Spring cleaning

Spring has come early to my house. We have started tidying up our cellar. I have had a large amount of my car stuff down there.

Finding stuff I had long forgotten. Found a clutch cover and driven plate but what car is it off?




Also lots of suspension parts including three lever arm dampers, one appears unused. I have thrown some bits away - I wonder why I ever kept this clutch slave cylinder.

revised G Thomas tuning manual

Did you spot that small ad in the TSSC magazine the Courier, well I am glad I did.

I have just got my copy of the revised Tuning Manual from G Thomas, direct by airmail from Estonia. The post team at work used to cars parts turning up every now and then were impressed by the many stamps on the parcel.

It now has colour pictures and much revised text. The first impression on opening the parcel was disappointment it looks just like the original - bright yellow.

From my initial reading it looks like it will be a jolly good read. More info avaiable via his website: http://www.jagclub.ru/triumph_news.html

J -type Overdrive - to be sorted + NEC show

I have been driving with a overdrive that stops working as the car warms up. Have done the easy checks - the oil level is fine. Had resigned myself to spending quite a bit of money on a recon. Well on my way to the NEC show I dropped in at Canley Classics and Dave Pearson talked me into a money saving idea - just try fitting a new solenoid. Great idea if it works and even it does not the money will not have been wasted as a new solenoid would be a part of a recon job on the whole unit.

And so onto the NEC. Friday is more expensive that Saturday and Sunday plus it much easier to see the cars. As always my Vitesse was one of very few classics in the car park. I wonder how many of the crowds at the show actually ever drive their classics or do they even have a classic back home at all.

Here are some pictures.

What no Triumphs - Doncaster Custom car show

Here are a few pictures. Saw a mildly modified Rover P5, a Hillman with a yank V8 and an old Ford Zodiac mounted on a 4x4 frame but no Triumphs.

Maintenence and a sale

Whilst doing some maintenece on my website I found this set of instructions for fitting the tonneau cover to Herald or Vitesse.

Only a start but have made my first eBay sale. A set of 5 wire wheels I sold were picked on Saturday by a nice couple who are finishing off a Gentry.

Seaside run

The good weather made us decide to go to the seaside. I forgot how far the Lincolnshire coast is from home. Had intended camping but did not hit the coast until 9.30pm. Thought of parking up in the dunes and sleeping in the Vitesse.

Found a B&B "Sunnycroft" with a vacancy and a pub still serving food at 9.50pm in Sandiland. Any way why am I saying all this - this a car blog. Where are all the classics? A beautiful sunny bank holiday weekend and we only saw 2 classics a Morgan and a great big limo of some sort.

Why do people not use their classic cars?

eBay virgin

I have bought enough stuff over the years. Think I will have ago at selling. http://search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZvitessesteve

Got some wire wheels a while back from a garage I cleared out. Tried offering them via Club Triumph classified but no luck. Lets see if eBay is any better.

Completely tyred

Got the back two done this morning. What a difference turning up first thing on a week day compared with a Saturday morning. No queue so car was sorted quickly. So now have 4 new Vredestein T Trac tyres fitted.

Before buying these tyres I did a little surfiing and found these test results which seem to be all Dutch which I suppose is to be expected for a Dutch tyre maker.

T-Trac
ADAC Motorwelt - 3/2002
Comparative Strengths - Dry Performance
Gute Fahrt - 3/2002
Comparative Strengths - Aquaplaning, Circle Tests
Comparative Weaknesses - Rolling resistance, Comfort
ADAC Motorwelt - 3/2001
Comparative Strengths - Dry Performance
Comparative Weaknesses - Wet Performance, Rolling Resistance

So they should be a good comprimise with strong dry performance possibly at the cost of comfort and economy. I do not drive my Vitesse to save petrol.

TSSC Leicester Sunshine rally

A great day out with an interesting mixture of cars. It was good to see the TSSC shop there.

I found a bargain Brixtax racing harness in the autojumble which I can now try to work how to fit. Also bought a new rotor arm from Bill Davies of Rarebits4classics

Was good to meet up with some old friends from the West Midlands. One of the most impressive cars for me was this recycled herald

Half Tyred

I have at last got around to replacing the front tyres on my Vitesse. Had the tracking checked and it was at 7.5 rather than 1.5 toe in. How did it get like that? Normal wear and tear occording to the tyre bay chaps at Selecta Tyre Ltd. 2 Vredestein T-Trac 175/70 for £55.56. Had them inflated with nitrogen just like F1 for an extra £1.25 a tyre. Total with balance and tracking £108.53, not bad I reckon.

