That was a year that was..

[Bfg]

One of the little tasks of these past couple of weeks was to fill the small screw holes through the car's floors with seam-sealer, and to paint over those. These were the holes from self-tapping screws used to keep the carpets in place, clearly some had either pulled out or could not be found when fitting new felt or carpets, as in all there were over 80 holes !   I still needed to shop for some new grommets, aside from those for the wiring, there's two for the speedo / rev counter cables through the bulkhead and then two more for the handbrake cables.

Wallace was not in when I dropped by for Gromit, so I went to the club (East Saxons TR group @ the Alma) meeting yesterday evening and my friend Rich kindly brought along a selection of grommets to suit, so they'll be swapped out over the course of my doing other tasks.  In anticipation of refitting the gearbox cover I've just replaced the speedo cable.  That instrument's needle tends to move in a jerky manner and reads inaccurately, so I'm hoping an unkinked new cable may help fit it, without the cost of an instrument rebuild.  ( .. still an optimist Pete ? )

 

^ In the course of replacing the cable, I rerouted it through the pedal box / master cylinders bracket, so its run is now very much smoother and imo neater too.  It used to come up passed the steering column and then have to kink around the back corner of the bracket to then go through the same hole through the bulkhead

Other pottering around jobs recently included . . .

^ The vibration damper, which hangs under the tail-end of the gearbox didn't have its security bracket, so I twisted one and fitted it. I think its purpose is to prevent the weight from sliding backwards and fouling the driveshaft UJ, should its clamp work loose.  So I could have used wire, but this was almost as easy.  And as you might gather I do like the car to be accurate to original specification 

  

^ I also replaced the rear bearing in the starter motor. This being a high-torque type, fitted by the prior owner, from the TR shop in July 2004  Again due to radiant heat from the exhaust down-pipes the lubrication of that bearing dries out and it had gone notchy (..is that a technical term ! ? ).  The rubber cap over the wiring connection had perished and I found that an old rubber slave-cylinder cover fitted on there quite nicely, with its hole filled-in with black silicon sealer.     

^ Another task was to make a back panel for the map pocket I made in the side of the gearbox cover.  This is to be easily removable for access to the gearbox oil-level plug.  The plywood was reclaimed from a small fruit box, and is painted just to keep damp out, but at some time I'll cover it in vinyl.  The back face will have sound deadening on it. The strip of steel was in my bag of off cuts, and all I needed to do to that was to round its ends, de-burr it and drill a couple of countersunk holes. If it were chromed it would look nice but for convenience I've just painted it silver.

next . . .

 

The rubber dam I made for between the engine bay and the gearbox had a wobbly top section.  It's too tight between the gearbox and the underside of the heater to get another fastening in there, so I recycled the aluminium from an old paper-towel holder. Cut to shape with a jig saw, it was nice and easy to work.

Back to work on the gearbox cover . . .

   

^ I used the same ribbed rubber (previously the rubber mat used on shelves in a shop) for noise absorption inside the two parts of this steel gearbox cover.  The issue was of course twofold. 1. keeping it there (rather than it draping down) after a while, and 2. getting / keeping it tight into the corner shapes.  CT-1 adhesive was used for the former, and stuffing it with sponge and soft wadding, while that adhesive was setting, sorted the latter . . .

  

^ The insulation is a work of patchwork because I just started with a limited size of rubber, and that had various holes through it, but on the whole it worked well. The white CT-1 is not pretty but then I could if I was worried about how pretty it looked (..inside the gearbox tunnel, when fitted in the car with carpets over it !) paint it.  I glued it in several stages as that was easier to handle and again for pushing it into the corners, while in the meantime worked on a heat shield . . .

  

^ previously the back of a boiler, a corner of that steel was formed and fitted under the front of the exhaust manifold, as a shield to lessen the radiant heat to the dynamo (which is just an inch-and-a-half away).  That heat causes the rear bearing's lubrication to dry out, and so the bearing fails, this in turn causes the armature to wobble and chew itself up ..which is why I was obliged to replace it.  Seen above, as work-in-progress - it still had to be much tighter fitting (to the manifold), so the dynamo can be rotated all the way to the engine to fit the fan belt.

