The great Herald / Rover 75 adventure......

[Rocket88]

Some time ago, young Mr Minmad offered the excellent ex Dollywobbler Rover 75 Tourer on this esteemed site. I offered my Herald 1200 as a swop, and a deal was done. Unfortunatley, he lives in somewhere called Cheshire, and I live in Jersey, so there was a slight logistical problem. We eventually agreed to meet at my sister's place in Bristol. After 12 hours on the slow boat to bloody China [which conveniently calls in at Portsmouth], I arrived at Portsmouth 7am last Friday.

Now, the Herald had probably never left Jersey in it's previous 46 years, and I fully expected it to die of fright the first time it saw a motorway, so with clenched buttocks, we preceeded up the M27 at a steady 38 mph. After 10 minutes nothing had fallen off, so buttocks were relaxed, and speed increased, eventually reaching the giddy heights of 56 mph, which seemed it's natural cruising gait.

After a couple of stops, and a leisurely breakfast, I reached my sister's place. Mark had phoned me to tell me they were coming in 2 cars [Mr T Claim bringing his dizzler Pug estate] and then phoned me again to tell me that the aforementioned Pug had disgraced itself in an incontinent manner, and they would be a tad late.

Eventually, Mr Claim, Mark, and a member of the paparazzi arrived [he of the exquisite black and white pictures]. I had not, before this realised that Mr Claim was what is known as rugby circles as "a big unit" I'm 6 ft, and I just about fit comfortably behind the wheel........

Anyway, we exchanged paperwork, and various tools / maps / etc were tranferred between vehicles, and Mr Claim wedged himself behind the wheel, with Mark and the young snapper sharing the interior with various motoring detritus [did I mentioned the Herald was already encumbered with 4 alloy wheels, a twin carb / manifold set up, and various other clag.....]

Anyway, they set of into the night, just as the temperature dropped to about minus 26 degrees. The Herald does have a heater, but it produces more noise than any great thermal output, and, as in all Heralds, I found that the transmission tunnel made a very effective wind scoop. Apparently, they made it back safely.

I rose at 5.30 am next morning, and had a lovely drive back to Portsmouth, and back to Jersey. The 75 is lovelt, apart from the well documented third gear synchro, and a bit of shimmy from the front brakes.

It was a pleasure to meet 3 fellow shiteists, and I'm sure some moody photos will appear on this thread in due course.

[dollywobbler]

Ah, so this is what's been brewing. Must have been quite leap going from Herald to 75! I look forward to more pictures of this great event.

[Pete-M]

If I'd known about this, I'd have supplied a support vehicle. That must have been a laugh.

[Cavcraft]

I didn't see them on 'Traffic Cops' tonight so assume all is ok?

[mk2_craig]

This one perchance?

Seen earlier in the week. Or possibly last week. Can't remember. I've slept since

[warren t claim]

If I'd known about this, I'd have supplied a support vehicle. That must have been a laugh.

 

We had a support vehicle, it needed supporting!

 

It was one hell of a drive back avoiding all the motorways but the little Herald had a triumphant return to the Wirral (unlike the 405).

 

Wat took loads of pictures and film of the journey that I'm sure will be posted on here soon enough, the ones taken outside the OK Diner look particularly good!

[eddyramrod]

the ones taken outside the OK Diner look particularly OK!

 

EFA...

[Rocket88]

This one perchance?

 

That be it................

[Guest]

 

I miss the D70.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

The tail light's working, so it's better than my Herald.

 

I want to see more pictures!

[Minimad5]

I want to see more pictures!

 

Me too !

 

Have to say that it was a rather fun, yet random journey.

Still getting used to the amount of attention the Herald gets though

[Minimad5]

Instead of doing important work, i decided to take a snap or two of "Harold"

 

 

Hint of Mazda RX7 FD3 seats ..

 

Badly need a 'screen seal..

 

Mirrors sent from Mr Rab

 

 

 

[Cavcraft]

 

Looks ace that Mark, can't wait to see it!

 

*Ps will text you again shortly

[dollywobbler]

Cor, an early one by the look of it. Excellent. Bit of a change from the 309 and 75 to drive eh?

[Minimad5]

Cor, an early one by the look of it. Excellent. Bit of a change from the 309 and 75 to drive eh?

 

when i first tried to drive it ..... it was difficult due to the lack of springs and spherical bush in the remote selector

But since i've fitted a kit from ebay, and it has transformed it immensely.

