Dennis Vessey - Performance and Triumph engine building, reconditioning I was always much more partial to the 1296cc Spitfire engine than the 1500. This is very important, because if you are not on TDC, all your readings will be wrong. Sold my spit last year and it was one ofthe few cars I never regretted selling. To save money and meet the ever-stricterU.S.emissions standards, American-market versions of this 1500 were fed by just one carb, not the dualSUsetup found onearlierSpitfires. A complete rebuild includes the following: EVALUATION As an engine is torn down, each part is checked for excessive wear, damage and failure. All engine parts are cleaned, prepped and machined or new. Search (123\Tune+) For perfect timing. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Triumph Spitfire Restoration Parts and Accessories | Moss Motors 2023 Events New & Featured Moss Motors 75th Anniversary Coin 010-915 $6.00 Products You Might Like Air Filter Element Midget, Spitfire 1975-80 950-805 BACK ORDER - We are temporarily out of stock on this item. Get the distributor modified to match the cam (the Distributor Doctor) and find somebody to set the carbs up on a rolling road. Mainly as we now run unleaded fuel, not old 4 star! Bolting on the new carburetors is easy, and since this is a factory setup, the throttle cable will perfectly join the existing system. Installing new piston pins and pistons require a rod heater, where the rod is heated to about 1200 degrees and then the piston and pin is installed on that rod quickly before it cools. MPS(m/s) MPS(m/s) I use a Moss high performance Pro Sport model on my MGB racecar and can attest to its high quality. The goal is to spin the engine in the normal rotation to maximum cam lift (now zero on the dial indicator) and stop at same given point before and after max lift has been achieved. In others, these cars are too old to require routine inspections. Launched in October 1962, the Spitfire featured sleek styling by famed Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti. For a reliable road-going engine, careful building, in clean conditions will get you one tha is long-lasting! Remember, these cars were optimistically rated at about 70 horsepower at the crank. 10 watching. Water pump 5500 13.93 16.04 Degree wheel And it's easier/cheaper than replacing the crank and rebuilding the engine! Almost 100,000 of these engines were used in the 1973-80 Spitfires, and nearly as many were used inMGMidgets sold from 1975andlater. NICELY RESTORED CAR WITH REBUILT ENGINE. $29.77. The engine rebuild kits can be anything from stock, to mild, to wild street performance, to a even a full out race engine. Ray Ciccarelli, Hello July 19, 2014 @ 4:35 am Bolting Dual DCOEs on a stock engine would would hurt driveability. As always, once we test fitted the manifold, we sent it to Swain Tech Coatings to be coated. Features After refreshing the carburetors, the next step is simply to replace the intake and exhaust manifolds with the European-spec pieces. A trip to the machine shop requires a plan. Quiller Triumph - engines and heads New rocker arms are not expensive and in many cases less than the cost of having your originals rebushed and refaced. 5.00 postage. Classic Cars Triumph spitfire For Sale | Car and Classic Minimum engine rebuild service price is $10,000 USD for a fully rebuilt dyno tested engine package (fully assembled engine, carbs, ignition, exhaust manifold, etc) All engines being rebuilt are torque plate honed for superior cylinder bore geometry and improved piston ring seal That is not true but often repeated. They will measure the new pistons to bore the cylinder. Install lifters, pushrods and cylinder head. The key here is getting the entire setup, including the linkages. NEW PARTS If your crankshaft is being reground and your connecting rods resized, this is time to use the size spec range to get the proper rod bearing clearance. This is really useful and clearly written. And its fine until it gets to temperature and then driven some more so is really hot - and given I found the other day that the overflow pipe was too short into the expansion bottle so was drawing air back in rather than water when the engine cools - so I suspect the engine was then getting a bit too hot at the top occasionally. Follow the same process with the rod bearings as we did with the crankshaft and plastigauge each journal one at a time. 20 Frequently bought together. ASSEMBLY I use .005 before and after maximum camshaft lift. Triumph Spitfire Repair & Service Manuals (2 PDF's Make sure each time you do this you rotate the engine counter-clockwise approximately .100 and then start back in the normal rotation of the enginethis will make sure there is no timing chain slack that could skew your readings. It's easy! Engine Block $4315. The spitfre mk3 profile cam is very