As I mentioned previously, I'm currently having a ball "reviving" a
long-stored, one-owner, extremely clean and solid and original 1964 Spitfire 4
for a
friend. It's now running beautifully and all electrics are back in order, as
well as steering (ultimately had to change out the rack as well as the
steering column coupling joint). There are still some relatively minor tasks
left,
but it's now pretty much driveable...and loads of fun to do so!
But I do have one (maybe two) lingering problems. No matter what I do, I
can't get the idle down to roughly where it should be. It currently idles at an
indicated (original tach) 1500 or so. The accelerator pedal action is heavy
(as I remember) but also somewhat "notchy." It finally dawned on me that there
are no bushings in the scuttle where the pedal rod goes through, and I'm
thinking that this might be at least partially related to both of the above
situations.
So, for my first time ever, I'm going to have to attempt to install new
bushings. I recall some of the usual tricks for doing so, as posted in years
past, such as boiling the bushings, even slitting them, etc., etc. What I think
I'm even more concerned about is disassembling the pedal and rod assembly. Like
everything else on this car, it's not rusty, but it has been 40.5 years
since it was first installed.
Any thoughts, worries or other caveats? or am I probably worrying about
little or nothing?
Oh, and one not totally related thought: I'm EXTREMELY unimpressed with the
"quality" of ignition parts from a certain company known as *nt*rm*t*r. :-) I
actually ended up "borrowing" the 20-year-old rotor out of my old Spitfire 4
"autocrosser" as the one in the car was nowhere near a snug fit on the
distributor shaft. The contact points are hardly any better, seeing as the two
contacts seem NOT to want to stay anywhere near "in alignment"! Time to hunt
down some genuine Delco or Blue Streak or Standard ignition bits, I guess....
--Andy Mace
*Mrs Irrelevant: Oh, is it a jet?
*Man: Well, no ... It's not so much of a jet, it's more your, er,
Triumph Herald engine with wings.
-- Cut-price Airlines Sketch, Monty Python's Flying Circus (22)
Check out the North American Triumph Sports 6 (Vitesse 6) and Triumph Herald
Database at its new URL: _http://triumph-herald.us_
(http://triumph-herald.us/)
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