While doing this I discovered another little problem. . . 

    

^ the dynamo bracket was broken, the hex-head set-screws were all different lengths, and the hole for the rear end of the dynamo was worn rather badly.  Hey ho., Katie  must have thought I was looking for another job to do !   A car like this is like being married !

^ I welded bracket back together, taking care not to have a corner build-up where the front bolt hole is, and then I added a short length of steel tube to the rear ..as a bearing surface for a 5/16" UNF plain-shanked bolt.  In practice, with the heat shield in place, I couldn't get such a long bolt in from behind (from the exhaust manifold side) so the bolt comes in from the front and a lock-nut is fitted at the back.  My apologies for an inaccurate photo. 

    

^ As noted on a recent thread, from a side-screen TR owner, on the TR forum, I'm not the only one who finds that rear pivot-fastening a right awkward so n' so to reach.  With a heat-shield fitted ..its no easier !  The plain shanked bolt went into the bracket's new tube easy enough, and then I had to lay under the car to start the lock-nut onto the thread. And then, from above again, I could get an open-ended spanner onto that nut to hold it as I used a ratchet-ring-spanner to tighten the bolt.  Thankfully I'll not need to remove it very often.  

The three screws holding the bracket are through the engine case and so need to be considered a potential oil leak. All are now the correct 5/16" UNC  x 3/4" long hex-head set screws, with Loctite 5922 'flange sealant' on their threads, and on the back-face of the bracket around the holes.

And so there we have it. . .

       

^ Probably because the rear end of the dynamo is held in line, I've found that the dynamo rotates closer to the engine, and fitting this large section fan onto the pulley is now really easy.  And the heat shield is fitted in place. The screw threads into the forward facing bosses of this exhaust manifold are 3/4" deep and have BSF rather than UNF threads in them.  I don't believe a heat-shield was fitted as standard to UK cars, but it appears to have been planned for, or may perhaps have been specified for some overseas markets.?   

I think that's enough of my waffling on for today, so I'll bid you, one and all, a good evening and a great weekend.

Pete.

 

[Bfg]

This afternoon saw us pass a milestone in Katie's  reassembly . . .

    

^ I've used 2mm thk x 30mm wide self-adhesive neoprene rubber strip for the gearbox-cover seal.  Using a coring knife (as in apple cores) against a block of softwood, the screw holes were 'punched' out as I went along,

^ forward section in. These jobs always take a little extra time when working alone ..and the bolts, penny washers, and my ribbed-rubber dam (between the engine bay and the gearbox) are fitted from the engine side of the bulkhead and the nut & washers are fitted, with a long reach forward, within the car's interior.

 

^ yes, indeed, the speedo-drive's access cover still needs to be fitted, and also the self-tapping screws around the panel overlaps (each have been pre-drilled but I don't yet know if they line up with the seals in place).

I'm rerouting the rev.counter cable as well, as it looks unsightly running from one side of the car to the other within the engine bay.  I believe the side-screen cars did it this way, so no innovation here ..just a preference of mine.

^ job mostly done, but for fitting the back face of the map pocket, the interior trim with gear-change gaiter, and the handbrake lever.

Because I adapted this cover to fit under the H-frame - it's somewhat sleeker than than it was (TR3 shape).  It looks, and in steel it ought to be, purposeful .. such a shame to hide it under carpets.    anyway I'm really chuffed that its fit is so very tight.  

Bidding you a pleasant weekend,

Pete

[Bfg]

• Feedback on the TR Forum . .

 

On 27/02/2022 at 08:28, BRENDA1 said:

Morning Pete, looking good you could always go rally style and have no carpets. Your getting there then you can get out and about. Took the hardtop off Brenda as hopefully summer is on its way then we’re going out for a short run over to Lyme Park for a walk round the house & gardens. (It’s so close and it appears Carole has never been) have a good day.

Mike redrose group 

Expand  

 

Brenda's looking fabulous Mike. 

