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Re: Spit Longevity

To: spitfires@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Spit Longevity
From: "ralph.jannelli" <ralph.jannelli@cwix.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1999 10:08:43 -0400
Just to add my two pence -- I have owned and driven Spitfires since 1972, I
never bought a new one always used ones. The first one was a 1970 MKIII
which was a daily driver from the time I bought it in 1972 until I sold it
in 1981. I don't remember the number of miles on it but I never once had to
tear the engine apart. The only mechanical problems I remember having with
that car was it kept going through generators. I sold it because I bought a
rust free 1972 MKIV, which I still have to this day. This car has been off
and  on a daily driver as well for the past 18 years. This car has had a few
problems over the years, two bizarre ones come to mind. First while going
down the highway back in 1983 the oil light came on, I quickly pulled over
to check. The sump was full of oil, the problem turned out to be that the
oil pressure relief valve had started to unscrew itself from the block
allowing the oil pressure to drop. Unfortunately I had spun a rod bearing.
The other odd occurrence was the day the engine died with out warning one
day while running errands at lunch. I popped the bonnet to see what was the
matter. I reached for the distributor and the top half came off in my hand!
Apparently one of the centrifugal weights in the bottom section had popped
out of its captive position and had been rubbing on the inside of the
distributor housing for some time. I had cut the housing cleanly in half,
just as nice as if it had been done in a lathe.

I firmly believe that is you are going to own one of these LBC's half the
fun is working on them, that is probably why a disproportionate number of
owners are engineers.

Ralph Jannelli
Matthews, NC
'65 Spitfire MKII
'72 Spitfire MKIV
'80 TR8 DHC

----- Original Message -----
From: Michael F. Papirtis <papirtis@erols.com>
To: Eric A. Yates <eyates@enteract.com>
Cc: <spitfires@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 1999 10:00 PM
Subject: Re: Spit Longevity


>
> I agree.  It's really a matter of perspective and your ability to enjoy
> the challenge of keeping them on the road.  I've got two spits (79 & 80)
> and each have had major repairs over the past several years.  Luckily, I
> could afford to have a transmission rebuilt when needed on one and have
> been able to address the majority of the rest myself.  Since I work as
> an systems engineer in my day job, I find a lot of pleasure in working
> as my own Spit mechanic in the evenings.  Overcoming the adversity of
> maintaining British engineered automobiles gives a certain amount of
> satisfaction.  I call it therapy for my real job.  I actually get to
> take things apart, and then fix them.  Try doing that with
> specifications for large scale, integrated information systems.  Thank
> goodness for greasy wrenches, banged knuckles and the resulting
> confrontation with reality.
>
>   Boy, was that long winded.  It's a great hobby and I've been lucky
> enough to get my Spits into good shape and have them stay that way.  A
> good shop and mechanic helps too.  Motorhead just outside the DC beltway
> has done a bit of work I haven't had time or the talent to do.  They
> aren't cheap, but their work is worth every bit of the cost.  They
> warranty their work for a year and stand behind it.
>
>   Keep 'em driven!
>
>
> Mike P
>


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