(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...

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!)

Pies!

Thursday saw the Lincs TSSC group combining their favourite non-triumph things, Pie and Beer. Leicester & Rutland and Northants joined us to visit The Olde Pie Shoppe in Melton for a pie making session followed by a trip to the local ale house.


The results can be seen above. The slightly wobbly one on the left was made by Sarah, my better half, and the masterpeice on the right was "raised" by my own fair hands!

Huge thanks to Garth for organising the event, and to all those that came along to support us - I think we had over 30 people join us on the quest for the perfect pork pie.

Whilst in the pub, and on a pie high, I seem to have mentioned that I would have my car completed in time for the TSSC lincs camping weekend in September. Having spent the weekend shifting bits of the car into the new garage - I think it might have been slightly optimistic....

On the road again...

...unfortunately on the back of a trailer.

Having made the decision to move to a cheaper house to rent, it was time to get the car back into the daylight. The impending move and freezing temperatures had stopped all progress.

In preparation, it was moved outside and made "weatherproof" as I wasn't sure whether the transport people could do it Friday or Saturday.


Luckily John Fotheringham (01522 684004) were able to do the job straight away, so it was soon loaded and on the road. The chap driving the lorry was an absolute star and went out of his way to take care - and they were cheap (and I mean seriosuly cheap).


So, after the move, Blu was finally in his new - double sized home. I can't believe the missus swapped a huge kitchen and small garage, for a huge garage and tiny kitchen!!!




So once the house move is complete, and I've got some heating on the go, the car can finally be painted and rebuilt. Just watch this space...

Feeling Blue (Again!)

Thanks to Garth, I have now tried 'Royal Blue' as a match to the Vitesse's paintwork - but alas, my car is a lighter shade. It's somewhere between Royal Blue and Sapphire.

Now that it isn't a 'standard' colour, I can make the decision as to what colour I paint the entire car. It's got to be blue because of the registration - so will probably go with Sapphire, although I am tempted by Royal. Anyone got any thoughts (or even better pictures of Vitesses in varying shades)???

I am also planning to paint 3mm perspex the body colour and place it in front of dash to see if it looks OK. Vin's chrome dash was a bit too much for me...


Mind you, I quite like the idea of 12 gauges in the car....

Yey! I'm back.....!

A huge thanks to Keith and Ferny for helping me get the blog back onto the Club Triumph website. It needed an amendment to the .htaccess file in my webspace.

Naff all progress with the car, but at least people will now be able to read about that lack of progress!!! I still don't even know what colour it is.

Next Sunday the Lincs TSSC are off to Donna Nook (nr Louth) to see the seals birthing etc - it's a day out - and if anyone else fancied joining us on the run please feel free to come along! I'll be in the Triumph Suzuki Swift (see below)!

Also, I have been asked to provide some piccies of BLU for the Lincs TSSC calendar. My Vitesse will soon be the envy of all (well, those with a Lincs TSSC calendar and an even worse car). I want to be "Miss February" - watch this space!!!

Feeling Blue

I've tried the both Sapphire and Delft blue on my boot. The D on the left is delft and the blue square on the right is sapphire...



The rain spots don't help, but it looks like my colour is a deeper shade than either of those! Damn!

Will try royal blue next before I give up and contemplate painting all of the car (it's only the bonnet and doors that I was hoping not to paint).

I've sent the car details to the TSSC Vitesse Register, so they may come back and let me know what colour the car was originally. Based on the fact that it's a MK2 Vitesse with Mk1 body panels it could have been anything originally!!!

Suzuki set to buy Triumph marque from BMW!

Well that headline might get me a few more visitors to the blog! However, my best attempts to make the Swift look like a Vitesse at the Restoration Show at Stoneleigh on Sunday were thwarted by eagle-eyed 'experts'.

I have now got some early learning fridge magnet letters to spell 'Triumph' out accross the bonnet so I won't look so daft at the next classic event.




Back to the car, Garth (TSSC area AO and all round decent bloke) has created a little colour chart for me so I can start to get ready for painting. Just need some sun so I can work out whether my car is (mostly) Delft or Sapphire. It's worse than Dulux (Oatmeal Vs Barley white etc.)