I do look forward to getting such a back-light (mine is in GRP) fitted to Katie, and then of course trying to sort out the Surrey top to fit with the TR6 windscreen header rail. 

Yes to start , while I sort through teething problems, rally style with no carpet over the tunnel would make sense, perhaps just rubber floor mats.  Carpets can be fitted later.

 

On 27/02/2022 at 11:25, AlanG said:

Looks good. Worth having access hole for the upper starter motor (bolt ?)  though.

Alan.

Thanks. Good advice Alan, although I do wish you'd mentioned it before I painted, insulated, &/or fitted the cover.  It would have been easy to have had a grommeted hole just there.  The grp cover that was on the car looked to have been smashed in that place, and then was gaffer-taped over.  I didn't realise that it was from where the p.o. replaced the starter motor.   

 

On 27/02/2022 at 11:54, stuart said:

FWIW Sidescreen cars still had the rev counter cable crossing the engine compartment. They just changed sides with the speedo early on in TR2 production so navigators could see the speedo.

Stuart.

Thanks Stuart,  Looking at photos on the internet have clearly misled me, perhaps because so many are LHD !

 

- - -

Following on from the heat shield over the dynamo, and before I refit seats in the car ..this past week I've been looking at / working on Katie's  wiring..   The were several reasons for for tackling this now, working under a poly-tunnel during the cold-damp weather   ..which in short (pun intended) come down to safety, reliability, and my own preference. 

From a personal point of view, I have seen a couple of cars burning. one was a fibreglass bodied Reliant which burnt with such ferocity that it was frightening.  The other was an XJ Jaguar ..famed for electrical faults because of the mass of wires and their duplication (in the manufacturer's hope of improving reliability).  And then of course I had a small under-bonnet fire with Katie, when a pot of brake fluid was left on the exhaust manifolds, after her clutch release mechanism had been replaced.  Fire is a terrible prospect.  

Poor reliability is simply a pain in the archives. Even a well maintained car can fail an MOT because the horn or washers, or a lamp not working. The latter also tends to attract the attentions of the Police ..which on the whole I like to keep on the right side of.  Naturally, because more electrics are used in the winter months and in the rain, heater, wiper, lights, etc, so then the electrical loads on the whole are greater and the likelihood of fault is greater ..all to often occurring in the cold, dark and wet.  And of course in the cold weather, the starter is working harder to turn over more viscous engine oil and then with lights on the charging system is working close to its capacity. .

My third point was own-preferences. I find life easier when there's logic in the wire's route, but of course Standard-Triumph had to make compromises for economy, ease of production and commonality of parts for left and right hand drive cars ..destined to different markets.  I also distrust home-crimped connectors, and insecure/ unsupported wires that drape or swing around loosely and chafe.  And then again clutter and unsightly wiring, and heater pipes, drive and control cables crossing over each other in the engine bay. 

I find a neatly laid out engine bay is easier to keep clean and tidy, easier to see when something is not quite right, and offers better access for maintenance (I lost count of the number of times my right sleeve snagged on the exposed terminals of the horn relay when I was working on the dynamo, its mountings and shield ..before I removed it !). I also find neat engineering is somewhat more pleasing. But then I also have personal preferences in terms of things like hazard warning lights, electric screen-wash, and lights of an appropriate brightness ..now that other night-time ambient light levels (other vehicles and street lighting) are so much brighter than they were 50 years ago.

Even a cursory check of Katie's  wiring revealed that important (read un-switched live and heavy current) connections had failed. For example two of the large wires to the control box very easily pulled out of their connectors, those to the horn and dynamo each had heat-hardened and cracked insulation, and the wires to both the main and dipped headlamps were pinched-through the insulation to expose the copper wire. Many other wires had the end connector with exposed frayed wires to it.   I also didn't like the electrical wires going forward being routed in the bottom corner of the inner wing, where any petrol leak would dribble onto them.

