[Fot] Early Spitfire Splined Axle

[Rocky Entriken]

Yep, that's a bit of a different setup. I'm guessing it's some kind of early 
"competition" axle setup. I say early because the comp axles I've had in my 
Mk. 1 Spit (one set acquired about 1975, replaced about 10 years ago) have 
always been solid units at the outer end that stab through the hub from 
outside to inside.

Then at the inside end of the axle, mine are indeed splined to a flange that 
connects outer axle to inner axle.

Not sure where you'd find a modern competition axle setup, but my friend 
Duane Bailey might know. He's a Spitfire racer in Michigan, runs a Britcar 
business including competition work (he builds my engines, etc.). 
dbailey_wmy at yahoo.com or 616-878-5774.

--Rocky Entriken


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <list at mackenzie.aero>
To: <fot at autox.team.net>
Cc: <list at mackenzie.aero>
Sent: Monday, May 25, 2009 9:50 PM
Subject: [Fot] Early Spitfire Splined Axle


>I have a question about my Spit for the group; I hope somebody can
> help me out.
>
> For those who don?t know the story, I own a very early Spitfire4
> (FC921) that I autocross.  Although I don?t have the full history of
> the car or its logbooks I understand that it was an SCCA racer at some
> point before being campaigned as an  autocross car into the 80s.  I
> bought it as a barn-find 3 years ago and got it race ready in early
> 2008.
>
> When I started working on this car I inspected most of the parts and
> re-installed them.  One of the first projects was addressing the rear
> suspension which was collapsed due a missing diff.  I recall pulling
> the brake drums, removing the shoes/springs and everything else and
> putting it all back together after re-sealing the brake cylinders. I
> don?t recall pulling the drive flanges or thinking they or the drive
> shafts were anything out of the ordinary.  One feature that did catch
> my eye is that the wheel studs.  They were 7/16 diameter and about 2.5
> inches long.  I assumed that it was built this way so spacers could be
> used to adjust track as required.
>
> Last week I was getting the car ready for a club autocross when I
> discovered a broken wheel stud on the left rear.  [I ended up dusting
> off my street 1500 and having a great day  of racing but that?s
> another story- http://tinyurl.com/qkjnpn ]
>
> I went to pull off the drive flange yesterday to get at the studs and
> was surprised to find the flange and axle were splined, not the usual
> tapered shaft with keyway.
>
> Photo:  http://tinyurl.com/spitspline
>
> My question are:
>
> Has anybody else seen this set-up?
> Who made this?
> Where are the shafts from?
>
> Any help will be appreciated.
>
> Robert MacKenzie
> Austin, TX
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