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Isle of Wight 2012

Despite only travelling about 10 miles in seven months, the TR7 made it to, and back, from the Isle of Wight for the camping weekend with the only failure being a broken window winder!  The clutch is a bit high and it's got a high tickover - but both of these are minor.  I'll get some bits and bobs sorted before the MOT...

We're going to make a decision in October whether to keep the 7 and lavish some time and money on it so it's back to being it's best, or sell/trade it in for something else.  Sarah likes the roundtail spitfires so one of those might be on the cards.

I have the front suspension for the Vitesse, so will start putting that together ASAP.  Hopefully it'll be on it's wheels in the next few weeks and I can start thinking about the engine...

Frenzy of Activity (not)

2x new wing mirrors ordered from Robsport with a temporary 2nd hand hood bag (until I get the mohair one sorted).  Car now on a battery conditioner so hopefully will start better.  New stereo ordered (as per Hugh's recommendation).  Will get it taxed next month as we're off the the Isle of Wight in May for the TSSC Camping weekend, and 6 months tax will take us past the TSSC Lincs weekend in September.  So the car will hopefully be fully operational again in the next two weeks.  I may even have the Z3 wind-breaker fitted!

The Vitesse has the front springs fitted to the shocks (Thanks Keith), and as soon as I've got the front wishbones back - there's a chance it will sit on it's own wheels.  Would like to have the engine overhauled and fitted, along with the propshaft and brake pipes this summer if at all possible.

Slow progress, but progress none the less!!!

Clearing Out

An imminent house move means that I'm clearing out any bits that aren't needed for the Vitesse re-build.  Up first is the rotoflex suspension and spring...

Hugh Glossop has found that the following MP3/SD/USB fits nicely into a TR7 (no CD mechanism though) - Radiomobile head unit model number RM7628NCD.

Where am I???

The TR7:  Electrics all fixed.  Bubbling to drivers door, holey footwells and some minor paint bubbling elsewhere to sort.  Towbar and electrics fitted and a trailer bought (funky slightly not-legal plate - below).  Got an Z3 wind deflector to fit and a blue mohair hood cover.  Got all the trim for the door seals.  Want to replace the hood in 2012 with a new blue mohair one.  Need to repaint all the black trim.  MOT passed.  Should be back on the road in the summer and looking presentable.  Need to find shallow MP3/USB radio.

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...

Chasing the gremlins - Part One

Today was the first part of sorting out the miriad of electrical gremlins on the TR7.  A run to Stoneleigh Triumph Show, after not using the car since October, highlighted the issues.

Four new tyres via blackcircle.com and tracking sorted (18mm out!) has transformed the handling.

Temp gauge went straight to high, fuel gauge tempremental, clock stopped, left indicator stayed on, right indicator did a funky pattern etc.

I had bought some spares from Robsport to keep me going which included a complete loom, a spare dash pod, a upgraded flasher relay and an extra circuit board.  I also got hold of replacement LED bulbs for the dash via Odd on the TR Drivers messageboard which should help.

The good news is that I now have a working temp gauge (wasn't the sender, although I replace this and covered myself in coolant first) after swapping the old one with the one from the spare dash.  I put the hazzard lights flasher unit (from the spare loom) onto the indicator circuit and that now works - at some point I'll upgrade with the new uprated flasher unit.  The fuel gauge is now working properly too (not sure how!).

Still to do - replace the bulbs and sort out the wiring for the stereo (every wire seems to be live!).  I've also got to clean all the contacts and check the earths before putting the dash back.  I hope to get these done on the first decent day when I'm not at work...

(lack of) Progress Update

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...

The Shape Of Things To Come....

The new addition to the 'fleet' - a completely original TR7 DHC!

BMC/BL Rally

Some photos from the BMC/BL Rally from 1st August 2010...

Please note that I did organise a pitch and opened it up to all clubs so that anyone could join us, show a club flag etc.  There was absolutely zero interest - ho hum! (Was a nice spot too...)

"TSSC" Reserved Pitch next to Food & Entertainment

If the images look a little TR7-centric, that'll be becasuse I've just bought one!

Anyone want a rusty wreck of a Vitesse chassis???

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220606260181

My ropey holey Vitesse Mk2 chassis is on eBay if anyone is brave/mad.  Happy for anything as it'll save me cutting it up and taking it to the dump!

