leakingstrut Posted September 11, 2022 Posted September 11, 2022 After seeing GMcD's for sale thread last night I found myself on the way to Glasgow this morning. As these things tend to go I found myself abandoning my trusty* Freelander in Barrhead and driving back to Dundee in a black Toledo with a TR7 engine. It's my second Tolly, my first one being a white 1300 RWD that I did a classic rally events in and briefly daily drove, but it succumbed to rust and circumstance. I've wanted another since. I've been a member here for a while, but have lurked mostly. Partially due to the shame of telling Kiltox I'd send him a spare hazard switch for his van but never sending it 😅 Sorry! The car drives really nice and is a credit to it's previous owners. There are a few niggles to fix as expected but I'm a really happy with it. I took it pretty easy most of the way, just sitting about 60. It's very capable of more but it runs nice and quiet at 60 and I didn't want push it harder till I've given it a once over myself as I don't think it has done many miles lately. Goes and stops really well, and handles very nicely. Seats are very comfy, and most importantly it is solid. Plans for the future: It's perhaps a little fumey inside the cabin, so I'll need to look into that. Fit new tyres - I don't know if any of the previous owners know how old these are but I can't see any date codes, so I'm planning on fitting new rubber even though they look good. There is a set of MG metro and a set of Sprint wheels at my Dad's (He also has a much rustier Toledo, and my old one was his before it was mine) that I might use, but I like the look of the steels so may stick with them. There is a rotational noise a bit like a wheel bearing or something which might just be old car noise, but I'll check them all out to be safe. Sort out a few little bits of rust. It really is solid though. The gearbox is as described, and not amazing, but it's fine for now so that's a problem for next year. Also as described, it runs a little hot, so I might do some fettling of the coolant system. Maybe remount the rev counter as it's a little wobbly, possibly down by the stereo, but that might be a bit too low. I think I have one from a dolomite that I might fit and relocate of the other dials below the dash. The speed under reads by about 13 mph, and I tend to use the GPS speedo in Waze anyway, so that might get shifted. On that note I need to sort out a phone mount. I'm torn about the headlights and black plates, I'll possibly switch them out, possibly not. While it is MOT exempt I might put it through one for piece of mind. I'd like to get a gearstick switch for the overdrive, but that is low priority. If it becomes a long term car, I'd like to paint it. I'm liking the black for now, satin black was always a plan for my old Toledo, but that never happened. Thanks to GMcD and his wife for the cup of tea, I'll come retrieve my Freelander from outside your house, honest! Supernaut, GrumpiusMaximus, Dyslexic Viking and 44 others 45 2
GMcD Posted September 11, 2022 Posted September 11, 2022 It's a shame to let this go, but I just wasn't using it. It's definitely gone to the right home though! Enjoy it 🙂 juular, leakingstrut, Matty and 2 others 4 1
Matty Posted September 11, 2022 Posted September 11, 2022 Very nice. GLF plate as well to go with the power increase 😄 leakingstrut and Alusilber 1 1
Rustybullethole Posted September 11, 2022 Posted September 11, 2022 Glad this has stayed in the fold. Was very tempted myself and also have previous with both toledos and dolly’s. Lack of the asking put paid to my dreams there though will be nice to keep tabs on what you do with it. leakingstrut 1
bigstraight6 Posted September 11, 2022 Posted September 11, 2022 That looks a great wee thing, love it! leakingstrut 1
Boycie Posted September 11, 2022 Posted September 11, 2022 I always hoped to bump into this in the Braehead/Paisley area , G McD that's a space in the garage needing filled surely ... GMcD and leakingstrut 1 1
