Triumph - That was a year that was..

[Bfg]

Distinguished Gentleman's Drive - last Sunday.

Following up on my post of 26th September.., On Sunday I did indeed take part ' The Distinguished Gentleman's Drive'. Driving Katie, my '67 signal red TR4A , I met up with others likewise in dapper attire from the East Saxon's (Essex) group of the TR Register, to then meet up with all marques of classics and retro for a parade through Colchester town centre. Franks Motor Company were our hosts for the gathering, with their sales showroom being like a mini museum with interesting cars and bikes on display. Our gratitude for their hospitality.

Our apologies to the daily traffic through Colchester, Essex, that experienced delays due the procession of fifty or so cars, with police escort.

This event coincided with thousands of other classic car enthusiasts all around the world, similarly raising funds & awareness for both prostate cancer and men's mental health for the charity ' Movember '.

Dressed and moustached especially for this dapper day, I was personally sponsored to the sum of £87 towards the cause. My sincere thanks to those who generously gave. Katie of course performed without fault for the 100 mile round trip, and the weather stayed fine.

Should anyone like to add to this figure.. then please follow the link below to do so .... Even if just the cost of a beer or a cup of coffee - it all goes to help the charity serve those in need.

https://www.gentlemansdrive.com/driver/PeteBird21372

Photos attached of the run, with my, and our, Thanks. P.

 

[Bfg]

Went on a little run, the Saturday before last with Russell1972 and Dave of our local TSSC club group. Meeting at Russell's home near Claydon, nr. Ipswich we drove up to Rickinghall Classic Autojumble, near Diss. Russell led the route, via Stowmarket, in his Mk2 GT6 with Dave in his Mk3.  I was of course in Katie.  Avoiding the A14 dual-carriageway we had a pleasant drive across country, enjoyed the event and then a similarly a fun drive home.  For myself it would have been a 60 mile round trip, but for the fact I then went on to laze around on my boat for the afternoon. 

Stupidly, I got a (camera) speeding ticket after a brief spurt of 'catching up with them' in Stowmarket.  Despite being a motorcyclist and some quick cars - I don't recall having a speeding ticket before.  Over 52 years, I guess that was more luck than compliance.!  Ironically shadow driving is something that annoys me, and yet that's exactly my mistake here ..following / catching up the cars in front of me rather than driving my own car according to road regulations. My bad.  Still I enjoyed the drive, good company and and interesting event.   

Pete.

 

[Spottedlaurel]

11 minutes ago, Bfg said:

Went on a little run, the Saturday before last with Russell1972 and Dave of our local TSSC club group. Meeting at Russell's home near Claydon, nr. Ipswich we drove up to Rickinghall Classic Autojumble, near Diss.

I was there in the Laurel, it can be seen through the window of the Ford Pop (?) above. I saw your car there.

It's a good event, I try and go a few times each year. This time around the autojumble was probably bigger than I've ever seen it before.

[Bfg]

i discovered a few drips of oil under the overdrive.  So before I lay the car up for the winter months (...I prefer to use Burble, my Daimler 250 saloon at this time of year) I wanted to investigate and hopefully sort it out. 

As per the advice given from three individuals (thank you Gentlemen of the TSSC and TR Register) and equally from my own inspection - I'm reckoning it's the gear-change shaft seals seeping. That's disappointing after so few miles ..since the gearbox was professionally rebuilt, but then these things can happen.  Cleaning, test drive, then inspection suggests the gearbox oil (which is still clear, unlike the engine oil) originates from under the gear lever, drips onto the overdrive unit.. to then run down either side of it, although mostly on the left hand side around the overdrive's solenoid. 

^ There are three actuating shafts to this gear-change mechanism, and so three o-rings (item 67 in the above Haynes Manual illustration).  Any one, or all of them might be seeping.  The gearbox tunnel (cover) needs to come off inside the car, but the gearbox stays in place.

   

Rainy miserable day today and so I spent most of it in an alternative reality, that of John Marshall, Marshall to King Henry 1st, King Stephen and I think thereafter three others. Returning back from the early 12th century, I donned my working attire and set-to at 3;40pm on the tenth day of November, in the second year of King Charles III.  With no H-frame to hamper matters it was a quick task to roll the carpets aside.  Katie's steel gearbox tunnel is part of this car's body stiffness and as such the fit is tight and there are numerous fastenings. 

     

^ Removing first the speedo drive's access cover, helped confirm the oil had come from above.  I had sort of hoped that it was simply the speedo drive leaking, but alas not. 

     

^ Rear half-cover of the gearbox tunnel removed (4;24pm) and the path of the oil leak was quite apparent (2nd photo, indicated by the screwdriver). 

To get to those o-ring seals - the whole cover needed to come off, and the gear-change mechanism complete with the gearbox's top cover has to be lifted off.. 

    

^ On Katie, 14 bolts secure the forward section of the cover to the floor and the bulkhead. It's easy but slow progress when everything was put together with stainless bolts and Copaslip.

 

^ 5;25pm = 1hr 45 minutes including cleaning things as I discovered the oil's path. It would have been quicker but I don't have a cordless drill here to speedily unwind those threads. 

   

 ^ photograph as an aide memoir regarding the wiring to the switches.  Oddly both switches were barely finger tight, so a tiny amount of oil had spread around those too.  Gear-change mechanism with the top cover was lifted at 5;50, so 2hrs 10 minutes from the c.12th. !

   

^ confirmation of this gearbox's principle leak .. passed the actuating shaft's o-rings.  

   

^ according to the manual's illustration ; the o-rings are held in place by the steel plate.  The ends of the three actuating shafts have to be released and then the two bolts (presently hiding behind those shafts) are undone and the plate removed. 

. . . That'll wait 'til tomorrow now.  It's time for a cup of tea and me supper.  Still, I can rest easy tonight, knowing that this, recently occurred, oil leak isn't anything more serious than rubber o-rings, that should have been replaced during the £1000 rebuild ...but probably weren't.   I'll be glad to have it done before her winter lay-up. 

