ianc
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Posts posted by ianc
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Neil Revington says that there is no point in fitting a damper to the pulley, as it is very unlikely to provide a benefit since it's probable that it will have been designed for a completely different engine, such as the MG.
Neil has run hisvery rapid TR2 without a mechanical fan for some 200k miles, quite a lot of this being at high speed (much highter than most owners will see!).
I have been running my TR4 without a fan since 1970.
Ian Cornish
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Mije Ellis is the Registrar for the sidescreen TRs - see back of TR Action.
Uan Cornish
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Allocated Membership Number can be deceptive as Val Simpson was presented with a whole stack of applications, and some odd things happened!
Terry Simpson, founder, received 104.
I received 152 even though work prevented me attending the first meeting, but I applied. Ian Gibson, who attended the first meeting, received 180.
It is correct that Darryl now has the lowest number.
Ian Cornish
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Bob - Correct. However, you'll note that I did not claim that the increase in brightness would be proportional to the square of the (increased) voltage, because I was aware of the effect of increasing the temperature of the bulb's filament.
Nevertheless, the increase in the voltage measured at the bulb is certainly noticeable to the driver, and that is what matters.
BTW, I am changing the 6ft fluorescent lights in my garage to 6ft LEDs - what a difference! No need to wait for the tubes to flicker and light, and much more light!
Ian Cornish
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I fitted relays to my headlamp circuits some 7 years ago, and published the results in an article in TR Action 296 (March 2017).
The gain seen by the high beam lamp filaments was over one and a half volts - that is a lot!
Ian Cornish
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Chambre d'hote accommodation in secluded locations is often a better option - and far more friendly than an impersonal hotel. Many offer food as well as B&B - a bonus in my opinion as I like regional dishes.
In Italy, agriturismi are very similar.
Ian Cornish
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The other matter which will cause a considerable delay to engagement (or even a complete failure to engage) is if the pull-in coil in the solenoid has gone open-circuit, leaving just the hold-in coil energised.
In the 1960s, my brother had just this problem, and he had to drive a considerable distance before the overdrive engaged.
Easily fixed with replacement of solenoid, or, if the internal connection has parted at the switch on the top of the solenoid and one is competent with a soldering iron, a repair may be possible. See my 1973 article in Section F4 of the Technicalities booklet.
Ian Cornish
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U seem to recall that, in the early 1960s, the 4-slot bonnet dribbled rainwater onto the battery of my TR2 - not a good idea.
Ian Cornish
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Thanks for the info, Marco - I have ordered.
Ian Cornish
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The Spares Development Fund was not consulted on this, but our experts have perused the list of stock and decided that there's nothing here that the SDF should acquire.
Ian Cornish, SDF chairman
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Bear in mind that the Works' VC Rally cars have the handbrake lever mounted on the prop shaft tunnel because the steel plate welded to the underside of the chassis prevents access to a conventional TR4 handbrake lever, and there's somewhat reduced leverage with the re-sited lever (but one can operate it whilst wearing a fixed seat belt).
One can effect further improvement by moving the cable's attachment point nearer to the hand lever's fulcrum.
Just requires the lever to be disconnected and a hole of the correct diameter to be drilled between the existing cable attachment and the fulcrum (pivot).
I have combined this with the already fitted extended levers at the backplate (see posting above), and overall it makes a considerable difference.
Ian Cornish
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Having fitted extended levers (from Phil Barnett, the then Birmingham Group Leader) to my solid axle TR4 in 2016, I can say that they are a boon for ageing gentlemen whose arms aren't as strong as they were some 50 or more years ago.
For big, strong fellows like Tony, they enable the driver to execute more spectacular turns in auto-tests!
BTW, Tony's levers, like the ones I have, replace the original arms, they are not add-ons. This means that one has to dismantle the mechanism at each backplate, but I managed it, so it can't be too difficult.
Ian Cornish
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Thanks, Dave, that would make sense.
