Project Rusty Triumphs in Scotland - Fixing things... - 16/03/25

[SiC]

I think we should set up a support group "Men under the age of 35 who own broken old BL cars".

[MarvinsMom]

Oi!

 

wot about us oldies, who also own broken BL cars?

[SiC]

Oi!

 

wot about us oldies, who also own broken BL cars?

Those should know better, as they grew up knowing how rubbish they were.

[purplebargeken]

^^ Harsh but fair tbh.

[timolloyd]

Sounds good. For those of who with misty eyes muttering 'my Grandad/Great-Grandad had one of those'

[captain_70s]

Those new sills look perfectly fine to me and I wouldn't notice the non-originality. I've given up going for originality. I think it's called preservation not restoration by those in the know. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. Just getting the damn thing going so it can be used.

 

I know you don't like it much, but at least your mk7 Civic allows you to earn a living. Plus it stops the girlfriend running away after you've broken down by the side of the road again - even after a couple of days tinkering and not spending time with her! Don't forget that the car needs to take a lower priority than her. My other half often reminds me of that.

 

It does sound like you're nearly there with this now. Last few bits to get her back on the road. Have you tried having a lookout for a place/lockup where you can work on the car safely? Nothing worse than working on a unstable car.

The Civic is a handy tool for being able to drive to work, even if the handbrake can't be used in cold weather as it jams on... I think I'll actually have to put some effort into it this summer... The girlfriend currently tolerates the Triumph, I do spend more time with her than with it although it helps that I can take my girlfriend indoors out of the rain.

 

I've looked about for storage but I am simply too poor to rent any sort of garage around here, in my area of town a parking space will set you back £100+ a month. Also realistically in order to be worth it I'd need a power supply for lighting/tools. I do have a couple of mates who are also possibly considering vehicle storage so ideally we could split the cost of a shabby industrial unit FOADWERX style but it's still costly.

[captain_70s]

[SiC]

Well at least she looks smart in the video. I did chuckle when she died and subsequent attempted restarts were met with the sound of mooing.

[PhilA]

Ah, proper BL behavior. Fire enough to disengage the Bendix but not enough to actually start running.

 

Phil

[timolloyd]

This brought back memories of running my Spitfire through the winter. I live that gear lever gaitor. No risk of the lever getting cold!

[jonathan_dyane]

I know that you were having trouble with the cable but still felt that I should point out that winners adjust the choke on the fly while cranking!

[PhilA]

I know that you were having trouble with the cable but still felt that I should point out that winners adjust the choke on the fly while cranking!

This is why the ignition switch was moved in later years to save having to sit like Professor Steven Hawking, one foot on the throttle, leg twisted backwards, face crushed against the steering wheel, reaching round unnaturally to twist the key, while playing the pipe-organ stop Fandango with the choke pull.

 

Phil

[JeeExEll]

Well at least she looks smart in the video. I did chuckle when she died and subsequent attempted restarts were met with the sound of mooing.

I didn't watch the vid first. When I read this I thought it meant the girlfriend.

[clayts450]

Proper motoring that, you iz a winner.

 

Brought back memories of my S-reg Marina and the complex clothes peg/choke arrangement to coax the old dear to actually go anywhere once she'd spluttered into life

[forddeliveryboy]

It reminds me of what friendly and 'I'm trying hard', noises British cars made and how cosy the glow of those greens and reds is. I couldn't think of a more pleasant interior than that of a Triumph or Rover in which to be stuck waiting for someone with leads and a beefy battery.

 

In fairness, through the 80s on the school run it was always a newish Ford which failed in the cold and damp, much to my relief - Dad ran a series of Triumph and Rover 2000s, with the odd Landcrab for extra effect. For all their Lucas-ness and dodgy handbrakes, they never failed to start well. By comparison those Cortinas and Sierras were so grim once inside and under way, yet they caused no embarrassment to kids like a Morris 1800 could.

 

As above - try jiggling the choke while turning it over to find the optimum, unless it's Arctic then between a quarter and three quarters travel. I once started a Triumph barely different from yours in a ski resort when temps were -20C. Modern cars were churning their starters all over the hotel carpark, the rusty old chod caught second turn of the key and continued to run on the third. We piled in, Pneumants kicking up snow as the farty exhaust (held up with wire after a rather deep, icy snowdrift) effectively stuck two fingers up the the posh breakdowns as we set off for the slopes, in style.

[SiC]

Isn't that because most 70s SU carb cars are have knackered carbs/badly tuned and running rich all the time?

[captain_70s]

Proper motoring that, you iz a winner.

 

Brought back memories of my S-reg Marina and the complex clothes peg/choke arrangement to coax the old dear to actually go anywhere once she'd spluttered into life

Oh yeah, starting it is one thing. Driving it before the temp gauge is sitting at the 1/4 mark is something else entirely. Another adventure begins if you meet a hill before its properly warm.

