That was a year that was..

[Z320]

7 hours ago, Bfg said:

after swapping the wishbones over - the fulcrum pin casting together with wishbones are turned around 180-deg as an assembly ..this facilitate offsetting the pins inwards ..and the gap between wishbones, for the ball-joint, comes back into the same place, aside from it being inboard by the 4.5mm Marco writes of. 

Pete

You swap the LH with the RH falcrum pin,

while you turn the upper wishbones 180 deg?

 

Edited March 3, 2023 by Z320

[Mk2 Chopper]

Don't you just remove the top wishbone arms from the fulcrum pin, 180 degree the pin and just reattach the arms?

[Lebro]

9 hours ago, Bfg said:

after swapping the wishbones over - the fulcrum pin casting together with wishbones are turned around 180-deg as an assembly ..this facilitate offsetting the pins inwards ..and the gap between wishbones, for the ball-joint, comes back into the same place, aside from it being inboard by the 4.5mm Marco writes of. 

Pete

I see what you mean now !  

Bob

[Bfg]

2 hours ago, Mk2 Chopper said:

Don't you just remove the top wishbone arms from the fulcrum pin, 180 degree the pin and just reattach the arms?

yes

[Bfg]

56 minutes ago, Lebro said:

I see what you mean now !  

Bob

do not try this on a TR3 !

[Lebro]

I already did ! Actually I have late TR4 trunnions, with TR4A-TR6 upper wishbones for 3 degs castor, and adjustable upper fulcrum set to 0.6 degs -ve camber. And as of today rack & pinion steering.

Bob

[Bfg]

Another task which I've been wanting to do for some time..  was to swap out Katie's  carburettors.  I'd bought a set complete with linkages and manifold way back when, and had them refurbished by Glen Watson, down in Chelmsford, ready for the engine I was rebuilding ..in anticipation of buying the American project TR4A 'Chance'  from Arkansas.   Glen's invoice is from 22nd March 2020, so they've been sitting boxed-up and in storage for almost two years now.  Mid February seemed a good as any time to get my butt out into the cold and to get on with the task. . .

  

^ as they were.  Note if you will - the choke arrangement, which was similar to when I bought the car but for my changing the cable run from over to under the carbs. I did that simply because I don't like cables and pipes flaying around the engine bay, but otherwise it worked well enough despite a knackered cable. 

^ the old n' tired versus the newly restored.   I'll let you guess which is which. 

I honestly don't know how Glen does such a brilliant job ..his restored carbs look like new.  

You might note that the rear carb of each is where the fuel pipe to the float bowl is fitted.  That's something I prefer as again it tidies and better secures the fuel pipe from the pump situated on the rear LH side of the engine. Originally it was around the front of the engine uncomfortably close to the fan belt, and then dangling across space to the front carb.   Glen also obligingly removed the triangular blocks that are cast into the top of the inlet manifold's balance tube.  I couldn't find a reason for them to be there and so chose to go for the smoother look.  At some point I'll probably polish the top of that pipe just for the sake of  * bling *

  

^ I removed the nuts of the lower clamping studs as I removed the old manifolds, but then very loosely refitted them before offering the new carbs up. As you might gather from the second photo, having a start on those threads is much easier than trying to get my fat fingers in between those manifolds.   I also removed the studs protruding from the underside of the inlet manifold, which go into the exhaust manifold, so that the inlet could be pushed onto the studs from the cylinder head.  The bottom studs weren't fitted to the old carbs and they seemed to have managed well enough without, so I guess I'll leave them off this set. 

This car's unusual choke mechanism was the biggest nuisance in fitting these . . .

  

^ Below the cable's brass ferrule, through the flange next to the dash-pot, is the choke cable's lever.  Shown in the above photos in its 'off ' and then 'choke on' positions - the cable out is fixed but the bottom cable connector swivels in the hole in that lever.  As the lever on the one carb is pulled up, the cross rod is then turned and the choke lever on the other carb is activated. There's a bit of play between each and so that needs to be adjusted out if you want both chokes to open at the same time and by the same amount. 

^ the old carb's choke cable was from the plate between the carb's dash-pot flanges (blue arrow) and the choke's cross-rod. The latter has a plate welded on for the purpose (red arrow). Unfortunately the refurbished carbs did not have this plate and so I tried to make one which clamped on. . .

     

^ sophisticated and well equipped machine shop - not !  I drilled and roughed out the clamp-on bracket, together with a swiveling ferrule for the cable's outer.