Non of the wiring connections which had been home / previous-owner replaced with crimped wore end-sleeve insulation over the connection, so each were exposed to be shorted out. These include each wire to the control box.  Even the original connections to the fuse box are exposed.  Each of this car's three fuses were 35A, and no connection terminal appeared to have been cleaned and Vaselined when the car was restored 22+ years ago ..so commonly the resistance between every wire and its connection would be high. Throughout the car - that'll add up.  High electrical resistance leads to higher currents being needed for the same output, and then the greater the risk of fire &/or failure.  It also means more battery charging is necessary which of course is paid for in fuel consumption.    

Is the car likely to be safe. legal and reliable as it is.?  - Aside from the horn not working, and the control box being of poor aftermarket quality with  intermittent connections through its loosely riveted terminals, it otherwise works for now. But imo failure is imminent when damp, corrosion and vibration will take their toll.

 

So, present work-in-progress involves checking every connection, cleaning off oxidisation (back to bare metal), add insulation where appropriate, with Vaseline brushed in every joint before reassembly (to lessen further corrosion), and then of course securing the wires. 

That aside I'm in the process of moving a few things . . .

. .

^ In terms of own-preference (logic in routing and a clearer engine bay) and in order to keep more of the electrics in a kinder environment, than an engine bay, I've chosen to relocate the control box and fuses to under the dashboard, in a line back from the voltage stabiliser.  At least if there is a fire I'll have advanced warning from the smell of melting insulation ..or my pants being on fire !  Yes there's plenty of room for my size-13 feet under there too.  The underside of the bulkhead was repainted and aluminium tape applied over that to reflect light in that corner.  And the fuse-box is on a bracket so the fuses face me when its cover is off.  

The brake light switch is dangling loose at the moment, but I want to move it to under here too.   I yet have to re-wrap the wires, and will use sleeves for the longer runs, and then of course to properly secure those wires.  

^ In the engine bay, for the forward wiring (lights and horn) I'm taking the high road over  the inner wing rather than through the gully under the carbs.  I'm also taking the opportunity to replace the grommets through the bulkhead for new, so noise and fumes are less likely to waft their way into the car's interior. 

And I now have a clear bulkhead shelf, besides the pedal box, to put tools down onto.   

Next I'll be looking into LED side, brake and indicator bulbs. There's a lot of reading (I've yet to do) in archive posts to find out what's what. 

My front indicator bulbs are already LED (stamped 1156 12v) with a " 25w 7 omn J " resistor on one side.  I also have LED number plate lamps, but for the sake of brightness and least electrical current - I'd like to replace the rest.  The car is negative earth.  I'd also like to add hazard warnings, and to add additional sidelights into each headlamp.

Cheers,

Pete.

[Bfg]

hi Mathew, thanks and yes.. by the end of this month.

Pete

[Bfg]

Hi Y'all.

I've had a bit too much fun this past week redrawing the TR4 wiring diagram into Autocad, only to then find out that the TR4A has quite a few differences.  It is very remiss of the workshop manual and of Haynes, not to include one for this model of car. after all they did make more than just a handful.  I have a copy of Autowire's wiring diagram and have noted various comments about the couple of things wrong in that, so in time, I'll get mine correct.

I think classic cars were only ever invented to try and teach us patience and understanding of another's perspective.  The former I'm a persistent failure, and although I do have an appreciation of the design and build practices of these cars - I still find it infuriating when the space lacks just 1/4" extra to get a finger or tool onto fastening.!    Old Brit motorcycles are generally much easier to work on.

- - -

Anyways., much of what I'm doing right now with Katie  is simply the result of five decades of humidity and heat cycles having hardened insulation on the wires to the point where it has cracked or else where a connector on the end of a wire has worked loose (most likely 'metal fatigue' due to prolonged vibration &/or excessive bending or pulling of the wire into the connector).  Credit though must go to those who made these wiring looms. The quality of materials and the way the joints were made, is really very good ..not least insomuch as it has lasted so well and ..in the most part, will continue to safely and efficiently serve its purpose for many years to come.  