leakingstrut Posted September 11, 2022 Author Posted September 11, 2022 Thanks everyone, I'll try to keep the thread updated with how I get on with it! Oh, and here are a couple pics of my old poor old 1300. mk2_craig, Spiny Norman, Rustybullethole and 6 others 9
Rustybullethole Posted September 11, 2022 Posted September 11, 2022 Is that a roll cage in the back there? leakingstrut 1
leakingstrut Posted September 11, 2022 Author Posted September 11, 2022 Yeah, full-ish cage. Can’t remember the make, but it looked well made, at least for a period one. I’ve still got the cage at my old man’s, but I’m not sure if I want to put it in this one - I like having rear seats. Also there is the issue of having a cage increasing the risk of head injury if you aren’t in a harness, though I think in a car that is almost 50 years old the cage will do more good than harm. But I’d rather keep this one a bit more stock inside for now. Big pain to fit from what I remember, when we took it out we just cut the B pillar as the car was getting bridged. Footwells were so rotten it just pulled straight out taking the floor with it. stripped fred, GMcD and Rustybullethole 3
leakingstrut Posted September 12, 2022 Author Posted September 12, 2022 I’ve already managed to slightly improve the gearbox… by removing the carpet and floor mat. 2nd is still rough but better, all other gears have improved too. I’ve also temporarily relocated the rev counter to the top of the steering wheel with the aid of some zip ties. If I like it there I might keep it, but I might fit a Dolomite one if I can find it and figure out a nice way to mount it. It’s a bit of an angle because the mount was in the way, but let’s pretend I’ve fitted it with the redline vertical like a race car. juular, Tickman, UltraWomble and 9 others 12
leakingstrut Posted September 17, 2022 Author Posted September 17, 2022 Coolant bled, temps seem better now but might be a little hot. Do any of the previous owners remember where normal and “hot but OK” is on the temp gauge? It’s sitting about half way or just under when warmed up and about 5/8ths in traffic. Not going over 95c on my laser thermometer but I’m not sure I’m getting accurate readings. Had it up in the air, bearings all seem good. Noises are definitely gearbox so I’m looking for a sprint or 1850 single rail box. Seems to driver better every time I’m out in it. Brakes are great, can lock up the wheels without too much bother, at least the backs. Although that might be more about the age of the tyres as opposed to the efficiency of the brakes. Fitted a GPS speedo too. tooSavvy, CreepingJesus and GMcD 3
GMcD Posted September 17, 2022 Posted September 17, 2022 1 hour ago, leakingstrut said: Coolant bled, temps seem better now but might be a little hot. Do any of the previous owners remember where normal and “hot but OK” is on the temp gauge? It’s sitting about half way or just under when warmed up and about 5/8ths in traffic. Not going over 95c on my laser thermometer but I’m not sure I’m getting accurate readings. Had it up in the air, bearings all seem good. Noises are definitely gearbox so I’m looking for a sprint or 1850 single rail box. Seems to driver better every time I’m out in it. Brakes are great, can lock up the wheels without too much bother, at least the backs. Although that might be more about the age of the tyres as opposed to the efficiency of the brakes. Fitted a GPS speedo too. After driving the Austin 1100 with non-servo breaks it felt like the Toledo had headbutting level's of stopping power! With the alloy rad it was usually just a smidge over half in traffic, but I would cycle the fan on/off to bring it down a bit.. that being said I'm not sure if that's it running cool or not. By cycling it was relatively easy to keep it within that zone if that makes sense? It's using an 82c thermostat. leakingstrut 1
leakingstrut Posted September 17, 2022 Author Posted September 17, 2022 Thanks, that’s reassuring! Knowing it’s an 82deg thermostat makes sense. Sounds like it is performing the same with the new rad as it did with then alloy one after a bleed.
