Bearing up

So, with new main bearings and big end shells purchased I could actually start building the engine - hurragh!

One thing I have learned though is that if something doesn't feel right, stop, consult, think and make sure all is well. I had to do this a number of times as various components have to go on in the right order and they all have to be there!

Putting the crankshaft main bearing shells in seemed to go OK after I found one of the thrust washers has been spun back out whilst rotating the crank - no wonder it all tightened up. So, fixed that and then proceeded to lightly nip up all the main bearing bolts at a low torque wrench setting to start with.

I proceeded by tightening number 3 up first and rotating the crank to make sure it was OK. With this OK I moved on to number 2 (I always start from the centre and work out as instructed by my brother too many years ago) but this time the crank wouldn't budge - and this was with only 40 lbs/ft instead off 55.

On removal of the end cap I found one of the brand new Vandervell main bearing shells had been squashed as I obviously hadn't seated it right. I was not happy but at least it can be fixed now, even if it does mean buying a replacement and waiting until I can work on the engine again.

Numbers 1 & 4 went on all OK though.

Then all six pistons went in with new big end bearings after I had honed the bores and there was no problems with the crank rotating.

The clutch cover and flywheel have now been removed so that next time the build up can continue.

Interesting to see where metal has been removed from the piston connecting rods to balance them all out aswell as on the crankshaft itself.

Here's a picture of the bottom end build up in process with the missing end cap.

2000 engine assembly

Now started re-assembly of the original engine from PMW.

Here's a picture of the block and then the crank etc lightened and balanced. If you look closely it's quite clear where a fair bit of metal has been removed from the crankshaft!

Next step was to partially assemble the crank into the block using the old shells etc so that we could measure the end float with the exisiting thrust washers. The result was that actually end float was bang in the middle of the factory tolerances.

Then we took it apart again, gave the block a thorough cleaning and panted it - that's a shock given my normal way of going about things!

During the coming week I'll order the main and big end bearings so that reassembly can start properly next weekend.

TR21!

TR21- that's not what Triumph would have reached by now!

It's what 3 x TR7s equal.

Here are 3 on my drive on the day before the International AutoEcosse.

Paul (AKA Diesel Dave, Burnerboy, Ginger or all of the above) and I were fitting a Kenlowe fan to his TR7 seen here at the front.

Of course, all the bonnets were up!

In the far distance at the back is BRP so there's proof it still exists. In this instance it was donating it's short fan belt so that we could ditch the viscous fan housing from Paul's car.

I can't remember why UNJ's bonnet was up but it's always good to have a car to refer to.

And finally, here's a picture of Ginger.

Ready for the off yet Squiffy?

The spannering and electrickery must have gone OK as we made it all the way round the IAE and came in 8th overall - not a bad result at all.

On the Toledo front

With only 3 weekends left before the AutoEcosse Bryce has been working on his Toledo to get it better prepared for it's first long distance event.

At the same time, other than buying bits of ebay there's nothing I can do to the 2000 until I get the crankshaft etc back fully balanced from Drakes (must contact them by the end of next week if I haven't heard anything). So, with that in mind I have been over to help out Bryce on the Toledo.

He has successfully (but not irreversibly) fitted the twin headlight Dolomite front and is currently awaiting a full set of halogen conversion lamps complete with relays etc.

He has really gone for it on the suspension by fitting Sprint suspension including anti roll bars etc.Along with this also he has a full set of polybushes and AVO shocks/springs. Most of the work I was involved in today was the two man job of fittng the front suspension which as usual was a bit tricky but we got there.

Below are pictures of all of this.

Those Sprint wheels have to go though, Bryce isn't happy with them so we needed something more "period". As I have a set of miniltes spare at the moment these are now on permanent loan to the Toledo project.

I reckon the car is going to look pretty damned cool, in addition to handling well. There's more on the braking side of things to come as well as other developments.

Testing times in September

Away from actually working on cars and competing myself I am trying to put something back in to the club.

I am organising a new entry level competitive event for September 2nd. The full regs and entry form will be in this month's Club Torque and I will then put them on line.

It's quite a bit of work calculating all sorts of things out and the logistics of this simple event are not easy so I take my hat off to those who organise much bigger ones.

I have emailed MSA officials today for their approval so hopefully all will be well there.

Something that has been very interesting and good fun though is designing the tests to be driven along with the fact that I have given each test a name as well. They start off easy enough and then get progressively more challenging as people's confidence grows on the day, or at least that's the plan. I also think the names of the tests are relevant and there's some humour there - we'll see if everyone agrees when it comes to it!

Something is happening - honest!

Not much reported but I have been "helping" Bryce on non Triumph car stuff recently.

Fitting a 190BHP K Series engine to his special for example (mainly holding stuff on my part really) and bleeding the brakes on his Mini (mainly pumping the brake pedal this time).

There is something happening on my cars though.

A cleaned up steering wheel from our collection of spares for example fitted to the 2000. I am keeping an eye out for a centre pad marked up as "Triumph" for this.

The big and expensive news though is regarding PMW's original engine. The crank, lightened flywheel, pistons, clutch cover and front pulley are all away for balancing. At the moment the crank is being reground.

This engine will have had about £1000 spent on it by the time I am finished and it will still be only a refreshed 2000 engine, no firebreather or anything but it is the car's original engine so I will be pleased to have it reunited with the car.

I have never had a bottom end balanced or a crank reground before so it's all new to me. I just hope I assemble it all correctly with all the new bits and it runs sweet and smooth!

Somewhat unexpected

So, to the nearside today on the brake dancing front.

Actually this went very very well. Both calipers came over quite happily as did both discs and hubs. I then bled the uprated brakes on UNJ and all was looking rosy.

So, on the wheels and give it a little test.

But then came the unexpected bit. Both cars have 13" alloy wheels on with UNJ having it's OE standard wheels but they fouled the Volvo calipers. That was quite a surprise so I had to swap over the black "minilites" and put the standard wheels on BRP.

I think UNJ looks pretty good though with the minilites so I am happy enough at the end of it all. Oh, and the brakes work (but not on BRP so that has a notice in it to remind me it only has a hanbrake).

Here's UNJ with the minilites