50 years on though., with the grime of humidity & dust and the inevitable oxidisation of the metal of the connector - I'm sure most every wiring joint on the car would measure excessive resistance.  So..,  dim lamps, poor charging, poor wiper and heater-blower performance, and then wasted fuel (after all - such inefficiencies always have to be paid for) ..as well as the potential fire risk and frustrating reliability issues either when everyone is watching, or else it is cold, wet, and getting dark ! 

It's a time consuming business to pull each and every wiring connection, and to pull back their end insulation sleeve and to check, clean and Vaseline every one, but if I don't.. then the piper will at some time have to be paid.

Fortunately I didn't have that many  home-crimped connectors on this car, but almost without exception those that are were  on Katie were loose enough to easily pull off.  I really do despise those things.

I've (professionally) designed a number of car and yacht looms myself, and so can appreciate that Triumph had to design the loom for different market configurations and equally for expediency during assembly.  So while checking and cleaning each wire, I'm also making minor adjustments according to my own criteria ..of being the driver.   I stress that I'm moving things around ..not because they are needed, but rather to suit my personal preference of ; having a tidier engine bay, and to order the routing in such a way that it is simpler &/or where any future fault might more easily be traced.  I'm also making a few changes according to my own ergonomic preferences and personal taste.

The changes I've made (..or am in the process of making) are ;

• control box (voltage regulator) moved to now be under the dashboard, together with the fuses.  This saved a host of wires having to go through the bulkhead grommet and then back again.  It also moves those items away from the engine bay side of the bulkhead (next to the pedal box) so that I have a clear shelf to put a tool down.  Those items are less likely to have their connections knocked, twisted, etc,  or shorted out by a metal tool.  NB. each connection on both the fuse box and the regulator were not insulated, but now each are. 

• Like wise with the brake light switch.  It's a pull type with a spring, which probably dates back to the 1950's as it came out of my box of motorcycle switches.  That is mounted onto the pedal box's rear fastening, onto which the steering column brace is also secured.  Again its wiring is now direct.
• And the bonnet release cable has moved to a new bracket too.  The 'new' bracket was formerly an aluminium coat peg. and it's screwed onto the bottom of the air vent trunking, which is very much easier to reach than where it was. The bonnet release cable is now 10" shorter and a smoother run through the grommet behind the pedal box to curve around the clutch master cylinder . . .

^ speedo & bonnet release cables rerouted.  The fine wire to the seen to the left of the master cylinder is an emergency bonnet pull.   The original solenoid was removed because Katie  has a hi-torque starter with a built in solenoid, and the two electrical wires ..from the ign switch and ammeter to the battery lead (seen under the bonnet latch) are yet to be dealt with.

• The wires to the dynamo now come through the bulkhead under the steering column (the hole was already there), and runs forward underneath the throttle linkage brackets within high temp (silicon rubber ?) wrap to help protect it from the heat of the exhaust manifold.
• The wiring to the headlamps, sidelights &indicators, and to the horn - now run over the top of RHS inner wheelarch, passed the bonnet-stay bracket, then dropping down to the lamps, and across the engine bay to the LHS below the grille.  I'll only be having the high-tone horn (sound carries better than the low tone) and that is mounted low-down on the inner wing, by the front LHS body/chassis mount. Just the one horn is rated at 3amp (which is less than that of the earlier cars) and as I'm not going to have a horn on the RHS of the car, I can also be rid of the relay and its nasty nest of wires that sit perched on the suspension tower.
• The wiring from the ignition switch to the coil, and that from the temperature sender to its gauge, now run down the LHS of the engine bay, clipped to the rev-counter cable which now also goes through the bulkhead on that side. 
• The speedo and rev counter instruments have switched their positions on the dashboard ..so their cable runs are smoother.  I don't have a navigator who needs to see the speedo, nor a wife who likes to keep a check on my road speed.!  
• Katie's  veneered dashboard was looking dull and generally 'very tired'.  I don't think it bloomed with living outside (even in a poly-tunnel).  It's plywood was twisted when I bought the car and as I unscrewed it I noticed it was de-laminating even in its core.  All things considered, it was overdue retirement.  I've always preferred the white dashboard of the early TR4 and so will at some time explore that option.  In the meantime (..during this Saturday's breakfast meeting) I acquired a TR4 centre console from my friend Rich ..many thanks to him for that.  And rather than pull the car further apart at this time, I'm leaving its TR4A metal dash in black.  NB. it's been crudely brush-painted at some time by a prior-owner and although I was intending to cover it in leather-effect vinyl..  for moment and for visual appraisal - the black paint will serve my purpose. . .