Half Tyred

I have at last got around to replacing the front tyres on my Vitesse. Had the tracking checked and it was at 7.5 rather than 1.5 toe in. How did it get like that? Normal wear and tear occording to the tyre bay chaps at Selecta Tyre Ltd. 2 Vredestein T-Trac 175/70 for £55.56. Had them inflated with nitrogen just like F1 for an extra £1.25 a tyre. Total with balance and tracking £108.53, not bad I reckon.

Newark market place

Unfortunately I could not make it to the TSSC Robin Hood rally this weekend. But they came to the market place and I meet them and their cars there. Sorry no pictures this time.

Dig out those parts

Meet up with a couple of fairly local Triump folk and their cars at the Cadwell race meeting.

Unfortunately my camera battery was out of power so have borrowed these pictures from the TSSC website.

Agreed to sort out some Herald bits and pieces I have aquired and pass em on to Andrew.

Cadwell Park 2007

The rain held off all day.


Had got so used to the bad weather that had taken rain proof jacket but no sun cream or hat - a typical English summer day!

If there had been a price on this car, which was for sale, I think we would have bought. It won its races and my better half Jan was well smitten.

Most of the races were MG races but the 1st and last races featured Triumphs. The last race was an all comers race with an amazingly wide field which included 3 TVRs, Caterham R400 which won very easilly and three Triumphs. Unfortunately this Vitesse estate failed to finish.



More details of the TSSC race series is available at: tssc triumphracing_news or at: http://www.racing-triumphs.co.uk/

Newark Kit car show 2007

I like shows that let me in for free. Not as good turnout this year probably the rain put people off. The carpark is one of the best bits of this show. A good mixture of old and new. An old Fraser Nash and a group of wild mini.

That orange car has a mid mounted Hayabusa engine!

Did a little shopping got some yellow tape to cover the earth straps. Also found some screw caps to cover the screws that hold the door trims on.

99p - Bulkhead

Yesterday I collected this eBay bargain from Bob. The A posts below the screen and the floor pans look better than on my car. Bob also sold me a spare boot insert panel that I can refurbish and replace the now rather rusty one on my car.

It was a 320 miles round trip to Epsom an uneventful journey. Only embarrassing bit was not being able to open the rear doors at first - there was a separate button on the key fob - but only found it after phoning the hire firm to ask.

Flower power

This evening I took my better half out to see some open gardens at Cropwell Butler. The event was a part of the The National Open Gardens scheme for charity. www.ngs.org.uk You get to look around other peoples gardens and at these evening does you often get a glass of wine and some nibbles - very civilised.

On the way home we kept off the main roads and took to the lanes. An excuse for a run out in the Vitesse. You see so much more on the country lanes at this time of year - it was beautiful.

Vitesse Parts manual

I have added a copy of the pdf version of the Vitesse parts manual to my website at: vitessesteve.co.uk/Service%20manuals/Service%20manuals.htm

Should make things easier when trying to order bits from work!

Club Triumph - Lincs

Wednesday night at the The Coach and Horses, Hemingby, Horncastle.

What a friendly lot! The evening combined two of my favourite things good food and Triumph cars.

Several interesting cars in the car park despite of the rain. A serious looking big saloon caught my attention.

The only disappointment was that the overdrive has starting playing up again.

Overdrive - cured

More oil seems have sorted it. No obvious leak that I can see. So is the pressure building up resulting in blowing out of oil when the overdrive is working hard. Must find the pressure release.

Crich - tramway museum

An excellent if modest show. I was pleased to meet up with some old friends and meet some people whose cars I have heard of but never meet.

A modest turn out yes, but a good selection of cars. A concourse Acclaim and a TR7 rally replica were my favourites. With free entry to show cars inluding my Vitesse and a welcome drink from the organisers I was well pleased.

Overdrive - the cure?

Looks like it just needs the gearbox oil topping up.

The speedo cable had nearly let go. The rightangle drive was being held against the overdrive by the tension in the cable... so I screwed it back on. Why did it come lose? Everything looked OK just not fixed together properly.

Also found that the heater distribution box was not attached on the passenger side.

Camping & Overdrive

Went to the TSSC Lincoln meet yesterday. Plans for the forthcoming camping weekend over the August bank holiday were discussed. TSSC HQ have produced some flyers. I will post a copy here when I get my scanner working again.

The J-type overdrive would not engage must investigate. I had forgoten what a difference its makes particularly at speed. Most of the run to the meeting is along a straight A road I was still keeping up with the moderns but it was much louder.

Some beautiful Italians

I went to Roverto to see an exhibition at their modern art gallery about car design. It was fab. The were 75 cars inside and the day I was there a group of modern Maserati and Ferrari turned up.

