Dan Middleton Posted October 9, 2022 Report Share Posted October 9, 2022 So, having bought my first ever "project" - a 1974 CR, I have had a tremendously enjoyable 8 months or so taking a tired rolling restoration car to the point where I have now got an MOT and 1700 miles under my belt. It has been a huge learning curve and I have benefitted enormously from the help and advice of many people that I have met through membership of the TR Register, as well as the few events that I have been able to attend and the frequent visits to the forum. As the first winter approaches, I have a few jobs planned, but I'm wondering if there is a point at which tweaking and tinkering becomes counter-productive. There are loads of mods and upgrades I could look at, but if I wouldn't contemplate fiddling with my normal daily drive. Interested to see what others think? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FatJon Posted October 9, 2022 Report Share Posted October 9, 2022 3 minutes ago, Dan Middleton said: So, having bought my first ever "project" - a 1974 CR, I have had a tremendously enjoyable 8 months or so taking a tired rolling restoration car to the point where I have now got an MOT and 1700 miles under my belt. It has been a huge learning curve and I have benefitted enormously from the help and advice of many people that I have met through membership of the TR Register, as well as the few events that I have been able to attend and the frequent visits to the forum. As the first winter approaches, I have a few jobs planned, but I'm wondering if there is a point at which tweaking and tinkering becomes counter-productive. There are loads of mods and upgrades I could look at, but if I wouldn't contemplate fiddling with my normal daily drive. Interested to see what others think? Other than the actual body of the car, which is already stunning, nothing is sacred with me. It’s an old design and a bit of modernisation transforms it. To others it would be a capital crime to use non original pedal rubbers. It’s a matter of personal preference, do what makes you happy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted October 9, 2022 Report Share Posted October 9, 2022 Hi Dan, the nature of our old cars is that regular maintenance is required - oil/water/air etc etc But when you drive the car your senses need to be on alert - look/hear/smell - if anything new appears get on it sooner rather than later. On the boring days - you can tweak and fiddle. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
richard61 Posted October 9, 2022 Report Share Posted October 9, 2022 The more you ‘modernise’ the car you get less of the the old car contrast. Most break downs are due to ignition or fuel supply so I stopped at electronic ignition and an injection overhaul. Richard Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted October 9, 2022 Report Share Posted October 9, 2022 What's wrong with my car? Usually it's the last thing you did to it! Few of us can achieve perfect mods, either through incompetence or inexperience. And the extraordinary reliability of moderns is due to hundreds of experts and hundreds of thousands of hours of testing, to find and prevent every possible failure mode. And even those vehicles are designed to last no more than ten years! Do as much tweak and fiddle as you like, but adopt a philosophical attitude to them, as they fail and need more tweak and fiddle! It's your car, do with it as you like! John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mike C Posted October 9, 2022 Report Share Posted October 9, 2022 The extent to which one should tweak and fiddle on a car is a very personal decision- each owner will have a different answer. Don't forget back in the 1970's and 80's when TR6's were normal daily drives a lot of owners just drove them without any further consideration- and many still survived. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueTR3A-5EKT Posted October 9, 2022 Report Share Posted October 9, 2022 (edited) In the old TR Register Spares News there was a flow chart that started with - 'do you own a TR?' - Yes/No - Drive it 10 miles, does it need spares? - No/Yes (No = loop back to) - Drive it 10 miles, does it need spares? - Yes ( loops on to) - Contact your local spares secretary. Maybe someone has a copy and can post it here. Better still someone with the knowledge could redo it with 'consult the TR Register Forum'. Edited October 9, 2022 by BlueTR3A-5EKT Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paulfc Posted October 9, 2022 Report Share Posted October 9, 2022 In my garage I have a notice that says “DO NOTHING UNLESS YOU HAVE TO”. It doesn’t stop me doing tweaks and the odd fiddling but it does stop embarking on anything without researching it and thinking through what I’m about to do and what the implications/possible consequences, time required and costs may be. It does seem to work - for me at least. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Motorsport Mickey Posted October 9, 2022 Report Share Posted October 9, 2022 Mend it until it’s broken ! Mick Richards Quote Link to post Share on other sites
harlequin Posted October 9, 2022 Report Share Posted October 9, 2022 I have come to the conclusion that the main purpose of most of the so-called uprated/ upgraded bits are to make the seller money! Cynical I know but I have found most of these bits to be poor quality. So to repeat your topic title "if it ain't broke don't fix it' spend the money on fuel and enjoy it. George Quote Link to post Share on other sites
iain Posted October 9, 2022 Report Share Posted October 9, 2022 1 hour ago, harlequin said: I have come to the conclusion that the main purpose of most of the so-called uprated/ upgraded bits are to make the seller money! Cynical I know but I have found most of these bits to be poor quality. So to repeat your topic title "if it ain't broke don't fix it' spend the money on fuel and enjoy it. George +1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
iain Posted October 9, 2022 Report Share Posted October 9, 2022 3 minutes ago, iain said: +1 Some years ago this thread raised some interesting comment Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StuartG Posted October 10, 2022 Report Share Posted October 10, 2022 The only time my TR6 broke down to the point of being imobile in nearly 12 years ownership was when the electronic ignition packed up ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andy Moltu Posted October 11, 2022 Report Share Posted October 11, 2022 17 hours ago, StuartG said: The only time my TR6 broke down to the point of being imobile in nearly 12 years ownership was when the electronic ignition packed up ! There are things you should carry as spares, like a spare coil (my last one only managed 25 years) and if you use electronic ignition, a spare module. Ideally an identical one so you can just unscrew one and fit the new. Faster than changing back points. By and large the TRs, If driven regularly, are reliable cars. Getting one back on the road after it hasn’t been used for a while or after a rebuild will identify the gremlins. We were talking about this in our local group and the feeling was that it a couple of years of fettling to get a TR how you want it. Less if you drive it more. Some things are niggles others are potential breakdowns. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bfg Posted October 11, 2022 Report Share Posted October 11, 2022 (edited) On 10/9/2022 at 11:24 AM, Dan Middleton said: As the first winter approaches, I have a few jobs planned, but I'm wondering if there is a point at which tweaking and tinkering becomes counter-productive. There are loads of mods and upgrades I could look at, but if I wouldn't contemplate fiddling with my normal daily drive. Anticipate to make the car as reliable and comfortable as it might be - and then simply enjoy it ..while practicing . . . Edited October 11, 2022 by Bfg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
harlequin Posted October 11, 2022 Report Share Posted October 11, 2022 My local group have a lot of tours and run outs, when we first started using our cars we had regular break downs and niggles all of which were fixed or bodged at the roadside. Over the years the problems slowly diminished and this last weekend we were away on a 400 mile round trip with 8 TRs completely without incident. I shouldn't really have said anything as we are now guaranteed to have a glitch, but as others have said with regular maintenance, the more you use them the more reliable they become. George Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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