I've had a 1965 spitfire and a 1972 GT6. This is what I can
recall about the differences, for all you part swappers:
I once saw a very early spitfire with a very skinny front rotor
(less than 1/4 inch wide). The rotors on my cars were about 3/8" wide.
The geometry of the spit and gt6 front ends are the same BUT, the gt6 had
larger spindle and bearings and disks and calipers than the spit. I am
not aware of the spitfire itself having 2 different size bearings. I
suspect that the larger ones you had in the ginetta were actually gt6
front spindles.
For those considering converting, you will need the entire
gt6 assembly, including flexible brake hoses as the two calipers are
configured somewhat differently. The chassis, however have the same
brake line locations.
It looks like a lot of people say that the late spitfire and the gt6
differentials were interchangeable. Maybe so. I know that they
were NOT interchangeable between my spitfire and gt6. The differentials
had the same frame mounting points, but the gt6 inner axles were larger
and stronger and had a larger bolt circle than my early spitfire did.
If the spitfires did later convert to the larger unit, that means that
the early spitfire axles will not fit a late spitfire and vice versa.
Anybody have any experience with this and maybe can give the dates
of the changeover(s).
The information on the front spindles is probably relevant to several
early LOTUS models as well as early formula cars and sports racers. My old
formula ford
runs spitfire front spindle and brakes and gt6 rear brakes...
--toms.
|