Pete 

[RayMK]

@Bfg, good, methodical work, as always.  Out of curiosity, what material are the specified 'O' seals?  Nitrile or Viton perhaps?

[Bfg]

1 hour ago, RayMK said:

@Bfg, good, methodical work, as always.  Out of curiosity, what material are the specified 'O' seals?  Nitrile or Viton perhaps?

Thank you.

Originally rubber, but I shall shop for Viton and then use silicon grease over them to both externally lubricate and hopefully prevent dust ingress and wear.   I will of course make sure the shafts are smooth and free of burrs, pitting &/or scoring before reassembly.

Pete

[Bfg]

14 hours ago, RayMK said:

@Bfg, good, methodical work, as always.  Out of curiosity, what material are the specified 'O' seals?  Nitrile or Viton perhaps?

Further to this question, a member of the TR Register who recommended Nitrile Quad-rings. He says they do the job.  But with this shape's lesser contact area I wonder - how long they'd last for.?  

https://maydayseals.co.uk/quad-rings-/2857-q-112-nitrile-quad-ring.html

Nitrile is said to be a little harder wearing than Viton, which is probably necessary to minimise wear.  

The o-rings (in Viton) are most likely easier to fit straight, have more material to wear (for a longer life-span), and may allow the slightest film (controlled seepage) of oil to lubricate the shaft.

Swings and roundabouts, but on reflection, and given that rubber o-rings have been good until now, I think I'm still in favour of o-rings.  Whether Viton (with its slightly better chemical resistance), or Nitrile (with its slightly better wear characteristics) is I think more a matter of which is easier to source. 

Pete

 

 

[RayMK]

3 hours ago, Bfg said:

Further to this question, a member of the TR Register who recommended Nitrile Quad-rings. He says they do the job.  But with this shape's lesser contact area I wonder - how long they'd last for.?  

https://maydayseals.co.uk/quad-rings-/2857-q-112-nitrile-quad-ring.html

Nitrile is said to be a little harder wearing than Viton, which is probably necessary to minimise wear.  

The o-rings (in Viton) are most likely easier to fit straight, have more material to wear (for a longer life-span), and may allow the slightest film (controlled seepage) of oil to lubricate the shaft.

Swings and roundabouts, but on reflection, and given that rubber o-rings have been good until now, I think I'm still in favour of o-rings.  Whether Viton (with its slightly better chemical resistance), or Nitrile (with its slightly better wear characteristics) is I think more a matter of which is easier to source. 

Pete

 

 

Nitrile is  good all-round provided that temperature is not a problem.  At work, for different compatibility reasons - and this was in 2008 - we generally favoured Viton, butyl or silicon rings, occasionally pressurised metal 'O' seals,  the latter for gasket type high temperature applications where the component was strong enough to accommodate the large number of fixings required to achieve the necessary pull-down force.  Sealing technology was always of considerable interest because liquid propellant rockets had very demanding sealing requirements, with compatibility, temperature and material life requirements often close to the limits of 'O' seal technology of the time.  PTFE 'O' seals were problematic because of the material's tendency to creep, thus relaxing the sealing force over time.  We only tried seals having a complex cross section when needing excellent sealing under dynamic loads e.g. a moving component which was under, or generated very high G forces. These were usually 'U' section, designed to increase the sealing force when under dynamic pressure. Car master and slave cylinders use  these. All seals often ran in to compression set problems after the design life of 17 years in space, or long term effects of the storage environment if it was a military application.  It's all horses for courses - and I'm going off on a tangent!!  

[Bfg]

^ an interesting tangent nevertheless - Thank you  

With vents through the casing, there's only atmospheric pressure within the gearbox, and these o-rings are simply to minimise oil splash from running out along the actuating shafts. But even then, allowing a slight film of oil between the seal and the sliding shaft will help minimise wear. 

Preventing puddles under a Triumph isn't rocket science, it's more like the UK's Water Board's plumbing.    I sort-of only jest.  But as I pointed out to one chap.. there's good reason drip trays are used in even the most exotic classic car showrooms and museums (including airworthy aviation museums). 

Pete

[Bfg]

Had a chance today, to get on with replacing the o-rings in Katie's gearbox cover. 

First though I filled the mystery hole in the middle (3rd - 4th gears) actuating shaft.  I agree that this would have contributed to the this gearbox's leak  . . .

   

I filled this with epoxy (JB Weld) and as it's a cold steel shaft - I heated it to feel very warm but not too hot (using the gas cooker), Apply the epoxy resin filler, and then as the shaft cools - the air inside the hole contracts to ambient air temperature (in the garage) which sucks the filler in.  I then left it overnight on a radiator, with the epoxy sitting proud of the surface, to harden before using a craft knife blade to shave the excess off.

^ A useful tip you might note here is the use of a small Post-it pad sheet, and a chisel-ended coffee-stirring-stick, to mix the two-part epoxy.  The Post-it pad sheet sticks to the work surface as I'm mixing the compounds together. very handy.!   

    

An integral part of the gear-change mechanism is to ensure that one or more of the actuating shafts are systematically constrained ...so they cannot engage different gears at the same time. For example ; the gearbox cannot be in 2nd and 4th gear at the same, nor into a forward gear and reverse at the same time.  A clever but simple plunger with indent balls prevent this. This plunger is transversely through the middle (3rd & 4th gear) actuating shaft and ball bearings lock into indents on the other two.       

^ The components ; plunger and x2 balls, are shown above (left) and the drillings, that the balls sit in during assembly, are shown arrowed (right photo).  I used a screwdriver blade to fill the arrowed hole (on both sides of that central bore) with multi-purpose grease and then a magnetic screwdriver to lower each ball bearing down the bore.  A second small screwdriver was used to then push the ball sideways into the greased cavity. The grease held the ball bearings in place during the fitment of the o-ring seals and shafts. The plunger was likewise held in place (in the hole through the middle shaft) with more grease. 

