintwork on the scuttle.  Eh,ho.  We'll get on to that later.
2. There is no battery.  Hope get this sorted ASAP so I can start playing engines again. 

[robp]

.... moved from a HUGE double garage to no garage ....

Yes, must be difficult.  Any room at the new place to build a garage in the future?  A garage was on the list of must haves when I moved.  Strangely, it wasn't on SWMBO's list though.

[YellaBelly]

.... moved from a HUGE double garage to no garage ....

Yes, must be difficult.  Any room at the new place to build a garage in the future?  A garage was on the list of must haves when I moved.  Strangely, it wasn't on SWMBO's list though.

If it wasn't rented Rob I would, loads of room! Maybe I can talk the landlords into letting me use an outbuilding they have sitting empty

[Bulldog Bri]

Where I am now was the first place I've ever bought that never had a garage. Best excuse to build the biggest I could get away with then

[robp]

One thing I discovered after the cars lay up over the move, was the brake master cylinder had leaked it contents all over the scuttle area.  The brake fluid had done a good job of stripping the paintwork in that area!

I took everything off and cleaned it up and resprayed the area.  I couldn't be bothered to muck about replacing seals so just got a new master cylinder.

All back together now so I just have to bleed the brakes.

[robp]

I've got a new battery now so I thought I'd have a quick try to fired up the engine.  Started OK with plenty of choke and revved up to nearly 2000rpm.  It seemed to be running fairly smoothly.  As I backed off the choke to bring the revs down it started running unevenly.  One of the exhaust bobbins had broken and the misfiring engine made one of the back pipes start banging away properly!  I shut if off before I upset too many neighbours!

It looks like the carbs are out of balance.  I'll get my syncrometer on them although I'll probably wait until the brakes are ready. 

[Daley Down Under]

One thing I discovered after the cars lay up over the move, was the brake master cylinder had leaked it contents all over the scuttle area.  The brake fluid had done a good job of stripping the paintwork in that area!

I took everything off and cleaned it up and resprayed the area.  I couldn't be bothered to muck about replacing seals so just got a new master cylinder.

All back together now so I just have to bleed the brakes.

Rob - you know the rules.  Two steps forward one step back

Adrian

[robp]

The Spit's bonnet needs a bit of work.  It's been patched up in the past with glass fibre.  The inner wheel arches have been replaced but the out sections are in a poor state.  Also, the front wing sections need replacing too.



I want to get started although I'm determined to get the engine running right first! 

[Iancider]

Rob,

The picture doesn't look too bad.  [You are absolutey right about priorities - you want to know it runs alright before it gains a pretty skin!].

It looks easy enough to cut-out and patch the steel but as the inner wings are removable, have you thought of using them as a cast to make fibreglass replacements that would be more durable OR mat fibre-glassing over the patched inner wing.  I guess some purists would not like the thought but it cant be seen and a cast would be beter than the original and lighter.

Regards
Ian

['The Gaffer']

Keep up the good work Rob, you will get there in the end

[bluehornetrider]

My bonnet is the same, the more I look around my spit the more work I find needs doing, I've a small split at the windscreen side of the bonnet and needs welding!  I will get round to prying it out but the porsche is taking priority at the moment.

[robp]

I've managed to make some progress on the Spitfire again.

The bodywork on the car is pretty good.  The only areas that need attention are the bonnet and the doors.  I have started on the bonnet.  Fortunately the main section is OK.  It is the wing sections and the wheel arches that are poor.

I got the bonnet in the garage.  First job was the drill out the spot welds to separate the wings from the bonnet.  I don't know who originally welded it up back in the 70's in Coventry but they must have been paid per weld.  There was loads of them!  And all at a different pitch!

Some sections needed a grinder.  This easily cut through all the metal, filler and glass fibre that the car had acquired over the years!!     Fine but left the garage filled with dust!

[robp]

This shows the state of the wing and outer wheel arch.


Headlight surround will need attention.


Old wing off.

[robp]

Finally got my new panels through from Moss (who recently had a discount).  Seem to go on OK.  Bit more alignment, etc. before fixing in place.



These dark evenings are great.  I can't work on the garden anymore and have been forced to go to the garage! 

[Daley Down Under]

You don't want to go rushing these jobs Rob