neil spencer Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Firstly I would like to apologise for not continuing with my thread about a rough running 2000 Mk2 that I last updated in April. For reasons that would bore everyone I could not get on to a computer until recently.Here is a question that needs a bit of explaining first.Does anyone remember a car called a TX Tripper? It was made by Torrix Bennett in the very early 1970's and was like a stretched Beach Bug built on a GT6 Mk2 chassis with, initially, a Spitfire 1300 engine or a Ford 1600 engine. Torrix Bennett was the son (or son-in-law) of the founder of Rochdale cars who are a little better known. After a while he offered the car with a Pi engine at 125 bhp, them eventually with the CP 150 bhp engine. It was reported to do 0-60 in 5.8 seconds and on to 125+mph. Plenty of information on the car on Google. The main problem with the car was it was an ugly duckling.I have now acquired a CP Pi engine from one of these cars. It has supposedly done 18000 miles in the car from new.The rocker cover is an SAH alloy cover so my question is can anyone throw any light on to this engine.Is it really an SAH built engine, or just a cover?Were the engines for this car sourced new, or second hand and rebuilt, possibly by SAH.I cannot for the near future get around to doing any further investigation on the engine itself as I have too many things on the go that need sorting first but in a month or so I should be able to get this engine on a stand and start by removing the sump and checking the bottom end. I have a feeling SAH used different con-rods on their engines but I may be wrong.Any information would be gratefully received as I am sure someone out there knows all about these cars. Until last week I had never heard of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 You could buy the SAH cover from them as a stand-alone item, so offers no real clues. BTW they seem to fetch huge money..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil spencer Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 Yes, I know someone who has one. I have rebuilt my own Pi engine from my 1972 Mk2 with a stage 2 head, Chris Wittor/Piper cam etc. but the car is still awaiting a second dip and paint etc. so engine is not yet fitted. I have chosen to use a standard steel rocker cover on this as I don't want to change the under bonnet appearance too much from original. I will sell the CP engine on once I have checked it out. It's still as it came out of the car complete with it's non overdrive gearbox and lucas injection system. If it does turn out to be an SAH built engine and it's all ok I may be tempted to use it though.Neil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 What seems to be more important here, did you get the Tripper to go with the engine??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil spencer Posted December 15, 2014 Author Share Posted December 15, 2014 Well that would be something wouldn't it!No I didn't get the car, just the engine/box complete. I also have a steel (not stainless) manifold and downpipes that are very unusual. Cylinders 1-3 down and in to 1, same for the back 3 then 2 in to 1. If anyone is interested in seeing this contraption I could try to put a picture on here.I am trying to imagine a GT6 rotoflex chassis with a plastic body that can do 0-60 in 5.8 seconds with no modern assistance like traction control or ALB etc? Either a lot of fun or a heart attack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgetone Triumph Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 These were butt ugly things, something the 'Banana Splits' would drive ;D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil spencer Posted December 15, 2014 Author Share Posted December 15, 2014 I can't imagine that any have survived. They would have been worth more for parts.Neil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TedTaylor Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 Remember them from the 1970s and their link with Fairthorpe. An attempt to create a 'British' dune buggy that just did not look right.MUT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil spencer Posted December 16, 2014 Author Share Posted December 16, 2014 Yes of course it was Fairthorpe not Rochdale, duh, my mistake.Too old to learn new stuff now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger.england Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 There have been a few Trippers advertised in the last couple of years - only "restoration projects" as far as I can recall. Here's one such resto - probably still being done :https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.599351026801208.1073741870.434236709979308&type=3Another was advertised on Ebay in June last year.Roger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil spencer Posted December 21, 2014 Author Share Posted December 21, 2014 Thanks for that Roger.If an engineless Tripper came up for grabs I would be very tempted to have a go and use this engine.I will be able to get at the engine properly on Tuesday to read the engine number properly and see what it came from originally eg TR5 or TR6.Neil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TedTaylor Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Be careful how you interpret your engine prefix numbers ??)PI engine prefixes hoping I have not mixed up them up!TR5 - CP (all)Mk1 PI saloon/estate - CR (all) Mildly de-tuned version of the TR5 engineTR6 - CP (early) then CR (late post 1972) but NOT the same as Mk1 PI saloon/estateTR250 - CC (early) then CF (late post 1972) This is the carb. engine.Mk2 PI saloon/estate - CR (very early first few months of production using up Mk1 stock?) then MG up to faceliftMk2 PI saloon estate - MN facelift (from May 1974)You do have to be a little careful over interpretation of prefixes. I remember having an argument with a TR6 'guru' about the CR prefix because he thought they were only used on the TR6 and did not realise that the factory had already used them on the Mk1 PI saloon/estate in 1968/69. These two types of CP engines we NOT the same spec. - for example the crankshaft on the PI saloon/estate was longback cross drilled but the TR6 was shortback with normal (single side) drillingNo doubt if I have it wrong there are plenty of people who will put me right!MUT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil spencer Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 As far as I am aware the prefix CP was only ever used on the 150bhp engine of the TR5 and early TR6.There are plenty of references to what numbers were used in relation to the actual car eg what numbers were used in any particular year, first and last number etc but not to the exact number of the engines used. Usually the engine number was fairly similar to the car number (I am referring to TR6 in particular here).The engine number of this engine is CP75488HE. The first car made in 1972 was CP75455 so if it came from a TR6 it didn't last long as the TX Tripper that this car came out of was first registered in 1972/73 as it was an L reg. I wonder if the engine was bought in new from Triumph? If anyone knows how and where to check engine numbers exactly let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TedTaylor Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Sorry did make an error in my spiel.'These two types of CP engines we NOT the same spec.' should read 'These two types of CR engines we NOT the same spec.'MUT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil spencer Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Hi again,managed to get the engine on an engine stand today and remove sump. I can't see anything different about the con-rods but the condition of everything down there was near perfect. No wear on crank or shells at all. I can see cam lobes and they are perfect too. End float is 8 thou. It's not even worth replacing shells for standard ones, but I do have a new set of standard big end shells somewhere in the garage that I will fit if I can find them. The exhaust ports feel very smooth so maybe an SAH head? The gearbox checks out as a low mileage box too.Roger sent a link to a Tripper that someone was making in to a monocoque and this shell has now appeared on ebay. If it wasn't seriously chopped about I would have gone for it and tried to find a GT6 chassis, but then I am a total prat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil spencer Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 The car in the picture is the car that this engine came out of before it was scrapped. Shame really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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