   

The three o-rings, which prevent the gearbox oil from running out along the gear-change actuating shafts, fit into machined recesses. The size of the o-rings is 1/2" ID, 11/16" OD, and so 3/32" in sectional diameter. Their fit is snug ..both on the shaft and in the machined recess, so the o-rings are compressed very slightly into that confined space. As a consequence a slight elasticity (pressure) is applied to create the seal. 

However, because the recesses are machined a little too deep, each by 1/16" more than they need to be - the o-ring flattens to an oval shape and the sealing pressure is very little indeed.  I sought to increased this by not allowing the o-ring into such an easy oval shape.  I did this by adding a second (skinny) o-ring in each hole (outside the primary o-ring) which fills that 1/16" depth of recess.

To keep the o-rings in alignment as their cover plate was refitted, I used conical nozzles from goo gun tubes. Their gently tapered cone-shape kept each o-ring centralised in each recess. The o-rings were smeared in silicon grease ...so how ?? they managed to stay in place is a mystery, but it worked.   The securing bolts for that cover plate had split washers to secure them but still I used medium strength Loctite on their threads too.  

The fit of the o-rings are now tight on the shafts, but it all assembled easily and the (lubricated) sliding of those actuating shafts is smooth. 

The middle shaft goes in first, gently easing its end through the double o-rings, then further through the casing until the spacer tube (which restrains gear change travel) could be fitted and then the actuating fork itself. 

The other two actuating shafts followed suit.  These shafts, each in turn, will come against those ball bearings, within the case.  Don't try and force things, but apply a little pressure inwards as you move the middle-shaft back & forth ..until the ball inside can move sideways (out of the shaft's way) into the recess in the middle shaft.  You'll find when all the shafts are in place, as above then the gear change is in neutral ...which is what it was when I lifted the top cover off the gearbox.  

The square-headed pins which locate and secure each actuating fork were again cleaned of oil and Loctite applied.  Again I used my sturdy adjustable spanner (end on) with a tommy-bar through its handle to achieve the tightness I sought.  When I dismantled these, there was some movement between the forks and the shafts, but now these screws are fully tightened - the forks are very firmly held in place. I hope this is correct. 

That's where the Haynes manual ends the chapter on reassembly. Item 20 simply says "Lubricate all moving parts and refit the top of the gearbox, preferably using a new gasket"  

But hang on there's bits not yet refitted. The indent plungers and their springs . . . which go into the three holes inbetween the cover's rear two bolt holes. . .

    

^ Oops.. Mr Haynes manual technical author - there are bits left over. Thankfully I had carefully positioned these components in order, as I dismantled, on a tray which was put aside so they weren't knocked and mixed up.  I'd also taken a photo of them just in case of such a mishap.  These parts are different to those shown in the manual's illustration, so I'm glad to have taken the precaution.   

^^ (2nd photo shows) the parts reassembled, with gearbox oil dribbled into the holes to lubricate the shafts. The two little spacers over the top of the smaller springs (which go inside the indent cups) took a little jiggling with a screwdriver ..before they were free moving to compress the springs. Again there's no point in trying to force things.  I didn't know how tight the retaining screws should be, but when I dismantled things they were just below the gasket face, and so that's where they are again now.  Again these were Loctited in place, although they cannot unwind very far because of that gasket face.       

Now we're almost ready to refit the cover. But let's face it.. it's far easier to top-up the gearbox / overdrive oil level, if needed, while the top cover is off.   

I also checked the gearbox breather vent was clear. On this overdrive gearbox - the vent is on the top right-hand side of the overdrive unit.  That and the gearbox share the same oil and therefore a combined reservoir chamber.  Using a rubber hose ..to extend my lips, I blew through the vent's hole and could clearly hear the sound through the open gearbox cover.

After a final clean up, I was ready to refit the top cover. . . 

    

^ I did this twice, because in the first instance I forgot to place the cover under the wires to the overdrive.  Hey ho, I never said I never make mistakes, but I am pretty good a catching and correcting them.    ^^ The top cover bolts were evenly tightened to 16 lb-ft. ...which isn't very much at all.   Uneven tightening though can lead to the cover distorting and then leaks.

  

^ Both overdrive switches were loose and weeping oil when I dismantled things (literally finger loose) and so I've tightened them with grips.  Before you get all 'engineering precious' you'll note the jubilee-clip tightened around the switch to spread the torsional effort and to save it from grip damage.   Like many of you I didn't have a thin 1-1/8" flat spanner to otherwise tighten them.   I did replace the felt washer under them and also added a thin o-ring, and PTFE tape on their threads. 

NOTE : The depth these switches fit into the cover is important.  Be wary of changing the fibre washers under them changing the depth they sit into the cover.  Once the wires are connected and the gear-change lever repositioned - the action of the solenoid is easily checked by selecting 2nd gear, turning the ignition on (without starting) and flicking the overdrive switch. If the wiring connections are correct then they'll be a loud click from the solenoid. Disengage 2nd gear, dropping into neutral, and if the depth of the switches are correct then the solenoid will automatically disengage.  Beforehand, on this gearbox, there were two thin plastic washers under the switches. Being plastic, they offered little friction to prevent the switches from unwinding, which in turn allowed them to weep oil.  The thicker fibre-washers I fitted (replacing those in plastic) was close enough to work, will be more secure, and will offer a decent seal.  

I'm now hopefully that the effort will all but stop the gearbox / overdrive from leaking.  Certainly after some 8,000 miles of use, the inside of the gearbox tunnel is still dry and clean, so the leak couldn't have been much to write home about. Nor was it under pressure to squirt.  Its 'leak' appears to have been a combination of six or more individual seeps.  With each addressed there's potential for a drip-free garage floor next season. 

I've since refitted the gear lever, without refitting the gearbox tunnel, simply because it's prudent to check the operation of the gearbox ..before it's hidden away.  But as it's still hissing with rain - that road test can wait until tomorrow.