^ shaped and fitted onto the replacement carburettor's cross rod.    The design theory was fine but.. using sheet aluminium for the bracket didn't work. I couldn't get sufficient clamping onto the round rod, even when I fitted it with two screws. The aluminium edge buckled.  But what a great opportunity to do it again !  

  

^ this time using a piece of steel (up-cycled of course) and using the aluminium prototype as a template. 

^ OK., this bracket works well. And with just one screw it clamps onto the cross rod securely. The outer cable's pivoting ferrule can just be seen. It's fitted with a metal cross tube for its hinge (rather relying on the set screw) and the cable inner is into its usual bowden-cable clamp, which also pivots in its own bracket.  

It's reasonably neat ..without cables flaying around over the carbs, and it works ..but not so well because of the old cable. . .

^ the old bowden cable is passed its best-used-by date, and the replacement inner cable (with the solid wire) that I bought at Ambergate, is way too short. 

The old cable works until I get or make a replacement.  How MUCH for a new choke cable ! ??

^ Task done (but for replacing the 41" cable inner).  The fuel feed is again around the back of the engine.   

When I started the car with these carbs the engine coughed and spluttered, seemingly struggling to cope on two cylinders. The engine breather tube was into the manifold, and when I blocked that off ..taking the breather pipe into a pot next to the radiator's expansion bottle, the carbs worked.  I had issues with debris in the fuel pipe ..seemingly bits of rubber - so I'll soon need to check and replace the flexi fuel pipes from the tank. In the meantime I've cleaned out the pump's glass bowl and the pipes to the carbs, and have added an in-line fuel filter.  That seems to have sorted the issue out ..for the time being. 

The breather pipe has been to the atmosphere since I got the car, and only clear water is in the pot.  The big black pipe is ugly though, so I'll review it sometime.

The carb's throttle operating rod from the throttle pedal goes to a quadrant plate (on brackets under the carbs) which turns the throttle's rod motion through 90-degrees, from forward n' backwards to up n' down.  That quadrant plate was not as tight as I like and so twisted a little - so I've fitted a wavy-spring-washer (of shim thickness) behind it.  I've greased the connectors with lithium and so they all works nice and smoothly now.  

The carb's linkages were not accurately synchronised, so I've adjusted those to pick up on both carbs evenly.  Subsequently I've driven the car to our TR group's monthly meeting and again to their breakfast meeting.. and my first impression was GREAT -  I've gained another 20bhp !        The engine's response, which was hesitant to pick up and overall 'saloon-car mellow' is now instant and the engine's power has noticeably more gusto throughout the rev range (..up to motorway-plus speeds).  The car's annoying vibration at 65mph has halved - and that's now tolerable, even though it seems to have moved up to about 68mph.

When I turned up at the breakfast meeting, my friend Rich noted that the car's exhaust smelt like a TR6,  ie., she is running rich, and that seems to be the case.  I've subsequently wound each SU's underside nuts up by two flats (to lessen fuel richness).  I'll now run the car like that before settling down to more accurately tuning them.

In short, another job (mostly) done and the results are pleasing. The car now feels more sporting.  In short - it's the best money ..in terms of noticeable effect, I've yet spent on the car.

Pete

 

 

[charlie74]

That’s a very tidy engine bay!  When it is tuned as well as it looks you’re going to be smiling :)

[Mk2 Chopper]

They really look the business, and it sounds like they work pretty well too despite the initial basic set up. Good job. 

Gareth

[Mk2 Chopper]

23 hours ago, Bfg said:

yes

Thanks I was getting all confused by the talk of swapping wishbones. I did this flip on my 6, as they had been installed the wrong way.

Gareth

[Bfg]

Last Saturday the East Saxons group of the TR Register had a get together breakfast at Poplar Nursery ~ Marks Tey, nr Colchester. Thanks to a few like Rich and Ron always making newcomers feel welcome, the groups successfully attracts a good turnout. Thirty or more members and guests is not unusual. . . 

 

^ Although a cool and later damp day (25th February) we had eight Triumphs and a number of other interesting cars in the car-park.  Mat & I took the opportunity to look at his 4A's surrey-top back-light, with regard to its distance from the windscreen header rail. Lucky so n' so has an aluminium one but the holes have been elongated forward, so we tried half of my own roof on his car to compare dimensions.  I'd taken a mould off an original steel lid and mouldings off the windscreen header rail and back-light.  The fit of Katie's  lid suggests his back-light was some 10 -12mm further back than mine. In the middle the lid's overhang is quite generous, but the distance from the top corner of the windscreen back to the top corner of the back-light was clearly greater. 

