Just bought a new triumph spartan.help needed!

[mysterious rider]

Hello all, recently bought this triumph spartan and i need help identifying what engine it has on it. I was told by previous owner it runs unleaded fuel, and is a 2.5L engine.

The logbook however, says its a 2L.

Need to swap out the points system , and fit proper air filters (runs really rough, spits through the carbs etc and pops a lot).

So,

Engine type? triumph 2/ 2.5 PI ?
Pod air filters that would fit? Mine hang out the engine bay side?

I just need to get a roof for it also I dont think you can buy these new.

then service it properly, filters and oil. Plus gearbox fluids.


Any help or info would be fantastic. Quite new to these cars.

Cheers.

[Equus]

Some Spartans were Truimph Herald/Vitesse based, so if it was 2 litres, it was likely to be the 2 litre Triumph Vitesse/GT6 engine originally, and if it's now 2.5 litres, then possibly it's had an engine swap from a TR6 or Triumph 2500. You might be able to get some info from Triumph specialists by giving them the engine number. Try Rimmer Bros., maybe?

Obviously, yours is on triple Webers, which was not factory fitment, so they've been added afterwards. Plenty of aftermarket air filter assemblies are available for Weber installations, so take your pick, but I doubt that the rough running is just the filters - suggest you get it set up by a Weber specialist. If it's been standing or little used, the chances are that the float chambers are full of crap, and O-rings etc. might be perished, so count on having the carbs overhauled before they can be tuned.

I assume you know about the Spartan Owner's Club?

[Justin S]

As said about the straight sixes, my aunt had a Herald Vitesse , which was a lovely car and great engine. Think it ran on Strombergs in those days. Change those mesh things, they are terrible for flow and you have lost half the air travelling into them. Maybe buy a carb balancer for £30 and try and adjust air flow yourself. Plenty of youtube info on how to. I was also check the fuel pipes as one looks cracked only the length of it. Looks a decent enough car, just needs that tlc to make it .

[Equus]

Justin S said:

Change those mesh things, they are terrible for flow and you have lost half the air travelling into them.

They're also sod all use for filtration!

And yes, Strombergs were the OE carburettors on the Vitesse/GT6, before they moved to fuel injection on the TR6 PI.

Webers are arguably better than either (the TR6 injection system has a reputation for unreliability... it can be sorted, these days, but it's not cheap), but I'd still recommend an expert. Your symptoms sound like more than just being out of balance: could be air leaks (perished O-rings/misab plates, maybe?) or blocked jets, but whatever it is, random tinkering could get you into more problems than it will solve.

[mysterious rider]

Thanks guys. That forum looks quite dead to be honest. From what I can see at any rate.

I've tinkered and got it running better. I'll balance the carbs when I have the idle mixture right and I can only do that with added filters.

Cheers.

[Justin S]

You wouldnt do any harm in replacing the plastic spacers between the inlet manifold and carbs with Misab plates, which are an alloy plate with the seal moulded to them. The plastic ones fitted are a pig, as they seals expand and also can spit out on a back fire. Also replace the rubbers on the carbs that let them float and stop fuel froth. Parts available from Burtons . Not sure if they are 40's or 45's , suspect 40's
http://www.burtonpower.com/catalogsearch/result/?q...
http://www.burtonpower.com/catalogsearch/result/?q...
http://www.burtonpower.com/catalogsearch/result/?q...

[Gareth9702]

The engine number will tell you whether it is a 2.0 or 2.5: http://www.triumphspitfire.com/enginenumbers.html

[NigelStn]

Your Spartan looks as though it was from a kit, which was made around 1975 - 1976. I was works manager there at that time, so if there is anything particular you need let me know. I built many finished cars, both on Triumph and the Spartan version chassis.

[GinG15]

this car is a Spartan...but still registered as a 1978 Triumph!!! not very good......even it might have been legal in the old times....today this car is considered as having an "incorrect registration"


for the rough running the following procedure has to be done:

1. check & adjust valve clearance
2. check and adjust ingition timing
3. balance the carbs

air-filters are a secondary thing

as the tripple weber set-up is an aftermarket tuning-thing the problem could be also related to the jetting.....buy 3 webers, fit them on a manifold and fit that to an engine is not the way it works.....might have never run properly with the former owners....hence the sale....can you investigate when those webers have been fitted, who fitted them, and did the car ever run well in the past?

Edited by GinG15 on Monday 18th September 22:23

[mysterious rider]

Hello,
Nige that's great news, I'll be trying to source/make the roof hood soon. Do you think the stag/vitesse framework will be a rough fitment?


The V5 clearly has on it, turned into kit car, parts fitted from various cars that may or may not be new. So it's legit. Cheers.

I also balanced the carbs by ear. runs pretty good now.

I fitted individual pod filters for now, Just need to set up idle mixture when i have time.


Main thing is sourcing a hood, I've bought the cover material, but looking at making or buying the folding metal setup.


also my engine is MM which just says 2500cc on that site.

thanks.

[Justin S]

I think you'll find that the DVLA in days gone passed had absolutely no idea on how to approach kit cars . Having been through the mill with them when bought a Westfield 20 years ago and 6 months of tooing and froing, inspections they never turned up at, different people having different thoughts on how to re-register, not to Q plate, to Q plate , so the docs may show what that person thought the right way to deal with it on that day. Next day , they may have thought differently !!
Glad its running better , so make the most for the sunshine before it turns rubbish.

[jamesG20V6]

GinG15 said:

this car is a Spartan...but still registered as a 1978 Triumph!!! not very good......even it might have been legal in the old times....today this car is considered as having an "incorrect registration"

Edited by GinG15 on Monday 18th September 22:23

That is a misconception and not technically true. It was correctly registered at the time and still is. Registration procedures have changed and improved and despite ‘the amnesty’ etc If it was inspected / re-registered when built back in the day, as this was, it is still correctly registered.

Seems to be a pet project...

[GinG15]

in the old times the registration process was like that.

Some pre'SVA cars are still registered as their donor (it'll say Escort, Triumph etc) on the V5. There was an amnesty period when SVA came in to alter the V5 to the correct make but not all got done. Correctly reistered cars will have the kit name on the V5.