EDIT : road test was fine, although surprisingly noisy without my steel gearbox tunnel.  In truth ; the gear-change felt more clunky but that may in part be the induced anxiety (from the noise and the propshaft U.J. whizzing round so very close to my thigh and left hand) and the tighter selector forks. I don't think the double o-rings made any difference to the feel, because of the leverage of the gear change. 

The tunnel was dropped into place and the operation of the solenoid checked again. It's quite easy to knock a wiring connection off as I fit the cover, so this quick check is a reassurance that all is good to go and the cover can be bolted down and carpeted over.  That has all now been refitted. The weather (Sunday) is overcast but dry, so I can go out for a drive today.   

Hopefully this little report has been of interest and may be of use to others.  a Big Thank You to those of the TR Register and TSSC forums, who have offered helpful advice and useful links, and otherwise contributed to this conversation and my understanding.  

Pete 

 

[Bfg]

Half Decent weather today, insomuch as it was overcast but dry.  After a week of greyness and drizzle, I took the opportunity to have a pleasant run out in Katie before the temperature drops next week. . . 

   

From Ipswich, around Woodbridge and Melton, through the outskirts of Rendlesham forest, and across to a local haunt of mine - Orford Castle on Suffolk's coast.  despite being off the beaten track, from neolithic times, through Roman and Saxon, High Mediaeval, through to the 2nd World War and through the cold war years, East Suffolk is steeped in history.  Only the peculiarly designed keep of Orford Castle remains standing, but it had been saved by some Lord or other a few hundred years ago, to be used as a hunting lodge.  He had refitted a roof and internal floors that way-laid internal erosion that would have otherwise occurred.  Built between 1165-73, just 100 years after Briton became an occupied territory of Norman rulers (themselves of Viking decent) ... the keep has large (~28 ft diameter) circular halls on two floors. With winding passageways within the 14 foot thick walls, and broad spiral staircase and chambers within the three towers, it's absorbing to walk where others did so .. 850 years ago, and to image the purpose of each space, and the men and perhaps families who dwelt and served here.   

    

For it's era the architecture was very advanced, which not only included fireplaces with chimneys (..when most great Halls still had smoke vents in their roof), but also private latrines and kitchen sinks with drains (above right showing the sink with drain hole straight through the wall).  The above left photo shows some of the architectural style within its chapel. Other parts of the keep had similar features, particularly those which still remain in the entrance vestibule.   Many of the archways and the main staircase still have the moulded outlines and grained imprint of the timber planks, which were built as a former to build their curved or spiral ceilings.  Literally you can still see how the staircase was built from the basement level up ..with the walls being built and mortar & stones laid over the timber mould. After the concrete had set, the next level of spiral stairs were eventually laid over that ceiling, The tower's five foot wide staircase spirals up from basement to roof - some 90+ft (27m).   

The Keep not only had the great fireplace, with sleeping chambers behind it wall for gentle warmth, but also other fireplaces for localised warmth, cooking &/or heating water on each floor, including the basement and the watch's guardroom on the roof.  That on the roof included an oven for baking, which I suspect was kept as a ready source of flame should the tower's beacon need to be lit ..signalling and warn Sudbourne and other Halls, Framlingham and Walton Castles, and local villages of a hostile fleet of ships sailing up, or attempting to land on this coast.  

Although a sleepy village now, 9- 700 years ago, the port of Orford enjoyed very much more lucrative overseas trade than Ipswich.  At that time Felixstowe and Harwich barely existed.  Of course, the sea levels have subsequently altered considerably, and the shingled spit known as the ness, has very much been transformed by centuries of coastal storms - but still the castle's commanding position over the eastern horizons are still impressive.  Some castles and many homes have subsided into the seas, but from historical records it appears that Orford has become further inland.  To me it's interesting to work backwards through time, to not only to envisage the difference in politics and social lifestyles, but also the different topography and features of the landscape.  A once forested landscape has long since become arable farmland, many villages and roads, but also the marsh-land which once were were drained, water mills once commonplace have mostly all gone (the water mill at Woodbridge being much later than the 12th century).   It an ever changing world we live in. . .

 

Pete.

p.s.  Katie's gear-change works fine, with no discernable difference in feel than before, which is good  

 

[Bfg]

I don't know whether it was me tuning into the noise recently, the deteriorating roads surfaces around Suffolk, or the car,  but Katie had an annoying, and seemingly getting louder, rattle from the passenger side.  It was difficult to identify exactly where it came from as I have the Surrey-Top backlight and just the passenger half of the Surrey-Top lid (which I made in fibreglass) on most of the time.  There's no noise insulation in the surrey-top and so - although there's less wind noise, there tends to be more car noise reverberating around. 

Her Surrey-top lid sits on neoprene, there's door window sealer around the aperture, so I assumed the hard rattle must be coming from within the door.  I thought perhaps a bolt holding the window runners on had come undone near their bottom, but opening the door and shaking it didn't seem to produce the same hardness of clank.  Certainly the door rattles, and would benefit from new runner felts, but those tinkerings weren't of the same hardness. 

Sitting there in the passenger seat, legs out sideways, as I was just about to remove the door card to investigate further, something in me had me thump the B-post, ie., where the door shut locks.  Clank ! .,.. from inside the B-post / rear wing.   Despite my mind being not as sharp as it once was (or so I assume because I cannot really remember for sure), it didn't take a minute to remember that there's captive plate within that post, at shoulder height, into which the hood frame's pivot screws go into.  Without those screws.. in the plate rattles, and although it must have settled quietly for a long while, perhaps recently a road bump had jolted it to be on edge ..so it now clanks around.  The captive plate's thread is 1/4" UNF and I found a cheese-headed set-screw, probably out of the original hood frame, which had found its way into my spare set-screws pot.   With that tightened in - Katie has one less rattle.    . . . that leaves just another two score-dozen to maintain her Cha Cha Cha rhythms of the maracas. 

