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Spitfire Spitfire MK I Clutch

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STL_Joe

STL_Joe

Freshman Member
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:wall:

I have a Spitfire 4 that I am trying to replace the clutch components. I have located the Throwout bearing and the clutch disc. However, I can not locate a new/rebuilt pressure plate that I am willing to pay for. Does anyone know where mine could be tested/rebuilt?

Thanks for your help.
 
Many areas do have local shops that do various driveline, clutch and brake rebuilding and repairing. It would be worth an online or Yellow Pages search to see if there is such a shop in your area.

Barring that, new or NOS pressure plates are, as you've undoubtedly discovered, somewhat scarce and very expensive! (I'm assuming here that this is the original 6.25" coil spring-style clutch and not the later 6.5" diaphragm-style clutch.)

Rimmer Bros. in the UK shows them for $92.59 (not including exchange surcharge or shipping), but the picture they show is actually of a six-spring Herald 948-style pressure plate; the Spitfire should be a nine-spring plate (so I'd want to enquire to be sure of what you're getting). Canley Classics in the UK show them for $62.02 (reconditioned). Even with shipping, either is much cheaper than the $220-270 that the US suppliers are showing for these!

Sidebar: I made the mistake of reusing what had appeared to be a very serviceable pressure plate in my Herald (same clutch as early Spitfire). It may have been a fluke, but that pressure plate disintegrated, making a lot of noise, leaving a small hole and some other dents in the alloy bellhousing...and rendering both pressure plate and clutch disc useless. Fortunately at the time, I was able to source a new one on eBay at a good deal. They do come up occasionally, but not often and usually not cheap nowadays!

Update: a quick eBay scan shows:

3-piece kit; Buy it now! <$150.00

and

another "kit"; Buy it now! <$100.00 (enquire, as the illustration shows a diaphragm clutch!)
 
Thanks for the info. I have not had any luck locating a shop that rebuilds clutches locally. However I've found a company in Springfield, IL that says they can do it. They're called Brake and Clutch Exchange. They promised a 3 day turn around. We'll see if they can deliver.
:square:
 
That the shame with the mid west as not many old craftsmen left
and the census just proved the exodus
 
There is a clutch shop in Bensalem PA called "HR clutch" (they have a web site) that can rebuild anything. I'd recommend them to anyone. I will never buy a "new" clutch disk or pressure plate again, at least for any of my British cars.....
 
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