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As my request for a dedicated forum for Historic Rallying was put on hold until it proves it necessary to have it own 'button' .I would welcome any tips for modifying my '62 TR4

for use on Rallys.  I have taken part in a couple of HRCR/Continental Car Rallys and fitted a Brandtz but thats about all,  rear springs seem like the obvious place but which ones?

Thanks Trevor.

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I have done LE JOG a couple of times in a TR3A which underneath the skin is like your TR4 and the mods I have done/reccommend are:

 

-sump guard from infront of anti roll bar to cover the cltuch slave cylinder, a key feature so I have heard is a piece of foam between it and the sump so stones are not held there to be punched through the sump !

 

-exhaust as high as possible with the centre box 'skidded' i.e. ramps between the muffler box and pipes.

 

-reversing light THIS IS THE MOST USEFUL MOD.

 

-rally springs do not increase ride height (they did not for me anyway), if the front bolts are not easy to move are the very devil to fit, they do have a double wrap around the front eye.

 

-a jack plug in the car for a navigating 'potti' (a very useful shaded light with magnifier)

 

-halogen headlights (spots were no use for me when I had these fitted) I used landrover defender items.

 

-overdrive on second was a great asset.

 

-I have a 4 point harness which hinders use of the fly off handbrake when tight

 

-an illuminated clock

 

-standard ignition system or one in the boot as I have heard numerous instances of hours lost due to failure of electronic systems.

 

John

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Hi

 

I run a rally TR4 that Ive been developing for about two years as Ive built it, its just on the road and Ill be getting out and about in it fully next year.

 

I think that a rally forum would be a great asset. Ive come across a lot of people who do all sorts of rallying at varying levels from road to stage and a lot of the bits and bobs that break are common. The rules of various things are still a bit of a mystery to me so comment from some real old stagers would be good.

 

In terms of bits it seems that you can go completely overboard on a rally car, but at the same time there are things out there that seem expensive and lots of effort that are worthwhile.

 

Ive found the following useful, working from the front to the back - theres lots more so get in touch if you want to;

 

Spotlamps - forget the old Lucas 576 types, they bearely glimmer. I use CIBIE OSCARS with big bulbs and on night time 12 cars they prove their worth. A decent bracket and steadies are essential -mine are body coloured but you can get chromed lamps too.

 

Bonnet pins at the back - they do open and flap like a fish.

 

Sump guard - essential kit (with foam as other comment) and does not cause overheating if your engine is OK and you use ducting on the rad.

 

Twin coils mounted on the body - stops failure due to heat and vibration (as the VC cars)

 

Header tank - at the highest point in the engine bay behind the wiper motor, plumbed into a t piece on the heater return pie and back into the top of the rad. the standard TR4 rad is fine as long as its a good one. I also use a pacet tow fan (ie it pulls air through the rad into the car)

 

OD bung guard - use the skid plate from a stag OD box and acts as a skid plate on this most vulverable part of the box (the sump guard needs to extend to the bellhousing - mine is 1/4 alloy plate_

 

Chassis strengthening a key points is a good plan - I can tell you more if you need.

 

I also find the permanent dash vent (as used on 4 vc) useful, but not in winter.

 

In terms of gizmos we use a brantz digital clock an brantz 2 digital tripmeter, both work well but are sensitive to vibration, voltage and damp. They are also relatively cheap (£100 and £200) I prefer to use a halda twinmaster mechanical tripmeter if I can as its very reliable and some dash mounted mechanical stopwatches. Both are expensive.

 

I have five jack plus / socket arrangements in my car (all the Don Barrow type) and I use these for 2 internal lights (one on the passenger a piller, 2nd in the middle of ther rear hoop), the halda / brantz tripmeter, the brantz clock and the potti. These are all mounted on the dash. The vents are blanked off to give more space. This means that I can take it all out so it doesnt get nicked, or swap in around. These work well as I get no bad connections.

 

I also have the fuse box in the glove box, but thats another story ...

 

I have moved the horn to a push on a plate where the ashtray used to be

 

One big thing in my car is the full roll cage which stiffens the chassi enormously but is effort to fit. Its a TREnterprises special cage, with minimal intrusion, although its obvious from the doorbars that its there. This may be over the top for a road car but I would receommend fitting the rear section to any TR. Its shaped to go under the Surrey Top.

 

I also have a fire extinguisher system in the car, plumbed into the engine bay, cockpit and boot, with a handheld under the passengers seat. A footplate is also useful (apparently) as it keep the knees straight enough to read maps etc.

 

The seats in our car are made by Bob Ridgard and are superb, especially when it gets a bit bumpy. 5 point TRS belts are also worth while) I use sparco runners.

 

I have fitted a logic overdrive device (Revington) which drops the OD when you change down automatically and activates on depression of a toggle switch mounted on the dash centre below the ammeter. This is great. I also have a OD On light on the dash where the vents used to be which tells me the OD is engaged (good for night driving or when it gets noisy) and an oil pressure switch on the engine and light between the big clocks to tell me when the OP drops below 20psi (engine blown but saved)

 

In the back I have a big plastic fule cell and two facet red top pumps. This is over the top and I wouldnt say its good use of money, but on stage rallies its required because you need to move the fuel tank to get the rear legs of the cage in.

 

I use a LUCAS 576 type reversing light on the boot, but on the passenger side, activated by a switch on the dash with a tell tale.

 

I use adjustable rear springs, so that I can get extra height, twin valve lever are shocks (you can get them if you look hard enough!) Alfin drums and a TR4A handbrake arrangement, u bolted to the beam axle. This is much better than the TR4 arrangement.

 

There are also a host of mechanical goodies in the car but maybe another time as Im sure a standardish TR will do most things provided that its reliable.

 

 

Regards

 

Tony

 :D

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