Progress in fixing our RBRR steeds.

[McJim]

56 minutes ago, Rubce said:

What's causing the noise Jim? Rear wheel bearing?

Crown wheel and pinion and probably the bearings as well knowing my luck, so a replacement diff is the best solution with only three weeks before we set off south.

54 minutes ago, Wendy Dawes said:

 A wealth of knowledge there 👍 I’m lucky enough to live just 20 miles away so a 40 minute drive and I’m there 

I thought of Fitchetts after reading about them from Roy Lacey's posts on here and Facebook.

Seems he's never away from the place as he lives so close to them.

Does he really have a dedicated parking space in Fitchetts car park?

Jim.

[Rubce]

Replacement Diff, ouch your wallet will be feeling the pain ☹️

[McJim]

Oh, I don't know - you can't hide money.

Jim.

[John Abra]

Hi All. 

I am John Abra of Team JAM.  J being John, A being Andrew and M being Matt. 

This is our first RBRR and to be honest we are a bit aprehensive. I think the car will be ok, its the drivers that may be the issue.

Our trusted steed is my Triumph 2500 Injection. Well actually its officially a 2000 Auto but was converted by its first owner (Mr Wade) to 2500S Man O/D. 

Given the Age I decided to badge it as a Face lift Injection rather than an S (I like the badge and later grill, but what a pain fitting a late grill to an early car!)

I am the 4th owner and over past 4 years its had an overhaul of prety much everything. 

The most receint being the Engine, Gear box and OD.

The S Engine was in good condition but seemed rather lazy. The the crank was still on standard size journals (and round), so new shells, pump, rings, chains etc and a Full head overhaul - to include a Skim to 9:1 CR and double valve springs to match the Chris Witor CW3021 Cam.  It now has a purposfull lumpy idle / burble to suit its PI badging. On the move it certainly moves and brings a grin to my face.  It was worth the epic 13 hour slog to remove it from the car that Matt & I endured.  Was quicker going back in thankfully. 

The Gearbox had noisy main bearings so Andrew rebuilt it and its now a real gem. He is a tad nervous that it now has to do 2000 miles with him in the car. Only done 400 so far!  It will be fine Andrew........Trust me.

Interior wise we are hybrid. Mainly Face lift Pi interior but with modified front seats to have the later head rests fitted.  A rather nice place to be.

We are really looking forward to the challenge and hopefully meeting some of you at the stops / starts and hopefully not at the side of the road. 

To anyone who has offered me advice I say thank you. 

No idea what Blue it is before you ask. Its not a Triumph colour.

[richard w]

You'll be fine John. your car looks lovely and you've obviously done a lot of prep work on it. You should be ok 3 up, I've only ever done it as a crew of 2 (4 times so far) and that is tough at times, but those who know say that a crew of 3 is much more relaxed! 

[Darren Sharp]

I’ve been busy preparing Marmite with new wheel bearings on the front and new brake drums and shoes at the rear . Also fitted new old stock pads . This has transformed the braking . Luke Johnson helped me by fitting  a new gearbox mount in the week and topping up all the grease points and fluids . Took her for a good drive over the Derbyshire Dales yesterday and everything feels better . The engine is still ticking away and new pushrods , rockers and shaft have not cured the issue so after the RBRR the engine will be coming out for further investigation. Peter Jackson has sourced me an MG 1500 engine in fine fettle and this will replace Marmite’s engine for the foreseeable future until the old one is rebuilt. Also have got the recored radiator back from the rebuilders so that will be fitted with the new engine along with a clutch , water pump etc. busy busy ! 

[PaulB]

Lovely looking car John Abra. You should all be fine. 
Just drive it as much as you can between now and the start to ensure you find any remaining gremlins. Easier to fix now than at 3am on the side of a remote Scottish road in the rain. 😬😉

[Tim Bancroft]

Hi John,

A really nice looking car. A 2.5 Saloon with overdrive is a very suitable RBRR.

We always think the RBRR is best approached by thinking about the next Control that has to be met, and not thinking about the whole event mileage as that can be quite daunting.

Looking forward to meeting you at the DM next Saturday.

[PaulB]

Had a successful weekend doing a few bits and pieces on the car.

Tuned and balanced my carbs, rear carb was running too rich. She is really smooth now and idles lovely.

Sorted bonnet rattle and bonnet catches which kept popping up. 

Also last week I got the exhaust refitted to the down pipe as it was leaking at the joint. I can now drive the car without stinking of petrol/exhaust fumes. 😆

Only a couple of jobs left now:

Fit electric fan

Fix a couple of poor electrical connections to side light and reversing light.

 

[Darren Sharp]

Just when it was going so well ! 
Marmite aka the flying log has developed a terrible shaking . Wheels all run cool and gearbox changes fine . Overdrive works but the whole car snatches on taking up drive and this has developed into a shaking on driving which feels like a failing UJ ( it’s very loud) I put the snatching down to a tired clutch but looks like I’m going to have my work cut out or start getting Olaf ready 

[yorkshire_spam]

11 hours ago, Darren Sharp said:

Just when it was going so well ! 
Marmite aka the flying log has developed a terrible shaking . Wheels all run cool and gearbox changes fine . Overdrive works but the whole car snatches on taking up drive and this has developed into a shaking on driving which feels like a failing UJ ( it’s very loud) I put the snatching down to a tired clutch but looks like I’m going to have my work cut out or start getting Olaf ready 

Sounds like something propshaft related?

