Service crew

Thanks to Martin KNapp I got the chance to be at the SMC Stages. As it happened Martin did need some assistance!

Roll cage ordered

Yes, another step taken - the roll cage is ordered.

8 weeks delivery and then we have to fit it. There will also be door bars and a harness bar so a pair of competition harnesses will also be ordered.

When they are in (mid-June?) BRP really will look the part.

Oh, then I'll also get a plumbed in extinguisher, fit it and the car will pretty much be up to spec

Toledo, then TR7

I brought the Toledo round under the carport and re-attached the exhaust - yes, the same one that fell off 6 times on our European roadtrip last year! An exhaust strap has split though so I will try and get a replacement this afternoon.


Then over to BRP and re-fitted the driver's competition seat. Worth doing as the next big job is the rollcage and I will want to see how it clears the seat etc.

But then I decided to check out a "weep" I had noticed from the top hose.

OK - so I just felt the hose at the radiator to see whether the top hose clip wasn't tightening and yes it felt loose.

But then the whole pipe into the radiator came out!

Call me a thickie but I don't think that's supposed to happen!

A spot of servicing

Started a service on BRP as can be seen here.

I also took the opportunity to fit some exhaust wrap low down on the manifold next to the starter motor.

There should have been a heatshield but this has long since gone after the "Austrian incident". The sports exhaust manifold didn't leave clearance for it anyway.

Without some insulation tho I was concerned the starter motor would suffer after being slowly cooked!

What a Plonker!

Yes, I can be a plonker sometimes and I am willing to admit it.

When I had fitted the butterfly discs and then put the carbs back on the car revved at 2500RPM and wouldn't come down from it.

Then Jon noticed that the discs are actually profiled so that they seal correctly

So, off with the carbs and yes, I had managed to put both in the wrong way round! The picture shows where I have fixed the one on the right and it's plain how it shuts tight - the one on the left won't seal so that's why it was revving so high.

As it happens it was quite a satisfying couple of hours spannering to put them right and then re-fit the carbs. After all that the car ran very nicely indeed.

I ran it up to temperature, the thermostat worked, the electric fan cut in, engine temp fell, there were no water leaks anywhere - this can't last surely.

Now I have to think what comes next. Probably removing the last bit of carpeting, fit the comp seat back in and give the car a service before it's roll cage time.

Reformed Triumph addict

I have been a member of Triumph's Anonymous for a long time now

Having had 3 at one point, got down to one and then back up to two again I am clearly not yet cured.

There are signs the therapy is working tho.

In the last 2 weeks I have looked at 2 TR7s that someone wanted £200 for and then another sound but stripped convertable in the lovely light blue metallic (Aqua?) that the guy wanted £400 for.
On both occasions I have walked away but have advised others so hopefully the cars will be saved, but by someone else.

Now that's progress on my part and taken a real determined effort, in fact the strain and stress that resulted means I really must take a holiday so that's what I am doing.

Watch out Madeira - just make sure no-one offers me any Triumphs!

Vaseline, rings,rubbers & butterflies!

Since I "fixed" the cylinder head gasket I have had a leak in the coolant system from the top of the water pump to the inlet manifold.

It can be seen here - there's a slight discolouration visible above the "L" stamp in the water pump cover.






So, in a burst of enthusiasm I fixed it!

Here's the short "pipe" which needs decent "O" rings either end to make the seal.

That's where the vaseline came in - to help get the "O" rings on.

Having put it all back I ran the engine and it looks OK.






So, moving on, I went a bit further.

The flexible mountings for the carbs looked well past their best so I pulled the carbs off and put on two new ones I have come by.

One of the new ones is on the right with an old one still in place at this point on the left hand carb.








Then, whilst I am here why not do a bit more? Just a bit of SU tuning here - I had ordered some plain "Butterflies" (I think that's what you call them) for the carbs.

One of them is on the right with one of the originals on the left. The problem with the originals is the "poppet valve" as can be seen here which hangs down into the airflow and so interferes with the optimum flow through the carb.

So I replaced those and even went to the trouble of cutting down the securing screws (as they normally hang out into the airflow too) and lockwelded them back in place.

Combined with the stub stacks and a change of needles I should in theory be getting 2 or 3 more BHP for little effort and not much money really.

That was enough for today tho - all I have to do now is bolt the carbs back on and hope it still runs!