Update on the Triumph Spitfire Zetec Conversion

Been Busy with the conversion so far. All adjustments have been made to the chassis and the engine and gearbox are fitted and the body has been put back on with the help of a few friends the other week.

Chassis has been treated to new front shocks and springs which are fully adjustable and the springs are more uprated than the ones fitted prior to the conversion, new vented discs have been purchaced and the GT6  bigger calipers and spacer kit ready to fit.

Really motoring now but there is still some way to go.

New stainless 2.25 inch pipes were collected today and hopfully in the next few weeks Ill have the exhaust fabricated and fitted.

Pipe WerX near Ormskirk provided the stainless pipes bent and they will also provide me the water rail once I have the spec required.

Really looking forward to getting the car on the road now.

All for now

Rob

This blog needs to be re named the rarely updated Spitfire Blog!!

This blog needs to be re named the rarely updated Spitfire Blog!!

After a very successful 2011 10CR (TEN COUNTRIES RUN) with Club Triumph which was a superb event taking me and my co-driver Neil through England, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg, Belgium, Lichtenstein, and Netherlands.

I picked Neil up from Warrington, before making our way across the Pennines to meet up with Mike Charlton in his lovely MK3 Spitfire.

After meeting up with Mike we headed down the RBRR route, also meeting up with Steve and Gaz who’s turn it was to take up the mantle of Team Shorts.

We headed towards our B&B which was about 10 minutes from the Plough where we would be starting the run on the next day.

As we pulled up at the B&B, we were met by Tim and Louise Ward in Tim’s uber GT6 mk3  and Roy and Julia Lacy in Roy’s classic looking white Gt6 they arrived as we were waiting for the electric gate to open now how’s that for timing!

Well 5 days later and some 2300 miles the 10CR (2800 in total) was complete, photos always speak a thousand words and I have attached some for you.

The Spitfire ran like a dream, one big issue I had was with the sparkplugs sooting up and making the car run like crap, replacement sparkplugs were the cure, so altitude and carb run cars do not mix! So having a look on my return was to inject the car sooner than later, so I stated my homework on the inlet and on pricing everything up and after long deliberation, I decided to convert the Spitfire to Zetec powered injection.

Some may ask why! The main reason would be reliability and service intervals, the spitfire really could have done with a service mid 10CR, the tappets needed adjusting and the oil would have benefited from a change. With a Zetec engine the service intervals would be every 12000 miles or 12 months, oil would be cheaper as would service parts, so Ebay provided a new 2.0ltr Zetec crate engine.

So it begins.

Engine and gearbox, chassis body all removed and engine was fitted  to my type 9 gearbox by means of a RS2000 alloy bell-housing, the bell-housing had to be altered to fit between the chassis rails. (Thanks Tim) Fabrication on the engine mounts have started and within the next month I plan to have the engine fitted and the body back in.

The Megasquirt ™  has now been fully tested on the Stim and my throttle body hooked up and the Idle valve calibrated. Really looking forward to getting this in the car and running.

Long Time No update.

Pic 1 taken prior to the run, yes lots of polishing.

Ok, sorry for the lack of updating of this blog, passing of exams at work and recent change of job has left me with little time.

I have not attended many meetings this year at the Pendle and Pennine near Barnsoldwick, and I think this is going to get worse before it gets better.

The positive news I can bring you is the car is fixed and has completed the Auto Acosse in the beginning of June with Steve Thompson (Tiggrr on the Forum) We had tho great days low flying around Scotland on a great event. I am looking forward to next years event as I hope the run will take in a different area of Scotland. The roads were superb if the weather was not. We did have sun but we also had rain and cold weather, I can report that the roof did not go up until after the event!! It was great Pics attached.

Pic 2 again after a good polish.

I had put the new clutch plate in the car and this was its first run (in anger) and the car ran great, no issues and with a recent upgrade to the brakes performed superbly. The front brakes lock up at will now and are very predictable.