good, or even the TR5 profile. They can be rebuilt/modified by anyone who knows SU's. This may take several minutes. item 3 Triumph Spitfire 1500, MG Midget 1500 Rebuilt 4-Speed Transmission, Original, !! Let the engine run 20 minutes at 2,000 rpm to break in your cam and lifters. Third, install the main bearings in the main capsbut dont install the caps yet. Thanks Pete - as it happens I picked up a "new" engine today - has been largely rebuilt - needs a new oil pump as it wasn't changed, but does seem to be well done overall. I built a 1500 engine for my '72 Spit back in the day. The 1500 is a stroked 1300 and like all stroker engines, they make torque down low, but do not like higher RPMS. Crank bearings are supplied standard size and pistons are supplied +0.020" oversize. Most cam lifters can be installed after the cam, but on the MG and Austin Healey A-Series engine, the lifters have to be installed before the cam is installed. Perhaps our biggest issue was simply the original setups drivability. My apologies. Copyright 2018 Wishbone Classics. Apply 30W motor oil to the cylinder walls and the piston skirts. If you're a British car owner that seeks perfection, you will not find another engine rebuilder that is able to produce as fine of finished unit. Add those two numbers together and divide by twothat is your cam timing. My best friend has a Fiat with a DCV on it that responded VERY well to it. Anyway even with the taller gears the engine isn't so high strung that it lugs at all. We know as the piston idles around TDC the cranks motion doesnt produce much stroke so the positive stop method is more accurate and easy too. Current car: 1980 Triumph Spitfire Past cars: 1975 Triumph Spitfire, 1973 Austin Mini, CARMINE RED WITH TAN TRIM, TAN TOP BOOT. Triumph Spitfire 1500 Engine - harddriveradio.unitedstations.com Once you have confirmed oil pressure you are ready to fire the engine for the first time. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. The best currently available bearings are King Tri-metal which most suppliers (e.g. The 3 main floppy 1500 crank can live well at higher RPMS than a stock 1500, if rotating and recipricating assemblies are well ballanced and good ARP main studs are used. The process is mostly a function of carefully cleaning, disassembling and reassembling each carburetor while installing new gaskets. I've read that a Newmans mildroad cam is a good option, and payan gaskets are the best, but what bearings and rings? A bead blast cabinet is ideal for this job; however a wire brush on a drill, or bench grinder with a wire brush will get the job done. As always, check your local emissions laws. With the degree wheel and pointer installed, put the magnetic base on the top of the engine block surface or deck. Most machine shops have a special tool that can cut all three angles at the same time. Detractors complained of durability anddrivabilityissues. Copyright 1995-2023 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. Some information and prices may be differenttoday. But the US emissions regs sucked away both torque and power. You need the following to do the job: A piece of angle iron drilled and tapped with a small bolt installed across the bore is easy to make. 100bhp should be achievable fairly easily. The idea is to remove all the accumulated junk, especially from critical areas like the float bowl and jets. The following is a list of new parts I typically include in an engine rebuild. Our reconditioned full engines have one of the highest rebuild specifications available on the market. Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - Contact Us, Rare American Sports Car: The Fiberfab Jamaican II V8, Full Documentary: The History Of Land Rover, For Sale: The Triumph Scrambler Stunt Motorcycle From James Bonds No Time To Die, Street-Legal Historic Race Car: A 1962 Semi-Lightweight E-Type, Unusual Project Car: A Brazilian Volkswagen SP2, For Sale: Ferrari F40 Wire Frame Sculpture. sorry real name is Mark - Ill update my signature when I get 5 ! Now that you have found TDC, move the dial indictors outside bezel to reflect zero at the needle point. Sidedraft carbs are the best alternative, especially twin Weber DCOEs. Fuel pump work good (tested). It has transformed the Midget into a nice little cruiser. The factory paired these preferred carburetors with a free-flowing, cast-iron exhaust manifold that emptied into twin pipes. Mathew Members 4.2k Posted March 30, 2021 PS just noticed - you DO call yourself "Anglefire"! British Engine Rebuilder 217-232-7303 Specializing in MG/Triumph 1500 Engines " I will not let you run one of my rebuilt engines in your car if I would not run it in mine. Triumph Triumph Spitfire, 1962-1981 (Haynes Manuals) $2995. In this video,. Total price: $93.10. Engine Rebuild Kit Major Spitfire 73 to 80 - British Parts Northwest Inc Install a lubed lifter on #1 cylinder intake and then install a push rod into #1 intake lifter. Handy Tip: Use a Sharpie to put markings on parts you have already torqued or checked clearance to know where you are in the process. 