A Tale of Two Chassis

Hurrah!  I now have a decent chassis to start work on rebuilding the Vitesse (currently sitting on top of the old one).

Thanks to Nigel Hill, TSSC Area Organiser and all-round top bloke - I can now start the rebuild.  Other than a wonky end, it seems absolutely solid, although it has obviously been repaired in the past.  It 100x better than what I had, and he did it for a very reasonable price!

So, just got to replace the wonky outrigger and it's rebuild time!

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Herald Cruise Control & Ferraris

I borrowed Jenny the Herald from Garth just after it's last MOT, to take to the TSSC Isle of Wight Camping Weekend.  It seems that the MOT is now due in two weeks - Oops!  I did mean to give it back...

As it's not been out much in the cold, I took it for a 40 mile round trip today to see if anything was obviously amiss.  Alarmingly the throttle has started sticking - which means that every junction turned into a rev-tastic take-off - especially since my route was through all the lovely quiet local villages!  Cruise control was nice on the straights though...

So I've got to have a look at that, see why the battery isn't keeping a charge (gonna get a TSSC club shop battery conditioner) and look at the horn contacts as that seems a bit intermittent and then off to the local MOT station before Drive it Day (planning on joining TSSC Derwent Valley's run at Newark, ending in Mablethorpe).

Whilst at my mates, a Ferrari 430 (new, red, shiney - about as much as I know about modern sport cars) pulled up opposite.  The occupiers immediately headed over to admire the Herald.  I offered to swap the cars (sorry Garth) and he only came back with "I might be interested if it was a Vitesse, my Dad had one of those".  MUST get the Vitesse on the road and hunt him down again - I know where he lives!!!

Now on the search for a replacement chassis.  Hoping for a 13/60 as I think I'll go swing-spring rather than dodgy donuts to save the expense of maintenance.  Might even have a shiney CV coversion kit from Canleys...

A new job means more money, and half a chance of being able to afford the rebuild now!

I want that one!

I haven't got a decent chassis yet, but I'm already hankering for flared arches...

Underseal Blues...

I can't believe it's been five months since my last post!

Work and volunteer commitments, combined with cold weather and a general lack of enthusiasm has meant that little has been done. It's taken roughly two hours for every bolt to be coaxed out, and a lack of garage time has meant that this work has taken months.

A couple of times I looked at alternative cars on eBay and considered selling Blu for parts - although nothing really appealed as much as a Vitesse - and nice ones are still a bit pricey (I'm still earning 50% less than a year ago).

Finally, all the bolts have been removed, and I have spent a couple of hours removing underseal and seeing just how bad it really is.


Once I've got the flakey and oily bits removed - I'm looking to get it sand blasted and have contacted a couple of local companies to get prices etc.

So, with a bit of luck, it should be ready for welding in the next few weeks and then the rebuild can commence! Hurah!

(lets hope it doesn't take another five months to progress further)

Great Mates!

I've discovered the best tool for restoring a Triumph Vitesse - great mates who know what they're doing!!!

(Perhaps tool wasn't the best word to use).

Firstly, fellow Lincs TSSC member Keith went at least 40 miles out of his way to collect an engine crane from Garth's house and drop it by mine.

And then Garth, who's herald I've "stolen" for the summer - which is a pretty awesome thing to let happen - came round today to 'give me a hand' with the Vitesse.

Well, he laughed as I couldn't work out how to use a spanner (don't ask) but also got the project moving on loads. I'm probably about where most people are after a weekend - and it's taken me well over a year...

Firstlty the engine is now out of the car.

And the chassis is almost clear. One driveshaft and the diff have seized bolts that'll need a little attention to remove (I'm borrowing Garth's compressor and air saw next week - see great mates is all you need).

However, turning the chassis over has shown a few horrors such as a (now bent) front rail with a nice hole through it.

Then there's the completely holed driver main chassis rail towards the diff.

And more holes on the other side.


So, once I've used Garth's herald to go to Stamford and Thoresby classic car shows next week, I'll use his compressor and air saw to remove the diff. Following a clean-up of the chassis, I'll then be inviting Garth and Tony to come round and enjoy a spot of welding.

I'll just fetch beer and bring pies :-)

(and if anyone saw the new Lincs TSSC Area organiser looking worse for wear on the Saturday night at Stafford - it wasn't me!)