On the driver's side there was no stereo effect  ..because I'd set a bolt into that plate, onto which I hang the seat belt's buckle, when I get out of the car. 

Pete 

[Bfg]

Time for Katie's oil change, before laying the car up through the winter, so I've just ordered, from Moss UK, six 5-litre cans of Dynolite engine oil and 3 litres of gear oil, each at half price.  In short saving close to £125 +VAT. 

The engine oil I've gone for is Dynolite Classic Engine Oil, 25W-70, which is low detergent high (1245 ppm) zinc. The just slightly heavier (than 25w-50) oils are suitable for both the TR4 engine, the Daimler 250 V8, and my Sunbeam motorcycles, which is why I stocked up while the price was good.   The gear oil I've gone for is the Dynolite Gear 40, which according to reliable sources on the TR Register forum is a better alternative to EP90, for these older gearboxes with overdrive. 

Pete

[Bfg]

Time for Katie's oil change, before laying the car up through the winter.  I ordered, from Moss UK, on Tuesday Evening.  Standard delivery was paid for but even then the oil was delivered within a day and half. 

Today, there's ice in the garden's water butt, but I took the car around the block, did a little grocery shopping and then immediately put the car up on ramps upon our return.  Oil drain plug out and left to drain the warm oil into the pot.  The photo looks odd because Katie has her two front wheels up on ramps and then there's a 6" block under just the rear right wheel, so the oil in the sump pan flows towards the drain hole.   

After a cuppa, it's now time to get on, back to the down-under to remove the old oil filter. 

Pete

[Bfg]

Having changed Katie's engine oil and filter, and having fed the leather in her MX-5 seats, Yesterday, I drove down to Colchester, Essex to meet with Bob (TR6) from the East Saxon's group, where we then went onto Frank's motorcycles Coffee & Cops morning.  The weather was clear and dry, but the roads still wet from overnight rain. The drive down the A12 was repeatedly annoying... at first due to a car and trailer (60mph speed limit) barely overtaking a group of four lorries. Leaving sensible distance between myself and the next car, the lorries in turn pulled out in front of me to again barely overtake their mates.  Ten miles seems a long time when you're sitting in the road spray of such vehicles. Finally, having passed them, two other drivers in succession likewise pulled out in front of me to overtake slower traffic, despite my driving to the legal speed limit and having my headlamps on, and no vehicle close behind me.   It seems that very few drivers nowadays look beyond their car's length to see that if they wait just one minute until a car passes that it's clear behind them.  I often wish I had cannons built into the side lamps.!

At Franks, the biker demographics of a Tuesday coffee morning was pretty obvious. Grey hair and aged skin prevailed. many look very old, and I say that as a 69 years old.   Still the bikes in the showroom were worth the visit. A very nice silver with blue 1977 Ducati Desmo (Desmodromic valve system) which I'm guessing it was the 900ss, had a price tag in £10,000 in excess of my Katie's.  Other Ducati, Motor Guzzi and BMW's similarly attracted my eye, in particular an R1100S for £3000.  And a Honda six was in the back of the workshop waiting for its turn with the mechanic..  There was also a K100 cafe racer with Yamaha front forks and brakes set-up, which was only of interest because I used to ride K-series BMW.  At over £-seven-grand I can't see it rushing out of the door, but then what do I know. 

Franks motorcycles also has its cafe, with display window to the workshop.  Coffee was good ..as was the English breakfast I had for lunch. Bob had a (huge) burger with fries, which seemed to go down pretty easily too.  We had a good chap with the Community Support Policeman, with Bob asking about the getting rid of the Police Commissioner.  I don't follow current affairs or the news so I don't know if that was for the Essex force, or for the country.  As far as I was concerned a Police Commissioner was something from a Batman movie, I didn't know we had them in the UK. And perhaps we won't soon. 

After a very pleasant morning, we returned to Bob's home to drop off the Dynolite Classic Engine Oil he wanted (we combined postage) which I'd bought on offer (half price) from Moss UK, which was wrapped in Rimmers tape. And then it was a great drive home ..again to the national speed limit, Katie does like the seasonally cool air. It seems to boost her performance by a good 10%    

I visited my old boat in passing, to pick up some bits I wanted at home, and then dropped in a Aldi to top up on groceries.  It was a beautiful dusk sky as I finally headed for home. Only a 75 mile round trip, but the an enjoyable drive (..after the outgoing frustration). 

Thank you Bob for the invite. Perhaps a shame that others were otherwise busy, but still it was a good morning out in bright sunny weather.

Pete  

p.s. Franks motorcycles . . .

https://franksmotorcycles.co.uk/used-motorcycles/ols/products

who also have a car showroom. 

https://franksmotorcompany.co.uk/car-showroom/ols/all?page=2

[Bfg]

Just to say like...  I'm still using Katie now, but don't enjoy town-driving her in the dark ..because I find other car's headlamps are often too bright &/or poorly adjusted.  Increasingly often they are blatantly dangerous.  Still, I love to drive the TR through autumnal countryside and woodland on a bright sunny day, and equally on a crisp winters day, but those miles are very limited. 

Through the winter months I prefer to drive 'Burble' my Daimler 250 (1968 Jaguar saloon)  The driving position is better for other's headlamps, and to be honest I love the alternative ambiance of a luxury motoring classic. 

Why then the oil change at this time of year ?  Well simply, I want the car ready to go in the springtime.  So after the classic car events, and most historic venues I like to go to, close down for the season, well then that's a good time to work through any jobs.  Servicing the car, replacing a bulb in the number plate lamp, sorting out the gearbox / overdrive weep, likewise an annoying rattle, sort out and deep clean of the interior, feed the leather seats, checking the condition of the tyres and the underside of the car, checking the tightness of nuts and bolts, touch in any paint chips and giving her a good wax polish ...these were all on my 'ought to do' list for this year.  End of season doesn't mean not using the car occasionally, but in the dark &/or in the wet, my mileage is very much less than in summer months.  

