That was a year that was..

[Pete Lewis]

good to see you have got  the Buzz back 

Pete

[Steve P]

Nice to see a company still around that puts quality of work and customer satisfaction above money,good for them.(and you).

I am in the same mindset you were in early July,haven`t looked at either my Herald or Vitesse for over a month,Vitesse had moved temporarily to a family members spare garage after my lockup got busted into. 

I entered a club Yorkshire tour which i have done 3 times before but pulled out 2 weeks ago,just because i couldn`t muster any enthusiasm for it.

Interesting thread and i`m sure the car will be much improved.

Steve

[Peter Truman]

Good to hear the cars nearly there and your back from a slight misfire, I really enjoy sharing the journey, keep the updates coming.

As Steve says it's good to hear there's still some classic restorers who provide that extra service for us enthusiasts.  

[Bfg]

Unfortunately it seems that while Mark was on holiday ..my TR must have been shuffled into a corner and didn't get touched. Two weeks later I got the photos which showed the sill in primer and the NS panels finally fitted.  Since then it was mostly a matter of doing a 50 miles shakedown before I collected it and drove off down the M6.  He spoke of having it pre-MOT checked, just so an independent mechanic might look over the car, so I suggested we get a full MOT.  That was done on the 30th . . .

Date tested 30 July 2021 - Pass

Mileage 38,458 miles

Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):

• Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
• Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Oddly, the fact that those tyres are 27 years old doesn't warrant an advisory.  In any case the replacement pressed steel wheels and new tyres are ready to be fitted when I collect.  Nor does the MOT mention that there's only one seat (and one seat belt), nor the fact that the bumper over-riders are in the boot so there's no number plate illumination.  Makes me think that MOT (as an independent safety check) was possibly a waste of money when those in the trade share an understanding.

However, as it turns out - the joint between the gearbox and overdrive has developed a leak (..the gearbox was rebuilt but not the overdrive unit).  That can happen when things are disturbed. As it turns out the studs were odd and one or two have stripped out.  Why it wasn't spotted during reassembly, I don't know.  Ken at Classic Transmissions had the assembly back and oversized studs were ordered.  That was a few more days delay.

With new studs and gaskets, the assembled parts still leak, but only when the overdrive is engaged.  Despite best efforts they cannot actually say where the leak is coming from, and Ken now suspects there's a hairline crack in the overdrive's casing.  There is however, an aluminium adapter plate between the two ..and it's quite common for these to warp when inappropriately tightened (according to my friend Rich who used to be an unofficial agent for Pete Cox). I asked if the flatness of mine had been checked, and apparently not.  Ken now has the gearbox / overdrive assembly back again, and I understand was to have his son drive the latter down to Overdrive Spares in Rugby, who will pressure test and generally check the unit over and, if required, rebuild it.  Mark has suggested that they will get that done this week.

The bills just keeps mounting., but everyone concerned is being very fair to me, insomuch as they appear to all be doing this at trade prices.  I cannot say fairer than that.   

In my opinion, no blame is to be apportioned on a car that was clearly a learning curve for amateur restoration 22 years ago.  All things considered, Katie's  done very well to hold together for this long, and that's probably down to Bob Bell (the prior owner) only very lightly driving the car.  Quite possibly this leak had been there all these years but was not an issue when the car was only used in fine weather to the local club meeting or shows.  For such a trip through town and then country lanes, the overdrive would hardly have been engaged.  And so what if a 1960's Triumph dripped a little oil sometimes. Most anyone who owned a 1960's Triumph motorcycle would know more about oil leaks !

 

I did anticipate things not happening quite as planned (..I have a lifetime of such experiences), and so I didn't make plans to go to Malvern this year.  Tbh I feel too tired to be rushing around to meet a deadline which, although hopefully a really great event.. is not the only show to go to.  I'm avoiding the stress !  I'm sure the car will be ready for collection soon, in time for pleasant autumnal drives. 

Pete.

[Peter Truman]

Pete you know the line "it's a Triumph and they have to leave their mark", if I remember you sold one of your bikes are there any more in the wings, been quiet on that front. 

[Pete Lewis]

Gully had a profeesional gearbox refit and that pumped oil out of the loose pump threaded plug , they couldnt find the problem which took 10 seconds to spot on a jack .  two trips back and forth emptied the box , till we got our hands on the thing and applied some common sense 

so supposed professionals can miss the obvious 

X  Spurts   can get it very wrong at times  (  X the  unkowning   Spurt  a drip under pressure )

good luck with the repair  OD spares have a good reputation 

Pete

[Bfg]

The overdrive was delivered to OD spares, as planned, and inspected.  Apparently the leak is from a crack in the case by the solenoid mount.  My car's overdrive has now been replaced with an already rebuilt one that went to Malvern (displayed on the OD Spares stand) ..so at least part of the car made it there this year ! 

