Richard_M

Hi - could be a number of things but most likely a fuse box issue. Could be tarnished connections. Get a wire brush and some contact cleaner and scrub every brass contact on every fuse holder, and clean the fuses up too. Check that all the spade connectors are pressed on the back of the fusebox too.

Fair point Ferny. I'll back out - the comments are what they are. You only do something first, once. Then you're in the know. So I thought I'd add what I experienced to help the way in for further newbies. RBRR is fab. It's clear why its lasted 50 years. Not too hard; not too expensive and overall well planned and organised. Would be great to have 200 Triumphs doing it :) R

MikeyB wrote:If you are late for a control to the point that it is unmanned, then photo evidence should suffice. Now we're getting the kind of info it would have been good to get at the driver's meeting... :) The road book and meet were clear about timings - make them! And clear about the control stops - they'll close when they say because its volunteers etc etc etc. It seems the reality for those in the know (i.e. those that have done the RBRR before) is different. IMHO clubs that want to grow, never mind survive, surely need to go to great pains to share and involve first timers - traditions/cliques/established common knowledge that is uncommunicated only serves to exclude. CT has some great events and great people - but failure to face outward, see things for what they are and move forward won't help the future of the club. An additional thought: I feel a little odd for being congratulated on this thread for 'speaking out'. I'm not doing that, I'm just commenting on the few bits that I think would improve things as part of an overall great event. I would hope everyone feels enabled to do that - doesn't mean I or anyone else will get their ideas adopted, that depends whether the ideas are any good and stand up to scrutiny of those wiser and more experienced. R

Yes - get all that about the controls - times are times, weather is weather, volunteers are volunteers. My point is simple - why not communicate when a control is staying open longer, especially when that is due to demand and a large scale hold up such as the A1 on Friday night? Surely a helpful suggestion? And the driver's meeting dullness wasn't solely due to the Macmillan woman - although for someone who acts as an ambassador at large speaking to many different types of group to so spectacularly misjudge her audience is a bit surprising - the whole thing was very stretched. Just my opinion - no feedback, no improvement. R

Good skills! :)

Had a great time last weekend doing the RBRR for the first time. Good team, great car, good times. I can see why the event is borderline addictive - and am tempted by greater challenges (maybe try it in a less reliable car next time??) :) The organising team clearly put in a lot of work and just for the love of it, but there are a couple of observations I'd make - please take them as encouraging and helpful rather than critical for the sake of it... 1. Driver's meeting We made the effort to come down for the meeting, but wished we hadn't. It was very long-winded, dull and largely uninformative. It left me wondering why anybody bothered to go if they'd ever been before. I reckoned the 3 hours agenda could have been compressed easily to around 45 minutes of engaging and interesting content. The road book is solid and very comprehensive, but repeating it's contents out loud and at length gave no additional value. A bit of fun, team building, coffee drinking and car viewing would have been more useful. The day wasn't helped by the frankly annoying and massively over-long charity presentation (made me feel like not raising money for them!) but a stop by stop walk through of the route was also unhelpful - what is one supposed to do with an aerial photograph of a service station? 2. Satnav files Genius! Despite the appeal of the RBRR founder (speaking at the driver's meeting - briefly!) I didn't see a single car not using satnav, and while following the road book fills many a dull hour in the passenger seat, the person/people that put the time into compiling the satnav itineraries is due much thanks. 3. Controls and central control text messages We tried very hard to make the controls in the allotted times, but due to a fuelling mishap (diesel!!!), we were going to be late for one of them, and texted our delayed arrival to the control text number - no response. On arrival at the control about 40 minutes late - they'd packed up and gone home. To get back on target time we decided to not call in at the next control (Edinburgh airport) as we couldn't get there in time, so instead diverted straight to the next control, driving hard to get back on schedule. We later found out that Edinburgh had stayed open late to deal with many delayed cars. If we'd have known this, we'd have gone to Edinburgh and signed in. So, couldn't this fact have been communicated via the central control text system? Knowing changes to control open times would be VERY helpful when trying to catch up time and allow crews to get there un-hurried and safely while still gathering the signatures for the road book - less dangerous and more helpful all round. I'd like to repeat - great event with much effort applied by many to make it work so well. My observations are intended to help improve it for the future. Richard

Ted - we have one, currently in a MK1 estate. You're welcome to borrow/buy. We're in Yorkshire - DN148RP. R

Fun couple of hours spent with Roger and his sheds yesterday - sad he's losing his workspace, but very 'Salvage Hunters' to wander betwixt dusty spaces uncovering many broken 2000s and collected now panels… I hope Roger is pleased with the renumeration, we're pleased with a rusty (but complete) 2000 estate and van full of doors (15! 3 nos...), engines (2), panels (numerous) and assorted items. All in all a good stock of 2000/2500 panels and parts that will keep us going for a while. R

Ah - the truth will out! Roger - Could you reply to our Ebay message re: collection please? Thanks

Is this a confessional?

Ahem….

