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mine was wrecked in 1974 and I tried to buy it then I was 14 fast forward 3 years ago it showed up again so I now I own (long wait) it and it still had its original engine complete it needs the works of course but it will get it. I didn't know about the head till later it needs seats (badly rusted) and all but its still useable. 

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On 3/22/2020 at 9:29 AM, David Brancaleone said:

TS 9204

We now know the car's destination, but it's not recorded in the 1950s factory paperwork.

 

On 3/22/2020 at 9:29 AM, David Brancaleone said:

TS 9204

We now know the car's destination, but it's not recorded in the 1950s factory paperwork.

I see what you we’re talking about the drums in the car thanks god your one has disc brakes better for racing 

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Watch this space! Am about to post next episode... in a day or two...

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Well, it took a week, and an unexpected turn, more soon!

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  • 3 weeks later...

A little more news coming down from Scotland, via Facebook... I shall wait for more, before filing next Update, pals.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 3/8/2020 at 9:03 AM, ianc said:

Well done.  This would make a good story for TR Action when you have managed to fill in the gaps in the story.

Ian Cornish

Ian,

Am delighted to say that I have made contact with the elusive Mark Mason, thanks to a TR3A member who reads the Forum, and to someone who knew the first owner or, I should say, knows the original owner and first sat in KST 277 the year it was registered in Inverness, in 1956. I have just completed the next instalment and run it by him to check all the details and will post it tomorrow. Then, I shall phone Mark Mason again, we spent one hour on the phone a couple of weeks ago, and put to him my next 70+ queries. He lives only a few miles away from TR Bitz and offered to come and meet me when I come over to collect the car. After our upcoming second conversation, I shall be in a position to write up the missing Update. Shan't give anything else away until then!

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  • 1 year later...

 

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Setting off from Martin's in Glanmire for a spin down to the sea. Yet another test drive! Moonlighting since last September got so bad I had to sacrifice the Forum and from one day to the next I stopped reading and posting. No choice, really. You do what you have to do in life.

So much has happened in past year. But I'll start in medias res, as they say in English and Latin.

KST 277 is in Ireland and was garaged over the winter and Spring, through to early summer. Long story, I promise to tell.

During a test trip, there was a problem with the fuel pressure (too low at 1.5psi). When I raised it to 2psi there was hardly any spluttering or backfiring. But the Webers are still not right. I've been reading up on them. I purchased from the Register John Passini's very helpful book

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Can anyone explain to me why are they always set up to remove the torque from the lower power band? Robbing Peter to pay Paul, yes, but not on a torquey road car you don't. Nowhere does Passini say that's all you can do with them. Actually, he criticizes using Webers for "souping up" a motor. Everyone except Pete here says the magic words: "rolling road". But I agree with Pete that plug cuts and changing the baseline spec. should be the way to go. Just that I daren't do it myself.

Going back to the test trip, I found that the Laycock-De Normanville overdrive works best when the engine is warmed up. Oil pressure goes up to where it should and comes down. Ammeter was charging find. I discovered there is a wiper pump, but under the dash. A needle declogged the jets and I repositioned the wipers so that they actually wipe the screen.

The day before, I flushed the radiator (never done before), and I forgot to warm up engine first, bit of silty brown sludge, three lots of hosing to clear water. I didn't touch the tap on the block, in case I broke it. Looks like it had OATS in there, I think, judging from the colour in the overflow bottle. Now pressurized. Ever so slight weeping from thermostat gasket, so We bought some gasket sealant and paper for another job.

I replaced it with 50/50 Bluecol and de-ionized water. That, and removing one of the badges from the cowling (bang in the middle of airflow, thanks Miles!) made a difference to stop-start temp in traffic. So I hardly used the Kenlowe.

