Six Cylinders Motoring Notes

[Six-cylinder]

6 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

That 911 is in the same registration series as my Volvo.

I think the 911 is a regestister as Date of registration is 1st Jan 2022 and it is LHD.

[LightBulbFun]

8 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

I think the 911 is a regestister as Date of registration is 1st Jan 2022 and it is LHD.

because theres more then meets the eye with @wuvvum's Volvo   originally issued OYN703L when registered new here in England, however on the 6th Aug 2001 the private plate AJN50A was slapped on it, then on the 27th May 2003, that plate was taken off it, and the Volvo was issued its current, age related mark, HVG431L

I do find it curious that the original plate was not-reissued, im pretty sure by 2003 the DVLA policy had changed that they would generally re-issued the original plate when taking off a private plate rather then issue an age related plate (back in the 80's and possibly 90's they would always just issue an age related plate if you where taking a private plate off a car rather then re-issue the original one as they do today) 

however OYN703L, may still be on retention to the volvo still (although I can only pull up some unusually scant details on it I would not bet the farm on it, but Im pretty sure it is on retention to the volvo) so if that is indeed the case then with some DVLA wrangling it should be possible to get it back 

[wuvvum]

Heh, I've learned something today!

[hairnet]

Has @PhilAs fiat perv rubbed off on Chris ( or the other way round 😛 )

[hairnet]

Won't make it 😛

 

[hairnet]

No chowda

Saw many odd caaaaaaahs

Whereas dub has leprechaun and Guinness tat Boston has cuddly lobsters

[hairnet]

Also lol at the fat honda saloon in the rental lot with a keys sign on the roof and scrawled on window no keys customer chaaaaahged

Ouch $250

And $450 if you smoke in them

 

 

 

[Six-cylinder]

Back in June 2022 after leaving the local Platinum Jubilee celebrations Mrs6C left our Triumph Vitesse in the road saying it was too difficult to find gears. My friend Andrew from the Triumph Sports Six Club said he would refurbish the remote linkage and sure enough that did the trick.

As a reward for doing the remote rebuilt I offered Andrew to use the Vitesse for a while as it was summer. After using the car Andrew reported back that the gearbox was noisy and did I want him to rebuild it for me! I knew it was noisy and had gradually been getting worse over the 18 years we have owned it, but I am pretty good at ignoring these things and was content to live with it as it is. I gratefully grabbed the opportunity to give the gearbox a new lease of life.

We already knew the 3^rd gear synchromesh was worn out, but it turns out both the main shaft and the input are very worn and damaged. We looked at having the shafts built up and ground down to size locally, but I could not find anybody to do it. We then looked at buying a new main shaft but they are a king’s ransom. We found a specialist who will do the repair work on our main shaft but there is a long waiting list so I bought the new shaft. When Andrew went to fit it he could not get a circlip in place and further investigation with the supplier concluded while the supplier thought the main shaft was correct, it was for a Spitfires only. A full refund was given.

Now what to do, I can’t find a used gearbox or the spares to rebuild mine and there is a long undetermined wait for a specialist. Luck took over and when I went to the AS Southern meeting a chance remark about needing a gearbox led to @Three Speed saying he had one. I thought when I defined my need as being from a Vitesse 2.0 and must be an overdrive car I was amazed this is what he had. This led to me following threespeed in his Citroen Traction to his house to buy the gearbox there and then and taking it to Andrew.

Andrew stripped the box and found it was pretty worn but the mainshaft is useable so he has built up my gearbox using a few bits from the ex threespeed box and has refitted it in my car. I am hoping it will be tested next week and returned to me soon.

The longer term plan is to get the spare gearbox mainshaft repaired by the specialist and then Andrew will build up the spare gearbox for a later swap.

[hairnet]

people put mx5 boxes in minors

would that work here?

 

[Six-cylinder]

4 minutes ago, hairnet said:

people put mx5 boxes in minors

would that work here?

I don't know. 

[EyesWeldedShut]

2 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

I don't know. 

I've had Minors with a Ford (Sierra vintage) 5 speed box fitted - it's a pretty straight swap - the MX5 ones have got more popular recently as the supply of Sierra ones has dried up but the fitting is a bit more involved (or so I gather as I've never had or converted one of those). Giggle says you can get an MX-5 job for MGB/Vitesse for ££££££ but no sign of a Sierra option.

