Triumph Repair: No Cover over Trannie inside vehicle?, screw holes, light restoration

Question
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Followup To
Question -
Jim,

Jim!

You are right on track.  There was a black sheet metal cover which was completely misplaced having slid totally back on the body toward the back of the car (toward the handbrake).  It looked like it was supposed to be there, was I could see no purpose for its placement. I am now looking to see just how that fits onto the transmission tunnel.

It has a ridge and five screw holes.  

Thanks for your response!

Peggy




While doing the necessary light restoration of my 79 Spitfire, I removed the seats for the new foam and seat covers and next the console and carpet.

What did I find?  Yikes.  An opening over the trannie and lots of gloppy grease in the carpet.  Apparently it has been this way all along?  Can that be, open to the carpet?  

I have had her since 1982 and have had work done all along the way as all English car owners can attest to.

I am looking for "what" part is missing in all the catalogs and have ordered the restoration and repair manuals to see what to do.  

So, I cannot reassemble her until I have this taken care of.

It is open for about five inches a complete band over the transmission.  There is a black metal piece with five screw holes just sitting on the body of the car just behind the gapping hole?  There are five screw holes in the body of the car just underneath it?

Any advice...  Please

Peggy
Answer -
Peggy,

I'm not quite clear on what part you're missing... but I'll go through what SHOULD be there in the hope of answering your question.

From the factory there was a molded cardboard cover over the transmission that bolted to the edge of the body (inboard of the footwells) and to the fire wall.  Inside the cardboard cover there was a plastic wrapped piece of insulation to help quiet the road noise.

At the back end of the transmission cover just underneath the front tip of the handbrake on some cars there is a sheet steel band that screws into the bodyshell along the driveshaft tunnel.  To me it sounds like that's what's been displaced in your car.  

If it isn't write back and we'll see if we can figure this out.


Cheers,

Jim

Answer
Peggy,

It'd be easiest to undo some of the clips that hold the cardboard trans cover in place... then you can lift the back end of the trans cover and slide the metal piece back in place.

If you look at this picture it shows the trans tunnel and your elusive steel piece.


http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/spitfire/images/147a.gif


Cheers,

Jim