Getting there........

I drove the estate today for the first time since the engine rebuild.......... all I can say is wow.......... I am so pleased with my little self. The engine runs perfectly, good oil pressure, no noises, no rattles and it does seem to pull well............. can't really find out yet as I need to run it in first!

I took it to Craig Bennett's garage for some welding on the front chassis rails. Nothing serious, just a small patch............. what is serious is the huge hole we found in the boot floor....... right under the tank in the "fake" spare wheel well which is a carry-over from the old MKI's. So, next Saturday we are going to take the tank out, cut out the useless "bulge" and re-create a flat boot floor.

It's not an MOT failure, so the MOT is still on for Monday pm. Fingers crossed.

When I got it home I carried on tinkering. The new wood I had re-veneered needing fitting. I'd done the door trims.... (the easy bit!) but I now had to do all the dash and the radio surround.

I'd had the radio surround modified to have the hole a modern stero size, so while I was at it, I put the new stereo and cd changer in.

What a result, I think it looks great!




While I had the dash out I put in an extra 12v cigar lighter on the passengers side parcel shelf. Might come in useful on the RBRR for the Sat Nav, Road Angel and phone charger.

I had a new gerlever trim panel "in stock" so what went on too.

It really has lifted the inside, looks much better now.

Tomorrow is cleaning and (dare I say it...........................) POLISHING time depending on the weather. Then its MOT Monday, tax and then the open road beckons..............!

Engine rebuild......... FINISHED!!!!

So, put the rad back in, reassembled all the front suspension including the new power rack.

Topped up all the fluid then realised I couldn't put it off any longer, I had to try and start it!

Primed the oil pump, fitted a new filter then turned it on the key with the plugs out................... after a short pause the oil pressure gauge started to climb and hit 75psi just on the starter!!! Wow!!

Put the new plugs in, and tried again................ first turn of the key it fired into life!

I cannot explain the feeling of relief and utter joy at hearing the 6 pot burst into life!!!

The new carbs need fettling, they are stiff and won't open and shut properly, but they just need to lube and working a bit I think. Timing needs to be set, but apart from that its fine!

Ran for a couple of minutes then I think I've run out of fuel........ but it was getting dark so I guess this was a good time to stop!!

I have to admit there have been times when I've wondered if I would ever get it back together again........ but the feeling of hearing it start was worth all the sweat!!!

Engine Rebuild Part MCMXXVXIIX !!

So, today I needed to get on with putting the engine back together......... so it was raining! Figures.

A bit of playing and here we have a purpose built engine-rebuild-shelter!
All going well, head back on and torqued down
Virtually finished!

All thats left to do is;

Bolt in and connect up the Radiator
Fill with fluids
Change the oil filter
Change the oil pressure relief valve
Reassemble the suspension

Then its ready for firing.

I was planning to have it running today, but the rain wore me down and I'd just had enough!

Not far to go now though!

Rocker Shaft Rebuild

Sounds simple don't it.................... strip, clean and replace the rocker shaft.

Hmmmmm.

Okay, so, I wrote it all down, exactly which bit goes where............. then halfway through stripping it all down the dog jumped on me, which made me drop the rocker shaft (bits everywhere!) and spill the ice-cream tub of Jizer all over my carefully drawn plan.

Bugger!!

No I don't know which order things go on.....................

Of course I do, I've got another Triumph 6 pot in the garage!

So, off with the rocker cover on the PI, noted down all the positions........... then I could happily clean everything and put it all back together.

The old rocker shaft was worn beyond being worn............ the ridges had their own gravity field they were that big!!

Glad I did it now, looks good, no more slop in the rockers..................

Thats another job done...............

Your Piston's coming to the boil!

So, collected the new piston from Mr Papworth last night (many thanks Mike!), I met him at The Griff Classic car meet (informal pub car park meeting).

Bumped into our very own Chris Allen, he was dropping his car off to Mike to, and I quote "To shut the bloody thing up"...........new exhaust I think!!

Also was a very tidy MKII PI........... (no not mine!) a white PI BWK581K, which is weird as I used to own (and now Craig Bennett does) BWK14K which is also a white PI............

Anywaay, this evening I had to fit the new piston to the connecting rod........... which won't just push in........ needs to be heated.

So, gudgeon pin in the freezer for 15 minutes, and then I boiled up the piston and the little end of the connecting rod in a sacuepan of water............

At exactly this moment Sam came home and thought I had made a start on dinner................."What are we having then?" she asked.........

I guess my cynical reply of "goujons on Piston on a connecting rod mousse, served with frozen gudgeon pin drizzled in 20/50"............. didn't really go down too well......... opps!!