I don't put the car up on blocks, because, as I say, she's always ready to go for a drive. But when laid up, I do loosely cover her, poke a plastic bag to close her exhaust pipe from humidity, and isolate the battery.  She 's parked up with a fully charged battery, and that is good, but just in case I have an optimiser / trickle battery charger to hand, and an electric pump for the tyres.  Personally I don't like to run the car in and out of the garage a few times.  I always drive them for a few miles, (and preferably 5 - 10 miles), perhaps stopping to do some shopping, but most importantly it's to ensure she's run long enough off choke, and hot enough to clean the spark plugs and piston tops again, and to expel or dry condensation from inside the crankcases and exhaust silencer.  I poke a plastic bag into her exhaust pipe when she's parked up, to keep moisture out of the exhaust silencer. 

I also jet wash underneath. . .

In particular I clean under her wings and the insides of the front and rear valance panels, the inside of the sills around the body mounts, and up around the lamps (around the side and rear lights on the TR4A are mud traps).  I direct the jet to clean the wheel-arch side of the bulkhead and the end of sill caps, where flanges and the top face of the chassis tend to hold mud and grit.  Likewise directing the jet-wash straight up under the wheel arches to clean out the wind to body joint, where the chrome strip is sandwiched. which is again another mud trap which holds moisture.  The wheel-arch rolls are jet washed and wiped around with a washing up sponge until all mud is out.  I simply don't like to leave mud & grit under the wheel arches, which slows moisture drying out. 

I don't have a compressor and air line to blast the water out of those places, so after a week or so in storage (also under a loose outdoor cover) to dry out, I'll go back into these places with red paint ..a sacrificial layer of protection for occasional winter use and next year's touring.   

Katie was repainted 35 years ago, and she's still looking good. I'd like to keep her like that. 

Burble, the Daimler is scruffy in comparison but is similarly laid up through the summer, although I must admit I used her quite a bit during last summer as well.  

Pete   

 

[Bfg]

Back under the arches yesterday.  Dull cold weather but dry.  Lack of light stopped play around 3:30 in the afternoon even though I had a portable LED strip lamp to work with. 

     

having jet washed under here, there are nocks and crannies that hold dirt and corrode.  I simply wanted to paint up into those corners, into those crevices and along the metal's edges to try as a preventive measure..  It's not beautiful artistry, but then who ever sees under there !

Today i had hoped to do the same under the rear wheel arches but a day of drizzling rain stopped play. 

Can't complain though considering it's mid December. 

Pete 

[captain_70s]

Are there any wheel arch liners or are all those nice wide seams open to the worst of the road spray?

[Bfg]

11 hours ago, captain_70s said:

Are there any wheel arch liners or are all those nice wide seams open to the worst of the road spray?

As designed, the wings are screw fastened to the inner wheel arches ..using sheet metal screw clips. And then, there's also the flange of the wing-top chromed strip sandwiched inbetween them. The underside of this gap is vulnerable to road spray  ..hence the reason I was keen to jet wash into them, let them dry for a week, and then to hand paint up into those crevices.

Yes, aftermarket wheel arch liners are available ..which some say are pretty good, but I wonder if they do not just create hidden cavities that are no longer well ventilated to dry out ?  Around the edges of after-market wheel arch liners is a gap, and perhaps rubber seals that with road grit chafes the paint off the metal. Unlike many modern cars, the fit is not exact all the way around, so dirt gets behind the liner and sits in there as damp mud.  

If I were rally driving, or, as before, living down a farmer's dirt track, then I would probably fit them, but now that I live in suburbia and mostly drive on tarmac - I think paint ..and perhaps a bit of spray polish, and clear ventilation is a fair compromise. 

Pete

[Bfg]

Yesterday, I finished up painting under Katie's rear wheel arches ..before I take a day or two off for Christmas.

   

I did the rear right arch on the 19th when it was a bright and dry December day, and could work outside.   With the sunlight illuminating into the front wheel arch  I touched up a few spots I'd not done so well as I would have liked (into that tight front corner) before I got on with scrubbing with a scouring pad likewise repainting under the rear arch.  ^^ To reach high into the narrow gap, of the top corner around the rear lamp, I needed a brush handle extension.  An off-cut of 1" dia, plastic tube helped with that.   I wonder where I had that from ? 

Disappointingly, when I moved across to repaint under the left rear wheelarch and similarly jacked that up high, I found that my previous jet washing under there was not up to the standards I expect.  I suspect the mud under the near-side wing must have been thicker &/or harder packed, and some of it was still in there.  After, over a week to dry out, there were places where that mud was still wet.  This is exactly why I wanted to get it out and to seal into those corners with fresh paint.  I decided to jet wash it again ..which of course then meant that I needed to let it dry out before I could paint.   

I came back to finishing it yesterday.  Being a sunny but still damp underfoot day - I chose to work within the entrance of the storage unit, again using an LED strip lamp to see into the shadows. 

      

^ looking pretty as well as a useful protective coat..     

^  Again the handle extension, electrically taped onto the brush, proved essential to reach up into the narrow crevice.  Runs and drips were wiped off the chassis and brackets (with white-spirit and paper towel) but from the photograph it looks as if I missed one on the mudguard bracket.  I was not concerned about painting over the wires from the number plate lamps ..as the ends of those wires are still correctly colour coded. 

And so..,  another winter job is now done.   If I get a chance I'll spray wax polish (not wax injection which dust and grit sticks to) into those places as well. Again it'll help the road spray run away. 

Two days ago (21st December) was the winter solstice (shortest lay / longest night) and at 3:28pm the sunset was very pleasant to drive home in. 

Most likely that's the last of my / Katie's updates before Christmas, and so I take this opportunity to wish you all *** Season's Greetings and a Happy New Year. *** 

My thanks to you all for your continued support and encouragement throughout the past year.  I wish you well and safe and fun TR motoring through the holiday season and into the new year. 