When we got back to Glanmire, we took off front wheels to grease vertical links and other greasing points. On the way home I heard a noise. Blowout? No. Metallic. So I stopped only to find that the driver's side wheel was connected to the hub with only one wheel nut. It started to rain and was now dark of course. I borrowed nuts from the other wheels and I was back on the road. In Cork city there was a new noise. Scratching, this time. Litter trapped under the car? No. A screw from the front aluminium number plate had come off and the plate was rasping on the tarmac. I had nothing but a plastic bag and used a tiny Allen key to poke it through and tie it to the bumper.

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  • DavidBee changed the title to TR3 KST 277 update 23 AUGUST 2021

I went to a car tyre place on the Northside of Cork city where they repair wheels and sell alloys. Do they stock wheel nuts for Minilites? No, but you can get them in the UK, was the answer. The owner looked hassled. Too much on and not enough time. I remembered him from years back. You got married in Italy. Yes, a tired voice replied.

Plan B was a machine shop in Glanmire.

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This one. Could I take a photo? Be my guest. Really nice sort of place. Yes, leave one here and you can collect on Wednesday. Next week? No, day after tomorrow. Pretensile, or something, steel? Yes, E8.

What exactly do they do in machine shops? We do some work for classic and vintage cars. So on my way out I asked for a brochure.

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Edited by DavidBee
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Looks a splendid workshop, David, but when you return, tell him (very politely) that he should change compliment to complement.  Mistake often made.

Ian Cornish

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2 hours ago, ianc said:

Looks a splendid workshop, David, but when you return, tell him (very politely) that he should change compliment to complement.  Mistake often made.

Ian Cornish

Ha ha! Good spot. I shall on Weds when I collect the wheel nuts. Since you raise the issue of syntax and spelling, I notice that many write "it's" (=it is) instead of "its" (it belongs to, pertains to, as in possessive adjective) for example, it's bonnet for its bonnet.

How about starting an ENGLISH HOWLERS thread, Ian, what do you think?

Edited by DavidBee
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David - as clangers are so rife, I think it would be too embarrassing.  Just look in the daily paper or TR Action!

I mentioned this one solely because the workshop in Glanmire might wish to correct before printing further brochures, and it would be good if the wording reflected the high standard of the work undertaken.

Ian Cornish

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3 minutes ago, ianc said:

David - as clangers are so rife, I think it would be too embarrassing.  Just look in the daily paper or TR Action!

I mentioned this one solely because the workshop in Glanmire might wish to correct before printing further brochures, and it would be good if the wording reflected the high standard of the work undertaken.

Ian Cornish

Yes, I shall tell them. But no harm in pointing out clangers in our bunch too, or is there?

It is a pity to mar their "image", having gone to all that trouble. I asked if they had any photos, but no. Why not? Would help them get business. But they seem to have plenty, given the shortage of skill, they told me!

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On occasion, I have signed myself P Dant - but I am careful how and where I use this alias! 

One doesn't want to stifle good ideas and excellent contributions just because people are dyslexic, or drop clangers, or whose first language is not English.

Ian Cornish

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6 hours ago, ianc said:

On occasion, I have signed myself P Dant - but I am careful how and where I use this alias! 

One doesn't want to stifle good ideas and excellent contributions just because people are dyslexic, or drop clangers, or whose first language is not English.

Ian Cornish

Too true. Mine isn't by the way.

And yes, let's or lets or lets' suppose (that) someone is helping you sort out a problem. You'd hardly reply: "thanks, by the way, you made a spelling mistake"!

P Dant

Edited by DavidBee
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Until a week ago, the rear view mirror in my 3 was an aftermarket job. Similar to the TR3a RVM, maybe it was one. But maybe the 3A mirror doesn't have the anti-glare? Dunno.

Be that as it may, it was pretty useless. Why? Because the adjusting knuckle bit was loose in its base. My bodge was to squeeze the small anti-glare lever into a slit in a piece of foam rubber, and yes, it worked. This made the car safer to drive. The mirror stopped drooping, making it reflect the tonneau instead of the road.