Matty Posted September 17, 2022 Posted September 17, 2022 6 hours ago, leakingstrut said: Coolant bled, temps seem better now but might be a little hot. Do any of the previous owners remember where normal and “hot but OK” is on the temp gauge? It’s sitting about half way or just under when warmed up and about 5/8ths in traffic. Not going over 95c on my laser thermometer but I’m not sure I’m getting accurate readings. Had it up in the air, bearings all seem good. Noises are definitely gearbox so I’m looking for a sprint or 1850 single rail box. Seems to driver better every time I’m out in it. Brakes are great, can lock up the wheels without too much bother, at least the backs. Although that might be more about the age of the tyres as opposed to the efficiency of the brakes. Fitted a GPS speedo too. Temp gauge on my austin is 3/4 up when hot. Never above 90 o the stat housing and top hose. 50 year old smiths gauges probably aren't at their most accurate! leakingstrut 1
High Jetter Posted September 17, 2022 Posted September 17, 2022 10 hours ago, leakingstrut said: It’s sitting about half way or just under when warmed up and about 5/8ths in traffic. Sounds normal to me Matty and leakingstrut 2
warren t claim Posted September 17, 2022 Posted September 17, 2022 On 9/11/2022 at 5:51 PM, leakingstrut said: After seeing GMcD's for sale thread last night I found myself on the way to Glasgow this morning. As these things tend to go I found myself abandoning my trusty* Freelander in Barrhead and driving back to Dundee in a black Toledo with a TR7 engine. It's my second Tolly, my first one being a white 1300 RWD that I did a classic rally events in and briefly daily drove, but it succumbed to rust and circumstance. I've wanted another since. I've been a member here for a while, but have lurked mostly. Partially due to the shame of telling Kiltox I'd send him a spare hazard switch for his van but never sending it 😅 Sorry! The car drives really nice and is a credit to it's previous owners. There are a few niggles to fix as expected but I'm a really happy with it. I took it pretty easy most of the way, just sitting about 60. It's very capable of more but it runs nice and quiet at 60 and I didn't want push it harder till I've given it a once over myself as I don't think it has done many miles lately. Goes and stops really well, and handles very nicely. Seats are very comfy, and most importantly it is solid. Plans for the future: It's perhaps a little fumey inside the cabin, so I'll need to look into that. Fit new tyres - I don't know if any of the previous owners know how old these are but I can't see any date codes, so I'm planning on fitting new rubber even though they look good. There is a set of MG metro and a set of Sprint wheels at my Dad's (He also has a much rustier Toledo, and my old one was his before it was mine) that I might use, but I like the look of the steels so may stick with them. There is a rotational noise a bit like a wheel bearing or something which might just be old car noise, but I'll check them all out to be safe. Sort out a few little bits of rust. It really is solid though. The gearbox is as described, and not amazing, but it's fine for now so that's a problem for next year. Also as described, it runs a little hot, so I might do some fettling of the coolant system. Maybe remount the rev counter as it's a little wobbly, possibly down by the stereo, but that might be a bit too low. I think I have one from a dolomite that I might fit and relocate of the other dials below the dash. The speed under reads by about 13 mph, and I tend to use the GPS speedo in Waze anyway, so that might get shifted. On that note I need to sort out a phone mount. I'm torn about the headlights and black plates, I'll possibly switch them out, possibly not. While it is MOT exempt I might put it through one for piece of mind. I'd like to get a gearstick switch for the overdrive, but that is low priority. If it becomes a long term car, I'd like to paint it. I'm liking the black for now, satin black was always a plan for my old Toledo, but that never happened. Thanks to GMcD and his wife for the cup of tea, I'll come retrieve my Freelander from outside your house, honest! Autoshite 2012 called and it's demanding that you submit a picture of yourself standing in front of it with your arms folded whilst looking "purposeful". AnnoyingPentium, M'coli, sporty-shite and 8 others 4 7
warren t claim Posted September 19, 2022 Posted September 19, 2022 On 9/18/2022 at 12:17 AM, warren t claim said: Autoshite 2012 called and it's demanding that you submit a picture of yourself standing in front of it with your arms folded whilst looking "purposeful". It's slightly depressing how few AS members currently active know what I'm talking about with that comment. meshking, Stinkwheel, chaseracer and 2 others 5
