Who's got what to do for 2016?

[RobPearce]

Well, given that the car I've officially entered is still in bits with the "restorer" staring at it and muttering "so that needs to be more that way but this other bit isn't straight and then there's that..."
I'm now planning what I need to do to sort out the reserve car:
1. fix the brake fluid leak
2. fix the binding brakes
3. fix the mostly non-working overdrive
4. fix the passenger window winder / runner jam / whatever it is

[Sheepy]

Quoted from wolfie

Despite our failure in the 2014 RBRR, using the Stag for the event has felt like taking the soft option. So for 2016 we intend to use the Standard 10. There is much to do to prepare the car for the event. The car is to be upgraded (using all Standard/Triumph parts of course) the past 12 months have been spent planning and acquiring the various parts needed. Now to start the build which will include replacing the engine with a Spitfire 1300 unit, twin carbs, all syncro gearbox and disc brake conversion at the front.
Sean

Do a thread on it Sean, I do like the standards, especially a little tweaked! 😉

[Stuart Wilson]

It looks like I've actually got a weekend off this week and I've restored the electric in the garage so I'll eventually get on with the Moss.

Engine to come out -- fresh one to go in
New cooling fan to source
New radiator to source
Gearbox to come out -- overdrive one to go in
Exhaust to improve
Electrics to improve
Dash/switch layout to improve
Brakes to strip, clean rebuild

Remove 2014 stickers  

MOT it then use it

[mole42]

Team 50. The Stag got a new MOT two days ago, so now there really isn't any excuse.

[Jonny-Jimbo]

Hmm, before the HCR I need to take the diff out, fit a new oil seal and refit, rebuild the rear brakes and handbrake, weld up and fit a new fan mount and fit a new clutch slave cylinder...

Hmm... all in only two weekends. I feel some holiday time being taken!!

[Clive]

Spent a bit of time today getting the lighting wiring reliable. I have been very naughty, and eliminated most of the connectors, shortening and re-routing cables and getting all the front lights on relays. All spliced joints soldered, 2 layers of heatshrink and then cable-wrapped into mini-looms. Hopefully that will stop the inconvenient loss of lighting issues I have been having

Meanwhile, the std rear springs (new, well a year or so ago) which seemed the same as teh originals, have a fitted length of 7". All the info I have suggests they should be 8, which needs sorting. And the front springs are measuring a little higher than std, we shall see what I can do about that on a budget.....

[Alex]

Car of choice this year is a vitesse convertible.mk1 2.0
Unfortunately we have encountered a problem which we believe is the headgasket.
It boiled over and when revving it you find curdled oil on the dipstick.
Nothing to obvious otherwise other than you can also see a wet patch between the head and block that bubbles when revving.
This engines had an awful lot of work done to it in the past its all balanced and the heads been worked so Chris witor is of the opinion it's all down to the skinny head studs.
Anyone any suggestions that don't involve pulling the engine out and dismantling it?

We then need to get a hood fitted and weld up a couple of holes although only minor,fit new seats, re bush the front and see what falls off.........
Anyone got any views on the canleys swing Spring kit for it?.....worthwhile?

[RobPearce]

Quoted from Alex

Car of choice this year is a vitesse convertible.mk1 2.0
Unfortunately we have encountered a problem which we believe is the headgasket.
It boiled over and when revving it you find curdled oil on the dipstick.
Nothing to obvious otherwise other than you can also see a wet patch between the head and block that bubbles when revving.
This engines had an awful lot of work done to it in the past its all balanced and the heads been worked so Chris witor is of the opinion it's all down to the skinny head studs.
Anyone any suggestions that don't involve pulling the engine out and dismantling it?

I had a lot of head gasket problems with Tessa - in fact, that's what stopped her doing RBRR2014. The skinny studs are normally OK for a standard engine but if you've tuned it up a lot then you could have problems. Even on standard, you need the studs and nuts to be in top condition - new studs are worth getting, and a set of nuts from MiniSpares (the A-series uses the same thread but the nuts have shoulders built in so they work better).

[DUBAIDAVE]

Team 27,  Tommy the TR6  MOT passed no advisories, new clutch master and slave cylinders fitted. Hand brake fixed with a couple of natty extensions..... Were ready

[Stuart Wilson]

I'm beginning to think I will have to get the TR7 ready as time is ticking by and the Moss is still along way off being ready and I'm busy with other things most weekends from now until at least the end of May. I should have maybe started a bit earlier 😎

[TedTaylor]

Have had to ditch plans for using the Mk1 PI estate because some serious hidden rust has materialised (which Andy could not have realised was there).  Need to strip out all interior etc back to bare shell to search for more to avoid more nasty surprises at a later date.

Plan is now to get AFH (the early Mk1 saloon) sorted for the RBRR as the option that needs less work because it was all stripped out when Andy did the repairs a couple of years ago and all hidden nasties expposed.  Still needs loads of mechanical work but as Gordon says 'That is the straight forward stuff" mind you the engine has not turned for 25 years so anyone got a good spare early Mk1 engine (or block) I could beg, borrow, steel or buy cheap, for reserve in case it needs major work and we run out of time?

