Firstly, the wedge...
Having bought it the day before the TSSC Stafford show and driven it down from S&S to Lincolnshire, and then the next day to Stafford - it's been surprisingly good.
As an aside - I thought Stafford this year was the best yet - mainly due to some great company on the Sat & Sunday eves - and really getting involved this year and helping out. I'm becoming far more involved in the TSSC these days (as I'm working heavily on redesigning their website) but still hoping to join in with Club Triumph and the TR Register - it's a shame that the local clubs don't join together more.
I've done over 1000 miles in the wedge in the last couple of months and I have gone from thoroughly hating everything about it (the looks and the driving) to quite liking it. As this was bought as a birthday present for the other half - I'm trying to get it to being reliable and safe as soon as possible so she can start enjoying it.
The faults on the car so far are a leaking roof at the front, roof poppers all broke when used, broken courtesy light, tempremental fuel guage, clock only works when ignition on, sticking accelerator, duff guage/interior lights, a failed headlight, non-working front and rear fogs, a right-turn indicator that does a funky pattern, and a annoyingly random cut of power (about 1/2 sec) every now and then. It bump steers badly too.
I have since buying the car, replaced both headlights with halogen units, sorted door light, sorted the accelerator, fitted a new vent/radio bit of the dash and sorted a dodgy headlight switch cable. I have bought, but not yet fitted, new green stuff front pads, a complete LED bulb kit for the dash, replacement hood fasteners & riveter, glass guides for both sides, and a kit to fit a new stereo as it's mssing one. On the 'to buy' list are new clock, fuel guage & sender, reostat switch and knob, new cigar lighter, new lighting bar for the dash switches & bulbs. I'll also be looking at the engine electrics to sort out the cut-outs.
In the spring, I'll get the alloys refurbished. I'll also get the little bits of bodywork sorted (light pods, bottom passenger door, and rear seams) and get the car properly polished up professionally. A new blue mohair hood is also on the cards.
After spinning the car a scraping an alloy when going over a train crossing at 40mph will see this take a priority. 4x new decent tyres and a full balance and tracking will be the first step. Otherwise it'll be a complete suspension rebush and replace.
Although it has lots of faults, it's a damn good looking car and will be superb once finished. It even won the peoples' concours at the TSSC Lincolnshire Camping Weekend in September! I know I'm biased as an Area Organiser of the TSSC Lincs Area - but this is a damn good event - and this years run to Cleethorpes was a hoot! Join us next year...
All this time with the wedge, has meant the other car, the Vitesse has been left alone.
Over the last few months I have bought a new Swing Spring conversion kit from Canleys, complete with a 3/4" lowering block. I have managed to get some half-shafts from the TSSC Stafford show too. Canleys have also provided some refurbished vertical links.
Armed with new bolt kits and a fully polybuish set - it was time to start 'swinging into action' but it seems that I have managed to get water into the diff whilst in storage - so rather than emptying it of oil before proudly (and finally) starting the rebuild - I just got rusty water and a seized diff instead.
So I'll have to wait for a visit to Mike Papworth before starting work.
This is becoming a very, very, expensive hobby! Good fun though...
Labels: camping, lincolnshire, swing spring, tr7, triumph, Weekend
The Vitesse: Diff on, rear swing spring on, rear drive shafts on. Drilling new holes for the shocks in the chassis as the ones there were too small(!?). Should have rear suspension finished very soon. Need to then start the front!!! Project plan says another ten years at current rate of progress...