Katie's  back-light is also fibreglass (an after-market one) but its glass is original - so I'm guessing its grp top-rail isn't that far out. I also have mine pushed back with the rigid T-bar middle section.  Mat's car's door gaps are just a little more than mine but look good (Katie's are just a little tight) and the positioning of his car's windscreen also seems to be good, with the angles matching the door glasses on both sides.  It's still a mystery why his surrey-top dimensions are different, and so why a prior owner felt it necessary to elongate the surrey-top frame holes in the backlight forward.

Of course just as we were deliberating the peculiarities of Triumphs ..and how the cars may have been restored over the past 55 years, the very fine drizzle became heavier. . .

  

^ I borrowed my car's half-roof back ..and Matt reverted to his alternative. 

It was a good breakfast meeting and the weather soon dried up again as cars headed for home, or wherever.   As for myself and Katie  ..with her new carburettors and more fun performance - we took the opportunity to go for a good drive . . .

 

^ heading north and then west from Little Tey are some of the best Suffolk country drives, I was heading to Clare but first stopped off at the East Anglian Railway Museum < www.EARM.co.uk > to pick up a schedule of their 2023 events.  in brief I'd like to visit when they have a steam day. Aside from their static museum they also have Diesel days, but tbh that just doesn't float my boat.   I then passed, and again stopped at the Colne Valley Railway for their schedule.  Next up I was driving through Earls Colne and noticed an unusual church tower . . .  

^ St Andrews, Earls Colne.  Unfortunately the doors were closed so i could see inside, but still around and about it was quite extra-ordinary in detail as well as stature. . .

  

^ one of the first things I noticed as I got out of the car were cast iron gravestones...  "In 1824 Robert Hunt, a millwright from Soham in Cambridgeshire, settled in Earls Colne and set up a millwrighting and wheelwrighting shop and smithy at what was to become the Atlas Works."    ..Even I had heard of the Atlas works

"The business soon gained a local reputation for making general agricultural equipment and after exhibiting products at the Royal Agricultural Show in 1851 the company's products gained a country-wide recognition."   "..by 1900 employing approximately half of the male working population of the village"  "When Sir R. H. Hunt, the founder's grandson, died in 1970, the firm was still the village's chief employer with some 300 employees and works covering 10 acres"

It's a great tribute to that family that they remembered the people who worked to build their company's fortunes and excellent reputation  ..unlike my own (all too frequent) experience of being made redundant and getting nothing or at best the minimum in pay. 

Perhaps because there is a strong small town / family heritage here (..I spoke with an old gent who kindly shared that his family was one of the oldest names in the village)  the church is so well preserved . . .

        

   

^ It's so unusual to see intact carvings that have not been defaced  ..and those shown are mostly within hand reach.  Of course a huge amount of church and religious image destruction happened during the years of Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries, priories, convents and friaries ..in the c.16th - but vandalism and acid-rain erosion has long since also taken its toll. 

Among two and three hundred year old stone gravestone was a wooden cross  ..I think cut from a plank 2" thick oak.  Its engraving, or perhaps hand painted inscription, has long gone - but I do wonder how old it is, and who was worthy of such a unique remembrance ..perhaps the village carpenter ?

 

^ The detail on the gate post carving is still exquisite (click on the image to enlarge it) and you can clearly see the carving of the acorn kernels.

By the bottom gate, opposite a primary school, is a recent memorial, a sapling has been planted with snowdrops and spring bulbs around it as a kindly thought to those in village who have affected by covid.  I cannot remember the wording exactly, but the impression I'm left with was.. compassion for the volunteers, key workers, the businesses, and the families and friends of those in the village who suffered and/or died.

^^    And this wall plaque, inbetween the church's two main door is also rather special, not because it dates from almost 200 years ago.. but because it's not so much a remembrance stone as an affection, expressed by neighbours.  It is not for a lord, an aristocrat, war veterans, nor even a member of the clergy but for a man who was a servant & gamekeeper. Wow !   I'll be soon dead and gone and my family will not even notice I've gone, let alone express such an epitaph. 

This church is humbling, not at all because of the grandiose tower which first attracted my attention, but in the details that the community has valued enough to preserve.