leakingstrut Posted October 10, 2022 Author Posted October 10, 2022 Wee update: I've done over 300 miles now in the month I've had it, and I'm still absolutely in love with it. I fitted a new alternator, as the quite new one fitted failed, leading to an FTP when I went give my pal a shot and she immediately stalled it. My calculation that I had just enough juice left in the battery was way off, but thankfully I had jump leads was going again in 10 mins. My Freelander burst a turbo pipe and is going into the garage for that, yet another wheel bearing and MOT when I'm only holiday next week so I wanted the Toledo drivable, therefore I just bought a new alternator off ebay for £50. Taking the old one off I discovered the nut holding the terminals on was AWOL, so I might be able to fix the old one and have spare. Finished sorting that this morning and took it to get some new Uniroyal Rainexperts fitted. The old tyres had plenty of tread, but in addition to, or because of being old AF they were utterly terrifying in the rain - locking all 4 wheels was hilariously easy. The gearbox sounds like a skeleton orgy, but I've sourced all the bits for a Dolomite Sprint gearbox swap (box, axle, prop, gearbox tunnel, overdrive gearknob) which will happen next month once I have time to pick them up from down south. I've done a few little bits like tightening up the mirrors so they don't point at the pavement every time you shut the door, fitted a phone mount. After a few bleeds and checking temps with a laser thermometer I'm pretty sure the cooling system is running fine. It handles excellently for an 70's runabout. Always amazed with these that I'm driving semi conservatively being aware I've got a NCAP rating of instant death, but then realise I'm going about the same speed I would in a modern car. However the back end crashes badly over bumps in town. It might just be how it is, but I want to give the suspension a good going over to be sure. Current theory might be the mix of soft suspension or polybushes, or tyre pressure being too high - I've got them all at about 30 or 32. Steering could be a bit more direct, particularly at motorway speeds but once again it could just be me driving too much modern shite. TODO List, partially as a reminder to myself. Sort cooling system New Tyres New alternator Wash it Refit old headlights with H4 bulbs in place of LED lights. I have the bits, just need time. Fit sprint gearbox Fit an overdrive light I can actually see while driving, as I've done round the swallow roundabout a few times in overdrive wondering why it's lugging 🙄 Sort out the rust on the jacking points (It's just surface rust from jackstands taking the paint off I think, so I want to nip it in the bud) New engine mounts Smaller steering wheel Service it and check check the carbs are tuned properly Give the steering and suspension a good going over, then get it aligned. Sort out some winter storage (I've got a few options, but not secured anything yet) Longer term / maybe List: Fit sprint speedo, rev counter and make a panel for aux gauges below the heater controls Find & fit seats with headrests Fit battery cutoff switch Fit a new fusebox and relay box Add a thermostat switch to the fan wiring, but retain the ability to switch it on manually Give the wiring a tidy Fit rear seatbelts Fit spotlights Fit Brantz trip meter in case I decide to do any classic or night nav rallies. Better stereo & speakers, either retro looking or hidden. I think I can tuck some 6x9's under the dash but I've not measured it up yet. Maybe even a sub in the boot just for a laugh. I've tasked my Dad to search the shed for parts, as we have most of the bits already. New tyres, and road muck to shame me into washing it. Super high security steering wheel lock, GPS speedo on the right and phone mount where the rev counter used to be on the left. SiC, Tickman, mk2_craig and 15 others 18
GMcD Posted October 11, 2022 Posted October 11, 2022 Can't believe a 2 month old alternator failed (fitted 17th August)☹️. How weird the bolt went awol. I hope it wasn't my dodgy skills that did it. Although I'm scratching my head as I didn't remove the black cap at the back and just whizzed it on. I'm glad you got it sorted! It's great to see it getting used! leakingstrut 1
GMcD Posted October 11, 2022 Posted October 11, 2022 If you wing me a photo, I'll contact the supplier and see if they'll refund (supposedly a 5 year warranty)👍. leakingstrut 1
