1925 Trojan

[PiperCub]

Was it Trojan who ran the advertisment claiming owning one was "Cheaper than walking"?

[JimH]

How cheap might cheap be? Just out of interest, like.

[plasticvandan]

Thought I should update this,after much work I'm now seeing light at the end of the tunnel,I stripped the engine down again and found one of the sealing caps for the pistons was loose,this was cleaned up,and drifted into position with a smear if JB weld for good measure,they were originally rust sealed in with an acid I believe.rhis was the cause of the water vapor.git it all back together and it started and ran,all vapor gone and smoke reducing.hiwever,it was so hit and miss as to whether it would start or not.it has taken till today for it to dawn on me that the small bike battery may not be enough to power a large Bosch coil and fire two plugs,so borrowed one off my dad's hiace van...fired up second pull,and running well! 

So finally cracked it,now I've got to fettle it and improve it and then get it offered up for sale,as my dad would like an Austin Seven,partly I'm sure due to the death of my grandad last year who was an early restorer of them back in the mid 60s on when my dad was growing up.

[RayMK]

3 hours ago, plasticvandan said:

Thought I should update this,after much work I'm now seeing light at the end of the tunnel,I stripped the engine down again and found one of the sealing caps for the pistons was loose,this was cleaned up,and drifted into position with a smear if JB weld for good measure,they were originally rust sealed in with an acid I believe.rhis was the cause of the water vapor.git it all back together and it started and ran,all vapor gone and smoke reducing.hiwever,it was so hit and miss as to whether it would start or not.it has taken till today for it to dawn on me that the small bike battery may not be enough to power a large Bosch coil and fire two plugs,so borrowed one off my dad's hiace van...fired up second pull,and running well! 

So finally cracked it,now I've got to fettle it and improve it and then get it offered up for sale,as my dad would like an Austin Seven,partly I'm sure due to the death of my grandad last year who was an early restorer of them back in the mid 60s on when my dad was growing up.

Well done!  Ten years ago I would have been very interested in the Trojan.  I'm now old, ill and even more inflexible than when you last saw me so it will have to go to someone more capable of looking after it. GLWTS (as and when). I am also fond of Austin 7s. Here's a faded photo of me, aged about 5 or 6, sitting on the running board. Mum (she could not drive, just posing) and brother in the car.

[plasticvandan]

Not that I would ever want to wish you get to that point Ray,but keep me in mind should you come to part with your Regal,it's my favourite Reliant,which is saying something as I've seen a lot!

[RayMK]

1 minute ago, plasticvandan said:

Not that I would ever want to wish you get to that point Ray,but keep me in mind should you come to part with your Regal,it's my favourite Reliant,which is saying something as I've seen a lot!

?? Happy to keep you in mind if the Reliant has to go. I was probably being a bit too dramatic about my condition. Old(ish), inflexible and technically ill would be more accurate. I hope to give the Reliant an airing when non-essential journeys become permissible again.

When we lived in Anna Valley near Andover in 1959, a chap who lived near the Taskers factory had a Trojan Utility with solid tyres as his daily driver. We passed it in the school bus either parked or when it was heading in the same direction.  It was regarded as an eccentric form of transport even back then.  It sounded strange, the block type solid rubber tyres made it rumble and the body lurched around rather like a stage coach. No photos, unfortunately. Film purchase and developing costs were high - only justifiable when on holiday.  

[plasticvandan]

After what seems like weeks of banging my head against a wall,a swollen arm from hand cranking and far too much smoke inhalation,I have finally tamed this car! I had got it to the stage where it would start hot or cold one one or two pulls,which given their reputation is pretty good.however,it always banged and popped out the exhaust.After chasing various dead ends changing condensers,extra earth's etc etc I retarded the timing bit by bit.the flywheel has a mark stating TDC and full advance btdc,which is aligned to the flange on the engine as being your marks.i noticed each time I retarded it the popping reduced,so with nothing to loose I kept going till it stopped,currently at a setting that,at least according to the marks,is ATDC.not only did it still start,but it smoothed out and has stopped popping.i can only deduce that the marks are incorrect,the flywheel having come off a later engine with a different stroke. I thought that If I set it too far retarded it simply wouldn't start,so nothing to loose by trying.seems to have done the trick,and I've learnt to trust my instincts from now on! Should follow a test drive in the next few days and a clean before being put on the market.

[Uncle Jimmy]

Could it be that the fuel is too....good for this Trojan? ie Octane too high?

Question- what sort of money do these fetch?

[plasticvandan]

Yes that would certainly ring true if my experience with other old two strokes. They don't fetch that much for something nearly 100 years old, around £9-11k

[barrett]

I'd be very surprised if anyone has paid £11k for a Trojan! Not only are they of, er, limited interest, but the people who like them are almost exclusively quite mean. For £11k you could buy a proper Vintage car. I think £4-8k is more realistic. Our one was more than that, but it's one of the best-preserved, lowest mileage examples and probably the only one on solid tyres in regular use. Everyone in the club thought we were absolutley insane paying more than £5k for it...

[Uncle Jimmy]

Not that it's a 2-stroke but it's very low compression, I should think it'd run on paraffin once warm. 

Yeah, can't see anyone paying that kinda dough, a five sounds about right.

[plasticvandan]

Just going by past adverts and what previous owners have paid for it.mad we are now in a situation where a rotten escort now fetches more than a genuine vintage car.

[Asimo]

Good luck!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1925-Trojan-Tourer/293581652433?hash=item445ad481d1:g:HpIAAOSw1GNev3JK

[plasticvandan]

Will most likely be going to auction I suspect.

[plasticvandan]

To bring this up to date,the Trojan has now sold for the full asking price and will be going to a chap not far away who used to own one back in the 1950s  Dad is now looking for an Austin 7,10,12 or Somerset/Devon for his next car

[camryv6]

I hate it when you get full asking price, makes you wonder if you weren't asking enough, mind you has only happened to me once, I usually have to beg the buyer to take the car at a vastly reduced price.