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Rebuilding my TR2 after accident


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Hi !

 

Last may we enjoyed a trip starting in Bolzano Italy, Switzerland, France, Monaco, ending in Italy again, Alessandria.

 

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Unfortunately the ending was quite definite..

 

After some heavy rainfall with pieces of hail, getting us soaking wet just before we were able to raise the hood we were driving downhill using the engine to slow down, driving 30 km/h.

 

Although i'm very sure i used my steering wheel to turn right following the road, the TR2 took a straight line, right into a crash barrier. This kept us from dropping a 4 metres in a gully, but damaged the TR2 quite bad. More than i thought at that moment.

 

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Steering was impossible, radiator damaged caused by the fullstop and of cource the sheetmetal.

 

 

After towed away we were able to take a closer look on a bit less danger curve. Thumbs up for the Italians, they all stopped to ask for help, translating for us to the authorities, directing traffic.

 

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Home again and 2 weeks later the TR2, a good friend and restorer Arthur Denzler (www.denzler.nl) took a look to see the damage.

 

main parts damaged, other than small details:

- Radiator

- Apron

- Left wing

- inner wing

- bonnet

- All the supports (motor, gearbox)

- wheel

- original left wheel hub

- and the biggest problem... chassis.

 

the chassis is bent and the very solid lower wishbones have ripped out the mounts for the fulcrum pin like it was aluminium foil.

 

The insurance was quite flexible and the payment was quite fast (well.. it took 6 weeks after inspection..).

 

In stead of repairing the chassis, we have bought a very nice one.

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We have thought about scope of repairs and have decided that this is the time to do a full rebuild. So more money and time but I know it will be worth it !

 

New chassis, new floors, new wings front and apron, new leafsprings, all the small bits will be powder coated, painted in body color, or zink plated. We will change color to Ice Blue with Maroon Interior, sidescreens, tops and tonneau.

 

Photo%252011-07-13%252018%252029%252007.

 

How a nice car to look at, looks quite scruffy when empty...

 

 

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spare parts in my herald estate

 

 

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not much to see from the damaged chassis, but the left side was bent 5 cm inwards

 

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trial fitting the new panels. We will be using a tr3 small mouth apron which I was able to buy.

 

 

So.. hopefully you'll like the process of rebuild.

 

I will be updating the picasa album and this topic along the way.

 

My picasa album:

 

 

https://picasaweb.google.com/114762703913347384609/31Juli2013

Edited by EdwinTiben
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Hi Edward

 

So sorry to see that damage, and I really admire the eager effort to get it back even better than before. Ice blue is a gorgeous color. And if you have any difficulty finding a replacement left hub, you may be in luck as the left front Lockheed hubs are still around. Look forward to the rebuild!

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-TRIUMPH-TR2-TR3-FRONT-WIRE-WHEEL-HUB-NOS-NEW-OLD-STOCK-LEFT-HAND-/181182566530

 

Dan

Edited by 2long
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Hi Edward

 

So sorry to see that damage, and I really admire the eager effort to get it back even better than before. Ice blue is a gorgeous color. And if you have any difficulty finding a replacement left hub, you may be in luck as the left front Lockheed hubs are still around. Look forward to the rebuild!

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-TRIUMPH-TR2-TR3-FRONT-WIRE-WHEEL-HUB-NOS-NEW-OLD-STOCK-LEFT-HAND-/181182566530

 

Dan

 

Bought !

 

thank you!

 

cheers edwin

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Wow Edwin!

Did you find out why the TR wasn't going into the direction you wanted? Oil on the road, failing steering? Worth investigating to make sure it's not a mechanical problem, I think!

 

Good luck with the rebuild (Succes met de opbouw!)

 

Menno

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Wow Edwin!

Did you find out why the TR wasn't going into the direction you wanted? Oil on the road, failing steering? Worth investigating to make sure it's not a mechanical problem, I think!

 

Good luck with the rebuild (Succes met de opbouw!)

 

Menno

Hi Menno,

 

There's no mechanical failure. just a very slippery road. As you can see in the image where we are next to the car, my white trousers are reflecting in the road.

Perhaps the combination of rubber and lots of water on the road?

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Good luck with the rebuild Edwin, you were lucky to find a good front panel like that.

Stuart.

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Good luck with the rebuild Edwin, you were lucky to find a good front panel like that.

Stuart.

HI Stuart, yes i was !

 

in combination with 2 very nice wings, it'll certainly look the part..

 

panel gaps turn out very nice. we have to do some cutting and welding to get the door in line with the rh-wing. the wing is 4 mm more to the outside than the doorskin.