My Vitesse is three times as fast as a Lamborghini

Saw this whilst on holiday in Italy. Max speed 50kph! So my Vitesse is at least three times as fast as a Lambo.

It is a small world

The Triumph world is full of all sorts of people. I spend time on some Triumph messageboards and forums. It is always good to be recognised in real life - although more often than not it my Vitesse that is noticed rather than me.

After the Retro Race show my car got a mention on the club triumph forum and now I have noticed a picture on the KD Triumph Blog of Karl Dandridge. And yes I must admit that my Vitesse does have excellent fascia air vents thanks to Karl.

I must try harder to recognise/meet the people behind the cars/messages.

Race Retro 2007

Great day out. Lots of historic and classic cars and that was just in the carpark. Parked behind me was this 4.2 Rover V8 powered big saloon. Saved £5.00 parking by arriving in my Vitesse.

Wyl assists in disposal of a dead body

We used my Vitesse to tow my other halfs dead little Renault 5 out of the yard for Tommy Croyden and daughter "the wrecker" to take it away. The 5 had stood awhile and one of the tyres was almost completely flat, so I had to pull pretty hard to get the thing to start moving - a little slipping the clutch was needed to start. Used a tow rope on the Vitesse tow bar. No real problem doing the job the Vitesse has alot of low down grunt. I wonder how many Triumphs get used for towing.

Use your local

Last night I went out to the Nottingham meeting of the TSSC/Club Triumph. It was their 2nd anniversary. Had a burger, a beer and chat a good night out.

Got me thinking about something I have heard said about local pubs. Apparently lots of local pubs are closing down because of competition from big chains and due to lack of use. It is only after the closure that people start to complain and say something should be done about it.

Car clubs must not go the same way. Use them or lose them!

4 door Vitesse at Stoneleigh 2007

Out Saturday night til late so was always going to be a quick visit any way. Got to the show for 1.00pm.

Was looking for a decent secondhand door or a door skin but found some treasure on Mark Field http://www.jigsawracingservices.co.uk/ stand. New old stock doors for little more than the skins a real bargain!

Now how the hell am I going to get them home? I had no tools in car having had a tidy up post MOT. So had to buy a cheap set of spanner for £1.00. Then had to take the passenger seat out and pack it upside down behind the drivers seat. Then I used the tow rope to tie the 2 doors against the roll cage and passenger door handle. Got some strange looks in the carpark.

A good show I got to talk to several people I have meet in cyber space. Meet a couple of french Triumph people and got to practice my school boy french - a common interest made communication easier.

herald-tips-tricks.wikidot.com

Have recently come across this new wiki aimed at Herald owners.

What do you think of this: http://herald-tips-tricks.wikidot.com/search:site/q/club%20triumph

29.04.2007 Following a comment from the author of the site himself please note the link should be http://herald-tips-tricks.wikidot.com/start:start0

MOT passed

Hurray. Got another years MOT. The car was well recieved at the garage, "a real car for a change"

Only got a few advisories: I reckon that is good. The front wheel bearing have some play and the handbrake only just passed.

Was surprised that my 1969 Vitesse needs a better more efficient hand brake than a modern car. Why so? The handbrake on a Vitesse is a secondary brake because of the single circuit main brakes, so must be 25% efficient. On a modern car a handbrake is the third brake system after the dual circuit brakes, so can be as little as 16%.

Kenlowe - wiring

I had been thinking about trying to get the warning light to work on the override switch. So when fellow blogger Martin Randle http://raidertr7.blogspot.com/ mentioned he was having trouble getting the light to come at the right time I had a rummage and found the fitting instructions. Here is the wiring diagram hope it helps.

Job done

All ready for the MOT now. Did not spend Friday night sorting the car after all so did not get the MOT done today. Will have to sort it next week. Need it ready for a trip to the Triumph do at Stoneleigh.

Cut the studs on the number plate light down to size this morning and fitted that. Have a reversing light again. How long will that last I wonder? I read on a message board recently that the new light may not last well.

The handbrake and horns both needed fixing. If that is the limit of what is needed to pass the MOT this year I will be well pleased.

Steering linkage - the rebuild

The new linkage fits a treat.

Putting the steering back together I found why the horn had stopped working. The wire was no longer attached to the slip ring at the end of the column. I tried to resolder the wire without taking the slip ring out. Silly boy. Had to drift the ring out. Much easier to solder the horn wire onto the slip ring with it out and held in the vice jaws.

The last time I was dealing with these parts I seem to remember it just falling out. I wonder why it was sticking this time - how can the top of the column shroud have changed shape?

