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New guy from Maryland

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pjsmetana

pjsmetana

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Looks like I have finally found a place where people actually talk about their British toys!

Names Pete, I live in the southern most Maryland area (trying to get transferred back to Florida), and am currently supporting the US Army and Marine Corp in Iraq as a Field Support Electronics Engineer (overpriced thumb twiddler) for their Electronic Warfare Systems (junk that makes bombs not blow up). I should be home next month.

I'm a long time classic VW (had a fully customized, Porsche engined, airbrushed paint job, the works, 72 beetle, and a close axle, short framed, 68 sand rail) and late 80s to late 90s Honda guy (89 CRX, 97 Integra GSR fully race modified, 98 Supercharged Prelude SH, so on), who recently purchased 2 1980 Triumph Spitfire 1500s w/OD. By recently, I mean like a few months ago. The 1st one, Blue with 2 white stripes, was destroyed by a the very tow truck that towed it away after totaling me 20 minutes after purchase in Delaware. Insurance payed handsomely. The 2nd one, white, I purchased in Virginia from a guy who seemed to have only driven it once in 6 months. He had a TR6 and and Jag XK-something as well, and only wanted the car out of his garage for a pick up truck... so he made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Thus the cream puff sitting in my garage.

Anyways, I have lots of questions about these wee babies. Mainly questions like everyone else has, reliability, better braking, etc.

Btw, is it just me, or is this site hard to find initially? I got info on this 2nd hand from some guy at VTR who wasn't there long enough to care about spelling the word 'Forum' correctly.
 
Welcome Pete!

The main thing about the 1500 engine (used both in Spitfires and rubber-bumper MG Midgets) is to keep an eye on the thrust washers. Put the car in neutral, engine off and grab the lower front crank pully.
Pull it forwards and backwards. If it has more than about 0.015" of "play" you need thrust washers. If you run it with bad thrust washers, your engine will become a boat-anchor in short order.
Obviously, to check it properly, you'll need a dial indicator.
Replacing them is pretty easy. I replace them about once a year (approx 25 hours of racing) in my race car.
In street cars a 1500 with infrequent oil changes and a driver who rests his foot on the clutch at traffic lights can chew up the thrust washers in less than 40,000 miles.

Can't help you with the dash plate. G'luck with your car!
 
Yep, thats right, California MD just off the south end of RT 4 near the Solomons Island Bridge... or PAX river area as you put it. I was stationed at that base for 6 years.

I sold that bug to Sea World back when I still lived in Florida. They came with a trailer and cash in hand, and just wanted to park it and show it off as advertising. Kinda of a waste now that I think about it, but I didn't have much of a choice back then, as it was right when I was joining the Navy.

Yes I checked the thrust washers on the Spit before purchasing. I didnt have a dial indicator, but I grabbed the crank pully and shook the snot out of it, plus I had my father-in-law, who went to check the car out with me, push on the clutch a few times to see if I could feel any play in the crank while holding onto that crank pully. I heard a nice bit about those fun little trust washers before hand. Thanks for the advice though! Now, you say you change yours about once a year, does that mean you have to pull the engine and tear it down like most modern engines, or can you just pull the oil pan and replace it from the underside?
 
Howdy Pete,

"Welcome" from the Pocono Mtns of PA.

You surely have found the "Definitive" source for whatever may aile Your or Your Spit.

If you have`nt as of yet; Introduce yourself & your "New/Old" car to the good folks on the "Triumph" forum and you`ll be amazed at what you may learn there.

Have Fun,

Russ
 
Hi Pete, and welcome to the Forum from another Marylander! We're quite a ways north of you, in Frederick county.

Larry
 
pjsmetana said:
....Now, you say you change yours about once a year, does that mean you have to pull the engine and tear it down like most modern engines, or can you just pull the oil pan and replace it from the underside?
Click to expand...

Just drop the pan and change. Engine can stay in car. I always do rod bearings at the same time (they are always a bit worn in my car and it's cheap insurance anyway)
 
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