  

^ after a scrub upto clean off surface rust and a coat of zinc on its back face, the central console was good to go.

^ That looks OK ..I think ! ? 

Tbh., I like to think of the Triumph TR4 (yes even the 4A with its 'more compliant' rear suspension) as a rather crude seat-of-the-pants type driver's sports car, rather than the smoker's bar of a gentleman's club.  Accordingly, whereas I revere the book-matched veneer dashboards, door and A-post cappings, and fold-out tables in a classic Jaguar saloon, or Aston or Bentley ..I've never felt it looked honest in the Triumph.  Hey ho., we're all individuals and even my own personal taste is not a crime !    

No disrespect to those who have it in their cars, but I never was keen on British Leyland anti-glare (read dull) teak.  Purely by coincidence, at the breakfast meeting on Saturday one of our local TR6's had black kevlar-effect dashboard ..which I thought looked pretty cool.  I would of course have preferred the tactile feel of kevlar as well but hey that would be going a bit OTT. 

Anyway back to my tasks in hand, I've cleaned up each of the connections on the back of the instruments but I've yet to clean those up on each each of the wires.  Monday's job I think, after I've done some paperwork and paid some bills ..if only to get them off my desk.  The ashtray is a dummy plate.  I'll make, or look out for one, in due course ..no urgency though, as I don't smoke.  I guess I'll make a glove box door, and then I'll also want to fill in the 1/2" gap between the centre console and the switch plinth. More jobs to add to the list.   

I think finally for today's report ..

• I've positioned a 3-position pull-out type TR4 light switch on the right of the steering wheel.  I really don't like the column switches on the 4A and so the steel dashboard already having the hole there and, again my friend Rich helping me with the supply of a good switch on Saturday, I've put it there.  I've yet to shop for a knob to go on this switch, but it's a really convenient position just there, and yet the padded roll on the bottom of the dash will prevent it from getting knocked as I swing my legs in and out of the car.     I'd like the overdrive column switch to be on the LHS of the steering column. I'm not sure but it may be there on a TR4 ?

Well that's enough for today,  Again i bid you a very pleasant Sunday,

Pete.

[daverclasper]

1 hour ago, Bfg said:

^ That looks OK ..I think ! ? 

Really good, I would prefer it to vinyl personally, though I have an aversion to it, when it is for aesthetics only, eg roofs

[Bfg]

  From the TR forum . . .

 

On 3/7/2022 at 4:15 PM, Lebro said:

An LED compatible flasher unit, being electronic, will have a constant flash rate regardless of the load. They will also be more reliable than an ancient bimetalic type with pitted / rusted contacts !   & yes, the resistor is just wasting power.

My recommendations:

LED compatible flasher unit
https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/collections/indicator-relays-electronic/products/12v-electronic-indicator-flasher-relay-classic-car-with-oe-click-x-l-p-2-3-pin

Headlamp conversion kit to H4 LED
https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/collections/headlight-led-bulbs/products/sb7014-sealed-beam-to-h4-led-upgrade-kit-p43t-472-llb472-glb472-bulb-globe

Or Headlamp conversion kit with pilot light

https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/collections/headlight-led-bulbs/products/sb7014-sealed-beam-to-h4-led-upgrade-kit-p43t-472-llb472-glb472-bulb-globe-2

Rear indicators
https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/collections/indicator-bulbs/products/bright-amber-smd-led-indicator-bulbs-ba15s-glb382

Rear stop / tail
https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/collections/brake-tail-light-bulbs/products/2-x-bay15d-red-stop-tail-led-2835-brake-rear-light-glb380-p21-5w

Side lights

https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/collections/sidelight-bulbs/products/2x-ba9s-lucas-l516-1130-bright-white-t4w-233-led-sidelight-upgrade-bulb

High quality stuff, & good prices (compared to some who advertise in TR action  )

I don't know of any really good LED conversions for the earlier headlamp units with P36D type bulbs. so suggest switching to H4.

