Roof woes and TURBO power

Having read an article in PPC magazine, I have decided to pinch one young chaps idea and "rear end turbo" the Triumph.

The basic idea with a rear end turbo is to fit it at the back of the car where the silencer would be, thus will run cooler and as such will require less boost to get optimum power. For full details stay posted, the turbo has arrived however!

Now onto the roof, Crunchie is a nice chocolat bar, it also discribes the condition of the metal under the uniquely 70's vynil roof. Having decided to repair the sunroof (previously covered over after the handle was broken by one of the PO's) I set about dismantaling it, whilst I was doing it I thought, hmmm I wonder what the paint is like under there, perhaps I can polish it up?

NO is the answer to that, a big fat rust encrusted holey no. So at the moment there will be some temporary repairs to fix the damage caused by water retention (not using clingfilm and mineral clay I must add) around the roof edges and gutters. The gutters have escaped 85% intact with about 1 1/2 ft total disintegrating.

One good thing about this is I have learned how to remove the stainless trim along the gutters without damaging it. Using a fairly new pair of pliers wrap masking tape around one half of the head (this will sit over the top of the guttering) and using the unwraped side hook it under the guttering trim and gently lever it upwards. It will release, its just a matter of carefully working along the trim, supporting it as you go, I also recommend having an assistant to hand if need be. The corners can be tricky so I suggest you start at either end and leave the corner till last, it then just pops off, easy!

Pics to follow.

Test drive

Took the car out for its first proper spin with me at the wheel last night. Seems to drive ok but the guys at the testing staition leaned the mixture out so far its not funny, popping and farting as it was.

I had forgotten just how "woolly" the steering on the car was, I suppose having a slightly loose drivers seat doesn't help!

Some tuning at the weekend and maybe sort that bloody seat out, makes it very difficult to tell what the car is doing.

Success!

The car has fianlly passed its MoT, now for a weekend of fiddling with the tuning and sorting the sunroof out!

Steering sorted (crossed fingers)

Shims have been adjusted on the rack, easy job really just took one shim out and reassembled with a new lockwasher, car will be going for a partial retest on Monday, heres hoping!

Even took it for a quick road test to put some fuel in it, didn't realise until we got back I had been to the filling station and chatted up the nice young lady serving with a blob of oily muck on my face! Ah well............

MoT time, or "Carry on up the Testing Station"

Having been a regular contributor entertaining many a fellow Triumph enthusiast with my antics on such forums as TSSC, Club Triumph, and the 2000 Register, I thought it was about time I started my own blog.

The first subject is one familiar to the 2000 Register members, for the past few weeks I have been striving to get my car MoT'd so I can use it over the summer. The car in question is my 1977 2500S in white, ex Norwich vice squad, which will be the main car discussed here, although my Spitty and Vitesse may also make an apperance, albeit a small one considering how many peices they are in!

The first time my beast went for MoT they told me its emmisions were too high, the strut tops were stiff, the wheelbearings were shot, hazards switch faulty, one headlamp main beam not working and the osr brake binding.

Not too bad I can hear you all saying, well no, so a couple of weeks later after new thrust washers on the struts, new bearings, the brakes freed, hazards fiddled with, engine tuned and the h/lamp replaced back to the testing station...... failed again, this time the emissions were still too high and now the inner track rod end on the drivers side had too much play.

"It looks like you need a new rack", mr MoT said, I don't think so mate.

So now you find me waiting for some new shims and lockwashers to arrive so I can adjust the play.

Aren't cars brilliant!