The steering is direct (so too is the gearchange now !), brakes are eerm "slightly working" and it has tonnes of character.

 

Have been spending too much ££££ on Rimmer Brothers website in order to get it ready for the MOT.

Hope to have it registered and on the road by April the latest

[dollywobbler]

They're good fun, just don't hoon too much into tight bends.

 

There are a lot of Triumph specialists about by the way, so worth having a check on parts prices.

[Guest]

I had a go of the aforementioned HAROLD last night. It was good fun - once I'd taken my shoes off to stop mashing the clutch and brake pedals down.

Once I'd adjusted to the appalling reality of drums all round and a non-synchro first, I think I did OK trundling around Port Sunlight.

 

 

I have a few photos and the rushes from a film I'm keeping back for my website, too.

[warren t claim]

You want to try driving it all the way from Bristol.....

[Guest]

You want to try driving it all the way from Bristol.....

 

MM5 has rebuilt the gear linkage now - and replaced the spherical bush that attaches to the bottom of the lever so the gate isn't as floppy. The heater also works.

[warren t claim]

You want to try driving it all the way from Bristol.....

 

MM5 has rebuilt the gear linkage now - and replaced the spherical bush that attaches to the bottom of the lever so the gate isn't as floppy. The heater also works.

 

IIRC the gearbox didn't cause me any problems, the heater was dismal though.

[Rocket88]

"The heater works" was always a bit of a joke when I had it. You flicked a switch, and something rotated quite briskly in the large box called "Smiths". That's about all that did happen, although an occasional waft of tepid air did appear from the de-misting vents.

This was effectively counter acted by the howling gale that you to blast through the fibre board transmission tunnel.

[Minimad5]

Heater was fixed by reversing the polarity / swapping wires around.

 

Really wish this picture came out ...

 

Watanabe - You need to add "THAT" calender shot

[warren t claim]

How does the "other" OK Diner photo look?

[Guest]

Really wish this picture came out ...

 

Well it did, sort of.

 

I was on a learning curve with that camera as it a: wasn't mine and b: has the stupidest \ least intuitive shutter time \ f stop \ ISO menu settings known to man. And it was freezing cold and I couldn't feel the soles of my feet. I've got the hang of it now, but that was only through a crash read of the manual (which didn't help things make sense) followed by trial and error button mashing. Hence that other shot in Port Sunlight looking semi decent. But I'm saving that for my website write up, which I've nearly finished. The film will take a little bit longer, because the FCP suites at Uni are being BOLLOCKS and my Hackintosh isn't ready yet.

 

How does the "other" OK Diner photo look?

 

Blurry. I admit, I don't get on very well with that SX20, but it was the closest thing to a half decent camera I could lay my hands on.

[mk2_craig]

I thought I'd seen this before. From page 11 of my Channel Island Cack thread:

 

 

So someone, somewhere saw fit to give it at least a bit of TLC since 2008

[Rocket88]

I thought I'd seen this before. From page 11 of my Channel Island Cack thread:

 

 

Yup, bloke I bought it from last year spent a few bob on it, as I did when I got it. Remarkably rot free for a Herald, and the engine is sweet.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

No 'tub spread' either, very nice.

[mk2_craig]

I like the fact that the number plates looked very genuinely original 1960s, nicely weathered, as opposed to more modern 'reproductions'. Though of course that's going to change soon!

[Minimad5]

Have been doing a wee bit for work on "Harold" in an effort to get a lovely MOT certificate.

 

If it's okay with Colc, i shall update via this thread to not litter the forum

Shall be uploading pictures once home, but a wee list of work carried out so far includes:

 

Stainless Braided flexi brake hoses - All round.

Stainless Braided clutch line.

Bled both brakes and clutch, the clutch feels perfect but brakes still lack any real stopping, so further investigation is required.

Fitted new engine and gearbox mountings.

 

Ordered Argoshield, mig wire and a number of chassis bits (Outriggers mainly)

Trunnion rebuild kit for both sides have also been ordered and paid for, just awaiting delivery.

Not too sure if i'm going to fit standard or OEM equivalent polybushes, but all rubber shall be replaced also.

 

eerm, thats it really

[dollywobbler]

How poor are the brakes? They were never exactly forceful. Even with disc brakes like on my Bond Equipe. Am I right in thinking this one is servoless drums?