Bob
 

 

On 3/8/2022 at 11:52 AM, Lebro said:

Hazard warning.

This is easily achieved once you have LED flashers, & compatible flasher unit.

All you need is a 3 pole change over switch, here are two types of different sizes to choose from.

I use the small one, & it is hidden under the dash.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264269001947?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131898614717?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

And a small amount of wiring:

This is my wiring, I think your "indicator warning lamp" is wired differently (across the left & right bulbs)

you can just ignore that bit, in which case the warning lamp won't flash when hazards are on.

Or change the wiring to be as above (using the pilot terminal on the flasher unit to power the warning lamp)

Bob

 

Thanks Bob, I ordered today via telephone ..as I wasn't sure about the bulbs recommended for different sized instruments & the warning lights all being the same, and then I also had a few questions re. minor discrepancies from standard. 

I might add, the gentleman over the phone was very patient with me and gave excellent service < Classic Car LEDs. > 

In summary, Katie  already has LED front indicator bulbs and I'd already bought those for the rear number plate.. so I've now ordered . . 

• LED rear indicator bulbs (amber)  x2
• LED brake and rear sidelight bulbs (red)  x2
• LED instrument bulbs  (warm white) x6 
• LED indicator warning light bulb  (green) x1       NB. I tend to find the main beam warning light bulb bright as it is, so I'm not changing that to LED).
• LED front indicator repeater bulbs (amber / capless on this particular car) x2
• LED front sidelight bulbs (warm white)  x2
• LED front sidelight bulbs together with bulb holders to (additionally) fit into the back of the headlamp reflectors (warm white) x2
• LED compatible indicator relay (which audibly ticks, similar to the original)  x1

All in all a little over £93 inc VAT and carriage. 

I think that's good value for decent quality parts, and from a UK company that is there to back-up their sale. 

The reasoning behind my spending this - is primarily to reduce the collective wattage of the side lamps and indicators, whereby in the event of an evening or night-time breakdown ; the battery's charge will last four-times longer and in the meantime those lights will be brighter.  Of course, in everyday running, the power not consumed doesn't need to be regenerated either.  At present petrol prices ..their lesser power consumption will pay for the bulbs pretty soon ! 

I'll keep a few of the original bulbs in the boot as spares. IMO there's no need to add the cost of spare LED bulbs which I might never use.  Katie's  present headlamp bulbs are 60/65w H4 halogen within Cibie reflectors, and I'm happy to leave those as are. 

Time-wise to change these is nil, because I'm pulling each bulb anyway to clean connections and to Vaseline the contacts and threads within the bulb holders.

I've also ordered the small switch (off of ebay) as recommended by Bob, so that I might switch the turn indicators into hazard warning.

I'm indebted to Bob for pointing me in the right direction, which has really saved a huge amount of pondering over what might ..or should, be. Thank you.

Pete

[Josef]

6 hours ago, Bfg said:

LED compatible indicator relay (which audibly ticks, similar to the original)  x1

Didn’t know you could get those. Daft as it is one of the things that has put me off LED bulbs is that I feel like the sound of the flasher is part of the atmosphere of the car!

[Casper]

Quote

LED compatible indicator relay (which audibly ticks, similar to the original)  x1

I have also had good service from Classic Car LEDs, but the ticking isn't really loud enough for me.

C.

[NonMember]

2 hours ago, Casper said:

but the ticking isn't really loud enough for me.

I have that problem with the conventional mechanical flasher unit on my GT6. It's the wrong shape (it seems the original rectangular ones aren't available any more) so it's not fitted in the bracket that Triumph carefully positioned to use the dashboard as a sounding board for the click.