Still need to finish removing the electrics and steering column from the car before I think of paint - but won't be long!

Dash removal

Now it's time to start getting ready to remove the bulkhead so that it can be replaced with the lovely new one I got from Clive in Brighton.


Once the battery was removed, I managed to remove the dash carefully photographing the connections as I went (I hope they'll make sense later on). For now I have reconnected everything as was - so that I can label them later this week. I did end up with six unknown wires in a lovely lilac shade - hopefully I can find out what they're for!!!

I'm seriously thinking of replacing the entire loom - but we shall see. I'll contact AutoSparks in Notts to see how many £££s it will be.

Before...


After...


I'll finish removing the electrics and then start removing anything else from the bulkead such as wipers, heater matrix etc. I'm hoping I can leave everything lent on the engine whilst the swap takes place. Should only be the steering column that I'll need to remove (hopefully).

So, progress at last!


I'm now also considering painting all of the wood rather than replacing it with varnish etc. Probably paint it body colour - the wood just looks too 'old duffer' for me. This could be a decision that I later regret!!!

Another Vitesse saved!

The rear tub sold on eBay for an amazing £62! Now, I'm not ready to retire on this windfall, but it has kept another Vitesse alive. Pat came over from Leicester last night to pick up the tub - he's restoring a Vitesse that was taken apart over 20 years ago!!! Bet he gets his finished before I do!!! Really nice chap, with a nice family - I look forward to bumping into him (not literally) when both cars are on the road.

I still need to swap the bulkhead over - just waiting for a decent day to roll the car out and start work again. Really could do with another garage - but I'm still waiting to her back from the council on that....

Red Backside!

Well we survived the trip to Brighton. Luckily the chap I bought the tub and bulkhead from was more prepared than I was and rigged up the body parts in the back of the van as I managed to turn up without anything! Huge thanks to Clive for helping us out.
#
So I now have a new rear tub, which I have already sat on the car - and it looks spot on.



The bulkhead is a minter too...


I paid £360 for both, which is a bargain when you consider the cost of repair panels or someone to have performed the welding.

Hopefully this weekend I can get the dash out of the car and start to contemplate removing the existing bulkhead. Then it's chassis time before paint and reassembly.

The old rear tub will be going on eBay tonight. Anyone know anyone that needs a rusty lump of Triumph.....???

A Trip To Brighton

Tomorrow I set out in a LWB van to pick-up my newly acquired rear tub. yes, I've actually managed to find (and buy) one. PLUS - I'm also getting a new bulkhead - so that should save hours and hours of welding (and cost).

Unfortunately it's in Brighton, and due to having to attend an event tonight, it means I'll have to drive to and back there tomorrow. Wish me luck!!!

It's just a bit of prep work, and then some paint....

This car will be finished by Christmas (in my dreams)!

I hate eBay!

Well no progress at all since the last post!!!

The TR7 bloke just asked if the Vitesse was for sale, I said no, he didn't reply about his lowest price. So thats a 'no go'.

The bloke with the rear tub for sale ignored all my correspondence and hasn't put it back online - so that looks like a 'no go' too!

Priced up repair panels for the tub at Rimmers - somewhere in the region of £600. That tub looks good value now - especially considering the naff 2x herald rear tubs on ebay at the moment which look worse than mine!!!

Neither Lincoln Council or NKDC have replied to my questions requesting a garage - so that's probably a 'no go' too.

Grrrrrrrr!

Never go to a Triumph Show...

...without infinitely deep pockets!

Just come back from a great 3 days at the TSSC Stafford Weekend. Lots of cars, food and tents. We went for the day last year and it was a bit poor. This year everything was loads better and our new found friends of the Lincolnshire TSSC kept us amused (and full of breakfast!).

The good news is that I managed to go three days of autojumble and shiney bits without spending too much money (£10 on cloths and gloves, £100+ on beer, £0 on car parts).