Anyway, it just slotted in, and the two circlips dropped in, all done in less than a minute!!

Excellent!

Now, to fit it. I was going to do that this evening.......... but I really haven't the drive to do this tonight. I think I'll rebuild the rocker shaft and paint the timing cover this evening............!

Engine Rebuild Part 3.......... Disaster!!!

So, today the plan was to get the bottom end on the engine back rebuilt.

First problem came when I put the first piston in with its new rings............. it wouldn't move!!

After some checking I found that the box they came in stated 74.8mm diameter.......... when they should be 74.7mm...... hmmmm. When I checked a ring in the bore, guess what........... no ring gap! Bugger!

I spoke to the supplier (no names here!!) and they were very helpful and told me that after checking their entire stock, all the rings were the wrong size and they would have to go back to the manufacturor............ could I wait a few weeks???

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 36 days to the RBRR, no chance!


I then dug around in my stock and found a set of Cords rings............. far better quality (so why didn't I use these in the first place??!?) marked at 74.7mm..... right off we go!!

The bores were de-glazed using a special tool. Got it from Machine Mart for £20 and its wonderful. The bores are now perfect with no shine on them at all. No lip either which is unusual considering the engine has done 150k!!
All was going well, until I got to piston number 6.................. disaster.

Part of the ring valley has broken........... so the piston ring fell out in pieces and a piece of the piston fell out too!!

A quick phone call to Mike Papworth and I'm just off to see him to pick up 1 new Stanpart original 2500S piston.................excellent!

Meanwhile, I got the main bearings and the thrusts in.

So, new piston, ring it, big end in and bolted up, then the oil pump can go on, sump on and the bottom end will be done................

To be continued..............

Stafford TSSC Show

Went to the TSSC National at Stafford today. To be honest, it was really very quiet........ but the 2000 Register and CT members managed to pad it out a bit!

Engine Rebuild part 2

Cam's in and timed up.................. thanks to Brian from Just Classics.

Stafford TSSC tomorrow.

Pistons on Sunday.............

Engine Rebuild part I

So, on the 2004 RBRR the engine in the S estate started to burn severe amounts of oil. I must rebuild that, I thought.

So, in preparation for the 2008 RBRR, I have started.................... (!!! yeah yeah, I know, well I've been busy.......... ok?)

So, after spending loads of cash with Messers Witor, Pearson and EJ Wards..........

Last weekend I took the front suspension off (found the huge amount of play in the front end to be the PAS Rack..............!) dropped the sump and had a look at the bearings.

The shells are worn, but originals.......... so new set of mains and big ends purchased.

The rings (proper Cords oil savers with a Ridge-dodger in the top.......) were an ebay bargain last year. Proper Witor oil pump, new unleaded cylinder head, timing chain, rocker shaft etc etc.

Being as it is a weedy S engine, I decided to give it some ommmmph and bought on of Witors "special" cams...... designed for the S, and the correct needles and jets. Meant to give 30bhp extra............... nice!

This evening, I took the head off. My mate Brian is coming over tomorrow evening to fit and time up the new cam......... I don't even know where to start with that!!

I was surprised to not have one head stud shear or even be difficult to get out............... even more amazing to find the valves have no recession at all (unlike this countries economy!!!) and even more hugley amazing........... I cannot detect the slightest ridge at the top of the bores!!!!

There is a carbon ring at the top, but once that is off.......... perfect!! Its done 150k and the engine has never been apart........... weird!!!

So, tomorrow the cam is being fitted (new cam, cam followers, chain, tensioner, sprockets, bolts and tab washers all at the ready!) then hopefully Saturday I can start doing the rings and shells.

I bought a proper Glaze buster today from Machine mart to de-glaze the bores, then I can fit the new rings, big ends, mains, thrust washers, oil pump and then put the sump back on.

Pop the head on, I'm going to replace every hose under the bonnet as they all look a bit sad.

Rebuild the rocker assembly.

Might even give the block a clean and repaint in black engine paint.........

New PAS rack and track rod ends to go on.

Refurb the carbs.

Then its a small spot of welding on the front chassis legs and then off for an MOT, intime to do about 500 miles running before the RBRR...............

Hmmmmmm. Why am I sitting here????? Loads to do!

(sorry, no pictures today........... put everything away before I remembered to get my camera........ more next time......... promise!!

Playing with "moderns"...........

We collected Sam's new car last week. 07 plate Focus Zetec. My old Mondeo I'd had from new as a company car, then we bought it off the Leasing Company and Sam's been running that for the last 3 years. But, at 122k, it was starting to feel its age........... so we treated ourselves.

