I recently bought 2 Triumph Spitfires, 1977 and 1974. The 74 is
in the best condition so I am intending to restore that one. My
dilemma is that I have 3 engine blocks, 2 - 1500 cc, and 1 - 1296 cc,
all of these have warn cranks and it looks like they have all been
turned once before. I am looking for some general advice:
1st - There seems to be very little difference between the 1296 and
the 1500. All I've seen is that the pistons are cupped and
the crank is heavier on the 1500. The block is the same, the
connecting rods are the same, and the piston diameter is the same.
How did they come up with the extra 204 ccs?
2nd - If all my engines need the same amount of work, which one is
the best to repair? From what I've seen the 1500 is more prone
to spin a bearing than the 1296. Is this true?
3rd - Has anyone had any bad experiences with mail order cranks?
Are there any reasonable machine shops in the Boston area.
4th - Are there any other gotchas that I should be aware of when
combining these engine/drivetrain combinations? I am
aware of the transmission to clutch tooth count, and
the different drive shaft lengths. How about suggestions
on which parts to stay away from?
5th - I am leaning toward using the 1296 even though this engine isn't
original, I have a set of SU's from the 1296 that may run better
on this engine than on the 1500. (Is this true?)
Thanks in advance for any help & info.
The above are questions for a friend of mine.
Duane Walzer WALZER@ENP.PRIME.COM
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