Pete  

- - -

 

[Bfg]

Unexpectedly an elderly gentleman, I think from Bridgenorth, has been back in touch.  ..this morning while I was writing the above post.

He had phoned me on the 12th, asking a few general questions ..and then I never heard from him again.  That's not unexpected when I had adverts on both Ebay and Car & Classics .. and when people are from the other side of the country. 

Anyway, yesterday, after painting under the rear wheel arch, as I stopped into Aldi's to do some grocery shopping on the way home - I received a call from someone saying he lived nearby, and was calling on behalf of said elderly friend. Apparently he had previously owned a TR6 and been asked to see Katie ..over a week ago.. to confirm or conflict with what appears in my Car & Classics advert,  ..but with things at this time of year being what they are - he hadn't gotten around to it.  Sounding a little embarrassed to have not done as he'd agreed.., could he come tomorrow or Christmas eve (ie., today or tomorrow) to see the car.?    I told him that someone else, a nice chap from Kenilworth, had already visited to see and drive in Katie (and he'd brought a garage owning friend to check things over). They had gone away but two weeks later had come back again, and was now very interested.  I went on to say that 'He proposed a low price, which he knew was a bit silly, but I'd not got upset. He'd said he would come back to me immediately after Christmas after I thought about what I might accept ..and then perhaps we might agree on a price.' 

I gave this friend of the elderly gentleman a link to Katie's recent story 'That was the year that was ' in the TR Register forum so he might verify what and when I'd done the work on Katie, but otherwise left things open for him to contact me... as and when he was free to come and see the car. 

What I'd said about the chap from Kenilworth is perfectly true.  in short, I tire of game players, and I'm not smart enough to remember a lie that I might have previously told ..so I simply say things as they are and do not hide anything subversive like . 

Last night I lay there in bed and thought about it..  two people now wanting to buy Katie ..after three months of the car being advertised and countless calls and messages, offers to swap an E-type Jag (project), another with an Austin Healey (don't know which one or even whether it was on the road), a pretty 1950's Sunbeam convertible (which I looked up and found for sale on Ebay), and one or two other silly offers.  It was all quite annoying, and at the same time it was disappointing insomuch as we'd only had a few who wanted to view. A couple of chaps even then hadn't made it here, instead one bought a TR6, and two others had gone for cheaper examples. 

I wondered.. Should I stick with the chap who appeared to really like Katie ..and what I'd done (chassis stiffening, non original this and that, and with her bespoke Surrey-top lid) .. but who was indecisive (..yet again).  I decided to make myself available, to let this friend of the elderly gentleman come and see her.  And then to see if and how things might pan out.  You understand that showing a classic car to complete strangers opens up the prospect of getting ripped off.  It's a disreputable world we now live in and we sellers are increasingly suspicious and untrusting.!  Buyers have always been untrusting of those selling. The classic used-car-salesmen has a lot to answer for.!  I guess that's why so many people nowadays are willing to give £-thousands to auction houses.  One I was recently talking with, who has an auction at Stoneleigh showground in February, charges the seller a listing fee plus 7.5% + Vat and the buyer 12.5% + Vat.  On a £42k car that equated to over £9,000, for slamming a hammer down in a cow shed !   

Anyway, the chap from Kenilworth had not made a commitment, and I had likewise not made nor implied any promise ..other than to think about the bottom-line price I might accept, and to further discuss it at his convenience. 

Today, I got up, anticipating a call from this friend of the elderly gentleman, and then my going to meet him at the storage unit ..either today or tomorrow.  Instead I get a call at 10:16am from Ray, the elderly gentleman, and he wants to buy her.  He was until recently a Morgan owner, so knows what old British sports cars are really like, but at 83 years old was now having issues with getting in & out of the Morgan.  Apparently it has short doors ..so the TR4 should be much easier.   I did tell him that my own problem was that the car is so low to get into, but again he wasn't deterred.

I wasn't sure. after-all neither he, nor his friend, had yet seen the car, but we talked some. I aired my reservation, and still he was quite insistent and even thanked me for my consideration.  I gather he'd been doing his homework regarding TR4 prices and recognised that I was offering Katie at a very competitive price. He didn't want to delay, and in doing so - loose the opportunity to buy her.  He asked how much I wanted for the Surrey top, which I'd listed as an option to the car's open / convertible / rag top.  I told him.  He asked me how much would I accept for Katie, complete with the Surrey top.?  and I advised him that I wouldn't accept any offer until I'd also heard what the chap from Kenilworth might offer.  It was not an intentional bargaining move on my part, but perhaps my mentioning his bidding opponent, and that I was prepared to wait to speak to him, had a strategic influence.  In prompt reply he offered my full asking price, and asked for my bank details so he might transfer a deposit.   

Again I reiterated that I'd much prefer him or his friend to see and test drive the car first, but apparently he had made up his mind ...still not in any aggressive or demanding way, just an old man wanting to buy the car, and seemed okay with accepting the potential risk.  He didn't sound senile or crazy, so what could I do.?  I furthered the conversation, because I don't like rash decisions, and we talked about other cars, of various nostalgic ways and wherefores, that he used to be an engineer who developed specialist ducting systems (he didn't say so directly, but I wonder if he might have been the company's owner), and he also used to race Formula Fords. Clearly this chap was more prosperous than I've ever been. His friend had said he was rich and would buy everything, but I disregarded that as simply a persuasion to let him see the car ..when i already had someone interested.  Whatever, with both Ray and his friend - the conversation was most congenial.  Not pressuring me (which I really don't like) but simply talking with another enthusiast.    

Anyways up., I later texted him my bank details with a message which noted the deposit was non-refundable.  It took him another two hours to make the payment, apparently he had issues with Lloyds Bank's or perhaps my own bank's anti-fraud regime, but now a deposit has been paid. 

