Colin Lindsay

I remember reading about them, we have some nice models locally, and I've found they're bitsers from all sorts of different pre-existing models (including some GT6 switches!) but a goodly number of parts are unique.

No pun intended! It's true that any car can dazzle; my 948 Coupe had a great feature where due to a PO's incorrect wiring, dip had one high beam and one low, and when you went to full beam, it was the other way round... made for interesting driving until I worked it out. I just think it's strange that the issue has been raised, seems important enough to warrant all sorts of official releases, but then - if your car's pre 1986 don't worry about it! (I won't, anyway - I don't have them!)

Well I suppose I won't spot the oil leaks as easily; but it looks nice. I suspect it may be more durable and more easily cleaned, so that's a big bonus. As the saying goes: a man on a galloping horse will never see it.

Well, good news and... different news. The chassis has gone off to the painter, who very kindly offered to paint it so as to have a solid base on which to tackle the bodywork, to avoid distortion caused by repair sections or replacement panels. So: nicely cleaned, and ready as it will ever be... off it went. Four days later it came back. In lovely, shiny, tough and pristine gloss black. GLOSS BLACK. The problem was that the painter has never seen the original Herald, which is Signal Red. All of the body panels are in primer. I suppose he should have phoned me to check but , remembering that the GT6 chassis is black, he had a quick search on the Net. "Herald chassis were originally black" says a source. "Then the body was fitted and the cars sprayed, which is why the exposed bits of the car are body coloured, but protected parts are still black." He took this to mean overspray, and just went for gloss black all over. It's nice, shiny, clean, and well-painted. I suppose I'll just have to live with it. So: on with the bits to get it rolling. In pride of place was the reconditioned steering rack. I'm using original clamps rather than alloy, but have gone for natty orange polyurethane bushes, which have a little lip on the underside where some of the blue polybushes don't. Time will tell if this is a good thing or not. I also remembered the earth strap... Wishbones are getting yellow nylon bushes, of which I bought the world's supply back in the 2000s. The GT6 is coming up on twenty years of using them and no complaints so far. They're a nice consistency, neither too hard nor too soft, and look nice against the gloss. That aparrent distortion is just the reflection. I'm using stainless brake line brackets too, and with the benefit of experience remembered to fit the bolts for the engine side valences before the upper wishbones. You learn these things the hard way. As usual I've found that there are small parts which I thought I had, that I don't. Both of my anti-roll bar links are right handed - how did that happen? - I've got no lower bushes for the diff, only one good top ball joint and having searched for hours for a brand new set of front springs finally realised I'd used them on the estate a month or two ago. The shelves are emptying at an alarming rate; boxes which have sat for years - front suspension nut and bolt kits, bushes, brackets, shocks, bearings and brake discs - are all seeing the light of day and being fitted at last. If the freshly painted bits dry nicely and Paddocks deliver the spares with their usual reliable speed, we'll be on four wheels by the weekend. ...and finally - it's amazing the things you find when you're looking for something else. I didn't find the springs, but I found a box of 13 (thirteen?) brand new Stanpart wheel trims for the GT6 and Vitesse. Back in the early days of GT6 ownership I found that mine often got damaged when they were removed, so salted away a few sets bought from eBay at around a tenner a set. They may be worth more now, I've no idea - probably the modern versions are better made or much cheaper. Nice to look at, though.

Now: the interesting point I've noticed is: "Vehicles first used before 1st April 1986 will not be affected by these changes". Does that mean it's because they would not have had LED lights fitted as standard, and the Gov is taking this to mean that none of them do now? I would have thought that any car fitted with LEDs in a Halogen or filament unit has the potential to dazzle oncoming traffic, so then the age of the car doesn't matter - you can be as easily blinded by a 60 year old car with an incorrect beam pattern as a thirty year old. If they're worried about aftermarket components which don't meet the current standards, what about the same aftermarket components fitted to pre-1986 cars?

Looks nice. There is one selling locally to me, or was very recently; I had looked at it a month ago and debated it for myself, but was pipped to the post; it's now back for sale at double the original price. Quite a practical car for everyday use.

