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The embarrassing Herald restoration thread - now the fiddly bits


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The thing about the smaller (13.5 inch) wheel is that it's almost ready to to; splined for the Triumph range, takes the original horn push and the internals for the horn, too. It will require recovering - eventually - due to splits at the joins but is in all respects an almost straight bolt-on. 

1D5CC4BF-38A0-43A8-9F49-B30A3E5900A9_1_105_c.jpg.3b0e8363338e88f63fdeb775a93bfa15.jpg  277690AC-74B8-4DD2-9721-DDD3A5F0A6E2_1_105_c.jpg.dc2de46d0b69a7aabbdfbaf3f56508cd.jpg

The other wheel whilst being wooden and heavily dished has no boss, and the bosses I have in the garage all have a pronounced 'lip' that will require machining off, so it's a bit more complicated. I can see another trip to the in-laws for an alloy boss, they could lathe one up in a short while, but it'll need splined for the column. They're amazingly busy at present so I don't think that's an easy option. 

Anyone know if the large saloon range has a thicker column? They seem to have a flat boss that could be adapted, the wooden wheel is just a flat centre so plenty of scope for drilling around the rim, but not if the column is of greater diameter. Modern bosses are available but sit out quite far, and there's no point in raising the wheel off the legs only to have it pressing into the chest...

                                           994684175_Screenshot2022-06-05at11_33_02.png.7da9558dd8c44ac98c74303879e0e5b4.png IMG_2793.jpg.7938fb0194b393d50da57b4ecae0cca3.jpg

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After much deliberation I would go for the smaller one. Reason? do you need to ask? 🙄 OK so it might look a bit to sporty, so get a flat cap and a pair of those string back gloves and you'll look the part (anagram) 

Edited by Chris A
Letters on keyboard moved, honest
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Has someone had a go at the centre of that wooden one with a set of false teeth?. Looks like it.

For some reason i have 2 x 15 inch wooden wheels in my wardrobe, bought as must have items years ago.

One is a Formula and one is an original Les Leston, complete with an original Les Leston Triumph boss still in it`s box, all the way from the US of A.

S

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2 hours ago, Chris A said:

you'll look the part (anagram) 

I had to look that up... "Trap: a person who poses as a member of the opposite sex in order to compromise an unsuspecting victim, usually on the Internet especially on webcam."

I don't think that's the correct anagram... however: settle, petal, it's only a steering wheel. Slightly more blingy than a 13" Mountney, certainly rarer, and something to draw the attention away from the cracked dashboard and terrible bonnet gaps. I probably do need a flat cap, the baseball cap I had on yesterday was a bit of a pimple and made me look more of a ... part... than the steering wheel ever will. :)

 

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4 minutes ago, johny said:

Youve got to wear the cap back to front to look cool Colin - well it works for me🤪

I'm convinced that wearing one back to front reduces the wearer's intelligence by 50%. I don't have scientific proof, just whenever someone wearing one that way is interviewed on the telly they seem to be, well, stupid. There will be exceptions of course like Johny where it has no effect at all due to the very high intelligent level over powering the effect. (Phew, I think I got out of that close call ok) 😱

  • Haha 1
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28 minutes ago, johny said:

Youve got to wear the cap back to front to look cool Colin - well it works for me🤪

Doesn't work for anyone!!

This was a craze started in the days of the early movie industry when cameramen turned their caps around as the peaks got in the way of the viewfinder. Then they went for a break and forgot about it, so starting the fashion.

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15 minutes ago, Badwolf said:

This was a craze started in the days of the early movie industry when cameramen turned their caps around as the peaks got in the way of the viewfinder.

And/or : to keep the sun off their neck. 😁

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56 minutes ago, Badwolf said:

Essential in a soft top...in the summer????