I finished putting all the switches back into the column. Will complete the rebuild tomorrow night.

Steering linkage removal - part 3

The replacement lower steering column arrived today at work, so I know what I will doing tonight - putting the steering back together. I ordered online Sunday it arrived first thing Tuesday excellent.

Steering linkage removal - part 2

I have attacked it with WD40, heat, big hammer and an angle grinder. The linkage just will not let go of the lower part of steering column.

Time for some time out and something to eat.

Looks like will have to either source another lower column or buy a drimel to carefully carve off the linkage.

After a good cup of tea and some surfing have decided to give in and buy a replacement lower steering column.

Newark Autojumble

I have bought a late Triumph 2500S head which is my excuse to go the Newark Autojumble today so I can pick it up. Picked up the head and looked around at the jumble. My best purchase was a section of tough foam like a judo mat which should make lieing on the garage floor more bearable. Took some pictures in the classic carpark.

Steering linkage removal

Got the linkage to let go of the rack no problem, but getting it off the lower column is proving more difficult. The linkage had been painted over with black underseal so the first job was getting that off so I could get at the bolts.

Lots of WD40 and nut splitter have got the other bolt out of the top of the linkage. I can not get the thing off the column so will have to resort to completely dismantling the steering tomorrow. Hopefully if I get the lower column clear of the car I can attack it better on the work bench.

Rear number plate light

Got a new rear light from Tim Hodgekiss http://www.vintagemotorspares.com/ last year at the NEC classic show. Unfortunately the studs were not straight. He replaced it I have just got round to trying to fit it. Thought that MOT man might want to see the reversing light working. All the other lights work.

This time I find that the studs are good and straight but too long. They are so long that the bracket that the lamp fits to will not fit back on the boot lid.

Will have to cut the studs shorter. Have got a UNF die to clean the tread up afterwards.

Steering linkage

Another item on my MOT list. I had wanted to upgrade the steering linkage and use something I had seen on Bill Davies http://www.rarebits4classics.co.uk/ website. He has not been able to supply so with time running out I picked a linkage from eBay (the Jumblemaster)

and also ordered a standard one from Canley Classics to ensure that I had something in hand.

Both arrived today at work.

Thanks Jason I can handle it

My fellow blogger Jason Chinn http://chinn.blogspot.com/ has come up with the goods. After a serious rummage he sent me a couple of door handles - and they fit. My list of jobs for the MOT is one item shorter.

Also got a handle for £3.00 from TSSC member Pete Sargent. So now I have plenty to choose from!

It does fit?

Got a new internal door handle in the post from Canley Classics. At first I thought "it does not fit." The thing looks identical to broken one but ....

The part that fits over the shaft is correct size to hold the shaft but oversize to fit through the escutcheon.

On talking to the ever helpful David Pearson it seems that the new handles are bigger and better. I will have to enlarge the hole in the escutcheon. If I bought new escutcheon as well the hole would have been bigger.

So I have little bit of fittling to do. I should be used to that by now after 16 years as a Vitesse owner.

ADU 3B - Anew Blog

Have just found this - thought you might be interested too.Blog related to the restoration of famous Works Triumph Spitfire Le Mans 1964/1965 "ADU3B"http://www.adu3b.blogspot.com/

Interior door handle

Whilst checking the car over for the forthcoming MOT I was repairing the passenger door handle so that the external button opened the door. The little screwed in bolt that contacts the internal lock mechanism had shaken loose, so I applied a bit of thread lock and screwed it back in.

On refitting the interior door handle and turning it it broke. The break is just where the holes are for the retaining pin. Does anybody know of any after market handles that would fit and look OK in my Vitesse?

new website progress

New website progress: Have got email boxes working. Have got Frontpage edited pages to show. Have got index page to display still needs some editing.

http://vitessesteve.co.uk

Derwent/Notts new year run

At rest at the start in Ripley market place.

The end of the run at Castle Donnington services.

An excellent day out. No real mistakes with the navigation. Only problem was the ford at Rufford, the car made it to dry land but all the electrics cut out. Thanks to all who stopped to help. A group push started me up hill real heros to a man!

Anybody know what happened to the Mini that had just suffered the same fate as my car and whose driver helped push me up hill to restart.

We even won a bottle of wine in the raffle at lunch.

new web site coming

Did you see that Wayne Farnworth of ComputerFix Mobile PC & Mac Repairs, Upgrades and Maintenance http://www.computerfix-mobile.co.uk was offering a special deal on the TSSC website. I won and will lauching a new website soon.

I have recently purchased a domain name and will when it is registered have it hosted at Computerfix.