In the late 1960s, Vic, a friend of mine, was running a Bedford Dormobile (the beast with sliding doors and steering column change), but needed something better as he had fathered twins to add to the three kids. I suggested a Vanguard, and we found a Vanguard 6 somewhere in north London. I went with him to collect the Vanguard and had to drive the Dormobile back - not a pleasant experience as the gear change mechanism was worn out, making it very difficult to select appropriate gear., and the doors would open and close at their own volition.
Glad to say that Vic was delighted with the silky smooth 6-pot Vanguard, which had more grunt and doors which stayed shut (a safety feature)!
Ian Cornish
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Having read Tom Purves' article in the latest TR Action, I decided to watch the race - and what a cracker it was!
The way the "family cars" handle and the speeds they achieve are amazing, and also puzzling.
What, for example, is under the bonnet in the Standard Vanguard, which was pretty quick in the corners, but really showed its torque on the straights as it pulled away from the extremely rapid Alfa and A40.
I'm guessing that it has a full-race TR4 engine with 89mm liners - but does anyone know for sure?
Ian Cornish
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I believe that most postal sorting/delivery offices are short of staff, so mail accumulates until it has to be delivered just to clear shelves.
For the past months. our delivery service in Thame has been very variable, and when post has been delivered it has tended to be in quite a bundle.
I rather doubt that the situation is going to improve, and I don't think Editor Trevor should concern himself - there's nowt he can do to improve matters.
Ian Cornish
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Steven,
Don't worry about the fact that you are now on page 9 - I am sure that there are many like me who are silent, but admiring your doggedness and keeping fingers crossed that sometime soon, your motor will burst into life.
Keep warm as I find it's easy to make mistakes when not just hands but also brain gets too cold.
Best wishes, Ian Cornish
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I recall that, sometime in the 1960s, my TR2 shredded its bonded rubber, and I fitted a replacement.
However, if I had a bomb type now and it failed, I would fit a modern geared type - as I have had on my TR4 for quite some years. But be careful which type you choose as some have proved troublesome (search the Forum for advice).
Ian Cornish
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Andy - I see both of us have been using Piranha (Newtronic) for over 30 years now - pretty reliable!
Ian Cornish
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When the battery is trying to turn the starter motor, its output will be reduced to 8 or 9 volts - and that reduced value will be what is being fed to the coil.
In such circumstances, it is worth temporarily connecting a separate battery just to supply the coil with 12 volts, thereby giving a greater kick to the plugs. But don't leave this battery connected for too long as one can cook the coil if the engine is not being turned. This supplementary battery does not need to be very beefy, as the current required of it is quite small.
Ian Cornish
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For the test of clearance to underside of bonnet, I prefer to use Blu-Tack rather than putty - no need to wrap it in a nappy, and very easily moulded into a turret shape.
Ian Cornish
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Piranha/Newtronic fitted in 1993 - 30 years is a pretty good test.
Adjustments made to timing when petrol changed from leaded, to LRP (awful stuff - made car difficult to start) and now to cope with introduction of ethanol (I try to use E5, which may actually be E-zero at Esso stations).
It's fit and forget as far as I am concerned, but I do carry a spare Piranha kit in the boot.
Ian Cornish
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Tony Sheach has engineered an alloy rocker which is far superior.
Ian Cornish
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There is a mechanical device called Safe-D-Speeder which reduces the speed of a drill. I bought one decades ago and a few still seem to be available on ebay
Ian Cornish
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Maddy's brother lives on top of the hill above Paignton - he reported that the sea in Torbay had turned red.
Not blood - the soil in that part of the country is that colour.
Ian Cornish
Draper Digital Multimeter 41817 (200 series)
in General TR Technical
Posted
As my old multimeter is no longer reliable when measuring resistance (the reading wanders) and it has no continuity buzzer, I asked Father Christmas for a replacement.
Like my old device, the Draper meter uses a 9V battery.
Iin the battery compartment there are 2 identical spring loaded connectors, but there is no indication in the plastic moulding as to which is positive. There nothing in the accompanying paper manual, nor the on-line manual (which is identical).
Clearly, I don't wish to damage the meter, so have emailed Draper, but the company is closed at present.
I would aooreciate help if someone has a similar Draper meter.
Ian Cornish