Pete

 

 

Edited March 6, 2023 by Bfg

[Bfg]

moving on..

My intent was to revisit Clare, a historic market town on the north bank of the River Stour in Suffolk, that I'd come across and briefly stopped at on the way back from a very hot n' dried grass Saffron Walden 'Car Show on the Common' on Sunday 14th July 2022  (blogged on August 23 '22). 

 

I had only visited the church of St Peter & St Paul when I was here last July, but had otherwise noted the abundance of listed buildings, and I'd also been recommended to visit the priory sometime. And so (last Saturday afternoon) that's what I hoped to do.  Rather than just quaint old buildings - Clare was more interesting that I'd imagined. . .

  

it seems to be a town on the way to n' from nowhere, but its history (which interests me) goes back to the old stone age (paleolithic era) with flints and stone axe heads of the neolithic period also found within Clare Priory's grounds.  Apparently, and supported by archeological finds, it was occupied and fortified by the Romans. The Domesday Book records it as 'always a market (town) of 43 burgesses' (free-man possibly aristocrats). This is from a period when many if not most Suffolk towns & villages had no free men.  It records that the lands around Clare belonged to a Saxon Thane. William the Conqueror re-granted the land to one of his closest supporters Richard fitz Gilbert, who in turn made Clare Castle the capult of his feudal barony (ie. his administrative centre). Clare castle, I didn't even know about but it is first recorded in 1090. . .

  

There's not much left of the castle ..but the motte and curtain wall embankments are still very impressive. To the left of the first photo is the River Stour, diverted to drive mills, and to the right (inside this section of curtain wall) is a moat.  This castle and this town's defenses were taken serious ..Just imagine trying to cross rivers and marsh beds, and then scaling up those slopes in full armour under a heavy and continuous downpour of long-bow armour-piercing broad-head arrows.

 

The influential links and support of religious fraternities began before the Norman conquest, and the titled Earls thereafter related to this town and its surround rich arable land read as a medieval who's who of courtiers, Earls & Barons.  In short, it was a power house and very prosperous seat ..sometimes fighting for and with the crown, and at other times trying to keep the King in check.  Richard de Clare, 3rd Earl of Hereford, and his son Gilbert were two of the 25 barons appointed as guardians to the Magna Carta of 1215.  Political marriages and their leverage, wealth and sheer military might, were benchmarks of the power held by these feudal Lords. And religious piety was sought ..and bought by means of founding as supporting priories. 

And after all the battles and the bickering - those names, the riches and their power are mostly lost ..to anyone but the history buff. 

Still, the town, castle ruins and the river embankment are wonderful. ..which are well worth a visit should you be passing by in your TR.  The town and citizens of Clare maintain them both as a historic and as a nature park, complete with its Stour Valley line's station (and coffee shop) of the Great Eastern Railway

  

^ Katie  parked behind the old goods-shed, which I think is now partly a museum. Behind her you can see the River Stour.  There is excellent signposting throughout the town, up on the castle, and through the park.  Car parking was just £1 per hour, which I was happy to pay as the castle and park was otherwise free.  

^ Motte embankment to the castle left, with the diverted River Stour serving as a moat.    It's nice here.

^ the carved wooden sheep are clearly popular with the children, but probably confound the Welsh.  Bearing in mind that wool was the most valuable export in the Medieval days of Chaucer.. these little sheep are a fun monument to the wealth of Clare's former residents.  The wool was of course used for clothing and bedding, as well as for tapestry screens and wall hangs, multiple layers packed under chain-mail and armour, and mutton was an important meat. The bits inside were also food and 'skins' for carrying fluids &/or for for villagers to kick around the field. The oil from the sheep's wool was valuable, and the skin was soft leather. Even the bones were boiled to make glue, used for implements, and otherwise shaved into thin wafers before glass became commonplace.  And apparently around ten sheep produce much the same amount of milk as a single cow.  Not many people know that !

With access from the car-park, but not really obvious, is a path to the priory . . .

    

^ although the gardens and the church is open to the public Clare Priory is still a priory occupied by the religious order of Augustinian.. They live in the house and they now have a beautiful modern extension to the old church which is open for respectful contemplation and prayer. Most of the ancient priory buildings and its walls have gone and what used to be the cloisters is a now a walled garden.

    

^ Even the gates are pretty old, although judging by their shape being different to the arch in the wall I suspect they may be have previously been elsewhere. 

