Spitfire Finally Mobile! Now Grind/Rubbing from Clutch, Gearbox Or?

[Firm]

So I finally finished the brake work and took my recently resurrected Spitfire on it's maiden voyage around the neighbourhood. I bought the car non-running and it had been sitting for approximately 8 years outside. Car is now running and stopped well, but I've got a slightly concerning noise:
The car appears to shift decently and the clutch hydraulics feel like they're working well. When I am on the gas everything is good, but when I take my foot off the gas I can hear a rubbing/grinding noise. It's hard to distinguish exactly where it's coming from, and when I push the clutch in it goes away.

I know that's not a lot of info, so I am really just looking for advice on what I should be checking or what the possible causes are - I'd like to start with the basic stuff before getting into anything too intense. I am hoping it's just something like rust on the flywheel, clutch plate or release bearing that's causing some rubbing?

 

[dklawson]

Release bearing.

Don't wait. Pull the gearbox now and check that the release bearing is totally free and lubricated. You don't want it to seize up and disintegrate like what happened on my son's car. Rather than repost my additional comments here, see the recent, short thread linked below.
https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcf/showthread.php?96156-Cautionary-Note-On-Clutch-Life

 

[Firm]

Thanks DK.
Were you experiencing the same symptoms on your Spit prior to your initial release bearing failure?

 

[dklawson]

Your car's problem may be different than ours but in all likelihood you will need to pull the gearbox to find out what is going on. The release bearing rubs the pressure plate all the time due to the return spring inside the slave cylinder. A low rumbling could be the bearing running under light load. You said that the sound goes away when you push in the clutch. Hopefully that is just the bearing getting a bit quiet as its position shifts. If the pilot bearing in the tail of the crank is bad that may also allow the clutch to make some additional noises. The worst case scenario would be something like the input shaft bearings on the gearbox. Again, you won't know for sure until you pull the gearbox and inspect both the gearbox input shaft, pilot bearing, and the release bearing.

 

[Firm]

Thanks, I'll add this to my list of things to check into some day. I've never worked on a Spitfire until now, but I understand the gearbox can be pulled out through the interior as opposed to having to pull the engine?
Anyone have a link to some good instructions (with pics ideally) of the process?

 

[Trevor Triumph]

My Haynes manual shows taking the transmission out with the engine or through the passenger cabin. Best to clear away seats and some of the carpet. i find taking out the IP to floor support a tough job.

T.T.