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Hi Edwin,

 

Bad Italian circumstances.. but luckily enough with both of you everything went well.

 

You find a good home for repairing the damage, I've seen your TR in Arthur's newest advert !

 

Take care - Raymond

 

Hi Raymond,

 

Yes, Arthur not only is a very accurate mechanic, but is very nice in person too.

 

Arthur asked me if he could use my tr in the ad, no problems with that.

 

I have spend the last weeks a couple of days helping him and taking the car apart with all the little (and time consuming) details.

 

I'm no member of the TRCH anymore, is it possible to take an image of the ad?

 

cheers, edwin

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You could add the strengthening pieces to the chassis along the lines of the rally cars. PM Ian Cornish and he will send you some pictures. Strictly speaking for TR4 but also fit for TR 2/3/3a chassis as well.

Stuart.

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Edwin - sorry to see these photos, but at least you are OK.

If you e-mail me direct (ifcornish@btinternet.com), I can send you details of the chassis strengthening on the Works' TR4 Rally cars, almost all of which can be undertaken on the TR2/3/3A cars.

Ian Cornish

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Hello Edwin,

Glad the rebuild is going OK. When I rebuilt TS952 I did the 'scuttle shake reinforcement' http://www.tr-register.com.au/Files/tr2reinforcing.htm. The only problem with me that there was a no before so cannot tell what improvement this makes (if any!!!). All I can say is that scuttle shake is virtually nil even on the English roads. Perhaps Stuart or somebdy can enlighten us further. I did a lot of chassis & shock strengthening as the chassis had none being a very early 2.

Nigel (with TS952)

Edited by Nigel Lay
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It looks as if you will have a better car at the end than you started with.

 

I had a very similar incident many years ago. I managed to buy a new Chassis from Standard Triumph in Chiswick and started a rebuild. Unfortunately I was not as fast as Edwin and it went on for 16 years before winning at the Concours with my 14 year old daughter who was mot even born at the time of the railway bridge incident.

 

Since then every panel needs painting again but at least there is no rust on the chassis.

 

Good luck and it is a great feeling when you drive out for the first time. :)

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The bar across between is a bit of an overkill but if you fillet the A posts to the side panels and seam weld them properly to the inner sills then that does make a lot of difference. Spot welding the main body mounts from the inner sills properly to the floor helps as well.

Stuart.

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... and a proper drainage system at the end of the 'gutter' of the wings is a very worthwhile investment as well. Somehow, I don't have pics of the solution in (on) my car, but the set up is the same as Raymond's (sidescreen). Perhaps he can share some pics with us here.

 

 

 

Menno

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Hi, good tips! Thanks all!

 

@richard, well we expect the car to the painter somewhere end of september or october. So the chassis, suspension and drivetrain will be done. My drivetrain is in very good condition, so this possibly will be a cosmetic restore only. After that I will do the electrics, the chrome, interior, tops, etc.. I dont have a clue hoe much time that will take...

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... and a proper drainage system at the end of the 'gutter' of the wings is a very worthwhile investment as well. Somehow, I don't have pics of the solution in (on) my car, but the set up is the same as Raymond's (sidescreen). Perhaps he can share some pics with us here.

 

 

 

Menno

I have plastic tubes which lead through the bootfloor, under the car. Is there a beter way?

Obviously they must be open..

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I'm referring to the front: at the end of the wings, towards the scuttle there's a gap. The water from the bonnet goes down in the 'gutter' of the inner wing/ outer wing and -due to the shape of the front- it flows backwards towards the horizontal gap. Behind the gap, there's nothing... the water drips down on the upper part of the inner sill. Over the years, dirt and dust combined with water causes 'havoc' on top of the sill, behind the outer wings.

 

My sheetmetal worker came up with an extended gutter and a funnel type of shape with a plastic hose that runs down. Raymond has a similar set up.

 

I'll PM you my cellphone number - if you want we can discuss this over the phone.

 

Menno

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As early as Newsletter 20 (about 1974/5 and long before it became TR Action), I wrote an article about TR Sewerage (it re-appeared in Section G1 of the Technicalities CD). I advised fitting a pipe from the drain at the rear end of the bonnet and taking this downwards so as to discharge the rainwater below the bottom of the front wing.

In addition, I pointed out that with the TR4 onwards, there are no fewer than 4 drains (2 on each side) discharging rainwater INSIDE the front wings. A good way of ensuring that a company's products won't last too long and that a brand new vehicle would be required within 7-10 years!

Ian Cornish

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P1010577.jpg

Thats my solution all cribbed from this great forum.

John

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