2L & Spits Mk1-4 1500 Includes engine/driveline, suspension, brakes, And the engine was a huge part of that. All in, you could easily complete this job for about $700 if you do the work yourself. Do both methods and you will see the dial indicator method can lead you astray by a couple degrees. You will need a piston ring compressor. Add to Cart. The problem with the thrust bearing is serious, and every Spitfire (or GT-6, or TR-6) owner should know how to check crank end play. Buy Triumph Spitfire Fuel Pumps and get the best deals at the lowest prices on eBay! Cam bearings I prefer the full circle type The big issue with Spit motors was not wear onTW, it was preventing them from dropping. 6000 15.20 17.50 If you find excessive wear your machine shop can reface them. 57,315 M Kurt Tanner Motorcars (866) 461-3172 Santa Ana, CA 92705 (934 miles away) 40 1970 Triumph Spitfire 76,029 mi 1300cc $ 19,700 or $324/mo Degreeing a camshaft Never assume a new oil pump should not be taken apart and checked. Low Mileage Triumph Spitfire Used Engines For Sale @ BUYUSEDENGINE.COM Pete, The 1500 long stroke is not the best for reliability and can suffer serious big end and con rod failuresifnused in ahurried life, It does age quite quickly, upping the power wont help much in reliability. 4.20 postage . Is there a howitzer story there? This was criticallyimportant asBrazilian automotive, This is a wire frame sculpture of the Ferrari F40 inarguably one of the Italian automakers most important and historically significant supercars. The, The traditional Silodrome was a carnival sideshow attraction also called the Wall of Death." Use new gaskets and properly clean all mating surfaces. However bad previous repairs, rust, and a desire for more power, resulted in Lube the rod bolt threads with motor oil or fastener assembly lube, like the one ARP makes, and torque your rod bolts to manual spec. The MG Midget and Austin Healey Sprite High Performance Manual - Daniel Stapleton 2008 Covers all aspects of modifying the MG Midget and Austin Healey Sprite for high performance. The three-main-bearing design did not lend itself well to hard use. I replaced the original exhaust header with a Pacesetter which increased the pipe diameter to about 2"but have learned there are better ones available. Fortify Your 1500: Improving 1500 Spitfire and Midget Engines If the gap is too big, have the cylinders bored and new oversize pistons fitted. But Ive stuck with it for reasons long since forgotten! Grinding off unnecessary mass from conrods, should be followed by polishing and shot peening, which does increase the strength. The MG motor was incapable of being enlarged, just getting itto 1275 had required engineering handsprings (offset conrods? 1500 engine performance mods : Spitfire & GT6 Forum : The Triumph As a rule of thumb, its best to replace the rod bolts. http://triumphspitfire.com/enginenumbers.html, Ok, given that I'm going to drop the sump to replace the oil pump, I have decided to also change all the bolts on the bearing caps - gives me the opportunity to inspect the journals and shells and re-oil prior to start-up (its been on an engine stand for about 3 or 4 years). Move to zero and then around and stop at .005 past zero. A word of caution about decking the block too much: Some engines, such as the Spitfire and Midget 1500 and the later TR6, have necessary recesses around the cylinder bores. But yes, I do enjoy it and try and go out in it as much as possible - I bought it to drive and not be a show car. do make sure you stick to 97+ or better fuel, **95 ul was for side valves and mowers when these cars were born. 3 main engines were definitelymore common but Triumph had a lock on using only half the thrust washers other manufacturers (like MG) did in that period - a definite shortcoming. It's the 1500cc variant, however, its had some cylinder head work and a fast road camshaft. MATCHING RED FACTORY HARDTOP. Altering the factory cam timing can be done in one of two wayseither by using offset camshaft keys or with an adjustable camshaft gear. Hap owns and operates Acme Speed Shop out of Greenville, SC, where his specialty is rebuilding MG engines ranging from stock to full out race prepared. It is extremely important that the filet radius (the edges of the journal where it joins back into the crankshaft body) is restored when the crank is reground. FM Spitfire 1500. A new set isnt expensive. A parts washer makes this job a lot easier, but if you dont have one you can make a temporary parts washer out a 5-gallon bucket and waterbased degreasers. Ray, that is a good