 

It reminds me of what friendly and 'I'm trying hard', noises British cars made and how cosy the glow of those greens and reds is. I couldn't think of a more pleasant interior than that of a Triumph or Rover in which to be stuck waiting for someone with leads and a beefy battery.

 

In fairness, through the 80s on the school run it was always a newish Ford which failed in the cold and damp, much to my relief - Dad ran a series of Triumph and Rover 2000s, with the odd Landcrab for extra effect. For all their Lucas-ness and dodgy handbrakes, they never failed to start well. By comparison those Cortinas and Sierras were so grim once inside and under way, yet they caused no embarrassment to kids like a Morris 1800 could.

 

As above - try jiggling the choke while turning it over to find the optimum, unless it's Arctic then between a quarter and three quarters travel. I once started a Triumph barely different from yours in a ski resort when temps were -20C. Modern cars were churning their starters all over the hotel carpark, the rusty old chod caught second turn of the key and continued to run on the third. We piled in, Pneumants kicking up snow as the farty exhaust (held up with wire after a rather deep, icy snowdrift) effectively stuck two fingers up the the posh breakdowns as we set off for the slopes, in style.

The 1300 has a right plebeian interior for a Triumph saloon (with the flat plank dash from the Toledo and no wood door capings) to the extent I don't have any photos of it at all! Here is a stock image:

 

the 1850 was much nicer. I'd quite like to fit a 1500fwd interior as its a bit more plush. There is a mint example in the crusty, crash-damaged car up in Cornhill actually...

 

Obviously, that's a dream for a later day... I do hope to switch to a larger diameter steering wheel from an earlier 1500/Toledo/Dolomite at the very least though for maximum giffer points.

 

The thing would probably start up much better if I had the carb/ignition timing bang on and the exhaust not blowing at the manifold!  That's work for the summer though.

[SiC]

No All-Systems-Go indicator either on the 1300

[captain_70s]

I've come to the realisation the weather will always be cold/wet/windy, I'll just have to work when there isn't a combo of all three. Why am I doing this...

 

 

 

All that's left to sort now is the barely functioning hand brake and sticky front brake (assuming my GunGum exhaust bodgery seals nicely). I draw the line at sitting in a muddy puddle to work while the car slides off a jack and crushes me though, so that'll have to wait for a dry day.

 

Also, anything left inside the Triumph goes rusty or simply dissolves in the damp, so every time I work on the thing I have to lug all my tools down three flights of stairs...

 

 

No All-Systems-Go indicator either on the 1300

 

Nope, most disappointing.

[captain_70s]

Copy/paste from my Grumpy post:

 

 

Went out to do car stuff today.

 

Fucked about with the rear brakes for ages to end up with a handbrake that is exactly the same as it was before I'd begun, at least everything is freed up for the next attempt. The drums are scored really weirdly, each has two bands running around it, about 2-3cm wide which are pretty deep. May be a case of new drums and shoes at £100...

 

Also tried to fit some new Tex stainless windscreen wipers. I'm sure they could fit with enough tweaking with some pliers but as it was after an hour of fettling I got them seeming reasonably secure and they lasted a whole two wipes before the retaining clip pinged off and the driver's side one fell off. I put the plastic ones back on.

 

My bodged choke cable isn't working and the throttle cable surround keeps detaching because every fucking new part I buy doesn't fit so starting the car requires me to wedge the choke on the carb with a screwdriver. Also since I sealed the leaking manifold/downpipe join the car now runs worse...

 

I did however manage to fit the NOS Wingard rear view mirror I bought off eBay, so there is that at least... 

 

Will have to fuck about with the handbrake adjusters some more, I think the drums are adjusted correctly and there is plenty of life left in the shoes so it's just a case of wrestling with the rusty fittings to shorten the handbrake cables... 

 

I have a new plan for routing the choke cable, looking at pictures of various Triumph OHV cars suggests that the cable just goes wherever it'll fit and not get in the way of anything. The throttle cable is trickier, if I could get the plastic end off the sheathing, thread the cable through the holder on the carb and then replace the plastic end that'd sort it, not sure if that's actually possible though.

 

My GunGum application has cured the exhaust downpipe/manifold blow but the car now runs like arse, even when warmed up it'll hardly idle without choke and it coughs and splutters under acceleration, I've not had the chance to get it above 25-30mph. I was hoping that having actual back pressure would improve the running. I seem to recall noting a similar issue back when the exhaust first started blowing in that the car suddenly drove far better...

 

Here is my funky new interior mirror. The original plastic holders that screw into the roof have a tendency to split in half so the stalk falls off, this had happened to the 1850 so I swapped the 1300's mirror into that back when it was my daily ride. I never got around to nicking it back so the 1300 has a had a suction cup mirror rattling around on the parcel shelf for years now, I found a NOS Wingard mirror on eBay that looked vaguely similar to the Dolly one with a reverse rake stalk and bought it, as it happens the holes in the roof are exactly the same as the spacing on this mirror's mount and I still had the old screws kicking about so fitting was a doddle. It also features a suction cup for extra stability and has no dipping action because dipping mirrors are for fancy tossers.

