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

[Matty]

On 2/8/2023 at 8:34 AM, N Dentressangle said:

miles of M5 at 3k revs and

You bloody smug sods with long legged diffs and overdrive boxes. Some of us can only dream of cruising at 65/70 on the motorway without a push rod exiting through the bonnet. Don't know you're born 😄

[Yoss]

On 2/7/2023 at 1:44 PM, N Dentressangle said:

but actually yes, it's one of these:

As everyone knows, Midgets are only really bought by those who can't afford a Spitfire.

As ever, the parts industry understands this and makes sure MG parts are affordable for the impoverished hoi polloi who have to drive them. This leads to some pricing anomalies, meaning that an oil cooler kit for a Midget 1500 is usefully cheaper than the same kit sold for a Spitfire 1500.

Obviously I had to use the right BMC part number, demonstrate an unnatural knowledge of real ale and lie about knowing any real live women, but they eventually  let me order it and here it is.

Fitting as soon as it gets a bit warmer.

This does seem to be the case. I recently bought this set of manifold studs and nuts for my 1300TC. 

Listed as Midget 1500, they were £2 cheaper than the same pack for a Spitfire. 

[N Dentressangle]

11 hours ago, Matty said:

You bloody smug sods with long legged diffs and overdrive boxes. Some of us can only dream of cruising at 65/70 on the motorway without a push rod exiting through the bonnet. Don't know you're born 😄

I don't understand why so many old cars were left with silly low gearing for so long. We've had motorways here since 1960ish FFS, and longer than that in Europe.

I remember in the 70's as a kid wondering why pretty much everything was geared for 4k revs + at 70mph in 4th gear - 5 speeds were still pretty rare then. Sensible gear ratios took a hell of a long time to come in.

[Jenson Velcro]

It seems to me that some relatively modern petrol engined cars are still geared quite low, as they don’t have enough low down torque to pull up even gentle inclines on motorways.

[Asimo]

2 hours ago, N Dentressangle said:

I don't understand why so many old cars were left with silly low gearing for so long. We've had motorways here since 1960ish FFS, and longer than that in Europe.

I remember in the 70's as a kid wondering why pretty much everything was geared for 4k revs + at 70mph in 4th gear - 5 speeds were still pretty rare then. Sensible gear ratios took a hell of a long time to come in.

Not much power combined with the aerodynamics of a phone box. I think that most cars were geared so as to get the highest speed in top gear. Magazine road tests often commented on top speed not being available in 5th when the first five speeds came in. Drivers took a long time to get used to the idea of an overdrive top gear. For example, the Mk2 Cavalier SRi (of fond memory) initially had a 25mph/1000revs 5th gear as a 1.8 litre but when it was facelifted the overdrive 5th was dropped to give about 20mph/1000.

Which spoilt the car for me, but others said it was easier to drive…

[NorfolkNWeigh]

5 minutes ago, Asimo said:

Not much power combined with the aerodynamics of a phone box. I think that most cars were geared so as to get the highest speed in top gear. Magazine road tests often commented on top speed not being available in 5th when the first five speeds came in. Drivers took a long time to get used to the idea of an overdrive top gear. For example, the Mk2 Cavalier SRi (of fond memory) initially had a 25mph/1000revs 5th gear as a 1.8 litre but when it was facelifted the overdrive 5th was dropped to give about 20mph/1000.

Which spoilt the car for me, but others said it was easier to drive…

Ref the Cavalier ,  I had a Mk3 2.0 GLi  company car followed by a 2.0 8v. SRi , the GLi was much the nicer car except when towing my caravan, the slightly lower gearing meant it would sit at70  up hill and down dale, whereas the GLi would need 4th on the slightest incline .

Our old Boxster is only a 5 speed and seems to be screaming it’s nuts off on the motorway , even more noticeable to me because my 8 speed  auto Jag is only showing just over 2,000 rpm at a 100.

[CrapCarNerd]

Ooo whats happening to this one? looks ready to be saved! Does it have an engine in it? Looks a bit high at the front. 

On 11/23/2022 at 4:06 PM, 95 quid Peugeot said:

This one is in a "barn" next to Mrs 95's horse, been there years should you require an unobtainium part

My Dad has a 1979 1500 we bought from Glasgow in 2017. Its a lot of fun, bit quicker than my 2.0 Capri too. I keep thinking one day I'd like do do an mx5 engine swap on one at some point but it doesn't look as straight forward from what i've seen on youtube.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=4V6OeX4Zvag&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE

[N Dentressangle]

21 hours ago, CrapCarNerd said:

Ooo whats happening to this one? looks ready to be saved! Does it have an engine in it? Looks a bit high at the front. 

