Talk off topic about anything vaguely connected with Triumphs.

Okay, random message post, but hey its the middle of exams and need relief. Is it me, or are there a lot of students who own Spitfires? I maybe be wrong, some times i am.

On another note, anyone up in scotland? trying to find a garage that is good.

Relieve the boredom of last minute revision....

So I'm a full time social worker but I am also taking my post qualifying certificate in child care award at Nottingham Uni at the same time. AND trying to work wonders with me rusty old spit!!
Have a student card and a pay cheque, what could be better?.....oh yeah, no assignments or revision, silly me.

Hi Hugh

Well I haven't been a student since 1990 but I am in Scotland (Stirling).

I see from you're profile that you're in Edinburgh so Edinburgh Sports Cars is probably worth considering.

http://www.langhaugh.demon.co.uk/edinburghsportsca...

The obvious choice in Scotland is Chic Doig in Cardenden which isn't too inconvenient from Edinburgh. One of the guys will happily drive you up to Lochgelly station where you can get the train back to Edinburgh. Since I've had my spit, I've only used Chic so I can't really offer a comparison. I've been reasonably happy with their work so far but have heard they are perhaps a little more expensive than other places.

http://www.chicdoig.com

Another garage I'm quite keen to try out next time I've a job beyond my capabilities / available time is Balfron Sports Cars. This is a small garage in Balfron (about 15 - 20 miles from Stirling) who has an excellent reputation in Classics circles. Not being a big operation, he is often quite well booked up so its worth planning ahead. A friend of mine with a MG Midget (the one with the Spit Engine in it) gets all his servicing done there and swears by him. Apparently there is an easy bus back into Stirling from near the Garage.

To be honest though, it can be a bit of a pain having to take your car 20 miles plus for a bit of work so I'm probably going to try a local Stirling garage - a friend of a friend runs a garage/engineering shop in town and he used to work for a BL dealer back in Spitfire days so I might give him a try.

A good mate of mine used to live in Edinburgh while doing his PHd and he ran an MGB. He's still got it but lives in Cambridge now. I'll drop him an e-mail to find out if he used any good local places in Edinburgh.

Good luck with the last minute exam stuff!!! I remember it well ..... don't remember as much about the days after the exams though

Lods of students on here. If you look in the "lounge bar" they even have their own archive category!

Not been a student myself since 1985, but I'm also in Scotland (Livingston).

The Edinburgh Sports Cars link is interesting -- didn't know about them to be honest.

Chic Doig did most of the work on the engine, transmission, bodywork and interior on my Spitfire rebuild and modification into a 2.7 litre (very) fast road car -- they did a good job, and I'd personally recommend them.

Exams -- well, that's the one thing I don't miss from my student days. I don't want to sit an exam ever again

Bill Murray

Edinburgh Sports Cars are ok - Andrew Doney is the guy you want to speak to there. I only ever use them for tuning (they have a gas analyzer, I don't) but I've heard they are ok for other work too. When I've been down to the workshop there have often been assorted E-Types and TRs there so always reckoned they could be trusted with my humble GT6.

Sounds like quite a car, Bill - which bits is it comprised of?

Edinburgh Sports Cars are ok - Andrew Doney is the guy you want to speak to there. I only ever used them for tuning (they have a gas analyzer, I don't) but I've heard they are ok for other work too. When I've been down to the workshop there have often been assorted E-Types and TRs there so always reckoned they could be trusted with my humble GT6.

Sounds like quite a car, Bill - which bits is it comprised of?

Hi Andrew,

> Sounds like quite a car, Bill - which bits is it comprised of?

Oh er...

I've had the car since 1985. It was my first ever car, which I bought just after I stopped being a student and started work. It literally disintegrated in 1992 and was left with my brother-in-law until 1999 when I reclaimed it. Most of it was shot to bits by then. Chic Doig (who did almost all the work if I'm being honest) and myself rebuilt it between 1999-2002.

Rebuilt with imported US Spitfire 1500 tub converted back to RHD and US Spitfire 1500 chassis with GT6 front suspension turrets and radiator mounts fitted.

2.5 litre saloon engine (MM) bored out to 2.7 litre, fully balanced etc, lightened flywheel, Stage IV unleaded head, Sprint 90 cam, 3 x Weber 40 DCOE, oil cooler, uprated GT6 radiator.

GT6 front suspension, with 4-pot vented disks, 1-inch anti-roll bar. Konis.

Spitfire 1500 rear suspension with GT6 brakes and 3/4-inch anti-roll bar. Konis.

Brake servo.

Heavy duty close ratio gearbox, uprated overdrive and limited slip 3.63 diff.

I run it on 185/60-R13 Goodyear NCTs (which I don't think I can get anymore) on 5.5 x 13 Alleycat Supaslots.

All the engine, suspension and brake parts are from TriumphTune.

I fitted the Club burr walnut dash, centre column and steering wheel etc, and got all new dials from the Club. It also has MX5 seats.

There have been a few minor niggles which isn't really any surprise when you look at the extent of what's been done -- no major problems. The worst thing that's happened was when the Woodruff key in the off-side drive shaft snapped

That was too much even for the limited slip diff and I was left stuck at a junction looking like a right idiot

I did eventually mange to nurse it home however.

All the above combined with the fact it's painted metallic British racing green means it's about as unoriginal as you can get

But I don't care -- it's the car I always wanted. I know this sounds sad -- but it's more or less what I decided I wanted to do with it when I discovered the TriumphTune catalogue back in 1986

It runs as sweet as anything, is as fast as **** and is just the best fun I can possibly imagine in a road car

Cheers,

Bill

Yeah, there do seem to be a fair few of us students who own Spitfires.

I'm actually using my student loan to fund all the work that needs doing on my Spitty.

I seem to have been quite lucky this year though - no exams, only coursework, and my last piece of coursework was handed in on the 14th, so I've been back at home about a week and a half now...

Chris.

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