[Wendy Dawes]

6 hours ago, yorkshire_spam said:

Sounds like something propshaft related?

We think it is Propshaft, the centre bearing is oval so we are off to see Alun in Stourbridge after the drivers briefing at Gaydon 👍  looks like Olaf will be doing the RBRR again this year though 

[yorkshire_spam]

22 minutes ago, Wendy Dawes said:

the centre bearing is oval so we are off to see Alun in Stourbridge

Alun is "the man" for Dolomite stuff. I might have a usable centre bearing somewhere, but no idea where with everything packed up and in storage

[Clive]

Transit centre bearing will fit witha little work, and is available for about £30 as a genuine ford part. I fitted one to my car as better than using a repro version.

But Alun is a very decent chap,  and should provide you with something decent as he seems to have plenty of bits and bobs. 

[Wendy Dawes]

We did have a prop from Alun we checked the centre bearing and the end UJ s but the centre IJ is seized, didn’t think to check that one lol.   Alun has another prop so he’s going to change it at the weekend 

he’s a great chap 👍

[Steve28]

5 hours ago, Clive said:

Transit centre bearing will fit witha little work, and is available for about £30 as a genuine ford part. I fitted one to my car as better than using a repro version.

But Alun is a very decent chap,  and should provide you with something decent as he seems to have plenty of bits and bobs. 

The Dolomite centre bearing is the same as a marina just a different part number i think but we have them on 3 of our cars.

[PeteStupps]

I've been beavering away at the mk3 Spitfire when times allows, new head gasket and Mini Spares flanged nuts (thanks Clive & Nick for the tip) after developing a weep at Castle Combe track in May. Then a new clutch master cylinder, then swapped to a better-calibrated speedo. 

Took for a good run up to the Midlands the other weekend and the speedo stopped working after 13 miles - cable no longer turning. Took the interior bits out on Sunday and found the speedo angle drive cable stub had sheared, because the speedometer had jammed.

Replaced angle drive and think i've fixed the jammy clock, now waiting on some gear oil to arrive so I can change that while access is easy. Then hopefully all back together for the driver's briefing on Saturday.

 

[Tim Bancroft]

Speedometers are the bane of a Triumph owners time with their cars, never work that well. I have switched to a GPS unit in the GT6, it works well.

TR6 one seems ok, saloon one over reads, so I use Waze with the speed shown, saved many an endorsement.

[Shynsy]

I've also fitted a cheap GPS digital speedo. Cost just over a tenner and is powered by a USB. Perhaps not the pritiest but if it stops me getting a ticket, worth every penny. 

Tim

[Lemon Hell]

Thought I'd fixed my speedo drive, only for it to break again this weekend!    A digital speedo has been suggested, I had to use an app on my phone for the last RBRR as drive broke on way to the start...... 

 

[Clive]

21 hours ago, PeteStupps said:

I've been beavering away at the mk3 Spitfire when times allows, new head gasket and Mini Spares flanged nuts (thanks Clive & Nick for the tip) after developing a weep at Castle Combe track in May. Then a new clutch master cylinder, then swapped to a better-calibrated speedo. 

Took for a good run up to the Midlands the other weekend and the speedo stopped working after 13 miles - cable no longer turning. Took the interior bits out on Sunday and found the speedo angle drive cable stub had sheared, because the speedometer had jammed.

Replaced angle drive and think i've fixed the jammy clock, now waiting on some gear oil to arrive so I can change that while access is easy. Then hopefully all back together for the driver's briefing on Saturday.

 

Don't chuck the old angle drive away. They can be repaired with a little time and effort. And an old speedo cable...

[Phil C]

1 hour ago, Shynsy said:

I've also fitted a cheap GPS digital speedo.

I think Ive just bought the same one. Does it work ok?

My speedo has just seized breaking the cable and I can't face changing it as it requires seats out, carpets out, transmission tunnel out 😩 (Vitesse with O/D) . Ive got enough other jobs to be sorting.

[thescrapman]

22 hours ago, PeteStupps said:

I've been beavering away at the mk3 Spitfire when times allows, new head gasket and Mini Spares flanged nuts (thanks Clive & Nick for the tip) after developing a weep at Castle Combe track in May. Then a new clutch master cylinder, then swapped to a better-calibrated speedo. 

Took for a good run up to the Midlands the other weekend and the speedo stopped working after 13 miles - cable no longer turning. Took the interior bits out on Sunday and found the speedo angle drive cable stub had sheared, because the speedometer had jammed.

Replaced angle drive and think i've fixed the jammy clock.

 

 

 Looks like you may have been missing the spacer washer. Was there one? Is there one now?

[PeteStupps]

4 hours ago, thescrapman said:

 Looks like you may have been missing the spacer washer. Was there one? Is there one now?

It's there in the pic of the angle drive Colin, the copper(?) washer. And I put the new one in with its washer too. The speedo mech completely seized which I assume caused the cable failure.

[cook1e]

6 hours ago, Clive said:

Don't chuck the old angle drive away. They can be repaired with a little time and effort. And an old speedo cable...

Or to make a more resilient angle drive you can replace the short cable bit of the angle drive with a solid square bar (about 1/8 inch square), I did that on my GT6 about 30 years ago and it's been trouble free ever since.