 

I think they were common fitment on Minis...

[vulgalour]

Could the backbox have collapsed internally and is now acting to smother the engine somewhat since the gasses can't escape through the blow at the manifold?  Stab in the dark on that one really since it does seem a bit backwards that fixing the exhaust has made it run worse.  Difficulty idling and reluctance to accelerate sounds like it's running too lean, or too slow, or both, especially if it's continuing to be crap even when warmed up.  of course all of yours problems could stem from the fact that you're stubbornly determined to run a 70s BL product in Scotland like some sort of mentalist/hero.

 

Strongly approve of the festive tinsel, a statement that is almost completely extinct now.

[SiC]

Is it HIF or HS carbs on these? Unable to accelerate does sound like it's very lean. Air leak on intake side somewhere?

 

Or a clogged exhaust as Vulgarlour said.

[captain_70s]

Well work cancelled all today's shifts so I figured I'd work on the car.

 

 

Adjusted the brakes so they are just shy of engaging without prodding the pedal and then set about winding back the handbrake cables as there was miles of slack. Currently the handbrake feels like it is actually doing something and runs out of travel at 5 "clicks", I'm sure it used to get 6/7 before hand. At this point with the rear wheels off the ground the brakes are engaged and I can't spin them by hand but it still isn't enough to hold the car on a slope.

So either the brakes are maxed out and are simply too feeble to hold the car or there is more adjusting to be done to the stretched cables. Thing is, aside from the scoring there is plenty of life left in the shoes. I reckon this'll be a case of maxing out the cable adjustment and putting new ones on the shopping list.

 

I tested this at the end of my street and as I went to re-park the car it conked out and wouldn't restart, I pushed it back into position. in the snow... 

 

 

It sounded distinctly rough, the exhaust note sounded like an old 2-cylinder motorbike. Thinking back to me adjusting the ignition timing on the fly up in the Cairngorms I'm not sure I tightened the dizzy back up, it may well be drifting out of time while it runs all cold and lumpy. I'd have thought an air leak would be audible, clogged exhaust is very possible.

 

Also while I was outside a delivery of new bits arrived, new brake shoes, pads and another choke cable. The first two I don't need but are handy to have "in stock" just in case, the latter is to fuck about with to see if I can get myself a choke that doesn't need to be wedged on with a screwdriver under the bonnet...

 

Oh, I also got distracted talking to a passing chap who has a 2.8 Capri and another who used to have a Dolly Sprint!

 

(the eagle eyed amongst you will also notice I finally fitted a new nose badge...)

[Tickman]

Adjusted the brakes so they are just shy of engaging without prodding the pedal and then set about winding back the handbrake cables as there was miles of slack. Currently the handbrake feels like it is actually doing something and runs out of travel at 5 "clicks", I'm sure it used to get 6/7 before hand. 

When I adjusted the Toledo last it made a massive difference. It now holds the car on three clicks which I believe is what it should be for older cars with the tooth profile on the ratchet. Newer stuff I believe is about seven.

 

Just keep plodding through the list and you will get there at some point!

[plasticvandan]

im just amazed its not been towed

[captain_70s]

im just amazed its not been towed

There was a crashed Corsa B sat outside my flat that was there for over 8 months with no tax/MOT before it vanished one day... Although I am keen to get it back to the MOT station ASAP, hence tinkering when its -2C! If it was legal I'd not be doing fuck all with it until summer.

 

These things only get noticed if they get reported, although there is an older lady in my building who gives me a dirty stare whenever she sees me working on the car...

[Rusty Pelican]

Get the rear drums inner face trued up on a lathe , my Imps were 40 thou out and had this 5 / 6 / 7 click problem - its down to 2 now and the handbrake is superb 

Just an idea 

[SiC]

Found on the interwebs (Facebook). You probably have it already, but here it is anyway.

Triumph Dolomite 1300-1500 1976 to 1980.pdf

[Tadhg Tiogar]

.... there is an older lady in my building who gives me a dirty stare whenever she sees me working on the car...

Maybe she wishes you'd spend time greasing her nipples.

[captain_70s]

The Doloshite has now been at the garage for... Erm, 3-4 weeks or so? Every time I phone they say they've not had time to look at it, I then tell them there is no rush anyway and to just keep it there. Might just phone every forntnight and collect it when the fucker is MOT exempt.

 

The Civic is still being a car but I'm thoroughly done with it, the next load of garage bills will likely be more than it's worth. As thus I have another blue car (gotta' have a blue car and green car for driving around different bits of town for football politics) on my eBay watch list. It's from the early 1980s, has 3 weeks MOT left and looks set to sell for more than I could possibly sell the Civic for so it's an ideal* replacement.

I'm quite excited, it's been years since I've bought a "new" car...