Craig Friedrich recently wrote:Greetings SOL'ers! I have three questions that
I hope to get input
on. The patient in question is my '73 MkIV 1500 Spitfire (aka 'The
Spitwad'):
1) I put a new soft top on it in '81 (bought the top in '80; you
know the story). Well the top is still in good shape, but the
quarter windows are cracked from a three plus year period in
which the top was in the down position. The question is: How
are these windows installed in the top and are they repairable?
It looks like some kind of a hot melt process or something; no
stitching in evidence. The Spitwad is always garaged so everything
else on the top is a-ok.
2) The seat belt retractors seem to have a mind of their own, and
that mind whacked out! They don't like to pay out slack when I
try to put the belt on, and they don't like to retract when I
get out. They only pull back in a few inches then give up.
Is this common? Should I rip 'em out and try to fix them or
look for new ones? I have visions of large spring like things
flying out in all directions if I pull them apart; anybody tried?
3) My overdrive unit has developed some new features over the last
five years... like more gears! Seriously, the OD is only supposed
to switch in when the tranny is in 3rd or 4th gear. About five
years ago, it decided that it would add 2nd gear to the line
up and this year it let 1st gear in. We don't use it in 1st OD or
2nd OD (well sometimes 2nd in traffic, but not much really!). The
question is what the heck could be going on such that gears are
getting added to the club? When it started shifting in 2nd,
I tried 1st and it definitely *did not* work, but does now. Any
thoughts would be appreciated.
thanks for your input!
In reply:
1) The windows in the soft top are heat welded in, but I have seen places
that can either weld or sew in new back windows. Check with a good
re-upholstery shop.
2) The seat belt retractors are not an easily repaired item, you might have
some luck in repairing them, but would you want to trust life with them? ;)
I would recommend trying to get a new set.
3) My OD has done the same thing, including wanting to operate when the OD
is not even switched on and in reverse. I asked the Scions earlier this
year, and it was suggested that I drain my 'box, clean the filter, and then
run a few miles with ATF in it. This seemed to work for a while, but now the
problem has reappeared. As for your problem, try cleaning the filter if it
has been a long time since it was last cleaned.
Doug Mitchell - Long time owned by FM4879U - 1973 Spitfire 1500
|