Having owned an o/d fitted Mk1 Vitesse I'd go for recon on the original box if at all possible. Why?
In third, overtaking, getting over revved - just flick that little lever on the steering column  

Also, by now, getting a decent secondhand 5 speed will mean getting it overhauled? Price 'em both up

 

[hairnet]

if they fit in these yours shouldnt be too much effort

https://www.vitesse-ltd.com/pages/triumph-gearbox-upgrades

[Six-cylinder]

13 minutes ago, hairnet said:

if they fit in these yours shouldnt be too much effort

https://www.vitesse-ltd.com/pages/triumph-gearbox-upgrades

The big Triumph gearbox does not fit in a Vitesse so I still don't know if a MX5 box will fit.

[hairnet]

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, Six-cylinder said:

The big Triumph gearbox does not fit in a Vitesse so I still don't know if a MX5 box will fit.

Stick with a refurb, is MHO

[Six-cylinder]

Today's outing was to a gathering of the MK Modern Classics. With the weather being so iffy at the moment my Seicento got another run out to join a varied selection of cars including  a 1948 Healey Westland Ex Mille Miglia car looking a bit AS.

The other treat for today was a drive of @Prince_of_darkness91 Rover 623i Auto. Smooth easy to drive with a two tone beige interior, very much to my taste.

 

[hairnet]

23 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

Back in June 2022 after leaving the local Platinum Jubilee celebrations Mrs6C left our Triumph Vitesse in the road saying it was too difficult to find gears. 

 

 

[Talbot]

On 3/19/2023 at 7:55 PM, hairnet said:

chris is a massive leadfoot tho

I got most* of 40MPG when I drove it up from sussex to the FOD....

[HMC]

Thought i recognised the reg on that healey

[Dick Cheeseburger]

5 minutes ago, HMC said:

Thought i recognised the reg on that healey

That's an amazing find. 

[Six-cylinder]

Large man puts on a Seicento and gate crashes another Classic car event!

Notice the modern SUVs were made to turn around and face the hedge until they could behave like proper classic cars!

@Prince_of_darkness91 found a 600 friend today at the Milton Keynes Classic car Club. 

[Six-cylinder]

I need help Twice!

My favourite garage has agreed to take our Opel Manta after Easter for welding and making it a safe, running legal car. The deal is that it is a running car so it can be driven in and out of their workshop which should not be a problem as we had it running around the FoD last year. I need to move it to our yard so Windmill transport don’t have to drive on the grass in their truck in case it is soft. I would also like to tidy it best we can so it looks like a car worth saving. Is anybody free to help over Easter?

My friend Andrew from the Triumph Sports Six Club has volunteered to help put the engine back in the Saab 95 but we need some more man power. Is anybody free to help Tue 11^th April, Wed 12^th April or Thurs 13^th April?

[hairnet]

saab ❤️

 

[mat_the_cat]

I'm not certain at this stage, but I like the sound of a meet!

[Six-cylinder]

ANYBODY ABLE TO HELP ME?

Manta preparation list, the Manta is now booked for transport to be welded. I am hoping over the Easter period we can drive it around our field and get to looking spick and span so my favourite garage will see what a great car it will make. Slowsilver has been helping but it is too much for him so we need help.

 

Clear boot

Clean to make it look like a car worth saving

Glue down vinyl roof on rear pillar which is lifting

Clear our interior of loose stored stuff

Add petrol

Find missing rear seats and door cards at FoD

Check condition of tyres on original wheels

 

[Six-cylinder]

Manta prep stage 1 tomorrow Friday 1pm at the FoD if you want to see it.

Just pm me so I can let you in as we have new gates.

[richardmorris]

Good luck. Can’t help I’m afraid. Off to wales in the morning.

[Six-cylinder]

@Slowsilver and I started the Manta for the first time this year on Tuesday, but it would not move because the front brakes were locked and we run out of time so Friday we went back to it. 

Friday we got the front wheels turning and @Slowsilverdrove the Manta to the yard. We emptied out the car ready for the floors to be welded. I drove it back too slowly and got stuck because the front brakes are binding and the car was doing a one wheel peel on wet grass! Again we run out of time.

We got the Manta unstuck this morning with @Mrs6C , my son and daughter-in-law pushing!

I wished my son lived in the UK as it is useful to have somebody handy who can lift and move a Manta Auto gearbox, then hold it to pose for a picture!

I have booked Transport for the Manta 19th April so if anybody is available before then to take the brake pads out and work the piston calipers that would be very useful.

 

 

 

[Six-cylinder]

10am Tuesday 11th April is Saab 95 day, yes it has come to the top of the list again and we are going to attempt to refit the engine.

Anybody who wants to witness the event or join in is welcome.

[chaseracer]

Has the 404 moved since November...? 😉