Katie is now back together again..  due to very quick service from  OD Spares, Ken of Classic Transmissions, Mark and Keith (the mechanic who works with M&T Classics).  

I hope to go up on Thursday morning to take the steel wheels, to test drive the car for myself ..and to pay the bill !  Then, all being well, I guess I'll go up by train to collect her early next week. 

Pete.  

        

[Peter Truman]

good luck, sincerly hope you are well pleased with the result and an enjoyable trip home with Katie

[Pete Lewis]

let the train take the strain    great youre nearly there 

the smile is not far away now but the wallet might be a bit sad 

you have certainly been on a trek ....   

pete

 

[Dick Twitchen]

And then a big reveal at Duxford?

[Bfg]

What's to reveal but yet another  signal red TR ?

It would be impolite to look up Katie's  skirt.

[Bfg]

 

2 hours ago, Mathew said:

Yea it would but we would anyway 🤣😜

Mathew    ..you have no shame !  

[Steve P]

1 hour ago, Mathew said:

f you had seen the cars I've driven over the years you would know that, even the kids did not want to be dropped off outside there schools!

I turned up outside my 2 daughters school in Ascot in my Vitesse when they were about 13 and 15 ,when the car was in red  oxide primer,they nearly died and made me put the roof up before they would get in.

Steve

[PeteH]

57 minutes ago, Steve P said:

I turned up outside my 2 daughters school in Ascot in my Vitesse when they were about 13 and 15 ,when the car was in red  oxide primer,they nearly died and made me put the roof up before they would get in.

Steve

On that note, We had a Smart Car, Wife turned up at Granddaughters school, Said child was mortified, Until all her little pal`s kept on about how "cool" it was. Street Cred restored, she returned home with a large Grin!. Kidd`s Eh!.

[mark powell]

Try taking your 16 year old son to college in a 2CV.....   Had to park some way from drop off to spare embarrassment.  

[dougbgt6]

I had an ancient old mini. I went to see number 2 daughter in a play at the school and parked with others in the playground. After the play it wouldn't start and sat in the playground for 3 days until I could get a tow truck man to take it away. Head mistress not impressed and daughter deeply distressed!

Doug

[Pete Lewis]

i once had a Panda courtesy car(use that term sparingly) back in the 80s 

while they fixed my Renault 25  so i parked right at the back of the staff park behind a bush to hide it 

 

Pete

[Paul H]

I gave a lift to a friend on the school run in my Morris Minor.  She broke the handle strap on the passenger door and I forgot to tell her to put her legs astride the footwell which was full of water 😱

Paul 

[NonMember]

54 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

a Panda courtesy car(use that term sparingly)

I've had worse discourtesy cars than that. Worst was a Seat Ibiza of similar vintage to the 15-year-old VW that was being repaired (over Christmas when I was visiting family). Too gutless to maintain 70mph and had a fuel leak from the carb, which I discovered because the battery was flat when I went to drive home.

[Peter Truman]

Pete I assumed you’d do the Concour thing put the car rear up on axle stands and put mirrors under so everyone could see your handy work, of course After you have polished the underside!

[Colin Lindsay]

2 hours ago, dougbgt6 said:

I had an ancient old mini. 

Me too. I was trying to impress a young lady in Belfast so headed out of the city along the M1 motorway; the driver's door window rubber unpeeled as we drove and started flapping against the rear quarterlight before detaching completely, and one of the hubcaps flew off like a UFO and was never seen again. She was in fits of laughter.

When it came to MOT time it turned out that it was two Minis welded together - despite the fact that I bought it the day after the previous MOT 12 months before - so was traded in for a Rover.

[Bfg]

The overdrive was replaced with a reconditioned exchange from OD Spares, in Rugby, and I went up to view and test drive the car some ten-days ago now.  I also delivered the pressed-steel wheels with new tyres, and other travel essentials (..like tools, oil & water, a cushion, a thick coat and a bobble-less hat). There still were a number of items yet to be addressed, which were checked out last week, so the car was ready for collection on Friday. The ride height I've agreed to sort out when I get the car back, most probably I'll start by refitting the original springs. 

I don't like to travel on Mondays or Fridays, and then it was a bank holiday, so I've now booked the train ticket (8am Ipswich-Wolverhampton 12:15) to drive the car back on Wednesday. 

Pete.

^  Mark of M&T Classics who have delivered the goods, done the deed, and made it happen in a most amicable way.. 

[Peter Truman]

safe trip, good luck and enjoy the ride back home, and future use.

[Badwolf]

Pete - Hope things work out well, enjoy the ride home.

[Bfg]

Last minute change of plan is that my friend Rich, from the TR Register's East Saxon's Alma group, has offered me a lift up to Wolverhampton tomorrow. I've cancelled the train ticket and got 40% of its cost back ..which will buy lunch. He has a couple of drops to make at suppliers en-route but nevertheless it's very kind of him, not least because it's reassuring to have someone to watch our tail on the return trip.