The Spitfire Lives!!

At last, the Spitfire lives again following it's last outing on the 10CR. I didn't do too much to it over the winter, largely due to the cold weather.

As spring came, I finally sprung into action (??), off came the head to show very coked up combustion chambers and pistons which I duly cleaned, the bores seemed fine, as did the valves, but the headgasket did show some signs of leakage, which may have been the problem for the breakdown near Grenoble and the resultant low compression on the cylinders.

A new Payen head gasket was sought courtesy of Wins, together with other assorted gaskets needed for the various ancilliaries. The sports manifold was fitted, the head and valves cleaned and reassembled.

I then had a brainwave, why not refill the block cooling system through the thermostat housing before I sealed it up, so all went well on that score until I stupidly decided to fill the rad as well, the result?----- water flowed out of the thermostat housing over the head, down the push rods and into the sump!! Oh well, the oil needed changing anyway!

Whilst reassembling the HS4's I noticed one of the waxstats had cracked, so decided to change the jets with a conversion , again courtesy of Wins, all assembled correctly (eventually- bloody springs!!!) and the carbs were refitted. One oddity that needs sorting is very stiff chokes on both carbs which seem to be caused by the fuel pipe to the float chambers, disconnect it and they run very free!

Tonight was the first time it really fired up in 9 months, a bit tappety and rich but she goes! And the new exhaust is rattling against the chassis - a small but annoying job to be done on the ramps methinks. Also just need to get the tune right and then it'll be off for the MOT and retaxing in time for the RBRR.

Also a bit of news on the Stag front - I have a date to take her to Favershams for the rebuilt engine early next month - things are looking up in my world of Triumphs at last!