point, the wet sleeve motors like the Triumph TR3/$ engines are not a engine I work with. Crank bearings are supplied standard size and pistons are supplied +0.020" oversize. Spitfire/GT6 TS Imported Automotive, 108 South Jefferson St., Pandora, Ohio, 45877, USA Tel 800.543.6648 (USA & Canada only) 419.384.3022 (Tech / General Information) Motor runs excellent, no issues with state inspection and everything works as it is supposed to. The Kent fast road grind has a lot of lift but not a lot of duration which keeps the power band from being pushed too high. Trending price is based on prices over last 90 days. In our case, Quantum Mechanics sold us a brand-new downpipe to match the European exhaust manifold. Rotate the engine by hand; I like to do this from the rear of the engine as to not disturb the degree wheels setting. Restoration of my Triumph. If youve got the okay from Johnny Law, a straightforward swap to dual SU carburetors can net you a more fun and agile driving machine. This measured sprint took us an alarming 14.7 seconds to completenot very sporting for a sports car. Oil pressure regulator parts They are inexpensive, so replace them. As for the MG Midget, I preferred the 1275. .0015 to .002 is acceptable. I have 3 1500 Triumph engines in RB Midgets I'd like to rebuild and upgrade for greater performance and reliability, to take advantage of modern engine components, the years of tuning and development on this engine since the 70's, and the wealth of engine building experience that has amassed since the engines were introduced. Strengthening the bottom end isn't an option, unless you go for a steel billet crank and conrods. Triumph Spitfire Full Engine Rebuild Kits | Rimmer Bros $20.74. Drivetrain A bit too obvious for me that! Valve guides Once all of the pistons are in you can rotate the engine to the access the bottom side. The Spitfires exhaust system is epically simple, and any competent shop can build you a nice system. Add to Wish List. What makes a Wishbone Classics engine better? Engine was previously rebuild by Ivor Searle, looks brand new under the rocker cover.. Ps, fuel tank is disconnected, now pumping fuel out of a fresh can. The cost for this setup is only about $400 to $500, depending on the source and condition of the parts. Wishbone Classics is a specialist in rebuilding standard and performance British sports car engines. June 30, 2021 June 30, 2021; GT6; Fanatik Builds started their 1971 Triumph GT6 project as a simple restoration. Also worth making sure the crank end float is correct (oversize thrust washers usually required, get them the right way round too). The car was largely based upon the chassis of the Triumph Herald saloon, but shortened and without the Herald's outrigger sections. Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media. Proper clearance is required in many areas of your enginepiston to cylinder wall, crankshaft end float, camshaft end float, connecting rod side clearance, and then also things like spring valve lash. Quantum Mechanics, Ltd. But no proof or paperwork so Im assuming it wasnt. Right off the bat, this larger engine delivered more torque than its predecessor. For instance,the 2014 Renault F1 engine has a stroke of only 53mm but is limited to 15,000rpm! It should come around the outer edge of your degree wheel, preferably on the top side. If the margin (the vertical part of the valve just below the seat sealing area) is ground away during refacing it could leave a sharp edge that can lead to a burnt exhaust valve later on. Crankshaft grinding is a very skilled part of the machine shop phase. 5000 rpm may be a conservative limit even for a 1500, but it's easy to see that thelonger stroke engine approaches the 20mps limit far sooner than the earlier engines. Thrust bearing in the proper size. Quickview. Bare A-type OD base rebuild pricing is $1650. The Triumph SC (small car) engines were never derived fromtractors. item 4 New Valve Cover Gasket for Triumph Spitfire and MG Midget 1500 Cork, item 5 New Cylinder Head Gasket for Triumph Spitfire 1500 and MG Midget 1500 w/ Tab, item 6 NEW TRIUMPH SPITFIRE 1500 MG MIDGET 1500 WATER PUMP, item 7 Triumph TR6, GT6, Spitfire, MG Midget 1500 fuel pump to engine gasket 138791, item 8 Triumph Spitfire - TR250 - TR6 & GT6 & MG Midget 1500 - Rear Main Crank Seal, 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 9 product ratings, 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 5 product ratings, 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 4 product ratings, 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 2 product ratings. Another way to look at it is to work out how much the piston weighs in use. Is a lighter flywheel right for your classic? Given that MG and Triumph were both owned and built by BLMC, choosing the Spitfire motor for both was a no brainer.