Sensing does need to be considered and wired appropriately, but if you're using a Lucas 17/18ACR etc then just separate the brown/yellow wire and put that on the sensing connector, and the rest firmly connected together on the main output. If you look at almost all Triumph wiring diagrams there are multiple brown wires - that all go one way or another to the battery terminal. Another point. Although Triumph/classic car wiring gets a bad reputation, and Lucas particularly, these old cars are SERIOUSLY overwired. The wires, thin and thick, are VERY over-spec'd and can take far more current than the spec says. Modern wiring in cars is tiny in comparison - even for large loads. I imagine wiring in the 60s was over spec'd to allow for the apparently inevitable short circuits and shorts to earth that tended to occur, but this is usual down to bad insulation (through bulkheads/grommets etc) or wandering wires touching the chassis etc - both issues that modern cars tend not to have, through better design and a proper circuit-by-circuit fuse box. Press on!

Oh yes the pulleys wear there. You'll observe a noticeable groove in the pulley where the oil seal fits. Easiest solution, assuming you want to keep this pulley as it has your trigger wheel attached, is to have the pulley 'sleeved' to give a new surface. Any machine shop will do this for you pretty quickly - not an expensive job - or you could do it yourself with a 'Speedi sleeve'. There is another potential problem though - some Triumph pulleys are off centre, so the outer diameter is not matched with the inner, so they run out of true. You'll be able to see this as the engine runs. This pulls the seal open in one particular direction and can also lead to front pulley oil leaks. Richard

Oh yes the pulleys wear there. You'll observe a noticeable groove in the pulley where the oil seal fits. Easiest solution, assuming you want to keep this pulley as it has your trigger wheel attached, is to have the pulley 'sleeved' to give a new surface. Any machine shop will do this for you pretty quickly - not an expensive job - or you could do it yourself with a 'Speedi sleeve'. There is another potential problem though - some Triumph pulleys are off centre, so the outer diameter is not matched with the inner, so they run out of true. You'll be able to see this as the engine runs. This pulls the seal open in one particular direction and can also lead to front pulley oil leaks. Richard

Hi Adrian Give us a call, I'm sure we can help - 01405 839420 - Rawcliffe - Yorkshire Triumphs

John - we've all been there, same problem, same duh!

John, There's a hole right through the chassis leg for just your situation. Use a long drift from the other side (under the floor pan), through the leg and then onto the wishbone bolt. Triumph; they thought of everything!

As the title of this thread mentioned 'tuned' alongside 'Spitfire' I'll mention the benefits of using GT6 pistons in an over bored Spit engine - the gudgeon pin is almost central which increases available torque with a pay-off of increased piston slap when cold. But if you're after performance…. I'm in the middle of a build just now using County Standard GT6 pistons in a 1296 engine over bored to +40. R

I'm sure we're all aware of the shortage of good quality bearings for some of our cars. The Stag/Sprint and Spit/Herald 1296 lumps in particular. I have heard relatively good things of the King/County tri-metal though - significantly better than the standard or sintered aluminium options - but where to source them? Rimmers only supply the standard and deny all knowledge of a better quality option. I'd like to find a trade supply route if possible, but going to a trader would also work I guess. Has anyone found a route to Kind tri-metals? Thanks Richard

Mmmm - 'no replacement for cubes'… Head gasket fire ring size is a good point though - will check that. The ready availability of a set of SP +20s may be a factor too - appeals to my tightness. :) R

Plans are afoot for a quick rebuild of the Spitfire engine over winter and ready for the new season. In the previous, rather hurried, rebuild I used County Spit pistons, but would have liked to use GT6 for their centre pin and consequent higher torque (if increased piston 'slap'). Due to the 1mm bore difference between a 1296 Spit and GT6, a STD GT6 piston would go into a +40 Spit bore. But I'm considering a +20 GT6 piston in a +60 overbore on the Spit. Why not? Stop me before I make the mistake… :) Richard

The car is still being developed in terms of handling, but had a first track outing last month at Blyton Park and went very well by all accounts. Ian is currently experimenting with front spring rates and shock lengths to control diving under breaking. It's very quick 0-60, acceleration mainly being limited by gearchange - a sequential box would be nice. Weight should be somewhere in the 700kg region. Bonnet, doors, front quarters and custom spoiler are GRP, the interior is 'minimal' but the arches are all steel :) I can confirm that the rear axle is Sierra Cosworth, non-shortened. Richard

Few quick answers: - Yes, as Andy says this is the same GT6 race car that featured on the Sideways forum and was originally scheduled for a Volvo T5 engine. Ian Cottam bought it from Mark a couple of years ago and has completed the engine install, exhaust, ECU setup etc and made it road legal. - Yorkshire Triumphs completed the project with arches, bodywork and paint including the custom arches in steel. - The colour is Triumph Wedgwood. - This is Ian's track day car, but it will also be going to Le Mans/Spa etc so expect to have the opportunity to challenge it on the road.... Richard (Yorkshire Triumphs)

I have here in my hands a camshaft from a TR6 engine built (allegedly) by Racetorations in the 1980's. It's stamped T389 on the end. I can't Google any matching ID - does anyone know any better (probably)? Thanks R

I have here in my hands a camshaft from a TR6 engine built (allegedly) by Racetorations in the 1980's. It's stamped T389 on the end. I can't Google any matching ID - does anyone know any better (probably)? Thanks R