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spit71
Member
Offline
Hello everybody, I am a new member.
I purchased a 1971 Spitfire off of Ebay last week which was listed under the heading "runs like a top". I was completely pumped!
I just recieved it on Thursday night. When the delivery driver removed the car from the truck, the starter on the Spitfire would barely turn over the motor. After it was running it rattled, smoked, coughed, and sputtered all the way home. Upon stopping in my driveway, it died and the starter just went "click". The car had to be pushed into the garage.
I, however, was still pumped. I knew this car would be maintenance intensive. It is all part of the fun. My first car was a Spitfire and I could handle this.
Battery good, wiring OK, 12 volts at starter when key turned. Is it just me or is this amazing. The guy sells the car two starts away from total starter failure. I also realize that the weber carb has an electric choke and the wire is not connected to anything. No wonder it smoked and missed, the choke was on all the way home. I find that everywhere that there should be rubber moulding, there is instead that foam strip that goes around screen doors, or worse yet, spray insulation foam stuff.
My 11 year old son and I remove the old starter, with difficulty. He convinces me, with very little difficulty, to push start the car so we could go for a ride. We bump start the car in reverse and back down the driveway. I leave an incredible pool and trail of black motor oil in front of our new house. The wife is not going to like this. It seems I perforated the oil filter while wrestling the starter out.
I am a little less pumped.
Luckily I live 45 minutes from the storefront of Victoria British. Very helpful they are. New starter, connected choke wire, new plugs etc, etc, etc. The car runs great! It still needs work (of course) but runs great!
I am so pumped!
I look forward to being a member of this great forum and hope that I can contribute.
I purchased a 1971 Spitfire off of Ebay last week which was listed under the heading "runs like a top". I was completely pumped!
I just recieved it on Thursday night. When the delivery driver removed the car from the truck, the starter on the Spitfire would barely turn over the motor. After it was running it rattled, smoked, coughed, and sputtered all the way home. Upon stopping in my driveway, it died and the starter just went "click". The car had to be pushed into the garage.
I, however, was still pumped. I knew this car would be maintenance intensive. It is all part of the fun. My first car was a Spitfire and I could handle this.
Battery good, wiring OK, 12 volts at starter when key turned. Is it just me or is this amazing. The guy sells the car two starts away from total starter failure. I also realize that the weber carb has an electric choke and the wire is not connected to anything. No wonder it smoked and missed, the choke was on all the way home. I find that everywhere that there should be rubber moulding, there is instead that foam strip that goes around screen doors, or worse yet, spray insulation foam stuff.
My 11 year old son and I remove the old starter, with difficulty. He convinces me, with very little difficulty, to push start the car so we could go for a ride. We bump start the car in reverse and back down the driveway. I leave an incredible pool and trail of black motor oil in front of our new house. The wife is not going to like this. It seems I perforated the oil filter while wrestling the starter out.
I am a little less pumped.
Luckily I live 45 minutes from the storefront of Victoria British. Very helpful they are. New starter, connected choke wire, new plugs etc, etc, etc. The car runs great! It still needs work (of course) but runs great!
I am so pumped!
I look forward to being a member of this great forum and hope that I can contribute.