5speedracer Posted October 11, 2022 Posted October 11, 2022 23 hours ago, leakingstrut said: Wee update: I've done over 300 miles now in the month I've had it, and I'm still absolutely in love with it. I fitted a new alternator, as the quite new one fitted failed, leading to an FTP when I went give my pal a shot and she immediately stalled it. My calculation that I had just enough juice left in the battery was way off, but thankfully I had jump leads was going again in 10 mins. My Freelander burst a turbo pipe and is going into the garage for that, yet another wheel bearing and MOT when I'm only holiday next week so I wanted the Toledo drivable, therefore I just bought a new alternator off ebay for £50. Taking the old one off I discovered the nut holding the terminals on was AWOL, so I might be able to fix the old one and have spare. Finished sorting that this morning and took it to get some new Uniroyal Rainexperts fitted. The old tyres had plenty of tread, but in addition to, or because of being old AF they were utterly terrifying in the rain - locking all 4 wheels was hilariously easy. The gearbox sounds like a skeleton orgy, but I've sourced all the bits for a Dolomite Sprint gearbox swap (box, axle, prop, gearbox tunnel, overdrive gearknob) which will happen next month once I have time to pick them up from down south. I've done a few little bits like tightening up the mirrors so they don't point at the pavement every time you shut the door, fitted a phone mount. After a few bleeds and checking temps with a laser thermometer I'm pretty sure the cooling system is running fine. It handles excellently for an 70's runabout. Always amazed with these that I'm driving semi conservatively being aware I've got a NCAP rating of instant death, but then realise I'm going about the same speed I would in a modern car. However the back end crashes badly over bumps in town. It might just be how it is, but I want to give the suspension a good going over to be sure. Current theory might be the mix of soft suspension or polybushes, or tyre pressure being too high - I've got them all at about 30 or 32. Steering could be a bit more direct, particularly at motorway speeds but once again it could just be me driving too much modern shite. TODO List, partially as a reminder to myself. Sort cooling system New Tyres New alternator Wash it Refit old headlights with H4 bulbs in place of LED lights. I have the bits, just need time. Fit sprint gearbox Fit an overdrive light I can actually see while driving, as I've done round the swallow roundabout a few times in overdrive wondering why it's lugging 🙄 Sort out the rust on the jacking points (It's just surface rust from jackstands taking the paint off I think, so I want to nip it in the bud) New engine mounts Smaller steering wheel Service it and check check the carbs are tuned properly Give the steering and suspension a good going over, then get it aligned. Sort out some winter storage (I've got a few options, but not secured anything yet) Longer term / maybe List: Fit sprint speedo, rev counter and make a panel for aux gauges below the heater controls Find & fit seats with headrests Fit battery cutoff switch Fit a new fusebox and relay box Add a thermostat switch to the fan wiring, but retain the ability to switch it on manually Give the wiring a tidy Fit rear seatbelts Fit spotlights Fit Brantz trip meter in case I decide to do any classic or night nav rallies. Better stereo & speakers, either retro looking or hidden. I think I can tuck some 6x9's under the dash but I've not measured it up yet. Maybe even a sub in the boot just for a laugh. I've tasked my Dad to search the shed for parts, as we have most of the bits already. New tyres, and road muck to shame me into washing it. Super high security steering wheel lock, GPS speedo on the right and phone mount where the rev counter used to be on the left. Really purposeful looking those new rainsports, I know Dundee is a relatively dry city but you can't be too careful. leakingstrut 1
leakingstrut Posted October 11, 2022 Author Posted October 11, 2022 It was definitely not your handiwork at fault - it’s not a bolt you would have touched! Think it just vibrated loose. Thanks, I’ll maybe get a photo across once I’ve had a look at it - but if I can just whap a new bolt on it’s not worth the hassle! Thankfully Dundee is quite dry for Scotland but it’s still Scotland! I’ve heard good things about the Uniroyals and they aren’t too dear either. GMcD 1
leakingstrut Posted October 31, 2022 Author Posted October 31, 2022 As advised when I bought it, the Toledo gearbox was a bit noisy but very usable. My Freelander burst the turbo pipe and then failed its MOT, so the Toledo got pressed into commuting duties which it managed very well, but I'm pretty sure the more it's driven the worse the gearbox gets. Luckily I'd already sourced a Sprint transmission, which needed collection from down south, and @Rocket88 had some wheels which needed collecting from Nairn and taken south. I managed to get Friday off work, and it was collection time. Dundee, Scotland. Friday 10:30. The Freelander still isn't MOT'd, but the garage promised it would be done at some point today. I've accidentally found myself feeling a little rough, as I met some friends for a food and drink tasting thing last night which escalated as these things do. Dundee, Scotland. Friday 12:30. Freelander is MOT'd, boost leak fixed. Advisory for a rusty rear sub frame, and they inform me the turbo is on the way out. I pop home and grab some bits and lunch, hit the road around 13:30. Nairn, Scotland. Friday 16:20. Arrive in Nairn, fuelling up in Carrbridge as I'll be chancing it to get to Nairn on what I've got in the tank. It