[Pete Lewis]

ive fitted a simple and £3 cheap motorcycle beeper  off ebay to a few open tops 

 just links into the tail harness and lets you know your

are flashing !!!    beep beeeep 

 

Pete

[Bfg]

I'll just screw it onto the underside of air vent or similar resonance box.

[Peter Truman]

Pete how do you wire it in to stop both right and left flashing simultaneously if you connect to both lines to get a beep if either direction operated, a diode?

[Pete Lewis]

no idea there s just3 wires left right and earth 

bit like one of these INDICATOR BUZZER - A LIFE SAVING DEVICE...! | eBay

Pete

[NonMember]

29 minutes ago, Peter Truman said:

how do you wire it in to stop both right and left flashing simultaneously

If it's a low current polarity-insensitive one, then the trick the factory used for the light on the dash works - wire it between the two sides.

If it's high current (compared to the bulbs, which it probably is if they're LED) or polarity-sensitive, you need a couple of diodes, one from each side, down to a common on the buzzer +ve.

[Jeffds1360]

Peter, the £5 Ebay ones are great and the beeper has 3 connections,  one left one right and one earth. They are just long enough to reach the connectors either side of the rear seat on my 13/69 cv. Doddle to wire in and loud enough even with top down. One of my best buys so far! Just look for car indicater warning buzzer

[Peter Truman]

9 hours ago, NonMember said:

it's a low current polarity-insensitive one, then the trick the factory used for the light on the dash works - wire it between the two sides.

Thanks so a LED is NBG as it's polarity sensitive unlike a std bulb, I'll try it on the Sprint where the noise is very poor.

[NonMember]

So the one Jeff posted has the required diodes (for my second option above) built in, hence the two positive feed wires.

[Pete Lewis]

yes same kit as i suggested  its about to be fitted to a snazzy mk2 spitfire for a young lady driver 

you just cant hear the std unit 

makes any more audible even if its inside the boot they are plenty loud enough 

Pete

 

[Peter Truman]

6 hours ago, Pete Lewis said:

yes same kit as i suggested  its about to be fitted to a snazzy mk2 spitfire for a young lady driver 

you just cant hear the std unit 

makes any more audible even if its inside the boot they are plenty loud enough

Just ordered 3 kits, one for Sprint (too quiet) and another for my daughters very smart Mk2 Spit too, and a spare in case the Vitesse ever goes quiet, as recently I've had two flasher cans NBG, one electronic and the other it's replacement old bi-metallic, the latest fitment is an old stock replacement long can bi-metallic which funnily enough works with the LED fitted bulbs, which was why I went electronic in the first place, this last bi-metallic fitment is very audible too.

Pete, I see the kit has your hated scotch locks, you wouldn't would you!!

On the Vitesse and Spitfire I've fitted the std Lucas 4 way emergency flasher push/pull switch which simply needed the indicator separate RH/LH wiring cables coming out of the steering column single bullet connectors replaced with doubles so I have a spare bullet connection points for the kits wiring, sans scotch locks, lucky!

[Pete Lewis]

Hi Pete     yes agree   scotch locks ...the spawn of satan

 

its proper connectors or  ...nothing 

Pete

 

[Badwolf]

I just wired a 50p  Maplin buzzer across the bulb terminals. Still working 30 odd years later

[Pete Lewis]

well thats lasted longer than Maplins 

used to enjoy a rumage in their stores 

Pete

[Peter Truman]

2 hours ago, Badwolf said:

I just wired a 50p  Maplin buzzer across the bulb terminals. Still working 30 odd years later

Ha so easy! You could have posted earlier and saved me 3 of Pete's Motor Bike style kits having to wind their way across the world.

Being honest connecting Pete's Motor Bike buzzer will be easier than accessing the indicator bulb wiring, as the kits can be connected directly into the bullet connectors as they come out of the steering column, very accessible, just replace the existing single female bullet sleeves with doubles. 

[Pete Lewis]

50p from maplins is fine but in theUK they closed down  this makes it more difficult 

beep beep 

Pete