Spitfire 1975 Spit resurrection

[Deleted member 8987]

Got called out on a job today. My buddy just got this from his good friend's widow.
Hasn't run in 10 years..last tags 2006.

Supposedly has a bad starter.
New battery, oiled cylinders, rolled engine to make sure everything moved as it should. Cleaned the points (yes, factory electronic gone), cranked for oil pressure and wet rockers..good...and obviously started is not bad.
Removed fuel sender, tank half full, NO RUST, gas smelled just like...gas. Pulled the fuel line off the WEBER! and pressurized the tank to wet the fuel pump....plugs back in, fuel line on, hit the air cleaner three times with starting fluid and it lit....a tad rough at first..no smoke...warmed up, everything fine...choke off, adjusted idle and mixture....checked brakes...good pedal...checked clutch...hydraulics worked...pedal down, engaged first gear so no disc stuck to flywheel or pressure plate...so we drove it...not far, just down his long driveway and back, with one hand on the e-brake, but nothing done to the brakes or any hydraulics, original gasoline.
I mean, any car that has set for 10 years will be a problem...but a Triumph? I expected seized calipers or wheel cylinders, bad master(s), slave, stuck clutch, rusted tank, varnished petrol...and we had none of the above.
It's like the car was parked a month or two ago.
Electrics, yes, no tail lights, park or side lights, heater fan, windscreen wipers...but it charges (checked) and all the gauges work.
I can almost see where the issue is now that I have a wiring diagram.
Crazy.
If we get it all checked out and cleaned up, maybe the All-Brit Field Meet this summer.
Top looks good, plastic windows are pretty hard, interior nice, no rust bubbles I can find, chrome good.....
Dave

 

[Andrew Mace]

Very cool, Dave! The "no tail lights, park or side lights, heater fan, windscreen wipers" sounds a lot like a relatively simple fuse box issue. Maybe not the best design ever, as they seem to respond quickly to bits of corrosion. Try wiggling all the fuses with an appropriate light (or wiper or whatever) turned out; chances are that circuit will come alive, after which you might try more thorough cleaning of fuses and contacts!

 

[Deleted member 8987]

First thing I checked...three fuses..top is ignition feed, bottom is main body...middle seems to be things like taillights.
Test light showed NO power on either clip, but a quick jumper with a set of needlenose to the body fuse gave taillights, so it's something in there for power feed to the fusebox, not from it to load.
Green wire feeds stoplights, directional flashers, wipers, heater, wiring diagram says it comes off the feed side of the gauge voltage stabilizer....and since all the gauges work, probably a plug off the stabilizer.
He's checking brakes, replacing a rubber fuel line underneath, then I think we'll replace the rear leaf spring (just sitting there with nobody in the car has more Triumph Squat than I've ever seen..ever), then electrics, then we'll see.

 

[Andrew Mace]

...I think we'll replace the rear leaf spring (just sitting there with nobody in the car has more Triumph Squat than I've ever seen..ever)....

I have to assume that the spring was like that in 2006. I can't imagine it would have gotten that bad from just sitting...unless there was about 400 lb. worth of sandbags in the boot!

 

[Deleted member 8987]

No sandbags...but a half tank of Titanium Gasoline that didn't go bad!
I think the original owner bought it in that condition.
And this is worse than I've seen. Camber is so far in at the top it's a joke.
Checking bushings also....and apparently we need to check somebody didn't install a control arm or two upside down?