is horribly expensive, but I don't mind too much if it is a little independent rural station. I watch a guy filling up a Transit piss fuel all over the forecourt trying to get the pump to bang on £100. Idiot. I take the hill road to Nairn, stunning views but no time to stop for photos. I pick up five Matra Murena wheels and head off south. Mistakenly trusting Waze I decided to A92 to Inverness which I immediately regret, as it is a tedious road in a part of the country with otherwise brilliant roads. Dunblane, Scotland. Friday 19:15. Quick stop to top off the tank, drain my own and get some snacks. M74 Southbound, Friday 20:00. Horrific traffic, 30 mph max. Flashing lights of various colours in the far distance, and while we are moving nobody seems to be getting past. Finally, they pull over by Cairn Lodge and we are able to speed up when it widens to three lanes. It looked like a nuclear transport, hence not letting people pass. Dumfries, Scotland. Friday 21:15. Overnight stop of my friend's place, quick cup of tea and a chat and I'm off to bed. Dumfries, Scotland. Saturday 10:00. I leave my friend's place, two hours later than planned. As I'd got there late last night, we ended up having a proper catch up in the morning watching the birds in her garden. M74, M6, A66 then just follow Waze is the plan. Scunthorpe, England. Saturday 13:15. Quick stop at @Rocket88's place to drop off the Matra wheels in exchange for some cash to cover some of the diesel for the trip. Nice meeting you, Colin! Another quick stop and Screwfix for tarp, and Tesco for fuel and more English cash. Traffic so far has been light, but the hit some proper rain in the morning. As I was behind schedule, I had been a bit heavier footed than planned, OBC is showing 29.2mpg. It's almost 2pm before I'm properly back in the road. Stourbridge, England, 16:15. Arrive in Stourbridge, fill the car with Triumph transmission bits in exchange for some English notes and have a tea and a blether with the guy. I pull over a few miles down the road and properly secure the load, as I don't want a gearbox embedded in my head. It's about 5pm before I hit the road. 367 miles to go, OBC reckons my range is about the same. I reckon I can do it without another fill up if I'm canny. Waze reckons I'll be home by half ten, but I won't make that if I'm dawdling. Sandbach Services, M6 Northbound. Saturday 18:30. I've not eaten since I polished off the bag of snacks my friend gave me while driving over the A66. Shit selection so McDonalds it is. I'm flagging. I decided to cruise up the road at a sensible speed to save fuel, which was a mistake. Waze, being used to me making progress keeps increasing my ETA, and I find trying to drive slowly much more tiring than just driving how I see fit. I start looking for somewhere to stay, hoping for somewhere cheap and just off the motorway. I find bugger all I like the look of. Time is now creeping towards 8pm, and energy levels dropping thanks to a belly full of garbage. Second mistake - this is why you always splash and dash. I book a Travelodge an hour away for more than I wanted to pay. Lancaster Travelodge, M6 Northbound. Saturday 21:00. Park up, gubbed, Travelodge is shit as to be expected. The last 10 miles were a struggle. Of course, once I stop driving my body and brain wake up again, and it's past midnight when I get to sleep. Lancaster Travelodge, M6 Northbound. Sunday 10:00. Refreshed thanks to the clocks changing and a lazy morning, I head north again. 224 miles range on the OBC, 228 miles to go. I'm determined to make it on my Scunthorpe diesel. I've got taller tyres than stock so the car is off by 5% - it should be doable. Dumfriesshire, Scotland, Sunday 11:00. Some with the worst weather of the trip, terrible standing water but the car manages it well. I'm getting a bit cautious about these tyres in the wet, they've done 30,000+ miles, and while they have plenty of tread I suspect I've worn through the good compound they use on the top layer, down to something a bit crappier. Having the seats down I'm noticing a rotational noise from the back even more. Could be the tyres, wheel bearing or diff. Wheels bearing is the main suspect. I've had a bunch fail on this car, including ones that have just been fitted. I asked the garage to check it out when they did the MOT, and they said it was fine but diagnosing them on these cars is pretty hard. I'll get the steel ears on it at some point, can't be that bad if the garage couldn't find anything. I hope it's not the diff, I've fitted two to this car in 60,000 miles. Dundee, Scotland, Sunday 13:20. Home with 13 miles of range left, time to vegetate on the sofa. My wife has started watching The Handmaid's Tale, which is very good but is perhaps one of the most anxiety inducing shows I've ever seen. Later, I almost fall asleep while watching Top Gear. 1100 miles in total, 59 mph average. 18:46 of driving over 48 hours. 