Joseph R Schneider wrote:
>
> recently bought a 76 spit, to be delivered this weekend, needs brakes,
> exhaust, a few other things, i'd appreciate some help from list
> 1) ordered bentley manual (per Andy Mace's rec) from TRF, received a book
> that doesn't seem to say bentley anywhere, it's white cover 8.5"x11", has
> red letters on cover including the late circular triumph logo, "SPITFIRE
> 1500", and at bottom of cover "Repair Operations Manual"- book credits say
> "Published by BL Cars Limited", doesn't say bentley anywhere...
Sounds like you have one of the Factory Repair Manuals. Everything in
there
should be in the Bentley manual. The Bentley manual is essentially a
reprint
of the Factory Repair Manual, but also has a section at the beginning
reprinting the owner's handbook (the "owner's guide" that would have
come
with the car from the dealer, that explains things like where the turn
signal indicator is, how to put the top up/down, how to turn the heat
on,
and "maintenance schedule" tasks in a non-technical fashion. The
Bentley
manual will also have a few pages with bolt torque settings, capacities,
and
a few miscellaneous tables/diagrams that may not be in the Factory
Repair
Manual, but may have come from Factory Service Bulletins produced after
the
publication of the Factory Repair Manual.)
The Bentley manuals (or the factory manual that you have) do not contain
descriptions of what Bentley would consider to be "common automotive
mechanical knowledge" such as how the various automotive systems work,
how to diagnose problems, how to perform troubleshooting, how to use
various tools, how to do a compression test, etc.
For the above kinds of things, a Haynes manual, or specific books
describing
the systems of the car, or how to do acquire "auto mechanics skills"
would be more helpful.
However, for what the Bentley (or factory manual) provides -- a step
by step sequecne of operations for specific repair tasks -- it just
can't be beat!
My observation: One manual isn't enough to meet all of the above
needs.
My recommendation: Keep the factory repair manual (unless you really
want the Bentley manual, but I would suggest looking at one first, to
see the differences before going through the hassle of returning and
re-acquiring) and buy additional resources to augment that. You
would probably benefit from a Haynes (or similar) manual, which provides
less detailed instructions than the Bentley, but will provide more
overview on how the various systems work, and some troubleshooting
hints. Additionally, buying (or borrowing, check your library) some of
the Haynes books on specific automotive systems -- carburetion, brake
systems, electrical systems will give a much better overview of these
particular systems, allowing you to truly understand how they work,
as well as providing strategies and guidance for troubleshooting
common problems.
--ken
Vintage Triumph Register English Channel Editor & WWW Maintainer
http://www.vtr.org
> disappointed since it has a bunch of specs and step by step description of
> reapir operations, but no general explanation of systems, e.g., the dreaded
> lucas "solid state" ignition system- is this really the "bentley" or
> something else? i've always thought understanding the engineering makes for
> better trouble shooting, etc., i wonder if this is the wrong manual or if
> the haynes has more general descriptions of systems and would be a good
> complement?
--
Kenneth B. Streeter | EMAIL: streeter@sanders.com
Sanders, PTP2-A001 |
PO Box 868 | Voice: (603) 885-9604
Nashua, NH 03061 | Fax: (603) 885-0631
|