Switch panel - pretty cool!

We had a problem on the 10CR when the headlamp switch burn out - we could get sidelights and instrument lights but not the headlamps. Thanks to some ingenious fellow Club Triumph members a temporary solution was found by using a donated switch to operate the headlamps only - this is visible in the first picture, hanging out the front of the switch panel next to the compass!

Clearly this needs to be sorted out and rally regs say we must have air horns operable by both crew members so I have been working on a solution. Work in progress on this can be seen in thesecond picture which will replace the original switch panel.

The long toggle switch for the air horns is on the left and will eventually sit between the original rectangular switches for the hazard lights and rear screen demister.

Then there will be the car compass followed by those three gorgeous LED metal toggle switches for the Cibie driving lamps, sidelights/instrument lights and then the headlamps nearest the driver.

All labelled with authentic "dymo" tape if it's still available.

I am looking forward to seeing all that in place.

Cut out switch

MSA regs for stage rally cars say that there must be an electrical circuit breaker which both crew members can access when strapped in.

OK, but where to put it?

On the dashboard maybe but that seemed to me to be quite a stretch.

Then I had a thought - how about using a centre arm rest? I have a spare one so that's what I have looked at. I have removed the padded top to reveal the steel "lid" below.

I reckon that when I get the car back I will be able to fit the circuit breaker to the top of the "armrest" along with, in due course, the pull switch for the plumbed in extinguisher that will be needed.

Re-roofed

Work in progress but you can clearly see that it won't be possible to tell the car ever had a sunroof from outside the car whilst from inside the work will be covered by the headlining in due course.

So once painted and with roll cage fitted it will look the part as a rally car

All hands on deck

At the top is the nearside with full repair done looking across the car.
Below is the offside partly repaired. As can be see there is mor work here than originally intended!

Re-roofing and a bit of decking

No, not a home make over programme!




Here's a pic of BRP with the sunroof removed.

The hole is now filled in with a sheet of metal and it looks pretty good - unfortuantely I didn't have my camera with me so I'll get some updates over Xmas.

It looks so much better tho with a full metal roof (as opposed to jacket!) - I really don't think FHCs look right with a sunroof.

Then we move onto the rear"deck" panel behind the rear screen. There's a certain amount of rust evident - trust me, it's much worse than this picture!

Still, progress is being made - excellent work by my brother, Malcolm who will then be painting the car in works colours for me.

It will look absolutely fabulous, darling

10CR2005 day 1 (as published in Club Triumph's magazine)

Day 1 Thursday September 8^th

The car had been loaded the night before so 7am saw me head off to pick up Kevin. By 7.28 Kevin and his various bits and pieces were in the car and we were off!

Kevin and I have done two Round Britain Runs and a continental rally together so we knew we would get on fine, that’s rather important when you are going to spend 5 days thrashing a car all round Europe.

Of course, as we live “up north” near Burnley in Lancashire we had quite an early start to our 10CR. We took a route across to Wetherby on the A1 and pointed the TR south, meeting up with my brother in his Spitfire and my sister and brother in law in their Stag at Grantham. They had already had a torrid time with being held up in traffic near Lowdham and were a little hot and bothered.

Still, all of us made the Plough although the fuel stop at South Mimms wasn’t easy – who designed the road layout there? Are they related to those that designed Turin’s road network and amazingly poor road signs? More of this on day 3!

I have to say that, as the organiser of the event, it was a wonderful sight to see the car park at the Plough full of cars with expectant crews. After signing in and then giving the talk at the driver/crew briefing we set off for the great adventure at 1.30PM.

The trip down to Dover was uneventful and it was a tremendous sight as all the cars lined up at the ferry, complete with “Club Triumph” banner against my TR7 to make sure everyone knew just who we were. I remember walking up and down the lines of cars enjoying the chat and atmosphere and also collecting my 10CR2005 polo shirt – well done Andy MacDonald for organising these.

Then onto the ferry to start the invasion of Europe by Club Triumph. First halt was Steenvoorde services which was the Continental start. Roger Hoogmans and Theo Boonen in their super TR7 Sprint signed on here and received their stickers but the Irish crew of Colm McLoughlin and Damien Leahy reported in that they were delayed.

As organiser I then spoke to them over the phone and arranged to meet at a picnic site south of Cambrai so off we went, advising everyone else not to “faff about” but to get on with the run. Kevin and I were now no longer on either of the routes in the map books – a good start! Upon reaching the picnic site there was no GT6, Colm and Damien were at a service station on a different road. This was only about 10 miles away but there seemed no way of easily meeting up so we agreed to meet south of Reims about midnight. This is the kind of mad adventure that makes the event for me but we didn’t actually catch up with our Irish friends until Saturday morning in Ventimiglia!

Interesting drive from there though as we aimed to get back on route whilst noting the various smells of northern France! Midnight saw us on time, going past the Shell and BP stations south of Reims and waving to the other crews fuelling up. So, all in all, a good start and the event was well underway – see the next Club Torque for day 2 including some fantastic driving in company with the “Yellow Missile” although we sadly missed the incident with the local wildlife!