33.6mpg average, 36mpg on Sunday's stretch - about as much as you can expect from a tired automatic Freelander on oversized all terrain tyres. In other news, I've hopefully arranged storage with the Dundee Museum of Transport to keep the Toledo away from the elements. I can't work on it there, but I might be able to borrow a friend's garage. I rebuilt my old Toledo outside, so if I have to I'll manage. Next steps are prepping the new bits - cleaning and painting anything rusty, changing fluids, sorting the OD wiring on the gearstick. I've started putting together a list of new parts I need to buy too. I got a sprint gearbox cover, but it's rusty so the guy gave me an 1850 one also. I neither have the skills or equipment to weld, so I'm going to cut and rivet a good one out of the two. bunglebus, Rightnider, Rust Collector and 14 others 17
leakingstrut Posted November 14, 2022 Author Posted November 14, 2022 (Cross posted from the Triumph Dolomite forum) I've been putting together a wiring diagram based upon MIG Welder's excellent late sprint diagram in this thread: https://forum.triumphdolomite.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=32933 It's at an early stage, so it may change and have some questionable choices in it. And seeing as my car is a '74 Toledo and this diagram is for a late sprint things may be different. When I get to doing the actual wiring, I may either change the plan or modify the existing wiring to fit the diagram depending on what works best. I'm a bit rusty when it comes to electrics, so if anything looks off please say! I'm not if I should change the config of the relay for some of the ignition circuits (Wash / Wipe / Heated Rear Window and Overdrive on a relay). I haven't looked into fuse amperages yet. I'm not sure if I have added relays and fuses where not required, or not used them where I should I'm not sure if I need the inline fuses on the aux power / stereo lines but given the large number of things drawing power on there it seems wise. I'm not sure if I need to change the battery cut-off wiring to protect the alternator in case of the power being cutoff while running. I think I can wire the Koso up for the N (Neutral light) = N means Not charging (IGN Alternator light) and the Engine light to be Oil, but I'll need to check polarity. If this doesn't work, I'll add an extra light or two by the OD On light I need to check if the switches not protected by a relay can carry enough current (HRW, OD, Hazards) Edit: I think I'll move the OD light from series to parallel Edit: V0.8 shows two batteries, there will be only one! Click for full size Current plan is to use the following: Multifunction rev counter (KOSO TNT04 - RPM, Fuel, Temp, Volts, Light & Indicator telltales, Oil and IGN warning)Stereo / Switch Box (Black aluminum project box, fitted centrally under dash) Stereo (Fitted inside box, with holes for knobs)Switches (Black pushbutton, lit white when off, red when on) JMotor 1
SiC Posted November 14, 2022 Posted November 14, 2022 On 10/31/2022 at 10:32 AM, leakingstrut said: Stourbridge, England I presume from Aluns Sprint graveyard?
leakingstrut Posted November 14, 2022 Author Posted November 14, 2022 1 hour ago, SiC said: I presume from Aluns Sprint graveyard? Yes of course! SiC 1
leakingstrut Posted November 14, 2022 Author Posted November 14, 2022 After thinking about how to actually wire stuff up, I've decided to simplify it a bit. Decided the relay for the ignition is probably not required - if one item in particular draws a lot of power I'll put it on its own relay. To save on wiring I've moved the relay and fuses for the aux power (usb, stereo) into the switch box - as at one point I had 30 wires going into there and I've now got it down to 19. juular and GMcD 2
stuboy Posted November 14, 2022 Posted November 14, 2022 looks ace, bang on some black rally flaps to keep the dirt off leakingstrut 1
leakingstrut Posted November 26, 2022 Author Posted November 26, 2022 Got a few days free, so it’s time to swap the gearbox. With the engine swap being relatively recent the bolts came undone pretty well. I had more problems doing the droplinks and brakes on my wife’s 10 year old modern. Had my FIL helping, and him being an experienced car fettler and ex RAF aircraft engineer helped a lot. We came up even on trapping each others fingers taking the box out. With the box out we replaced the clutch, which was actually in really good nick. But while it’s open we might as well. The new clutch cover wouldn’t fit on the dowels, I suspect the tr7 dowels are bigger and the previous one had been drilled out to fit. The original one looked good so we reused it. At this point light was dying and beer was calling… FIL is as good on the pans as he is on the tools so we had lamb, pork and chicken curries. Let’s see how hangovers are tomorrow for putting it back together. Joey spud, Six-cylinder, puddlethumper and 20 others 23
GMcD Posted November 26, 2022 Posted November 26, 2022 No hanging about with this. Great job 👍 leakingstrut 1
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