Advice on starting Triumph Spitfire project
Discussion
Posting on here as the Triumph forum seems pretty dead and looking for general advice really. Been left with my sons half-finished Spitfire project (he's gone back to Uni) and wanting some advice on starting it for the first time in 20 years.
Car was bought 18 months ago as a project for him to tinker with but he threw a lot of new parts at it. Its a 1972 1.3. We bought it with a reconditioned engine and gearbox. Car had been laid up for the last 20 years as two previous owners had given up, and I know how they feel!.
However, the engine and gearbox were checked over, and are fine, refitted to a reconditioned chassis with a re-cored radiator. Fresh oil in.
I wondering what the minimum is that I could do on my own to attach to the engine and see if it turns over?
We have all the old parts and some reconditioned. Fuel tank is good, disconnected, and stored in the boot. There is a good exhaust system with it, again, not attached, pre paint. Obviously no hydraulics. The car is bolted onto the chassis, so will roll outdoors if the weather ever lets up. Noise is not an issue if I fire it up for a minute, as I have no close neighbours. Longer and I would want to fit the exhaust, probably.
I have all the old electrics removed and much of it is in reasonable condition, certainly for getting the engine running.
The car is waiting for welding in a month or two so I don't want to start bolting a lot of stuff on that will have to be removed later, before the bulkhead is welded and paint applied.
So I am thinking at least:-
Coolant hoses and fill the rad.
Rig up a spare battery, larger size, but enough to turn it over.
Obtain a gasket set and refit the carbs
Which other electrics to fit/best way of rigging them to start?
Fuel hoses
Sorry about the camera angles but I'm in a rented barn and access is tight.
Dizzy is original and unknown.
Carbs just dismounted as the hoses fell apart.
Car was bought 18 months ago as a project for him to tinker with but he threw a lot of new parts at it. Its a 1972 1.3. We bought it with a reconditioned engine and gearbox. Car had been laid up for the last 20 years as two previous owners had given up, and I know how they feel!.
However, the engine and gearbox were checked over, and are fine, refitted to a reconditioned chassis with a re-cored radiator. Fresh oil in.
I wondering what the minimum is that I could do on my own to attach to the engine and see if it turns over?
We have all the old parts and some reconditioned. Fuel tank is good, disconnected, and stored in the boot. There is a good exhaust system with it, again, not attached, pre paint. Obviously no hydraulics. The car is bolted onto the chassis, so will roll outdoors if the weather ever lets up. Noise is not an issue if I fire it up for a minute, as I have no close neighbours. Longer and I would want to fit the exhaust, probably.
I have all the old electrics removed and much of it is in reasonable condition, certainly for getting the engine running.
The car is waiting for welding in a month or two so I don't want to start bolting a lot of stuff on that will have to be removed later, before the bulkhead is welded and paint applied.
So I am thinking at least:-
Coolant hoses and fill the rad.
Rig up a spare battery, larger size, but enough to turn it over.
Obtain a gasket set and refit the carbs
Which other electrics to fit/best way of rigging them to start?
Fuel hoses
Sorry about the camera angles but I'm in a rented barn and access is tight.
Dizzy is original and unknown.
Carbs just dismounted as the hoses fell apart.
Looks like a decent project, and I'm sure will be quite rewarding! The owners club (TSSC) used to be a good resource, but I suspect the interweb now has countless 'how to' videos for anything you'll need to do.
tms996 said:
Anything other than a fuel line from a can or the tank needed?
It's going to be very loud when it fires and you might get a few tongues of flame if it's very rich / on the overrun. But mostly be mindful of the fire risk with jury-rigged fuel lines. It can go wrong in a fraction of a second. 
Were I you (and I've co-restored a 1966 Spitfire) I'd follow Huntsman's advice but also have a fire extinguisher in-hand when you try. Don't stand on the intake side when you first start it -- they can and DO backfire flames when not run for a long time! Don't ask how I know 
but take my word for it.
PS> The Triumph channel here isn't too busy as most of us are on the tr-register, sideways or club Triumph forums.
but take my word for it.PS> The Triumph channel here isn't too busy as most of us are on the tr-register, sideways or club Triumph forums.
Steve-B said:
Were I you (and I've co-restored a 1966 Spitfire) I'd follow Huntsman's advice but also have a fire extinguisher in-hand when you try. Don't stand on the intake side when you first start it -- they can and DO backfire flames when not run for a long time! Don't ask how I know but take my word for it.
PS> The Triumph channel here isn't too busy as most of us are on the tr-register, sideways or club Triumph forums.
Sports Six surely for the little Triumphs, I assume they have a forum too. but take my word for it.PS> The Triumph channel here isn't too busy as most of us are on the tr-register, sideways or club Triumph forums.
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