MadaboutKitcars

Thanks guys. Its night here, don't mention the cricket. Yes I'm very pleased with the quality of the bones. I will be going for an old school look, kind of d24 but also without constraint. It'll be reg as a 1961 year based on the chassis, so carries the dna, but will also be a miglia. I'll try using the herald seats too, and initially those wheels u see. I'll use ally sheet for the cocpit, perhaps a "quilted" roll finish but that may constrict bends. We'll see.

Now us cricket fans are up half the night we will be able to talk to you in real time!

I can't believe that herald has such a clean chassis

Thanks charman (ha how's that for a recovery in the ashes last night!) I think that would be because in Australia we don't grit the roads with salt. Just to make you all cry, there is only vague traces of surface rust on the chassis, otherwise looks brand new. That said, I've tried to sell the other body bits but the market for them is so low I've so far only sold the back bit, and that was to a guy who was going to use it for decoration!

Looks like I have a spit mk3 block and a mk2 6port head. With a cast exhaust manifold that looks like a mk3... Any benefit in hunting down a tubular header set? As far as tuning goes il be looking for drivability.

Heres every thing off the chassis, now to wash it up ready for blast and powdercoat.
<a href=http://s1332.photobucket.com/albums/w612/1iTim/?action=view&current=2013-12-07134317_zps01eff4f0.jpg target=_blank><img src=http://i1332.photobucket.com/albums/w612/1iTim/2013-12-07134317_zps01eff4f0.jpg border=0 alt=Mobile upload></a>

look nice and clean, have you had to do much too it?
Mac

Chassis is in great condition. Your climate has looked after this

Wow, that really does look like a new chassis. I'm very jealous.

I have to weld back in one of those spacer tubes for the body bolt but adide from that its fine. You wait till u see it after blast and mazda true red a4a powdercoat. Mike what did u do to the front ride height of #1?
One of my frt shocks is blown so considering what to do, replace standard shock with shorter softer spring or big bucks for adjustable shocks with orig springs?

Standard shocks with Spitfire 150lb or 170lb springs cut down to your taste will work just fine. No need to spend megabucks on expensive short/adjustable shocks, mine never bottomed out even when I had the car far too low.

Hi mr t thanks for that, but here in aus i can't cut the springs, not allowed. So I'll have to get shorter springs made. That might b cheaper than 170 gbp for adjustable shockers. I cant beleive the low price of the standqrd shocks!

i have a problem. (ok not just one but lets start with that!)
My left rear upright wont come off. The lower bolt that joins the hub or rear trunion is stuck inside somehow to the bush or something.

I've tried wd40, I've tried a hammer, I've tried both together, I've then tried blowtorch until its all smoking then the hammer.

All I have succeeded in doing is deforming the bottom of the bolt with all this banging. After hitting the bolt (lots) the bolt head is a mm proud, but the top of the upright spreads to about 90mm from its restful 80. I dont want to damage the upright.

Any advice or hints on removing this bolt?

(as an aside, which front stub axle assembly goes on which side? the normal trunion thread on the right hand side, and the left hand trunion thread on the left? or the other way? I had not labelled them before i realised they are "handed")

Hi Tim

There is a small space either side, between the trunnion and the vertical link containing the flanges of the plastic bush and the thin tinplate dustshields. Hacksaw through the bolt either side of the trunnion through these. This allows you to separate the trunnion from the link and gives access to the rest of the bush inside the trunnion. Then you can remove the bush by a combination of melting, drilling and/or pressing. New bolts and bushes will obviously be required for reassembly!

The new bush kit looks like this

http://www.classicpartstrader.com/triumph-herald-spitfire-gt6-rear-trunnion-repair-kit-758-p.asp

regards

Andrew

The right hand threaded one goes on the right hand side and vice versa.

Thanks andrew that worked a treat. Thats just about the only bush that I've not ordered yet! I'll get onto that too.

happy days, the parts (bushes, bolts + shocks) i ordered from rimmer on monday arrived on my desk this morning (sydney time). Good work Bro's.

will post some picks when my chassis is blasted and powdercoated. anyone recommend any further treatment over that?

To use the vernacular I expect 'She'll be right' in the Aussie climate. With hindsight I wish I'd had my chassis and bulkhead galvanised over here though.

If galvanising is as cheap over there as it was for me over there then i would definitely consider it, just be aware of the pitfalls, galv filled threads etc

I'll look into the gal. The blast and powdercoat includes a zinc prime, and given the outstanding state of preservation it is already in over the last 50 years, it will last another 50 no worries, I reckon. i am thinking of a clear coat, or something to give added protection from stone strikes etc under there.

thanks for all the ongoing support guys.

You could also consider the bed liner stuff i used for the interior, i reckon it would be excellent for chassis protection, see my build thread here
Macs Build Thread

Mac

The bed liner bit starts on page 15
Mac

No worries. Must drop in and take a look at your progress if I happen to be passing...

you planning a trip down under, mr t?

Erm, no, sorry Tim it was meant to be a sort of joke.

Wife's sister and her family emigrated to Aus last September but they haven't decided where to settle yet, so no trip planned at the mo.

I did have a weekend break in Melbourne a few years back though, after popping to New Zealand to look round for a couple of hours...

Ok, can anyone tell me how I can get the rear diff mount bushes into the hole or have I somehow got the wrong size metal ringed bushes? ( I got the old ones out with a hacksaw and strength)