Now that I'll agree with. It's the first thing I noticed about the convertible, once it hit the road - an hour or so driving and I get a splitting headache. No roof to hide under, any more, so the cap will have to substitute. I just need a good one... all of the baseball caps I have, mostly finishers awards from shows, are much too small. Or is my head too big?

Anyway: back to the wheel. That little shiny one is a 99% straight fit, the only problem being the horn-push bracket which sits proud due to the screws on the inside - the photo I  posted earlier shows how it sits off the base. It's not going to be a straightforward job to modify it, as it needs work on both the sprung bracket and the alloy boss. 

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I could move the horn to a switch under the dash but it won't be handy to get at. I wonder if there's any other version of the three-legged clip, from any other model?

I've also found fitting instructions for the early GT6 wheel; that might help in having a boss made up from scratch if I can persuade the In-Laws to take on the job?

wheel1.thumb.jpg.69b4f0cfbf12ed3b53147495e9afd2e0.jpg

I have that lower shroud but not the outer one, but I also have some tatty clatty Herald wheels that could be sacrificed for the centre boss. I must go see if that's feasible.

 

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3 hours ago, Bordfunker said:

Colin, you need to get yourself a nice Panama hat.

Karl

And some string to tie it to your head! I nearly lost a baseball cap last year, happily it landed on the back seat. The new one I treated myself to has been modified by Mrs. and has a draw string from an old bag ( no comments please) that goes under my chin. Very discreet - I don't wear the cap when not in the car.

As for Panama hats : Mrs bought me a genuine one when she was in Ecuador some years ago. Handmade by Homero Ortega P & Hijos.

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They do say: if you want to get ahead, get a hat.... I've got one of these, been wearing it for ages but recently had to take the Russian badge off the front of it. Might put a Herald bonnet badge on it instead.

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It's warm, but you need to do up the straps otherwise it flaps about like a beagle's ears. It also has no peak, so not much use for keeping the sun off. The baseball cap on Saturday started to lift off everytime I got above 40mph, and the wind got under the peak...

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Nice boss... I could use that... but not the image I'm looking for. To me, that's a GT6 / Spitfire-type wheel - I have a 13 inch Mountney in the garage but it just won't suit my Herald. I need a compromise between the Vitesse wheel and something equally period, large, thin rimmed but sedate rather than sporty. There's a lovely one on ebay at present, am watching it but it'll need a boss specially made up for our range of cars. Looks good, though:

s-l1600-130.thumb.jpg.c5b6ea58c4fe7cb6e72186b9ebc87b27.jpg 

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54 minutes ago, PeteH said:

Aussie Bush Hat?

Akubra please, pure fur felt whatever that is? Definately NBG when driving a open top, tend to use baseball caps had enough freebee's so losing one doesn't matter except my TSSC Vitesse one, which is only used in the Sprint! 

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10 hours ago, Peter Truman said:

Akubra please, pure fur felt whatever that is? Definately NBG when driving a open top, tend to use baseball caps had enough freebee's so losing one doesn't matter except my TSSC Vitesse one, which is only used in the Sprint! 

The Grandson has a nice one, to far to go to steal it though!. As he works outside (plumbing) most the time, It`s a need rather that a choice, they live ouside Gosford.

Pete

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12 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:

Nice boss... I could use that... but not the image I'm looking for. To me, that's a GT6 / Spitfire-type wheel - I have a 13 inch Mountney in the garage but it just won't suit my Herald. I need a compromise between the Vitesse wheel and something equally period, large, thin rimmed but sedate rather than sporty. There's a lovely one on ebay at present, am watching it but it'll need a boss specially made up for our range of cars. Looks good, though:

s-l1600-130.thumb.jpg.c5b6ea58c4fe7cb6e72186b9ebc87b27.jpg 

That one looks "bling", as for mine* (*steering wheel) It`s actually quite small, but as the car now has working PAS, it can be, but it will need re-covering if I decide to keep it. I must admit a tendency toward "wood rim" if I`m honest.

Pete

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