Two Steps Forward, and one Backwards

I knew that I had forgotten some jobs from the jobs list, so despite finishing some items, I have added another to the list, and done an extra two that I had not put on the list.

I was looking for the bumper brackets today to fit the bumpers, and while hunting about for the parts I found this

It fits on the inside of the panel where the fuel filler cap is, to stop the filler cap fixings damaging the body, so this had to go on. I wonder what else I will find that I have forgotten!

The front bumper fitted perfectly, its NOS, and although the chrome isn't perfect, its how the factory supplied them, so that's half the bumpers done. I had to clean out the threads on the mounting holes with a tap before the bolts would go in.

I then got out the rear sections and found to my horror that the driver's side quarter bumper, which looks like a 2000 one, isn't, as the mounting is in the wrong place, so no rear bumper fitted today, and I need to source a good 1/4 bumper - I have had a look on the internet and I know who has stock, so that's another hit on the wallet tomorrow.

Front brake pipes next, I refitted the serviced pwda valve that I had done many moons ago, changed the unions on the front pipes going to it (they are larger than the rear brake pipe unions to prevent funny cross connection by the unwary! - and finally made up and fitted the offside front brake pipe. I need to fabricate some clips for this, because instead of following the usual route across the front cross-member, this car has it following the 2 pipes from the servo, before it disappears down the inner wing on the driver's side.

While under the car I remembered that I had some improved drop links for the anti roll bar to fit, I was recommended to use them by a forum member who's identity I have forgotten, but they are a great deal better than the originals, so thank you who ever you are!

Old type

New ones

Fitted the NOS steering wheel as well

Finally I laid out the trim panels that I had finished yesterday in the load area - just to check the fit and not really just to admire how good they looked!

And that's it for today, 6 more hours bringing the total to 799

Next week its time to commission and check the electrics - must get some spare fuses !

Jobs to do, and some completed!

Right the project back on course, I have made some real progress this week.

Firstly I got the heads delivered to Roy Burrell, he has promised them back before Christmas, so I can complete the engine by mid January.

This is important as the car is now booked in at JP Exhausts in Macclesfield at the end of January for them to fabricate two extractor manifolds, and the entire exhaust system. I must say I was very pleasantly surprised at the cost, which I thought was most reasonable, not much more than the cost of 2 complete Stag systems from Rimmers with 2 of their extractor manifold kits. These will fit too, and are being built with V band joints, so no sleeves to split if I ever need to remove the exhaust, or its components for maintenance on other parts of the car. Can't wait to get this done, as I think its the last major milestone left, and I was worried about the potential bill.

I have also put the wheels in motion to get the DVLA to re issue the car's original Registration. I have now got my V765 form and all the documentation off to the club, with the appropriate fee, I just have to get Chris Allen round now to do the inspection, so if you are reading this Chris, please drop round some time.

As to work on the car, I couldn't quite face a cold garage today, so I decided to finish off the interior boot trim boards, by cleaning and fixing back the aluminium and rubber trim strips, with 4mm rivets and washers.

Here's the first one finished with the old one behind it.

and the rest

and finally all laid out how they will go in the car, I am chuffed to bits with these, looks a million dollars!

I'd have done more, but Alan Chatterton and family dropped in and we had a pleasant afternoon discussing Triumphs and the RBRR, anyway, its the cold garage for me tomorrow.

Hours worked today 6 total now 793 (seems ages since I tallied that up)

Costs to date, there's a few ebay purchases, the trim work and a few other bits and pieces to be added of £590, so the grand total is now £15430.


My jobs list to finish the car looks something like this (and I am certain to have forgotten a few things), so the target is to clear 4 or 5 items a weekend. 


These jobs are in no particular order, with items that I have forgotten added to the list at the end.

1). Fit offside front brake pipe and fabricate brackets for same

2). Change union on nearside front brake pipe at PWDA valve

3). Bleed brakes

4). Fill gearbox and transfer box with ATF

5). Fit gearbox to engine stiffeners

6). Adjust handbrake

7). Test all electrics – including fitting wires to auto inhibit switch and relays for headlamps

8). Replace rear tailgate hinge tortion bars

9). Fit remainder of exterior brightwork (rear window surrounds)

10) Fit new Ted Taylor windscreen

11). Fit dash parcel shelves

12). Fit interior trim to B and C pillars

13). Fit seat belts

14). Fit side carpet panels to front cockpit

15). Fit ABS electronics module

16) Fit front and rear bumpers

Now done-17) Fit trim strips and fittings to rear load area panels-Now Done

18) Fit carpets

19) Fit headlining

20), Fit remaining interior trim, side panels and wood to rear of estate

21) Fit seats

22). Complete heads after machining as follows, fit Valves and springs, cam buckets and camshafts, gap tappets with shims

23). Fit heads and timing chains, front cover, and pulley

24). Fit water pump

25). Fit inlet manifold and carbs, with fuel pipes, breathers and accelerator cable

26). Fit Dizzy, plug leads and coil

27) Fit radiator and cooling fan and remaining hoses

28) Fit alternator and PAS pump with belts etc

29) Make up PAS to pump pipes (won’t take standard Stag ones!)

