All manner of fettling

Lots of time spent just "fettling". There's now a power socket in the car and a compass ready for the European trip.

Also added is a near side door mirror which will help when driving "on the wrong side" of the road and a locking petrol cap.

Here's the car and how it looks today.


Next question I am pondering tho is whether to fit a Sprint spoiler I have been given.

Does it do anything practical and would it "spoil" the look of a standard car I wonder?

Interior tweaking

Another day and a bit more done.

The original steering wheel had lost it's outer covering so I have replaced it with an old one I had around.

I quickly painted the spokes to make it a little more presentable but the important thing is that the rim is leather and intact.

I have at last got round to screwing down the console around the gear lever too.

Overall it's looking good

Covered up and touched up

I recently bought a cheap compressor (Wolf online) complete with various bits of kit.

I have now had the chance to use it for something other than blowing up tyres! I have also used it to absolutely cover the underneath of the Toledo with Dinitrol anti-rust stuff and it has done a great job.

I have then actually washed the car and touched up with white paint some bits I had missed before so the car should last a bit longer.

Next (speaking quietly) Ill do some t-cutting and polixhing.

More Speedfair pics

Two more pics taken by Sally Gowans.


A great reminder of the day and what it's all about really.
























Unfortunately, it's the last time the TR will see action until well into 2008.

I have not been able to stop the overheating - basically, the coolant system is being pressurised, water is being pumped out of the expansion tank over about 60 or so miles and then the engine overheats.

Diagnosis - blown head gasket.

This has probably been caused during one of the times the car has got hot for other reasons and now the only solution is to take it off the road, surrender the tax and fix it. So that's what I am going to do but it won't go back on the road until it has a roll cage and full harnesses as well now.

The immediate future is taken care of by getting the Toledo service completed and then driving it to the Med!

Speedfair - great photos

Many thanks to Sally Gowans for these photos taken at the Speedfair rally











If you look closely you can see the driver (me) working hard and the co-driver (Rebecca) having a great time.

Toledo on track

So todays' progress is new brake shoes fitted and also the incorrect wheel stud replaced.

Recently I have bought a compressor and now was a chance to use it for a new task - sprayed Dinitrol under the rear arches and the rear half od the car's underside.

Wow - what an easy task when you have the rgiht tools.

A bit more "pep"

More spannering - here's the scene from about 5.30 tonight.

I have now shown the blowing exhaust manifold/downpipe gasket who is boss.

Took some time for such a little job but it is now sorted with the aid of borrowed exhaust jointing paste - thanks Jon


Then it was onto the carb front. Having removed the carb I swapped over the spindles and butterfly so that the "modded one" is now in the carb. On the left here is the standard installation and on the right is the modified one - I think the difference can be seen here. Basically it should flow more air and hence improve performance.

It was then refitted along with the air filter including stub stack.

Initial feeling is that the car is certainly livelier

Little Beauties

A pair of DCOEs I bought today - old and not been used for many years but at what I beleive to be a good price.

Behind them is an inlet manifold for the webers to mount to the Sprint engine which I bought on e-bay for nearly twice as much as the carbs!

These are now going away into storage for a while.




I am just as pleased with this little beautie tho.

It's a spindle and butterfly from a 1 1/2" SU that I have kept for 20 years from when I used to rally Minis and I have found it again today.

It has been modified to remove as much mass as possible and hence increase airflow through the carb - hence a more efficient carburettor.

I haven't checked but I reckon this will fit the Toledo's carb. If it will, along with the stub stack and new filter there should be a performance improvement to be had.

Toledo "tuning"

I am now intending taking the Toledo on a 5 day Continental jaunt so am working on a service/tune up.


Here are the plugs that came out - I reckon it looks like the car is running too rich by the look of these. In addition it starts very easily on choke but needs it pushed in very quickly.

Talking of plugs - the plug lead to number one literally fell off! Crimping up the connector whilst I wait for new leads (on order) should in itself make a difference.

So that's the fuel - what about the air supply side?

Just a little bit of tuning here - that's a stub stack now fitted in the standard air cleaner. Next to go in will be a new filter element and I intend rigging up a cold air feed for it - can't do any harm.

Below the air filter there's the exhaust manifold joint with the down pipe - unfortunately it's blowing but I am currently fighting with it and a replacement gasket. I haven't won yet but I reckon if I call up gasket sealent as reinforcement I can beat this one too.

I am hopeful that all of these little bits and pieces along with some adjustment to the mixture and checking the timing will result in a perkier little car.

Now, what about rubber? The car came with steel wheels (but only 4) and budget 155R13 tyres.
Things are a bit different now

Now there's a set of minilites from my TR7 on along with a spare too! They are shod with 70 series Michelin - I bet the car has never had such good rubber on it.

A bit of a snag!

Sprayed the underside of the Toledo with Dinitrol ML tonight but ran out so need to order more.

Whilst on with this I started a service on it.

Front pads and discs OK but rear shoes are a bit low - all of £14 to put right

Noticed an odd stud tho so will get a new stud and wheelnut too.

Then moved onto replacing the spark plugs but stopped when I got to number 1 as I need to move the alternator out of the way - next job I reckon.

Real news tho (and the bit of a snag) is that I have had some kind of fit or seizure and am undergoing all sorts of tests (an EEG tomorrow). The doctors won't let me drive whilst all this is going on.

I have already missed a rally in my TR7 and I have planned a 5 day trip round Europe in 4 weeks time in my TR7 too. I may press the Toledo into service for this so that I can get another driver involved - 2 drivers and me lording it in the back!

So I have a few things to think over with the car.

There's no spare wheel so I need one of those or I could fit some minilites with Michelins on from my TR7 but then I'll need a full set of wheel nuts.

Also interested in trying to get a little more power out of the car if we end up using her to climb the French Alps (twice!).

What a drive should look like

Say no more!