Model Railway Forum

Some years ago I restored a 1977 Triumph Spitfire and having mothballed it for the winter it’s now time to think about bringing it out for this year.

Problem 1: flat battery. Not unexpected but after it refused to recharge I got a new one from Halfords (dreadful service by the way).
Started first time but Problem 2 revealed itself - the main beam wouldn’t turn off.
Suspecting a broken or missing spring I dismantled the switch to find that the switch relies on the weight of the lever to hold the switch open but the 42 year old nylon plunger is gummed up and not sliding cleanly - a quick clean sorts that out but then Problem 3 arrives when I notice that the brass rivet holding the contact in place and doubling as a plug for the feed wire is loose.
Problem 3a: its not loose anymore, it’s broken off completely.
Problem 4: part no. AAU7994 is obsolete and ‘hasn’t been available for years’.

Solution 1: AAU7996 can be modified with the baseplate from my switch, so that’s been ordered today.

To be continued.........

Never use Halfords over priced and useless
Go to motor factors like sc motors maidstone
Jay are motor factors Aylesford
Oil cheaper
Batteries cheaper in fact nearly everything will be cheaper
Hence why the trade go there and not Halfords
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=motor ... ent=safari

I agree that is often the case and I usually use the SCM less than a mile from home for parts.

However in this case, my online escapades this morning showed Halfords had the best combination of price, power and long guarantee. Shame they didn’t know that customer service also counts.

The battery that failed was just over a year old (12 month guarantee) and very cheap at the time - not looking such a good deal 13 months on.

While I’m waiting for the replacement switch assembly I thought it was about time I replaced the worn UJ on the propshaft. Not only that, but as the car is MOT exempt the owner has a duty to ensure it is roadworthy, so it gives me an opportunity to inspect everything under the car before it goes out on the road.

Exhaust came off easily, as did the bolts on the rear yoke - but the ones at the front are a different matter as they are virtually unreachable. The main issue seems to be that in the seven years since I built the car I’ve forgotten how I put it together.

Now dismantling the interior as I should be able to get to them via the removable transmission tunnel - I think.

At least you can blame the intervening period Steve. I have no such fallback argument - just poor memory.

I'm sure you'll get there. R-

Just remember when fitting the new UJ makes sure its nice and free in both directions or you will get vibrations, just saying having done 100s.

Got it.



Propshaft is now on the bench.

Brian, in all my years, this is my first! You couldn’t take a break from building and finish it off for me, could you?

1st week of May ok.

brian1951 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 09, 2019 12:55 pm 1st week of May ok.

I reckon even I will have it worked out by then.

UJ installed and propshaft refitted to the car but the exhaust can wait until tomorrow.

While the gearbox is exposed I’ll check the oil level and see if I can work out why the overdrive has stopped working - likely to be either low oil pressure or something wrong in the electrics which is very common with this design.