Interior back in at long last.

A veery wet run round Loch Long.

The next run is Club Triumph's 10CR.

10 Countries run. 10 Countries in 5 days.

The last time I attempted this event I failed dramaticly in Country 2 (France).

I hope to complete the event this year and enjoy the roads and company. Cannot Wait!

Problem Found

Well after a day of taking the Spitfire apart, I can say one thing.

ITS NOT THE GEARBOX.

Its the Clutch plate. Bought from a supplier 2 years ago, I see this as a premature failure, I will be contacting the supplier tomorrow, I hope they see it as I do.

Pics attached.

RBRR OUT

Well the RBRR was an interesting experience.

I arrived with the car which was running great at Steve’s in Bury / Bolton area at 9:15am where we fitted the relay for the driving lamps before setting off to meet up with Neil McDonnell and his brother at Lymm services on the M6. A good but wet run to the Plough to find very low oil pressure on the M25.

On getting to the Plough we checked the engine to find a rocker cover gasket was askew that fixed and new oil in the engine Oil pressure back to 60-70psi.

A good meal and we started the run waved off by everyone and the girls from the charity Mind. We had not long got going and I think we had just caught up Jason and Dave in the Courier when I noticed low oil pressure again. Pulling over at a petrol station we checked the engine only to find a hole in a oil take off for the oil cooler. Pulling the sandwich plate off the cooler we removed the problem and re filled the car with Castrol GTX (only oil available at the garage) as we had used all the classic oil I had come on the run with.

With great oil pressure we pushed onto Blythe and then Edinburgh airport. All was going well and on the next leg I decided to get some sleep so I would be fresh for the Skiah to John O’Groats leg.

A few miles above Pitlockery on the A9 heading for Skiah Services, I was asleep (well sort of) and the car was burbling rather well at about 65mph. Steve said he was trying to overtake a wagon as he pulled out beside the wagon he said the car just jumped out of gear. The car rolled to a halt with Steve making attempts to select a gear. In Steve's words we had a box full of neutrals.

Team Shorts were no more as it was blood freezing so the long trousers and fleeces were put on. A big thanks to the two guys in the V8 Herald who pulled over and gave us a hand with the car.

Well we waited for about an hour for the recovery service before a relay home to Manchester some many hours later. Me and Steve did discuss continuing on in his GT6 but we were not sure about if this would upset the MSA or the club so it was decided to call it a day. Steve said he was going to the Lancaster stop to cheer on the rest of the entrants but I said I did not have it in me. To say Gutted would not come close, especially after last years exit from the 10CR. It seems I have got my name back Bobby Broken Spit!

Well after a pint at home and some hot food I decided I was being a big girls blouse and phoned Steve at about a quarter to eight and asked him if it was too late to come to Lancaster, Steve being the great guy that he is said no problem and picked me up and we attended Lancaster to say hello to the rest. I was again really gutted to see everyone continue on without us in tow.

The car is in the garage until I can take a “be arsed” pill. To say I don’t want to look at it would be a fair comment but I will wait until Neil is back and speak to him about getting my engine lift to whip the engine and gearbox out and take a look at the box. I guess a full strip and inspection before I know what went wrong.

The Megasquirt will have to wait until the gearbox is sorted.

I just hope not all the people want their sponsorship money back.

Signing off.

Rob

RBRR fundraising starts

Ok this is a brief update. RBRR is less than 43 days away, I have started a fundraising site with Virgin money giving.

The link to my personal fundraising page is www.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=car59clubtriumphrbrr&isTeam=true

I am asking for people to donate what ever they can, however small. I have linked this through my Facebook page to try and generate interest and donations.

The car has been fully prepared for the run, passing the MOT last week, I just need to replace the rear differential with the 3.27 ratio one to give me better long distance capabilities.

Good luck to all co-entrants and lets hope we raise a good amount for this years charity.

All the best
Rob

International Auto Ecosse 2010