The correct mirror is the TR2-3 model. No plastic surround, smaller, but very effective. And with an anti-vibration bracket. I remembered it well, because my TR2 was still fitted with one. Neat. Very.

It niggled me: a sidescreen car with the wrong rvm looks... just wrong.

So I asked two members if they had a spare. Well, Pat McMahon in Dublin did. Even better! He had kept it in a drawer for 25 years. And, guess what, this is what arrived in the post.

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Time warp time. NOS. From MOSS. So did MOSS get the old Standard Triumph stock from Cox & Buckles, Manor Road? Maybe PeeWee knows the answer? Or do you?

Fitting it was a bit of a fiddle without taking off the screen. I just slid it as little as I could get away with, but not before scratching the passenger side paintwork (eek!!) to get a bicycle repair tiny screwdriver in there. Small, retouch job, but still.

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I can't tell you why, but it makes all the difference. Or is it just that you know that it belongs there? Even my wife, Áine, who is not into cars of any vintage and fails to tell the difference between a Beetle and a Moggie, could appreciate the subtle difference. And no more bodge.

Edited by DavidBee
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11 minutes ago, james christie said:

In deference to some safety, which in an early TR is a bit relative, I have always refused to fit an original looking mirror and have substituted an ugly looking one with a plastic surround.

james

Yes, you are, of course, right, James!

Which is why I currently have TWO mirrors, the second on the driver's side stancheon, and in a few days, I should receive from the UK a similar mirror that I shall fit on the passenger-side stancheon.

If I ever do fit and use the aeros with PeeWee's plinths, bang goes safety again, James!

So yes, but with the two extra views, I should be OK. Even with the two, it's miles better. And, yes, I love the look of the original: it's... beautiful.

David

Edited by DavidBee
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Latest update 27 August 2021

When I go into the new garage — on a slope — since the drive is on a 10% gradient, I think of you guys wrestling with gearboxes coming out, "dropping" sumps, undoing halfshafts, not to mention rebuilding your engines from scratch. All very inspiring, yes. But also, more to the point, daunting.

Me? Well, today, I fitted Peter Wigglesworth's aeroscreen plinths, just for fun. Undid the bolts on the scuttle and yes! They all came off quite easily, having been smeared in grease, by the looks of it. I didn't "go all the way" as teenagers in 1950s American movies would say. I'll fit the aeros and accept the Frenchman's challenge after all. I was beginning to wonder if they were an extravagance.

20210826_190718.thumb.jpg.142c018cf5b1f2c8bf3568428451204f.jpgI was in fiddling mode this afternoon, to escape doing computer stuff. So I fitted the spare coil on the scuttle, without making any new holes. The bracket that came with the coil just about reached. But better safe than sorry. I found a huge washer to ensure the bracket wouldn't pop out.

Even just a little tinkering for people like me who are not very good at spannering pays off. I noticed to my horror a tell‐tale gap between one of the bonnet hinges and the scuttle. Now that could have been dangerous. I looked underneath the dash. All beautifully waxoyled and neat, but the nut was on the verge of falling off.
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You might have noticed that the new Malpassi Filtre King regulator is disconnected. And the braided hose bypasses it into a dial type regulator.

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When I collected my 3 from John who had kindly stored it without charge, during the autumn and winter months, the carburettors were spitting and unburned fuel was detonating in the exhaust. "Don't worry", John said. "Take her for a fast spin and that will clear out any dirt." I had my doubts, I must say. So that is what I did. But it only got worse. Embarassing, at the lights next to the smooth-running huge SUVs. Bang bang BANG! Pop pop POP!

Out of sheer frustration, I read up on Webers and which screw to adjust the tickover. It was 850-900rpm cold, but creeping up to an erratic 1,000-1,2000 rpm hot. My conclusion was that the Webers were set on a cold engine. Also, they weren't popping, spitting, or backfiring before I took the car to John. But all four slots on the matching idle screws were all at different angles. Before being garaged at John's, there was no rough running between 1,200rpm and 3,000 rpm. Power band is now at the top end where you can't use it on public roads. Characteristic TR torque is neither there at low end or mid-range. Meantime, fuel consumption is dire. All very frustrating. And really and truly spoils all the fun if driving a TR.