Might be an idea for a Members-only thread... a Swap Shop... or maybe open to all... I'm finding it harder to climb in and out of the GT6 and was hankering after a good Vitesse convertible, but can't be bothered with all the faffing of searching and selling with unknown cars and unknown sellers. I know there are owners who would like to try other Triumphs - with all the good cars we have in the club, is there an opening for swaps / slight cash adjustments either way for cars of similar values? Or does that encroach on the small-ads?

Is it just the camera angle or does the keyway for the TR7 look much larger? Have you measured the other two and compared? In terms of casting it looks very similar to the TR7 version; I wonder if the four-speed and five-speed hubs were changed during production?

Welcome Mike; keep an eye on the classifieds and we'll assist all we can. There's none that colour even on eBay at present, (although a very nice white 1200 that I'm trying to forget... I don't need another!) What moggies have you got? I was looking at an incredibly rusty - probably well beyond saving - early Minor yesterday. Always liked them.

They'll fit ok but as you say, no hubcaps. I have them as spares on my Estate rebuild and have seen quite a number of Heralds with them over the years.

Haven't found a photo of any on a car yet but here's the wheel:

I'll have to go check; I'm trying to avoid the Classifieds - took a mad hankering for a Vitesse convertible so am trying not to fuel it any more than necessary. He's posted in Matthew's 2500S thread, page 4 posted at 9.48 yesterday morning: "I have to sell all my cars including my Herald Estate." Send him a PM.

Mick has them at a fiver each, used... doesn't say how many he has, though. Download the relevant pricelist you need from the site: http://mickdolphin.co.uk

If you do, sink them in potting compost to protect them... we can't get it over here any more, no-one's allowed to post it to us and with all the Garden Centres closed, we can't buy any locally.

Anyway just to take your mind off it - member Ascalon is selling a Herald Estate; currently posting in Matthew's '2500s Estate' thread in this very section...

Don't bin them (must be some way of testing them?) Are those still manufactured by anybody today? Purists will always want them, especially for show cars, but I don't know if you can still buy new originals. Halogen conversions everywhere, modern beam patterns, second-hand or odd-stock sealed originals, but after a quick search just now I don't see anyone selling brand new original Lucas 700s off the shelf. There has to be someone.

Most owners do it as they think it will help them see further in the dark. I can understand replacing the old sealed beams with halogens, but always thought LEDs were too great a leap for me, other than brake lights and reversing lights. I've got a lovely set of stainless Lumax spots which I fitted to the 948 for a time and will maybe go on the 1200 convertible to aid the headlamps. I find it easier to have them wired as a completely separate loom from the main loom and controlled by an illuminated switch, rather than putting the extra strain on the main loom. Too lazy to fit relays and run from the full beam switch!

You want me to build them a bike shed?

That's a level of enthusiasm I never had... However: if the pump is clean, then ask has it been changed or just cleaned for inspection, in which case - why? I'd have a look anyway. You will get a faint smell of petrol from the engine anyway, so maybe not much to worry about, but a quick removal and inspection of the pump will reassure you. If the coolant is frothy it does sound like it's getting gases from somewhere; but those brown rusty marks around the bottle don't point to much antifreeze?

Some enterprising person... simply known by many as 'idiot'... opened a cycle rental business and cafe in my village. As we're the main crossing point for the canal every cyclist in the UK meets here on Sundays and a lot of weeknights too. When you drive down the street you feel like you're driving through someone's gym with all these budgie smugglers in lycra feeling the burn up and down the road. Every day is Giro d'Italia here. It reminds me of old movies of the motorcycle gangs and Mods from the 50s and 60s; all wearing their colours, all rivals, but annoy one and they all unite against you.

http://chicdoig.co.uk Just to help you along, although I'll assume you've already found it! Don't e-mail, he never seems to reply to them - phone the office on Monday.

Those are becoming real hen's teeth these days; try Chic Doig for second-hand ones. You've done it now, I'll have to nip out to the garage and see if I've got any for my own restorations as I can't remember if there are any fitted, or not...

Woohoo! The Dark Web! Never found it before.

Made a lot of panels and repair sections back in the day, if I remember correctly.

Computer says pay up?