30). Insert petrol and see if it starts

31). Test gearbox and check kick down

32). Fix run out on front disks – suspect its a hub / bearing issue

33) Fit trim strip to rear window seal

34) Fit window winders and internal door handles

35) Fit ashtrays!

36). Fit NOS steering wheel

37). Fabricate and fit exhaust system inc custom tubular manifolds

38). Fit windscreen wipers and new blades

39). Rust proof box sections with Dinotrol

40). Replace a few vacuum hoses on servo and connect to inlet manifold

41). Complete bonnet lead loading and paint somehow and fit

42). MOT

part done-43). Get old registration back-part done

44). Cure slow airleak in 2 tyres

45). Run and test!

46). Fit trim to rear seats

Not much left to do then!

No time to Loose

Now I am committed for the RBRR with the car there's no time to loose, I don't want to be finishing it in the Plough car park!

I have dug the cylinder heads and inlet manifold out.

I found some unusual rust in the core plug under the manifold - glad I spotted this - I'd have been blaming the water pump, or the inlet manifold gaskets in due course. The hole is shown by the self tapper in the following picture.

The heads have already had the valves and guides replaced, and the seats recut. However when these were inspected the castings were porous in some areas, so I had them welded. They pass pressure testing OK now, but as you can see some of the combustion chambers are a funny shape round the edge where weld has been let in. This needs shaping, and the sharp chamber edges smoothing off (to prevent detonation - pinking).

Its a lot of work and expense, but worth it as the heads are low mileage and haven't warped, and haven't been excessively skimmed.

I am going to cheat a little as these are being delivered to Roy Burrell tomorrow so he can work his magic upon them, I may get them ported a little at the same time too. This engine is going to need all its horse power to overcome 4wd losses

So that's one set of jobs underway, when they come back and I get them bolted on I will try and fire up the engine for the first time in many many years

Over a beer with Fatboyslim

Since the paintshop debacle the estate project's really been on hold. Although I have the money back, I cannot get motivated to get on with the car, and I am having trouble getting another paintshop which has time to take the car in. In a sense the lack of paintshop progress has been used as an excuse not to do anything with the car.

The amount of weekend work that I have had hasn't helped matters either.

If I hang on for another paintshop to be ready, many more months will have passed and no more work will have been done on the car.

So after a pint or two with Dave Pearson at the Manor House the other night, and after discussions about the RBRR and other Triumph related matters a cunning plan has been hatched.

I have made the decision to complete the car, but with the paint in its current state. At a later date I'll have a respray done of the exterior only. As the bonnet hasn't been painted at all, it may mean running it with a black bonnet like the Swiss car, but at least it will be on the road and running.

In a sense the car is quite near completion, but there are lots and lots of jobs that do need attending to.

So the way forward is going to be something like this:-

1). Get the heads finished - these had the porous areas welded up, and other work done, but I am left with mis-shaped combustion chambers - they need grinding and polishing, and chambers equalising .

2). Finish the engine when the heads are on, I already have the carbs done by Andrew Turner and ready for fitment

3). Then get the car off to an exhaust fabricator for a full system, manifolds and all, the exhaust people aren't too busy at present at the end of the motorsport season.

4). While this is ongoing complete the other small jobs to be done
a). one last brake line
b). test the electrics
c). fit the headlining (I may replace the botched tailgate hinges at this point too)
d). bleed the brakes
e). fire the engine up
f). complete the interior
g). fit the bumpers
h) fetch and fit my new windscreen - thanks to Ted

and finally drive the car !

you see there really isn't that much left to do!

It needs an MOT, an inspection by the Club to prove its authenticity and get the old registration back.

Completion IS going to be late spring, so it can have a few miles put on it before attending the Triumph 2000 register National, and its going to do the RBRR next year (assuming I get a place).

I have found a few more goodies for the car in recent months:-

A NOS drivers parcel shelf - this needs the crash rail fitting from my existing one, pity about all the repair work that I undertook on the original shelf

A pair of NOS original triumph front seat belts

So there we are, that's whats going to happen, ongoing support, and progress inspection visits from you lot are now required to keep me on track and the car going forward