I have to say, I am immensly impressed with the Focus. Very roomy, nicely equiped and very comfy.
However, the Mondeo had a "manual-rear-parking-sensor", ......... aka A flippin' big towbar. The new one has an expensive looking rear bumper......... hmmm.

I put parking sensors on my Vectra last year and I have found them very useful so I went back to the same ebay shop and bought another set. £17.99 + p&p............... simple beep-beep ones. Ordered a dark grey rather than black.

The Focus has a grey panel in the rear bumper, and when I looked at a factory fit set (£450!!!!) they were set into this panel............ game on!

I ordered a new plastic panel (£12.05 from the Ford Dealer) and set about fitting them this afternoon.

Took about an hour......... easy peasy!

Ford assume each car will have parking sensors on, so the bumper behind this panel had cutouts already in for the sensors to fit in, there are holes with uncut grommets in behind each one for the wires....... even has the loom spliced by the reversing light ready to take the power feed off! Thanks Mr Ford........ made my life easy.

They even look like factory fit........... for £20 rather than £400!!

Well worth fitting to your "modern" bus.

The kit comes with everything you need, even the correct size hole-saw............ 4 sensors, control box, buzzer and the wiring loom you need.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rear-Car-Parking-Reversing-Sensors-4-Sensor-Buzzer-Kit_W0QQitemZ220259813174QQihZ012QQcategoryZ75330QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1713.m153.l1262

Dodging the rain............

Rain, rain and yet more rain!! I can't remember that last time I saw the sun!!

Never mind. We took the Red PI to the CT National at Hatton Country world. Great to see so many faces and meet some new ones.

Many thanks to all those who voted me Car of the Show............ the trophy has pride of place on my mantlepiece at the moment.


Last week we attended the Triumph 2000/2500/2.5 Register National in Pickering...... guess what................ MORE RAIN!!!

Excellent few days despite the weather. Came 3rd in the Concours Masterclass, missed 2nd by 1 point......... I obviously didn't polish it enough!


Back home and back to reality. Spent today working on the yellow estate (RBRR is approaching!) and dodging the rain showers.

The new Police Spec gearbox has now had its leak fixed. A small pinhole in the casting which has now been repaired by Canley Classics, so I "threw" the box back in today. I really hate doing gearboxes!!

Once I'd done that, I started to fit my new woodwork. My uncle re-veneered all the wood for the estate and finished it to a high gloss. Looks fanatasic (Thanks Uncle Ray!) Put all the door cappings and the load space trims back in. Just the dash sections to do but torrential rain made me give up and go in.

Just got to do the rest of the wood, do the engine mini-rebuild, new PAS rack, found a couple of patches of grot underneath that will need a small bit of welding to, then MOT.................. Should be done intime for the RBRR............. I hope!

The great Window saga.................

Ever since I have had the Stag, the drivers side window occasionally falls down. The arm from the electric motor jumps out of its track, so after it happened very quickly and scared the living daylights out of me (huge bang as the window disappears!!) I thought I should do something.

The problem is the plastci bush on the end of the arm was mullered, so I bought a new one from EJ Wards and then set about it.

To get the motor assembly out, you have to lift the entire window frame up by about 6 inches....... not overly difficult but fiddly.


So, here is the offending bush............... mullered does not do it justice!
Heres what is shoud look like!
Simple job to drill out the rivet and replace it with the new one, put the window back together an hey presto......... one working window!!

If only everything in life were this simple..........

New Radiator

The Radiator on my Stag was starting to weep so I bought a new one whilst at the Prescott Hill Day from EJ Wards (got a special show discount too..... excellent!!)

Finally got round to fitting it the other day. So, many thanks to Sam for her wonderful birthday present of magnetic wing protectors!! Finally got a chance to use them!


It was a bit of a challenge to get the old rad out. To get to the bottom hose you need to remove the battery, to get the battery out you need to remove the PAS pump........ not a simple task but I got it done and the rad out fairly swiftly.
Here's the new one, all shiney and black.......... pretty! I decided it would be prudent to have the uprated Radiator. Not that I have ever had any cooling problems with this car, even with a leaky rad, but I decided it would be prudent. So, I bought a new Supergill 5 row Radiator.
Here's the old one, got to go back to Wards as an exchange........... if he can do anything with it that is!)
All back together, fresh antifreeze and running with no leaks. All I have to do is to put a new pipe on the overflow bottle. For some reason the pipe on new Rad was a smaller diameter than the old one....... not to worry, couple of quid for a new hose should see it all sorted........... the road beckons!!

Prescott Triumph Day

What a fabulous day that was!! Sun shone, loads of Triumph's and lots of tyre smoke going up the hill climb!

Sam & I took the Red PI and a picnic and had a very pleasant day. I had decided that I was not going to put my car on the hil climb........... that would be irresponsible..................