  

^ Within the walled garden, formerly the cloisters (which would have been partly covered) there is this stone plaque.  On the other side of the wall is the easier to read, but somewhat sanitized version. The priory and its gardens are also the last resting place of its patrons.

    

And so with a rain shower stretching across the skies as a vibrant rainbow, it was time for me to close the gate and go home.  The drive home, about 30 miles was good, the evening was fresh but clearing, and Katie's  new carburettors added a spring to our step ..after-all my breakfast with TR friends was great, the unscheduled stop at Earls Colne an unexpected pleasure, and my afternoon in and around Clare - rather exceptional.  It's only sad to think that some people had to go shopping on Saturday ! 

. . .

Bidding you a good evening and a pleasant weekend

Pete

   

 

 

Edited March 6, 2023 by Bfg

[MilesA]

Another great travelogue to match your super technical reports. Love that final photo of Katie too. Thanks 

Miles

[Hamish]

1 hour ago, MilesA said:

Another great travelogue to match your super technical reports. Love that final photo of Katie too. Thanks 

Miles

Agreed 

[Z320]

+1

[Bfg]

  

 

Happy Anniversary to Katie  this week. 

It was during a brief gap between covid restrictions  ..start again...   It was on a bright and sunny day  (although it rained during our test drive) two years ago, on the 5th March 2001 (..which also happened to be the anniversary of my Dad's birthday) I'd driven across to Bury St Edmunds to view and agree to buy Katie  < posted about here > from Bob & Pat Bell.   And then, on the 8th March, my new TR register friend Rich C-R and went to collect her ..and we only broke down once on the way back.

 

  

 

Although we've seen just 3410 miles on the clock since then, it's been a long journey with many up n' downs in that time.  

     

   

 

And so we've she's  had to make some changes . . .

   

       

   

    

      

    

   

      

         

    

 

  

^ ^ ^  to cite but just a few !  

      ...but Katie and I are still together and I'm sure things are all the better for it.  And thankfully we've recently been seeing more ups than downs . . .

 

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

.... and so on ..

Happy Anniversary to Katie  ..who I think now looks younger than she did   ...and an especially BIG THANK YOU to all who supported and helped us get this far.

Pete.

 

p.s. hopefully these piccies will encourage others who, with their TR, are on such a journey.

 

Edited March 9, 2023 by Bfg

[Motorsport Mickey]

Katy looks better every time I see another photo of her. Well done Pete, your ongoing efforts put me to shame, keep it up.

Mick Richards

[John Morrison]

Cracking Pete your efforts and enthusiasm put many of us to shame 

John

[Mk2 Chopper]

Happy 2nd anniversary to Katie and your ownership of her. It surprising to see just how much she had done and how far she's come in that relatively short time. 

Long may the quest for perfection continue. 

Gareth

[Bfg]

Thank you Gents..  I never mean to put anyone to shame ..but rather to encourage those who might become demotivated in this cold and wet weather.

I know all to well just how easy it is to be frustrated, and even overwhelmed by the never ending job-list, and to loose sight of the objective.

Wishing you well,

Pete

[Z320]

Pete, congratulations!

I‘ve seen moments in your diary when I thought I would sell that car.

But you managed it and inspired me for one of my next project, hopefully you help me if I struggle.

Enjoy the fruits of your work now.

Ciao, Marco 

[Hamish]

Well done Pete. You have done so much is a short time really. 
the car not only looks great you have added safety and longevity. It to be honest in less than perfect conditions. 
you have done very well, you should be proud of yourself. 

[Quicksilver]

Well done Pete, especially the way you share the whole process here with all the problems but especially all the solutions you come up with. An inspiration for everyone who follows this tread.
The rear brake thing made me realize that I had the springs of the rear brake shoes on the wrong side (front) .... Is now mounted correctly ..

Marcel

[Bfg]

4 hours ago, Z320 said:

Pete, congratulations!

I‘ve seen moments in your diary when I thought I would sell that car.  me too !

But you managed it and inspired me for one of my next project, hopefully you help me if I struggle.

Enjoy the fruits of your work now.

Ciao, Marco 

I'd be very glad to help you Marco.  Might I suggest you buy a villa with four car garage in Portugal, or somewhere with similarly sunny weather, and I would be regular guest to work with you on your cars.

Pete

Edited March 9, 2023 by Bfg

[Nigel C]

well done Pete, inspirational