Achtung! 1979 Spitfire 1500 - good news, bad news...

[SiC]

My plan with my Midget is to go proper old school and have a full tonneau cover with no hood. Then run with the hard top (I got one with it) if I want to go out in really rubbish weather.

I actually quite the look of the hard top on the Spitfire. While not as flowing as a GT6, I think they suit them quite well.

 

[Surface Rust]

27 minutes ago, N Dentressangle said:

 

Finally, courtesy of Moss there's a new rad top hose to fit which I'm hoping will be squishy enough to stop the Kenlowe sensor from leaking.

Stay tuned for more exciting* updates!

Going back a few years, but when I fitted a Kenlowe fan to my mini it came with one of these which is a squishy silicone and seals well between the thermostat pipe and the top hose. Might be worth checking if yours is still there or is missing. Failing that, a smear of RTV might do it.

[N Dentressangle]

Brilliant - thank you! I'm pretty sure mine is missing this bit. Given that the installing gibbon couldn't figure out how to wire the fan up properly, I'm not that surprised. Current top hose is one of those hardish canvas type ones rather than the squishy rubber black bellows type original.

I'll be generous with the silicone sealant.

[Back_For_More]

With my 1500 I also went hardtop and tonneau as I spent approx 90% of the time open and a hat if necessary.... The heater is more than adequate for most weather. 

Not sure how your tracking is but I found my mounts on the inner arms had ovalled over the 30+yrs. I welded in heavy washers to centralise it all again, made a massive difference. 

Looks a cracker - I still miss the agricultural feel and tappet hollar at high revs of my old one. 

Watching with yearning..... 

[N Dentressangle]

Tracking feels good - light, direct steering so you can flick between lanes like a bike. Plus the advantage of being able to identify by feel anything you run over 😉

I forgot to mention the best thing about this car.

Driving can be such a misery these days. People are so grumpy and aggressive, with mucho competitivo attitude. Riding a motorbike takes you out of that particular rat race / willy waving contest, but I'm normally reminded of what cunts some people are when I drive a car again. The Spitfire is different: everyone lets you out, no-one gets angry with you when you fuck up or pull out on them, folks seem to allow you room. I've been really pleasantly surprised how easy getting in and out of Bristol is in this car, and how nice it is to drive something utterly uncompetitive with modern cars but which is such a laugh to drive.

Should be available on prescription.

[Back_For_More]

I forgot that part TBH - I think the most smiled at and waved at car by a country mile..... 

I definitely haven't* been trawling sites over the last hour. Not as if I have a garage racking full of spares to use up 

[N Dentressangle]

4 minutes ago, Back_For_More said:

I forgot that part TBH - I think the most smiled at and waved at car by a country mile..... 

I definitely haven't* been trawling sites over the last hour. Not as if I have a garage racking full of spares to use up 

I found there were very few 1500's around. Mk 4's seem much more common.

I know not many Spits are going to be advertised at this time of year anyway, but maybe the later full-on BL cars like mine rotted especially badly? Who knows

[SiC]

This thread is making me really want a Spitfire. Well I've not stopped wanting one but just not got around to having one yet as it's never quite been the right time when I've found one (i.e. too many cars!). The problem right now is that I have too many cars and too many projects (and too many expenses). The want is strong enough though that I'm awfully tempted to sell on the Dolomite Sprint project as is and buying a (working) Spitty.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

7 minutes ago, SiC said:

This thread is making me really want a Spitfire. Well I've not stopped wanting one but just not got around to having one yet as it's never quite been the right time when I've found one (i.e. too many cars!). The problem right now is that I have too many cars and too many projects (and too many expenses). The want is strong enough though that I'm awfully tempted to sell on the Dolomite Sprint project as is and buying a (working) Spitty.

What happened to the Frogeye idea? Brilliant little cars. 

[GeorgeB]

7 hours ago, N Dentressangle said:

 

The soft top is crap. Badly fitting and probably badly fitted too, so plenty of drafts at motorway speeds. Not really tried it in the rain yet, but my right leg is going to get wet, that's for sure.

 

TADTS

[N Dentressangle]

19 minutes ago, SiC said:

This thread is making me really want a Spitfire. Well I've not stopped wanting one but just not got around to having one yet as it's never quite been the right time when I've found one (i.e. too many cars!). The problem right now is that I have too many cars and too many projects (and too many expenses). The want is strong enough though that I'm awfully tempted to sell on the Dolomite Sprint project as is and buying a (working) Spitty.

Sprint prices are crazy. You'd get a fantastic Spitfire for Sprint money.

It's also why I went for one that's not a project - too many already. Tinkering and gradual improvement is fine, but it's not coming off the road for anything.

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, Dick Longbridge said:

What happened to the Frogeye idea? Brilliant little cars. 

Little being the operative word. Have you got into, or out of, one recently?

[Dick Cheeseburger]

35 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Little being the operative word. Have you got into, or out of, one recently?

Are you calling me fat? 🤣

[High Jetter]

I struggled when in my teens, 30" waist and 6' tall! 

[N Dentressangle]

9 hours ago, High Jetter said:

Little being the operative word. Have you got into, or out of, one recently?

I'm guessing they're the same as the Midget I tried. Fab drive once you're in, but I really had to origami myself to get my legs in. And I'm 5'11'' and 15 stone, so not massive.