So I can only surmise that John did his level best to tune them, failed miserably, and said nothing. My hands are tied. How can I ask him to fix what has gone wrong, when I was generously given almost a year's free garaging? No, I can't.

The idling is better now, yes, but I am faint-hearted about doing anything more to them. An outfit with a rolling road about one hour from Cork sounded promising. But a long phone call was enough to realize that they specialize in modern cars and are out of their deoth.

Forumites have strongly suggested going to a place with a rolling road. But this is not the Midlands in England. Where I live there aren't any. And I agree with Pete Bird who says the can be recommissioned without resorting to a rolling road. Yes, but not by me. Which is why I have contacted Pristine Classics in Kerry who told me they could sort out the Webers between restorations. There is a TR2 in their shop reaching the end of a full-blown restoration. The owner of Pristine Classics also told me he owned a TR3 for years. Let's hope KST 277 is going to be in good hands.

 

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  • DavidBee changed the title to TR3 KST 277 update 28 AUGUST 2021

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Anothe piece of the puzzle regarding KST 277's early history!

The other day, Andrew Brydon wrote to me to say that he had noticed the picture of the rear of KST 277.nthis features the Triumph Sports Owners Association Rally of Europe plate and the Rally number 5.

Andrew sent me this photograph of the plate of Rally number 4. This plate came from a UK car that participated in one of the first two rallies. By comparison, Andrew adds the telling detail that later plates were of a different shape and also detailed the year of the rally. This proves that KST 277 took part in one of the first two.

TR2-3B Registrar Mike Ellis pointed out to Andrew years ago that there were actually three Rallies of Europe in 1957. The first two included UK participants. This, they think, was most probably to iron out any difficulties with the chosen route, hotels, border crossings and so on and so forth, before the well-documented all-American owner event, which ran in May 1957.

Proof of British participation, Andrew adds, is to be found in the advertising inviting UK participants to apply. These advertisements appeared in late 1956 editions of The Standard Triumph Review. That's where the first owner of KST 277, the widow who ran the Inverness Standard Triumph dealership would have seen them and decided to apply.

Edited by DavidBee
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  • 5 months later...

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KST 277 got new licence plates. The point is that KST 277 will always be called KST. I know, it's being sentimental about an inanimate object. But I also know that I am not alone

With hindsight, having seen John Reilly's, the digits are too small. My preference would be raised white ones, but I think they are hard to come by these days. You never know! I remember seening an assortment at the Beaulieu Autojumble many moons ago. But Covid-19 has not made it possible to visit local autojumbles, nor has KST.

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Me and John O'Reilly met up at last a few days ago in our two TR3s.

John finished his restoration not so long ago and this, once black, TR3 has been brought back to life over several years. The body was rotted out, panels needed major surgery, left to a pro, as was the paintwork changed to Primrose Yellow, and John did the mechanical part himself, no mean feat from my place of ignorance. 

John suggested a loop and what a great drive we had, down the N71, the Bandon road to Kinsale and Innishannon, past the river Lee mud flats running parallel to the road and slotting off into winding side roads, where I had ample opportunities to test the steering (sound) and road holding (also sound).

Several times, I felt like stopping, or at least looking for where we might do that. Waders, for sure, but too far from the road to see them clearly. No doubt about it: you don't have to travel far to find beautiful countryside here.

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John suddenly signalled and immediately pulled over.
I had barely the time to stop. We took a few photographs, but the light was going by then. What a nice person. We enjoyed each other's company.

It drizzled, but who cares? KST is my "daily driver", preferably, top down most of the time. (The other car is my wife's Honda). I have fitted Pee Wee's aluminium fixings for aeroscreens, but need to get disc holders that screw on to the stanchion assemblies first. Or not. Just have the docs available in the glove box? Maybe it's just my excuse.