However, a good friend of mine had engine trouble at his hotel, and his TR6 was out of action, and he had 2 runs up the hill prebooked............ seemed rude to waste them!!

So, up we went, one gently, one a bit harder................great fun!! I want more!!

Above are some pictures, some of mine, some of others.......... and a link to 2 short video footage of mine going up the hill (Thanks to Lee Smart from the 2000 Register for those!)

http://s237.photobucket.com/albums/ff269/dallliiisss/?action=view&current=MOV00120.flv

http://s237.photobucket.com/albums/ff269/dallliiisss/?action=view&current=MOV00121.flv

Highlight of the day has to be being taken for a blast up the hill in Ken Bryants Triumph 2000 with a TVR 4.2l V8EFI beastie.................... you cannot imagine how fast that thing is!!

Crich Show

Just got back from the Crich show, what a fabulous day!! Really enjoyed it, loads of friends there (some I have never even met in person!!) and loads of Triumphs!

Really looking forward to next year.

Dave Marshall's Saffron 2000 and my PI, resting in the maintenance yard!


Triumph's Triumph's everywhere..........
Lee Godfrey's white MKI PI saloon, and in the background, Tim Picketts Jasmine MKI PI estate......... now how rare is that??? (I think there are only 2 on the road at the moment, 3rd on the way........) and its for sale!!! Offers over £5k I think......... well worth every penny.
Tony Edgeworth's stunning Inca Yellow 2500S Saloon............
David Guzzeta's TR5. Stunning does not do it justice. The panel gaps on this are the best I have EVER seen. Its not polished unused car, but a well used and abused car (how rare is that for a TR5??) but still simply stunning....................

What's the point (the condensed version.....)

What's the point, the condensed version....................hmmmmm.

Well, I finally got round to fitting electronic ignition to the PI..................(geddit!?!?!?)

I decided after finding quite alot of points scatter that this would be a good idea, plus I hate messing about with points and condensors.................I just don't see the point!!!!

Anyway, I bought one of the "discreet" kits which fits entirely inside the distributor. I chose the one by GEC which was advertised in the latest "Club Torque". Not that I am advertising here, but George Coombs (The man at GEC) is a wonderful bloke, very helpful, even when I managed to somehow order the wrong unit first time round.........oppps!

Anyway, fitted it in about 15 minutes, and that included using heat shrink tubes to hide the 2 wires on show (one to the coil, one to the ballast resistor) This is the unit inside the dizzy, replacing the points and the condensor........



Very neat, and even better is the picture below. Apart from one extra wire from the coil to the ballast resistor, you can't tell if is fitted (ideal for Concours cars!!)

I have not had chance to drive the car yet, but it did start much quicker and cleaner than before and the tickover is certainly much smoother..........I took the opportunity to put in new plugs and run them at 30 thou gap rather than 25 thou (stronger spark now!) and I'm looking forward to seeing how it drives on Sunday when we are taking it to the Marque day at Crich.

Anyway, a few pretty pictures for you, and no, I haven't polished it this week either!!

So, if anyone wants this excellent kit, go to http://www.gecelectronics.com or see the half page advert in the last "Club Torque" magazine.........

Quick Diff Change................

The diff in the PI was a bit noisy on overrun so today was a quick diff change!

I had a known good one, and during the week I cleaned and painted it and popped in some new seals just to be safe.

Took it for a test thrash and the difference is amazing, the rumbling on overrun has of course gone, but the whole car is much smoother than it was before.

Time well spent me thinks.

Gave the whole car a onece over, noitcied the front pads were getting low. Being as we're taking it on the 2000 Register trip to Bonn over Easter I decided it might be wise to change them. In went a set of EBC greenstuff I had in stock.........replaced the front flexihoses just in case.

Tomorrow I've just got to change the oil and filter, pack the boot with the "survuval kit" and we're ready for the off................

Now THATS a double garage!

Greetings Triumph people!

Today I'm going to talk about decorating and building!

When we first bought our house, the previous owners had extended the ground floor, including adding another single garage onto the side of the original single. One of the first jobs to do was to knock down the wall between the two to give a good sized double.

So, 6 years later and I've finally got round to it!

18ft Steel I beam (got a builder in to do this, wimped it!) and here we go.

But me, being me, couldn't just put the cars back in, so I decided to put a nice ceiling in, paint it, new lights, more sockets, paint the walls, paint the floor, paint the beam and generally get things nice.

So, one side is finished, Stag back in its new shiny home!





Its surprising how much brighter it is with 3 x 58w strip lights and the walls and ceilings painted white...............





So, just got to do the same to the other side now..........................