The bad news - Sarah, (the other half that puts up with my Triumph obession and knack of buying 'bargains' that seem to cost loads, and placing rotting rear tubs in the back gardenand leaving them) finally got to sit in a TR7. It seems that the 'slipper fitted' and she now wants one for herself. Its got to be a funky colour and be a soft top. Not wanting to hang around we'e seen this little beauty on eBay...

I've emailed the seller to see if the already low asking price of £895 has any movement. Looks good, just some 'minor reconditioning'. Will a trip to Doncaster to view be on the cards?

So what will we do if he makes me an offer I'll be forced to accept???

Looks like the TR7 will need to be put into a council lock-up, and then we could drive a decent modern car to the garage and swap them over as needed. The Vitesse can stay in the garage at the house (parts in the garden) so the other half can keep an eye on me. The two modern cars can claim the drive and the pavement outside the house.

God help me if the complete rear tub on eBay for £500, comes good and my pleading email to the sellar convinces him to lower his price expectations!!!!




Oh, and Sarah has a new job so needs to swap her little Kia Picanto for something a little bigger and diesel. And my little Suzuki Swift diesel is getting battered by my 30k a year mileage and so I could do with something with a bigger boot and longer legs.

Who needs to be able to pay the bills when two dodgy Triumphs and two new modern cars are on the horizon???

Progress?

It's been two weeks - and nothing new has happened!

I took a trip to the TSSC club shop this morning, and picked up a CD-ROM with all of the workshop manuals included. Whilst there I had a chat with Garth (who runs the club shop and is also my local area organiser for the TSSC) about the tub situation.

His idea was to get hold of a tidy saloon tub (if possible - but probably easier than finding a convertible one) and cut the bottom off and attach the top half of mine to it. Seems reasonable to me!

So it's just a saloon tub and a mig welder required.....

Watch this space!

Stripping

So the strip-down of the rear tub commenced....



The rear lights, back bumper, over-riders, side valences and chrome side strips were removed along with the entire hood and frame.



And I was able to see for the first time the condition of the chassis and suspension components at the back



Luckily the chassis looks good and probably just needs some Bilt-Hamber Deox, and a cover of paint to make good - a project for another couple of sunny afternoons!



So now that the rear tub is stripped of any good stuff all I could do was sit in the car and make 'brum brum' noises thinking of the day the Vitesse would be back on the road.



I packed everything into the garage and left the rear tub outside thinking that my only option would be to weigh it in at the scrapyard.



The tub has now been left out in the rain for a couple of days, and following a response on the TSSC messageboards, it seems that a better option may be to buy some repair panels or get a local welder to just put in some strong metal (I am not going for concours here - just usable).

A quick look on the Quiller site shows entire tubs and chassis for £200 - which sounds like my sort of price. Not sure what condition they'd be in and I don't really fancy a trip to woolwich to find out - but it's a good last resort kind of option.

Also had a quick look on the Rimmer Bros site. Boot floor complete panel only £350. F*** that! I'll need about £2000 of panels to make it good.

So, next week it's off to bother some local welders for quotes on the holiest of tubs before deciding what to do next. I did think hard about the colour though - fancy a very dark blue metallic - will contrast nicely with those slot mags I fancy. Just got to get the rear tub and bulkhead sorted so should be on the road by Christmas (perhaps not)....

First Inspection

Yesterday, I rolled the Vitesse back out into the sunshine following a few weeks being forgotten about in the garage. It gave me a chance to look through the parts that came with the car, and finally take a good look at the state of the bodywork.


As I prodded and poked a bit more, it became obvious that the rear tub was beyond anything my skills could achieve. I have posted a message on the TSSC website for inspiration.





In the end, I decided to start stripping the car down, salvaging anything that might be worth holding onto and discarding anything broken, bent or completely rusted. I will post pictures of the stripdown in my next post.

I also took a flying visit to Triumphland in Doncaster on the off-chance he had something in his yard. Two bulkheads in the same condition as mine for £120, and a rotten tub - almost as bad as mine. The search for the holy grail of a pefect and primered (dreaming again) rear tub has started....