Post-War Other Triumph Herald/Spitfire steering rack

[Michael Oritt]

My 1958 Elva Courier utilizes the steering rack from a Herald which, I believe, was the same as used on early Spitfires.

Moss's catalogue only refers to parts for Mark IV Spitfires and I wonder if anyone can tell me if in fact the later Spits used a different rack from the early cars.

BTW on its website Moss sells a competition "Quick-rack" which has 2.5 turns lock-to-lock versus 3.5 for standard according to the product description. The steering on the Elva is in fact 2.5 turns and so I wonder whether the earlier racks were quicker or whether mine might have been updated with a competition rack along the way.

Any information appreciated....

 

[Bugeye58]

Michael, as far as I can ascertain, all the Spit and Herald racks were the same. But, the quick ratio rack may have been an option.
Victoria British offers one, as does Rimmer Brothers.
Jeff

 

[Andrew Mace]

The early TR4s did have a very quick rack (about the same 2.5 turns). Otherwise, though, all Spitfires and Heralds had virtually the same 3.5 +/- turn rack. Note that the GT6 and Vitesse models had a yet-slower rack (just over four turns, ISTR).

There are two slightly differing styles of mounting the racks. The early (pre-June 1962, approximately) Herald rack utilized essentially solid mounts, while the later ones -- and all Spitfires, etc. -- used the clamps with rubber bushings. That early TR4 rack is more like the early Herald rack in terms of mounting. I suspect, though, that either type of rack could be adapted with little effort to the other type of mounting.

 

[Bugeye58]

Spit racks are easy to hard mount, ala Herald.
The GT6 rack was 4 1/4 turns. I may pull the one out of mine and install a Spit rack. I've got three or four of those lying around.
Jeff

 

[Michael Oritt]

Andrew--

Thanks for the good information.

It's sometimes confusing trying to tie a car's parts to a timeline (for example how would the rack that was used in 1960's-issued TR 4's be available when a 1958 Elva was assembled?) and I can only assume that these alternatives existed in parts bins before they were used and were picked through by aspiring limited-production builders such as Elva. Another example is that the bonnet hinges on the Courier are the same pattern as the boot hinges for a TR4.

BTW I still have those Herald drum brakes....

 

[DrEntropy]

Lotus also used that 2.5 lock-to-lock rack. And the hinges for the boot lid. And a Norton gascap. The "limited production" guys went for whatever was around in a quantity they needed.

 

[bobmga62]

I have a number of spitfire racks if you are interested...

They come from Mk ! and II combinations.. I think they are 2.5...

PM me if you wish..

r

 

[Andrew Mace]

Andrew--

Thanks for the good information.

It's sometimes confusing trying to tie a car's parts to a timeline (for example how would the rack that was used in 1960's-issued TR 4's be available when a 1958 Elva was assembled?) and I can only assume that these alternatives existed in parts bins before they were used and were picked through by aspiring limited-production builders such as Elva.

Good question! Offhand I can't think of any Standard-Triumph product before the Herald that used rack and pinion steering. But the company that originally produced those steering racks and other suspension bits was Alford & Alder, which was by that time (or soon thereafter became) a subsidiary of S-T. And I do recall that, for example, MG used rack and pinion beginning with the 1950 TD Midgets, although those racks are a bit different (don't know who made them for BMC).

Another example is that the bonnet hinges on the Courier are the same pattern as the boot hinges for a TR4.

That one is easier to explain; those hinges date back to the Standard 8 of the 1950s. NOTE: original hinges from that era would NOT have had the extra little "pip" to keep them from folding over on themselves. Otherwise, both types of hinges are identical (but I don't think the original style is available any more).