Electrical dilemma - spitfire based kit needs loom
 

Hi Everyone,
I've got a bit of a dilemma - I've just bought a spitfire based kit (a Fiorano) and I'm confused as to what type of electrical loom to try and fit.
the car does not come with a loom, so presumably I could fit whatever I wanted to.
I was talking to a spitfire parts dealer and he mentioned that older spitfires like the mk3 - that had a dynamo, had a 12 volt system .... but the later mk4 cars had an alternator and a 6 volt setup but with 12 volts on startup (or something like that) - because of the points always burning out on the 12 v systems.

now the car i've bought has a 1500 spitfire engine and appears to have an alternator with it.

the question is - should I try and get a spitfire loom and then have the dilemma of whether to go 12v or 6v system, or should I get a generic kit car loom which would be much cheaper - and if so, will it affect the points or any other systems on the car adversly?

thanks

Paul

Well in my view your parts dealer is talking a load of bollix.
First of all nearly every car of that era uses 12 volts. I'd be MOST surprised if your alternator was 6 volts. I remember 6 volts back in the 1950s but by 1970, no!
You can confirm that by looking a any bulb, it has the voltage on it.

But back in the 70s it was quite common to have a ballast resistor in the supply to the coil, which dropped the voltage to about 9 volts. The coil was specifically designed to work of 9 volts. However when you tried to start the car the ballast resistor was bypassed and the full battery voltage applied across the coil. Since the battery voltage will drop while cranking the engine in made sure you got a decent spark.

I would also be surprised if you can get a Spitfire wiring loom, so I would go for a kit car loom. While you are at it upgrade the dizzy to contactless and use an after market ignition system.

Universal kit the way to go?

http://www.langysrodshop.co.uk/wiring_kits.htm


Or

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12-Circuit...25.m3641.l6368

Thanks guys - yeah maybe it was a 9 volt ballast resistor system that he meant and I got it mixed up

you can actually order spitfire wiring looms - but I think they are about twice the price of the kit car ones - so I think that may be the answer.

the voltage won't affect things like the petrol sender and stuff will it?

See this page http://www.triumphspitfire.com/gauges.html it says you should get 10 volts from the voltage stabiliser. That can only happen if you have a 12 volt supply.
So I am really sure that Spitfires were 12 volt.