Colin

Chaps, Dash back in (and everything working!!), I thought I'd make the most of the trailing 2nd horn wires (removed at some point in the past probably on 1st rough renovation decades ago) and comlete the horn set; I made a new bracket for the second o/s missing horn. Took receipt of new Lucas horns, high and low tones and, after removing the old corroded spades and renewing them, fitted them up. Simples. I had cleaned the 'pencil' spring connector at the sterring wheel horn end - I knew that could be oxidised at each end (and have bought a new replacement that didn't help). But - no sound. Horns bench tested, 12V across the terminals, in case the diaphragms were stuck. As expected, all good. Confused myself before by using a new multimeter that confusingly showed a phantom 12V on both terminals of each horn!! I really didn't think that would be the case, so I got over that by going analogue and used a 12V bulb, tested for being good across the car battery, on the 12V feed wire (in my case Brown only, double wire) of horn 1 earthed to a bracket that I'd sanded back to bright steel on a small patch. Nice, bright bulb illumination. I then connected the double Brown/Black wire of the other horn terminal and found in reality, there is no 12V feed - thank goodness. Same again for horn 2. Again, good bright bulb lighting on the Brown 12V live spade and nothing on the other. BUT . . . no sound from either horn when 'push' operated. I am now assuming the problem is further back up the line - Someone is going to talk about the disc connection behind the 'pencil-spring' and to check the wiring tag?? That requires wheel removal does it not (pain, if I remember having done it once decades before . . . ?? But if anyone has any ideas, I'd be grateful:- AND, Two Questions; 1) Do the horns require the bonnet to be in situ (clipped shut) to complete the earthing? 2) Does the horn push button (the one with the Logo and tag on the back) play any part in this other than the tag pusing the 'Pencil' sprung loaded connector which contacts the column disc? Because the brass/copper (?) spring which helps it sit in the column top, on mine, is quite slack. On-going thanks, Chaps!!

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Topping and Tailing . . . Herewith refitted, re-lacquered dashboard. Needed a replacement wiper switch; original had a strange spring arrangement which fell apart & I failed to fix! All powered up and I am staggered that everything works! Cheers to all for sll help advice & friendship shown during this work (which only started because my headlights failed to illuminate!!)!! Loxley's badge going on glovebox now! Best C.

Hi, Handmade 🙂. The varnish/lacquer had been peeling/dropping off in bits over a good many years. Hence, I 'steeled' myself to get to grips with it! Why it had been separating from the veneer surface is unknown - although extremes of temps in France over 10 years won't have helped! As it turned out, because of this, with a scalpel at the lifting edges, I was able to peel 4-5cm lengths of the stuff in one go. But you're right, that veneer is stupidly thin - I had no idea you could get such thin veneer! And of course, the dash is flat-ish, but not so flat that in sweeps of 180 grit it wouldn't wear away if sanded too enthusiastically! Fortunately I was able to stop m'self in time to realise and not take the damage too far! Anyway, she looks a bit like this now, waiting for a glissing of the heater box to dry before being re-installed (choke cable when in position gets in the way of painting the heater box). Thanks for all advices! Duly noted!! Best, Colin

Just been refurbing my dash (1970 1200 saloon) :- made the mistake of trying to clean the dealer's glovebox badge! Might be an interesting exercise to see how many Triumphs are still out there supplied by them!

😉 Yep, they were. I don't know what happened to mine !! C.

Thanks Wagger, Have e-mailed Newton. So will keep all posted! C.

Many thanks - good advice. Hadn't realised they did that sort of thing. I believe the Club supplies the millboard, but not (as far as I can recall from the Catalogue), not the edging . . . 🙂 Best, C.

Thanks Gary - yep, I know they weren't real chrome (steel based) items. I think mine were chromed aluminium. I will make an enquiry . . . (nice finishing touch) 🙂 Cheers! C.

Hi Gary, Yes! Those tiny rear chrome strips. The card's allright for the mo' (even 50 years in . . . ) ! D'you think Newton can/would supply the strips only (any knowledge)?? Best, C.

