Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Toledo Pics


The first of many attempts to fix the exhaust - that's me getting down and dirty!














Lake Maggiore - the Toledo puts a Porsche in the shade.



















Can you believe it!

















In the French Alps, after Col de la Bonnette.














Got the Porsche out of the picture now.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Airbox


Ok, not as much fun as the Furka but never mind.

This is the air box or air filter housing on the TR. The thing is, it's cobbled together as the Sprint emgine has the carbs further apart than the TR7 8 valve engine.

I have been looking for a proper Sprint one for a while and recently bought one (I refuse to say "won one") on e-bay for £4.40!




Behind the grey outer cover there's the backplate which as you can see here has been "butchered" (by persons unknown - not me!) as it was also used in conjunction with 2" SUs. A result of this is that it is only held on by 3 bolts instead of 6 and I just don't like it being like that.

So, off it came to be replaced by the Sprint version for 1 3/4" SUs freshly painted.

It was also an opportunity to get the various fuel pipes to fit as Triumph intended.


Now that's better - bolted up with all bolts in place.

I am re-painting the grey cover as it has a bracket for the dipstick which the Sprint one doesn't. Shortly that will be in place and a small but satisfying job will be done.











Now doesn't that look so much better

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Remember the Furka!

I could have gone on about painting an airbox for the Sprint engine but a spot of "carry on" type double entendre is more fun.




This is the Furkapass in Switzerland and is a superb bit of scenery. We were lucky to be there as it was dropping dark at the end of the day and had the chance to look back over the road we had driven. We could also watch cloud come over the valley side and descend into it - very impressive but you had to be there.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Just for a change

Yes, just for a change I worked on the Toledo's exhaust yesterday.

It's amazing how one joint falls off with amazing regularity whilst another one puts up one hell of a fight - the one you want to come apart!

After the centre section kept falling off, the rear section started blowing around the rear silencer to tailpipe join and through a hole in the box itself. So, I ordered a Dolomite 1300 rear box and tail-pipe section from Rimmer Brothers and got the car up on axle stands. What fun to be under the car again working on the exhaust.

Anyway, of course the rear section didn't want to come off the mid-section but at least this gave me an opportunity to use an angle grinder I bought recently to hack through the rear pipe, drag it out and then take the centre section off the car.

Then it was a simple task of getting the joint cleaned up and re-assembling on the car again. The Dolly tail-pipe comes out on the other side of the car than the Toledo one but that was no hassle.

What is a pain tho is that the centre section has started blowing now but for now -


Reverting to the TR7 - yes it's still with me. Actually fired it up today and moved it on the drive.
The spares TR7 is probably going to Bryce who wants to rally it too so that will make 2 of us.

In the meantime, neighbour Jon now has his TR7 Sprint running which is very satisfying as the engine is made up of spares I had along with lots of hard work from himself building it - well done mate.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Exhausting Toledo

There you are, blasting up a French alpine pass after Besancon when bang - the exhaust drops off!




The 6th and final succesful solution was done in Belgium - here it is! Work on the exhaust is high on the priority list of jobs to be done before my daughter starts to learn to drive in it.
At least it's had a good test drive!

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Holiday videos

Just got back from a driving holiday with some friends - 2 Triumphs of the Stag and Toledo variety.

First video is climbing the Simplon pass after upsetting the italian border guards - we had fixed a dodgy plug lead and got carried away with running on 4 cylinders for a change!

Second video is a situation that arose after a bit of a problem with the Stag. The only way to get everyone back to the UK it seemed was to fit everyone and their luggage into the Toledo - ahem!


Sunday, September 02, 2007

Spoiled

I have gone with the spoiler as you can see here.

Yes, Ken if I can get time I'll fit the new front number plate

A frustrating thing with the car tho is that the throttle often sticks open. I have worked on the linkage and oiled everything I can but it still keeps doing it.

So, a new throttle cable is on order now which is not a bad thing anyway and the old one can go in the spares package I am cerrying.