My Dad has a 1979 1500 we bought from Glasgow in 2017. Its a lot of fun, bit quicker than my 2.0 Capri too. I keep thinking one day I'd like do do an mx5 engine swap on one at some point but it doesn't look as straight forward from what i've seen on youtube.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=4V6OeX4Zvag&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE

Your dad's looks a lot smarter than mine!

I do think a Kenlowe fan is worth fitting, if only to get rid of the racket the viscous fan makes.

[Matty]

34 minutes ago, N Dentressangle said:

Your dad's looks a lot smarter than mine!

I do think a Kenlowe fan is worth fitting, if only to get rid of the racket the viscous fan makes.

I've got kenlowes on a thermostat on my a series.  Really neat install using what I presume is the original high temp warning light on the dash cluster to show when it's operating. I've got it set to 90 degrees on the stat tested with an infra red thermometer on the top hose and stat housing and its really accurate. When you consider that when you do distance miles in these old cars, it's one less thing to worry about!

[SiC]

I quite like the charm of a fan on a classic! Tbh I've never had an overheating issue on my classics either and I always run stock. Even had my 1100, with its side mounted radiator, bang on temp idling in 32c weather. 

Always been tempted to add an electric fan but never seem to have the need. 

[Yoss]

Hmm... Triumph 1300 FWD, about 15.5mph/1000rpm. I have fitted a 1500 gearbox to mine which with their extra torque and inability to rev were regeared to a much more relaxing..... 

 

 

 

.... 16.5mph/1000rpm! And any hope of a 5th gear or overdrive can only be dreamed of. So that's a nice relaxing 4200rpm at 70 instead of the 4500 of a standard 1300. Though peak power on the 1300TC/Spitfire mk3 was at 6k so at 70mph it still feels willing and happy to pull.

But quiet it is not. Your brain sort of gets used to it and tunes the noise out and you just keep turning the stereo up, it's only when you get to where you are going and switch off that the silence hits you like a slice of lemon wrapped around a large brick (copyright the late Douglas Adams). 

[Matty]

36 minutes ago, Yoss said:

Hmm... Triumph 1300 FWD, about 15.5mph/1000rpm. I have fitted a 1500 gearbox to mine which with their extra torque and inability to rev were regeared to a much more relaxing..... 

 

 

 

.... 16.5mph/1000rpm! And any hope of a 5th gear or overdrive can only be dreamed of. So that's a nice relaxing 4200rpm at 70 instead of the 4500 of a standard 1300. Though peak power on the 1300TC/Spitfire mk3 was at 6k so at 70mph it still feels willing and happy to pull.

But quiet it is not. Your brain sort of gets used to it and tunes the noise out and you just keep turning the stereo up, it's only when you get to where you are going and switch off that the silence hits you like a slice of lemon wrapped around a large brick (copyright the late Douglas Adams). 

I'm a lot newer to pushrod lumps. Despite everything my uncle says about a series engines liking revs and being tough as old boots, sitting on a motorway with it revving it's knackers off mile after mile fair stabs at the mechanical sympathy in me. I'll just take the long way around 😄

[SiC]

I've never associated any OHV engine with liking revs. Usually sounds like a valve is trying to make a bit for freedom!

Iirc OHC have less moving mass (no push rods to accelerate and deaccelerate repeatedly) and have less issues with revs?

[CrapCarNerd]

14 hours ago, N Dentressangle said:

Your dad's looks a lot smarter than mine!

I do think a Kenlowe fan is worth fitting, if only to get rid of the racket the viscous fan makes.

It's not bad. We got it in 2017 from Glasgow and hes spent a bit of time doing little things like re doing the seats, painting the airbox and adding things like a nice rocker cover. For it to be mint it would want a respray really. Drives nice though!  

[N Dentressangle]

Too many cars, a Mini 25 waiting to be finished, and not enough time mean the Spitfire is now gone...

...but the new owner is on here.

I'll let them reveal themselves 😉

[Dick Cheeseburger]

7 minutes ago, N Dentressangle said:

Too many cars, a Mini 25 waiting to be finished, and not enough time mean the Spitfire is now gone...

...but the new owner is on here.

I'll let them reveal themselves 😉

Oh, now it makes sense. Good to see it staying on here. I bet he'll prod it though 😅

[N Dentressangle]

1 minute ago, Dick Longbridge said:

Oh, now it makes sense. Good to see it staying on here. I bet he'll prod it though 😅

I've told him VERY CLEARLY not to 🤣

[SiC]

I had poked a crunchy bit by the windscreen before I'd even transferred the money! 🙈🙉

[High Jetter]

I went to the Mini 25 event in Derby. In a R16. Carry on....