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Anyone recognize this Triumph?

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JodyFKerr

JodyFKerr

Jedi Knight
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So, I photographed this at a car show in Glendale, Arizona today....

Here's a distant shot: https://www.theymightberacing.com/PhotoGa...771455506642466

Looks fairly normal, until you look at the photo of the engine: https://www.theymightberacing.com/PhotoGa...771514398450434

and then you walk around to the other side and take a hoto of what appears to be the second engine?:
https://www.theymightberacing.com/PhotoGa...771557627711762

I tried to locate the owner while I was at the show, but didn't run across him. All I know is that I'm still scratching my head on this one.

Please let me know if you know of or recognize this car!

Jody
 
There is only one block, one cylinder head and one transmission, but what in the world is he heating on that intake manifold?????

That is a tank, not a second valve valve cover and it has a pressure cap on the top. Yet, there is no clamp on the hose on the back of the tank, so how much pressure can be in there? And where does that hose lead to?

The question is WHY???
 
Looks ok to me, are you talking about the radiator expansion chamber running alongside the valve cover?
 
Jody:
I am most interested in how the drive train works. Mating the two flywheels to one clutch or auto tranny is a trick I would like to see. Such limited space also. Did you get a photo of the interior? Why aren't there any people all around this car?
 
The hose at the back carries no pressure, it's the overflow from the pressure cap. Don't know which Spits it was standard on, but my Sports 6 had an identical expansion tank.
 
Ok, there appears to be two distinct engines there. If you look closesly you can see the carburetors, and manifolds in each picture.

As to the rest, I have absolutely no idea. I'm insanely curious about the car (not to mention I love Triumphs anyways). I was hoping that by random chance somene here (as this site is always the 6-degrees of british engineering separation site) knew of this particular car.

And the show was the 20th annual all british and european car day held in Glendale, AZ.
 
Well, I learned something new today. I never saw one of those on all of the Spits that I've ever seen or photographed at various shows.
 
Paul:
I should have read your post and looked more closely at the photos before I wrote. Right you are Paul, as always. An additional radiator storage/filler tank. That small hose on the back looks like an overflow hose that would be leaking water all the time if that is what it is. The presure would just blow it out if it is open to the tank interior.

Why is a good question.
 
At first I thought it might be a heat exchanger. Then I thought an expansion tank. One thing for sure, it is the only way I see to add coolant to the radiator.
 
Ok, I went and did some additional research on top of what was posted here, and I think I now understand it. Like Brosky I've never seen one in this configuration before (it appears that it was changed on later models, which I tend to see rather than these early ones).

It certainly is an interesting design. I couldn't locate much about the "whys" of this particular design. I've never seen anything quite like it before.

Thanks!
Jody
 
Once I saw Randall's picture, it became clear to me.

Were those ever eliminated, or perhaps better asked, limited in production? Obviously the radiator is specially made for those and not something that one would normally plug or block off. I only ask because I can't believe that I've never seen one before.
 
From the workshop manual, it would appear that that style expansion tank was only found on early "Mk I" Spitfires (to FC39925) and Vitesse/Sports 6 to HB26149.

Later TR7, Stag, and I believe TR8 also had separate, pressurized expansion tanks, but they looked different.
 
That's just the radiator expansion tank. My Mk. 1 had one just like that. The difference is that my engine was painted a very different color scheme, black block and copper colored valve cover. The air cleaners were dark green which made for a cheery contrast. This one has that Chrysler blue-like paint like the California emission 1500's were painted.

Wow, that Spitfire is in perfect shape. My Mk. 1 never looked that good. It does make me a little wistful, though.

Scott
 
Just the header tank, I'm guessing it's not on top the radiator to keep the hoodline low. Early Mk 1s only. Later Mk 1s and all the rest had a different radiator with a filler cap on top the radiator and an expansion bottle. The last of the 1500s had a third style radiator and a sealed system similar to the early TR7s and an electric fan. Taking this all from my Rimmer Bros. catalogue lest anyone think I really know what I'm talking about.
 
That's just your standard old Mk I Spitfire setup. The tank is the expansion or filler tank for the cooling system. I'm not sure it should be on the car in the photo as that is a MkII based on the year of production. The car looks exactly like mine will once I get the top fitted and bumpers done.

The tank is actually brass. Some people strip and polish them and they look pretty good.
 
Wonder how many times oil got added to the expansion tank by DPOs.
 
billspit said:
That's just your standard old Mk I Spitfire setup. The tank is the expansion or filler tank for the cooling system. I'm not sure it should be on the car in the photo as that is a MkII based on the year of production....
Click to expand...
Actually, the year given is wrong, although it's vaguely possible that the car actually was only first titled in 1966. But the commission number makes it a Spitfire 4 ("Mk 1" if you will), as do the door handles, which I will note did continue into early Mk2 production.
 
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