HOWEVER getting Woodie sorted out as back up and decided to look at the slight rust in the near side front chassis leg for the MOT which I booked for last week (ready for Bicester).  Unfortunately this is what I found .......
NOT FOR THOSE OF A DELICATE DISPOSITION

[TedTaylor]

Good news is that it is nearly all repaired with butt welded patches and only two easy ones still to do - just need to but some more gas as I ran out of it 🤔

MUT

[MarkDeTriomphe]

That's just cheating - that's a job for doing half way round the event!

[TedTaylor]

But that's only one bit you are repairing ........  

MUT

[TedTaylor]

Woodies is nearly done as our back up for the RBRR but decided to check out the engine of AFH as this is our preferred car this year.

The engine had seized and I presumed it was just rings stucking in the bores after 20 years of non use.  Whipped off the head and in no 5 cylinder found this mess.  Piston completely stuck and it will be a major operation to remove it before we can do any recon work on the engine.  

As time is tight with other jobs to do we are going to put this engine aside for now and see if we can locate an early 2000 engine cheap to rebuild ....... or find one that is known to be good.  ANYONE KNOW OF A DECENT EARLY MK1 ENGINE PLEASE?

We cleaned up the bore a little before before taking the photo, there is a layer of rust in the gap between bore and piston 'welding' it into place.  It was also full of rusty gobs like the cylinder head but the rebuild of that is easy.

[RobPearce]

Quoted from TedTaylor

ANYONE KNOW OF A DECENT EARLY MK1 ENGINE PLEASE?

No, but I have some of the innards of one. If you can find a good block I have crank and conrods in VGC, no use to me as Tessa now has a late Mk1 engine.

[aleksandar]

Last sunday we took 'Libby Gentry' to stoneleigh kitcar show.
Two issues caused problems.
1) the rear short rubber fuel pipe sprung a leak after i fueled up on saturday night. pipe was 3 years old and had sort of rotted and cracked.
    lost over 2 gallons of fuel overnight and in the morning whilst replacing so we could still attend.
2) i have been assuming that the poor torque delivery was down to either my fueling and ignition setup or not down shifting espessially on inclines seeing
    as i converted to type-9 gearbox.
What actually was happening was that the calipers were quite corroded and finally the offside caliper pistons had seized. i should have noted that the disk nolonger had rust spots.
Two replacement calipers from classic car parts ordered tuesday night delivered friday and fitted saturday. 'Libby Gentry' back on the road after bleeding with new fluid.
Here are some pictures, sorry there is not a better picture of the rusted seized offside but it is now soaking long term to see if it is rebuildable.
team 47

[Clive]

Hope you used proper R9 rated fuel hose, or another correctly rated for ethanol containing fuel.
That will be what caused the old stuff to disintegrate...

[Stuart Wilson]

Still got loads to do on the Moss and still to sort the TR.


Have been having a quick look at what is for sale.................................




..................just in case

[Steve28]

We are booked in with KYNKI toledo ..... but that could change.

[SteveJP]

Not taking the Stag this year as I'm a third driver in Andy Copas' Toledo for a change, however the Stag is the reserve car and is fully serviced and MOT'd just in case. Andy is taking his gearbox out to sort out a whine/rattle but apart from that it too is MOT'd and ready - he even washed it at the weekend.

[mole42]

Oh, are we supposed to wash the car before the event?

I'd better add that to the list. The propshaft's in having a new tube-in-tube and new u/Js fitted this week.

[TedTaylor]

Further to my plea for an early Mk1 engine I picked up a nice low mileage (48k) engine today - checking bores shows this to be genuine mileage.

Many thanks to Doug who even brought the engine half way to me because he lived a fair distance from me.

Now to finish off that welding on Woodie!

MUT

[Clive]

Saturday saw the toledo water pump replaced (it has a slant 4 engine fitted) which was the end of a saga (the rebuild kit had a seal that had a few extra parts that were not needed, but nothing to explain which bits to use! and I had to borrow some lathetime to machine the impeller, and fitted one of the extra bits, a ceramic ring that the seal face runs on)
So engine running well, refitted the parcelshelf after some repairs to it with fibreglass, and then decided to make some improvements to the dash layout, which resulted in a broken speedo cable and the indicator tell-tales need sorting. One step forward, two back....

Other news, I have a pair of decent sized escort callipers and some vented golf discs in the kitchen that will find their way onto the car, plus have ordered a remote servo to fit (the car was originally all drum, so no servo) along with a .75 master cylinder. We shall see how that all pans out....

[Tim Bancroft]

Took the Saloon to North Wales for a walking trip over the weekend, she ran like a train.

Just a few small jobs: fit the new rear springs and rear shockers and the new propshaft that I purchased from Mr Shacktune last year. Little bit of bodywork to do and tidy up the interior and the car would be good for the event. In fact, she could cope with the RBRR in its present state. Fantastic cars these old Triumph saloons!