It was exhilarating, and equally exhilarating, to see, once again — what a feast for the eyes — another sidescreen TR through the windscreen, right in front of me on the road, and hear the unmistakable TR exhaust note, from a 2,138cc with 87mm pistons, I'm told.

We missed being three sidescreen TRs by a whisker. Yes, a TR3A from Bandon was to join us, but the timing didn't quite come off, so that's for another day.

What has kept me so long? Figuring out how to tell it, the story, I mean. I have decided that any which way is my way.

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  • DavidBee changed the title to TR3 KST 277 update 12 FEBRUARY 2022
5 hours ago, RogerH said:

Hi David,

it sounds like you had a lovely day and everything went well.

I like the Black & White pics - very period.

Roger

Thanks, Roger! Yes I did! It was amazing, and made me forget all the planning, waiting, and frustration (my lack of time, lack of technical know how).

20220213_144803.thumb.jpg.db6d74b32635bfe86911db19d57b0c3e.jpgI hope to meet you in person at the Triumph TR and MG Weekend. My first car was an MGB Roadster. A big disappointment. I sold it and bought an MG Midget. Also disappointing. Then I saw this strange car in the August edition of Classic and Sportscar, 1986. I remember the tone of the article and something clicked.

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Oddly enough, the car was (and is, fingers crossed) a TR3, and was photographed, I think, though I may be mistaken, not far from Galway. The kids' BMXs date the photos too. I just had to have one. I went to see a red 3A that belonged to Glen Hewitt's father-in-law at the Classic Car show in London. Well used, member's car, at a good price: £3,500. Sorry, it has already gone, he told me.

At the TR Register Weekend, Ken Munford was selling an immaculate white 3A he had just completed, for £6,000. I recall him driving around the area with his skinny young daughter sitting in the back. The price seemed too steep. What a fool I was (and still am, I suspect).

I even saw a beautiful BRG long door TR2 belonging to Bill Piggott, who took me for a test drive (with him at the wheel) and we did a ton on the motorway — look, no scuttle shake — Bill pointed out. The top was down, the sidescreens were off. £4,500. A good price too! OK. The paintwork wasn't perfect, but my oh my, what a nice one? Did I buy it? No.

 Then I saw Stuart Jenkins's OGB 800 in TR Action and bought it after he had crashed the front end and welded up the chassis (which I didn't know then). I later got an as-new Californian chassis from Glen, but that's part of another story...

Edited by DavidBee
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20220213_180619.thumb.jpg.b590873973f5ea287a532e9135ba0750.jpg

Late night shopping for coffe beans. A new fad in Ireland. You know where they were farmed and by whom. My stash had run out, so I nearly panicked. But there's one little old fashioned shop on the old Blackrock Road, where my wife grew up, that is open until 9pm seven days a week. So the panic is over. Inspired by Roger's comment, I tried again. (You can see Pee Wee's aluminium aeroscreen brackets, still awaiting the aeros. Is sliding off the windshield a one man job? 

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KST's Webers don't like too much stop-starting, that's for sure. But my flushing out the rad and putting in de-ionized water (and plenty of non OATS antifreeze) gave me a good feeling, if only that.

No, I think the Webers are still not right. I have my doubts. Anyhow, after reading Phil Brown's tale of woe about the nuts not being wired, I copied Hamish and took a picture from below. Phew! Though I can't tell if the brackets are tight enough to stop the nuts from working themselves loose. Did I check both? No!

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Edited by DavidBee
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11 minutes ago, DavidBee said:

Is sliding off the windshield a one man job? 

I managed it OK but mine is a later car with screwed fixings, not Dzus.  It's probably safer for the paintwork with two pairs of hands though. 

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  • DavidBee changed the title to TR3 KST 277 update 14 MARCH 2022

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