Factory Modifications

I have been trying to understand the differences at the front of the car in the radiator area, from a standard 2500, a better knowledge of 2500's would have helped, but all is now clear.

The car uses a stag radiator (with fan shroud as fitted to certain export USA Stags), these don't mount like a standard 2000 radiator ( 4 fixings into the vertical radiator panel) but have 2 bolts on their lower face which mount on to a horizontal panel, with the upper 2 mounts on the vertical top surface of the radiator.

So we find that triumph used a stag lower radiator mount, with the ends made flat, and bent in to a U shape welded to the chassis rails, and tacked to the back of the radiator support panel.

What remains of the lower mount is shown here

At the top they have cut the radiator panel, and fitted the top curved stag one, and cut away the top panel above the curve.

Please note in the top left of this picture the crude cutting of the original radiator support - that diagonal line is where it was cut

As you can see from this picture from my stag, this allows fitment of the stag air intake (although I don't use it as I have a holley fitted).

Next battery fitment - as the V8 fills the engine bay, the battery is relocated to the Stag position, using stag battery box, after simply cutting away the radiator support panel on this side.

The line of pop rivets joining the battery box to the inner wing appears original - Do I replicate this on the rebuild, or weld it ?

This is how the Stag looks

So repair work can start at the front.

I chopped out the headlamp panel

This picture shows the rear of the stag battery box, the flap of metal at the top is part of a repair to the top panel in front of the bonnet.

This shows the distance piece between the headlamp panel and the radiator panel

Headlamp panel trial fitted


This is important as I need this to reference the rest of the front end repairs. I can now remove and replace, battery box, radiator panel, front valence etc, using the headlamp panel as the fixed front reference point for distance, working backwards towards the engine.

Sounds simple, but the real work begins now.

The chassis legs are sound at this point, but it needs new mountings for the auto transmission oil cooler fabricating as these have rusted away

Collection Day

Not very exciting, spent today avoiding caravans and fuel misers hogging the middle lane of the motorways, despite the empty inside lane, causing huge traffic jams, collecting the Stanpart panels that I had sourced.

rear valence and radiator panel
tailgate

2 rear wings

nearside rear door, boot floor, rear lamp housing p/s, radiator panels and headlamp panel

Got some nice shiney new parts as well, together with a good s/h centre console that I needed,

boot lock, p/s indicator, number plate lamp, rear tread plates, and grill

Now I still need to collect the lefthand sill and inner.

I still need to source right hand sill, inner, outer and middle, front wings, and top panel above headlamps - anyone got any of these for sale ?

Also still need a pair of black velour front seats (and an estate roof panel, but I guess thats made from unobtanium)

Quite pleased really after the costs of a TR5 rebuild, these panels are about 15% of the price of TR5 parts, which I don't understand as the saloons were (are) great cars.

More on the mechanical parts and disassembly tomorrow

Seized

Well its official now, the engine is seized, the diesel has not worked and a large wrecking bar with scaf tube extension applied to the crank bolt still won't rotate the crank. - The bolt came undone easily though.

So the strip down has commenced. Everything I touch reveals more rust, anyone got a stag battery box and a radiator lower support panel ?

A trip to see Martin at Justriumph will resolve that, we'll chop a battery box out of a Stag, and the radiator support too.

Had some luck with Stanpart panels this week, although I have been working, I have made good use of cellphone and internet and now have the following Stanpart panels:-
Boot floor

Tailgate

2 rear wings

rear passenger side door

radiator shut panel

lefthand side inner and outer sill

While stripping the car I noticed the following "bodge" to the exhaust manifold, which cannot have helped power output, I think some custom tubular manifolds may be called for upon the rebuild

Electronic ABS ?

You are going to have to read most of this blog to get to the interesting part, as it represents the order of my progress today.

Oil and filter change on my Stag to start today, replaced the plugs.

Here are the plugs from the left hand bank, bit sooty from the last start, but a good biscuit brown underneath.


Plug gaps seem a little wide - cannot remember setting them like that, but these plugs have done 10000 miles since the engine rebuild, mainly in France.

Compare them to the plugs from the other V8 in the estate

3 different manufacturers, and 2 look like they have never been used in a running engine.

Engine still won't rotate, so another dose of diesel, and I decided to look at bits of the car. Carburator linkages are bust so I must order some, had the distributor cap off, and low and behold contactless ignition.

Traced this lot back to the module on the drivers suspension turret that I had thought was ABS related - its not its the ignition module.



Now the interesting part, had a look at the electronics module in the passenger footwell

Doesn't look much does it?

This was inside

The writing says "Mullard"

"Brake Control Module"

"Developement Sample MVB7/1"

"12 volts R17 = 33K"

"No guarantee for future delivery"

NB Mullard were a famous British Electronics Manufacturer in the 50s - 70s, made lots of thermionic valves, televisions etc etc.

The was also a folded piece of paper, tucked between the module and the bracket, sadly it is rust damaged and a type of photocopy. But it looks like this

Its not legible in the photo, but its contents are a wiring diagram of the ABS system, with the following text

"2/11/72 Wiring Diagram for VM1202 Antilock Module

Mount with connectors at bottom if possible

Twin core screened cable to pickup pick up

Warning light if required (lights when solenoid on)

Solenoid

12v supply"

There we are, electronically controlled ABS on a Triumph made in 1972. Is this the earliest surviving car with electronic ABS?

The Estate has landed

Its arrived at home at last, and at least its got another Triumph for company. the wife came out and had a look and said "thats an old mans car!" - I said "well I am an old man now, or at least I will be by the time this restoration is finished".

Another detailed look round it and the thought occurs "What have I let myself in for - I am sure it wasn't that rusty when I last saw it"

However at least I can start making detailed plans, list of things to do, parts to obtain etc etc.

Having tried to rotate the crank the engine seems siezed, so plugs out, and diesel down the bores. Will try again tomorrow.

No brake fluid in the reservoirs, or water in the radiator, so there are some more problems.

A few things I hadn't notice before, there's a box of 70s electronics fitted to the passenger footwell - must investigate.

Went to my local Motor Factors today, and purchased a few items, plugs, oil filter and good semi synthetic oil for my Stag. Quick oil change for that tomorrow, replace its plugs which I can then use on the estate for now. Also got oil filter and oil for that, but this time cheap oil. If I can get the engine to turn over then it will get fresh oil to the bearings. It does help having 2 cars with the same engine.