Right then, you will need the following:- Haynes manual (no. 0112) - tells you how to check, dismantle, repair, whatever, pretty much anything on your car. Essential. Get it from Halfords (although they will probably have to order it), or any other car parts store, or order from a bookshop (ISBN 0 85696 612 6). You could even read it from cover to cover as bedtime reading to familiarise yourself with your car.
Rimmer Bros. Catalogue - order it from their website (www.rimmerbros.co.uk). This is probably the most comprehensive parts catalogue you will find - and it is free! Even if you never buy from them it is worth having, as it is packed full of exploded diagrams that show how things fit together, where they go, and this is probably as useful as Haynes in helping you work out how to dismantle and re-assemble stuff. (Almost) all parts are referenced using Triumph's original part numbers, which means once you know the part number you can buy it from Moss (who are a bit cheaper) or TRGB (who are cheaper still). There are a number of other books you can get, depending on what you are after. For those who want to see if their cars meet the specification they left the factory with, or return them to that specification, John Thomason's "Triumph Spitfire & GT6 - A Guide To Originality" is invaluable. Other books are more likely to concentrate on history, or road test re-prints - interesting but not helpful. A restoration guide probably isn't worth it unless you are planning to do a major restoration - with your current experience level I guess that's not on the cards yet! To get parts you want to head for: Rimmer Bros (as already mentioned) Moss (www.mossint.co.uk) - almost as comprehensive as Rimmers, and usually just a little cheaper. They don't seem to have a specific GT6 catalogue, so ask for the Spitfire, as 85% of the parts are common. TRGB (www.trgb.co.uk) - a smaller operation, so they won't have every part sitting waiting on the shelf. However, they are almost invariably cheaper than the above two, and generally more friendly and helpful on the 'phone (despite Rimmers' claim in the catalogue, I've found their staff often no better than a check-out operator) Manvers Triumph (www.manvers-triumph.com) - similar size to TRGB, although I think they concentrate more on servicing/restoration than parts supply. Quiller Triumph (www.quillertriumph.co.uk) - never used them before but I've heard good stuff John Kipping/Canley Classics (www.kipping.co.uk) - never used, but heard plenty good stuff. Recently taken over by Canley Classics after John emigrated, but so far I haven't heard anyone say they are any worse. If you know little about cars, you picked the right car to find out with! There will be little (maybe occasional bigger) things you will need to fix, but the Spitfire/GT6 is a VERY easy car to work on, the whole design is, to be honest, pretty simple, and an analytical mind can look at pretty much any system on the car and deduce how it works, and what to do to fix it. Finally, of course, there is this list, and the members of it who are extremely tolerant of all sorts of questions. We are here because we WANT to help and advise - if a day goes by where I didn't get to help a fellow Triumph owner I feel disappointed!! Richard & Daffy (Inca Yellow '78 Spit 1500) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Important Notice: The information in this email is confidential and may be legally-privileged. If you have reason to believe you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution or any action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it is prohibited and may be unlawful and you are requested to contact the sender urgently and dispose of this email -----------------------------------------------------------exp. /// [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailing list /// Send admin requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] /// or try http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool /// Archives at http://www.team.net/archive /// Send list postings to [EMAIL PROTECTED] /// Edit your replies! If they include this trailer, they will NOT be sent.