Hi Non-Member! Well, all I can say is mine's deffo a 1970 1200 saloon and it's the only one I've had (36 years) . . . so I suppose, yes, they did have them!! 😉

Chaps:- Just to add to my silliness . . . in the footwell, the (my) outer side cards used to have chrome plated aluminium channelled finishing strips running up the back (door edge). In my car, these disappeared a long time ago. Having seen many, many (renovations included) Herald photos, I can't recall seeing any with such embellishments. Do any of your cars sport these minor detail finishing elements? Moreover, has anyone any idea if they are still available?? Cheers, Colin.

Ta, Pete! C.

Colin - ALL the original veneer is there (although I whizzed softly through some to the sides of the ashtray slot . . . I went through to the substrate - just . . . and carefully hand painted the veneer markings back - less than .5 sq cm either side - the board itself is deffo not flat . . so 'flatting' an unvarnished board, or after the first couple of lacquer passes (which is what I did, to let the lacquer get into the striations and shrinkings of 50 year old veneer) - is a bit of a misnomer! Best, C.

Thanks! Yes, I didn't lose all the wrinkles (it's not a Roller!) :-)

Chaps:- Just thought I'd update and 'Top & Tail' my speedo/dashboard trials & tribulations with these pics. Previous comments showed the declining state of the dashboard. Herewith my pics of having picked off all the old varnish/lacquer, some judicious sanding (VERY VERY thin veneer used, I discovered!!) and after having lightly sanded the first couple of lacquer spraying passes, they show what I consider to be the finished result (in other words, I'm not doing any more to it!), not polished. All badges will be buffed and replaced 😉 Grateful as usual to all for their help and advices . . . Cheers, Colin.

Ben Caswell - thanks for the link! Will screenshot & print section out to add to the history of the car! Best, C.

TriGolf:- Very sensible!! Pete:- I'm so glad you shared that you don'r iron your underpants. I was hoping for a suitable space to endorse that apathy - me neither (or my wife!) Remiss of me not to have said "Happy Christmas" to you all and to thanks you for all your help. Having stupidly watched the Magnificent 7 on TV, I'm deffo lining work of some kind to do over the next "festive" period!! Cheers to All. C.

It's going to be sanded and sprayed with clear lacquer, Pete! But yes! Love The Repair Shop! Remind me about the ironing trick! C.

Josef - deffo! Loxleys of Orpington. That's staying!! Best, C.

Chaps:- it's OUT!! Many, many, thanks to you for guiding me through the last (for me) dodgy stages of that process. Years ago, it started cracking around the interior heater flap knob which has always been stiff (very) at one point in its movement. Everywhere else it has also started to separate from its veneer. Pics. Cheers, Colin.

Many thanks! Just dug the grommet out of the bulkhead. And just pulled the 'join' apart a bit. Clearly this has been done before! I'll undo that 'join' - then I should be pretty much there! Keep you posted!! Thanks for your minute to minute guiding. Gaining a lot of confidence as I go!! Just never want to start an activity I can't fixed!! Best, C.

If either of you/anybody has a clue how to undo that nut, I'd be well pleased!! I could take the entire lot from the engine bay back through the cabin when the rest of the dash comes off then disassemble on the bench - but I don't think that cable 'join' in thd engine bay could be drawn back through the bulkhead . . . I don't think it'll go through though. I may have to try this - thd nut looks inaccessible to me from under the dash right now - just been trying. Not enough room round the back of the nut for pliers, adjustable, ring or any other type of spanner! At least I could always enlarge the bulkhead cable hole to take the entire cable back through. Then simply use a bigger blanking plug on reassembly?

Blast! It's a nut, isn't it, on the back of the choke. Darn . . . C.

Thanks chaps:- please see pics.Inside cabin shows knob (yes, has sprung loaded knob-taking-off hole. But as can be seen, no chrome bezel to unscrew. Then, the dash underside view shows it looking as ic the only removal option is disonnection from carb and pull back through. Fly in the ointment is (engine bay view), some kind of outer cable sheath 'repair(?) that I can only hope will come through the cabin dash hole . . . Am I right to think this is the only route forward in the case of its fitting in this circumstance? Best, C. PS Colin:- pic of the speedo out of dash. In v good nick. I mistakenly undid the gauge needle fittings and spade connectors. Did 'em back up under the dash in the car. When it was out I re-referred to my photo brfore dismantling and have re-positioned. As far as I can see, neither side of the gauge connections touches its metal body. Both are isolated by the shielding washers, body side of the tower nut. Correct??