The Spit is slightly easier, and noticeably less snug once you're installed.

[Conan]

18 hours ago, N Dentressangle said:

Driving can be such a misery these days. People are so grumpy and aggressive, with mucho competitivo attitude. Riding a motorbike takes you out of that particular rat race / willy waving contest, but I'm normally reminded of what cunts some people are when I drive a car again. The Spitfire is different: everyone lets you out, no-one gets angry with you when you fuck up or pull out on them, folks seem to allow you room. I've been really pleasantly surprised how easy getting in and out of Bristol is in this car, and how nice it is to drive something utterly uncompetitive with modern cars but which is such a laugh to drive.

This too is what I've found to be the best thing about driving any classic car, but especially ones which many people have fond memories of. I think it helps that most old cars are smol (well, more smol than modern equivalent) with simple, less aggressive styling (for example, big round headlamps) and thus feels less threatening to anyone that sees it.

I've been following since the wanted thread. Seems you got a great car. 😃

[N Dentressangle]

So, today's thrillz:

Made sure we had adequate potions in stock:

I usually try for 50:50 in cars, but this one will be much weaker than that. Started by removing the world's most accessible bottom hose:

What came out looked like mostly rusty coloured water, which is why I've kept it in the garage for the past week. An optimist would say it was longlife antifreeze, but I say bollocks. Orange antifreeze doesn't leave orange deposits all over the top of the radiator core. It got a really good flush through, including removing the 'cold' hose from the heater matrix and back flushing that. Must have been a fair bit left in the block and matrix as it only took 2.5l or so of the 4.5l it's supposed to - that'll bring the antifreeze concentration down a bit so I'll be topping up with neat for the foreseeable.

Ran up to temp, stat opened and fan kicked in and all is good. Happy days.

Whilst I was doing this, Pat and Jess arrived with a parcel. It was the bits I'd ordered on Nov 23! Packhorse would have been quicker.

So, I set to replacing the sexy little rubber boots on the clutch and brake levers:

sprayed up and fitted the original battery clamp (no pics, it's just too exciting), and then replaced the missing (why? WTF?) nice chrome door pull escutcheons:

This is the passenger door, which also needed a hinge pin for the release handle making from a suitably sized nail. The gibbon had used rivets to attach the handle top and bottom rather than a pin, and only one was gamely hanging on in there. With the trim removed, I also freed up the locking mechanism and adjusted it so the door can be locked from the inside.

If you're sharp eyed you'll have spotted the only MoT worthy rust on this car - the tiny localised hole in front of the tread plate. The sills are otherwise sound, so the plan is to carefully chop out that matchbox sized piece, let in some new metal and then fill the whole thing with waxoyl.

[N Dentressangle]

This looks smart:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/385303628851?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=nmPCYxvMS_e&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=3fVYaSNwS9a&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

No O/D, but that can be retro-fitted and wouldn't put me off it otherwise

[SiC]

Looks like it's sold already.

[N Dentressangle]

18 hours ago, SiC said:

Looks like it's sold already.

It's back!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/385305208124?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=nmPCYxvMS_e&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=3fVYaSNwS9a&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[SiC]

A lot more expensive now! I wonder if someone had said "it's too cheap!"

One I'm going to watch though as it's Xmas and stuff doesn't sell. So may get relisted for better value. 

This time of year I find are the best priced stuff. 

[SiC]

Picked up a panel in Moss yesterday. They had their GT6 training chassis out the front. Apparently setup a few years ago at a colleague, BL training centre or something. Anyway I took a few pictures that might be handy in the future for reference on the chassis. Or just interesting to gawp at like I did.

Even though the Spitfire/GT6/etc is a lot bendier vehicle than an MG, that suspension is more advanced. Except that retched swing axle.

[Mr Pastry]

4 minutes ago, SiC said:

Except that retched swing axle.

That is not a swing axle.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

12 minutes ago, SiC said:

Picked up a panel in Moss yesterday. They had their GT6 training chassis out the front. Apparently setup a few years ago at a colleague, BL training centre or something. Anyway I took a few pictures that might be handy in the future for reference on the chassis. Or just interesting to gawp at like I did.

Even though the Spitfire/GT6/etc is a lot bendier vehicle than an MG, that suspension is more advanced. Except that retched swing axle.

What's the idea behind rotoflex couplings? 

[SiC]

11 minutes ago, Mr Pastry said:

That is not a swing axle.

Is it not? What does the Swing Axle look like?

[Mr Pastry]

GT6 with wishbone and Rotoflex at top, swing axle with rigid driveshaft below.  Both use the transverse spring.    

[Rocket88]

Many years ago I know someone who shoe horned a Rover V8 into one of these…. He drove in a fairly spirited fashion, and kept blowing up diffs…..to no-ones surprise….

[RichardK]

*goes to peer under Sixfire*

[New POD]

11 hours ago, Dick Longbridge said:

What's the idea behind rotoflex couplings? 

1) smoothes the power transmission

2) acts as a CV joint, so drive shafts can move in relation to the suspension.

3) The designer was being trendy and had been impressed by a presentation by Alex Moulton

[SiC]

Rubber couplings are still used to this day. Usually on prop shafts 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292389400346