My classified advert on Ebay had expired on the 20th, so I didn't need to cancel that, and I will of course advise the chap from Kenilworth.  I think he'll be rather disappointed over Christmas, to have been so close but then loosing out through his delay in closing the deal.  He may of course say that it wasn't meant to be then, that it was fate.  But I feel sorry for his indecision, because I'm sure he would have really enjoyed and appreciated Katie  ..  But the elderly chap seems very nice too, and as a former-racing driver he'll most likely push her reinforced chassis in a more spirited manner than most drivers.  As a seller, I simply sought what I consider a fair asking price ..and that she goes to a good home. 

I plan to stick with the Triumph Sports Six Club, and the TR Register, as I like the people and enjoy the meetings and events ..in whatever I or they turn up in.    But., pending completion and collection sometime between Christmas and New Year .. Katie will be heading across to a new home in the beautiful countryside near the Shropshire border, in fact not very far from where her chassis was replaced. 

Selling her isn't yet a reality in my mind. I guess that'll happen when I see her drive away with Ray behind the wheel. ? 

Funny old world ain't it, how selling things can drag on and on and on .., and then all of a sudden two buses turn up  ! 

Pete

I know I'll miss her 

- - - <> - - -

p.s.  

I still have Burble  my Daimler 250 V8 for sale / on the market, and I still have Nudge and Pudge the two Sunbeam motorcycles and Barbara-B my old boat.  And I still have a freshly rebuilt (not yet used) TR4A engine looking for a good home. ! ! ?  So, one thing or another I'll still be busy and still posting on Autoshite.  You don't get rid of me that easily.   

 

[Bfg]

Continuing on .. Ray said he wanted to buy the car right now  (on the 23rd December) ..what price would I accept ?  I explained again that Peter from Kenilworth had made me an offer that we both knew was too low, and that we were going to discuss it further after Boxing Day.   In reply Ray offered my full asking price, including the Surrey top, which I had listed as an option.   Peter had not made a commitment to buy, and I had not made any promises to him, and so I accepted Ray's proposal.   Katie was sold subject to payment.   A deposit of £1000 was transferred to my bank account, the balance to be paid when he collected the car. 

In conversation with my friend Rich C-R .. he'd warned me about fraudsters, transferring payment on collection taking the vehicle away and then somehow that payment is withdrawn.  We didn't know how that might happen, so I called my bank to ask what I could do to safeguard the payment.?  . . . The money can be stopped and even returned to the buyer, if they argue that the product / the vehicle is not as described.  They also emphasised that I should have a signed receipt, with names and addresses of both parties, along with the details of the vehicle and the price, and deposit had been paid when.  The bank would need that signed and dated by both parties to settle any dispute.  

In due course I typed out a receipt, which was more like a sale agreement.  This included particulars that the buyer and/or his agent had opportunity to see and test drive in the car, and to drive the car themselves, if they produced documentary evidence of fully comprehensive insurance for this particular car.  The car was being sold as seen, or as unseen at the buyers own risk.   I also wrote about the bespoke Surrey-top lid that I'd made, explaining that I had used it for the past three years but it would be at the driver's own risk if it flew off because it hadn't been fastened correctly. I accepted no liability should such an event happen to third party or property.   I don't know if it this piece of paper would make much difference should the worse case happen,  but it was the best i could do. 

I'd also explained that the roof came with its mould, but design and production rights are not included in the sale. The mould is given free of charge, in case repairs to the roof panels are needed.  Because of transporting that, if he wanted it Ray would best come across in a car that the roof would fit in.  That was fine, he did want the mould,  He was to collect Katie between Christmas and New Year. By New years Eve I hadn't heard from him.  I phoned, and he said that he was now looking into having the car collected.  I gave him the contact details of a Neil Gaskins - Vehicle Mover who I and others in our local TSSC group had used before. ... Good chap, good service at a good price. 

After the New Year,  Ray paid the balance in full into my bank account, and two days later (..on the 7th Jan)  Neil came to take Katie away ... 

    

. . .

, , , 

^ my last sight of Katie  

The driver had Ray sign the sales agreement I had prepared and witnessed it himself.  As it turns out, the concerns about money disappearing after the car has been collected was, in this case, not warranted.  Ray still owns a successful manufacturing business that he founded way back in 1967.  As I understand it he wants Katie for local country lane driving fun,  but as he's nearly there (compared to myself in Ipswich) I'll be encouraging him to join us in Malvern for the Triumph ..and other marque's, International. 

Funny old world ain't it, how selling things can drag on and on and on .., and then all of a sudden two buses turn up  ! 

 

My own self, well I still have the Daimler, 'Burble',  although I've just got off the phone with Julian from Ramsgate, who has a number of classic Jaguars and still trying to sort out fully-comp insurance so that he can experience for himself the old girl's drive.  Then he hopes to be coming up to Ipswich to see that car with a view to purchase.  he's also into Sunbeam motorcycles so he can't be a bad chap.   

And now I've already bought another car..  Similarly red, as is Katie, and I hope similarly fun to drive... but more of that in another post. 

Without Katie, I hope to remain a member of the TR Register, and to continue attending the East Saxon's monthly and breakfast meets.  Over our Christmas lunch I was saying that I'd like to be a paperless member, but that's not yet available to UK residence.  ..which sounds like discrimination to me !   

Likewise, I wish to remain a member of the TSSC, and to attend the monthly meetings of the Suffolk group, held on the first Tuesday of the month at the Sorrel Horse, Barham (just off the A14).   Within each club are a good bunch of enthusiasts. 

That's it for now,  I bid you all a good evening and a very pleasant weekend, 

Pete

- - -

[Shandylegs]

Well done Pete. Will be interesting to see what follows.....

[Bfg]

12 hours ago, Shandylegs said:

Well done Pete. Will be interesting to see what follows.....

"I'll be back !"  he states with an Austrian accent 

"      .. possibly this coming Wednesday"  he adds, now sounding more like Victor Meldrew