Norfolk Area Treasure Hunt

Today was the Norfolk Area Treasure Hunt, 18 assorted Triumphs set out from Caistor Hall Hotel for a trip around the borders of Norfolk and Suffolk, in the "Saints" area. Some tricky navigating in around 4 1/2 hours. Heres just a few photo's.

Thanks to all who entered, we raised £177 for East Anglia Air Ambulance.

La Carrera Caledonia

So La Carrera has been and gone, what a shame this was the last run, as we thouroughly enjoyed this event, wish we had done this a few years ago.

The route was very good, some excellent driving roads, fantastic scenery, good company, nice hotels (Apart from the Dreadnought) I had forgotten how nice Scotland is.

We drove up from Norfolk to the Old Stone Trough at Kelbrook for the Pennine and Pendle Barbeque and Gymkhana, visiting family in Wetherby on the way up, followed by a scenic run to Kelbrook via Pateley Bridge and a trip up Nidd Vale.

We where made welcome at the OST by Raider, with drinks in the bar, then the Barbeque. Our results in the Gymkhana where poor, however I did not break the egg!

Day 1: After the dash in the rain to the start at Southwaite services the route was through the Border Counties, then accross the Forth Bridge to Callander, once into Scotland the day brightened up for some nice driving through Kelso, Duns, Innerleithen, then down to Moffat and up Tweedale to Edinburgh, crossing the Forth Bridge, then west to the days finish at Callander.

The Dreadnought lived up to its reputation, what a dump! and was the accordianist really playing or was the Keyboard doing all the work!

Day 2: This was even better, a nice loop round the Trossachs, then some great Lochs and Glens roads, round Loch Earne, accross Sma Glen, then round LochTay, up Ben Lawyers, and around Loch Rannoch, then through the Grampians to Aviemore and the Coylumbridge Hilton.

Weather was fair, mainly sun and cloudy patches, then rain on the run in to Aviemore.

We spent a pleasent evening in the Hilton, a very nice meal, then to the bar for drinks.

We enjoyed the company of like minded Triumph owners all throughout the event and it was good to put faces to some forum names.

The TR7 ran well, only problem with the car was when Gill hit a rock, wrecking the front nearside tyre side wall.

The only downside to the trip was the journey home, 511 miles, great driving down the A9 and A68, but from Darlington down to Norfolk on the A1 and A14 was mind numbingly boring.

Total mileage door to door was 1352 miles.

Heres hoping someone can organise something similar next year (a little farther south!)

Here are a few photos of the event.

Pennine and Pendle Meeting.

Day 1

Scotland at Last

Jedburgh

Scottish Borders

Vitesse and Saloon in Tweeddale

Another Classic Tour we spotted near Innerleithin
Lunchtime at "St Marys Loch"

Obstruction ahead

Day 2

In the "Trossachs"
Sma Glen, Russels Mk11 Estate above having 3 wheeled round the Hairpins.

Sky brightening near Loch Tay

Heading past the village of "Dull"Stag behind near Loch Rannoch
Near the turn at the top of Loch Rannoch

Completing the loop of Loch Rannoch
Heading into Glen Garry, heavy rain ahead.
Feshiebridge, heading into Coylumbridge
River Feshie
Finishers at Coylumbridge Hilton
Heading home down the A9A68 - Northumberland

La Carrerra Preparations

Had a couple of hectic days after returning from our boating hols, with the "New La Carrerra" looming I had a couple of major jobs to do. Due to the back axle playing up on the way back from Duxford with some vibration and excessive whining, even after changing driveshaft bearings, and the leaking radiator, again discovered after Duxford, this was leaking from the bottom pipe to the rad, which upon closer inspection revealed that the brazed or welded joint was leaking.

So first off I had to put the 1:45 axle back in, after changing diff oil, this took up around 6 hours last Saturday, and I also remembered to change the speedo drive to match the 1:45 ratio.

1:09 axle out on the floor, 1:45 ready to go in.

Axle in, fitting brake shoes.

Job done.

All enquiries with Radiator companies drew a blank on repairing the rad in a quick timescale, not something I would attempt myself, so S & S Preperations quickly despatched one from Lancashire, this is a modern 4 row rad which supposedly gives better cooling. Changing this was relatively easy, however with the Kenlowe fan, care had to be taken to poke the tie wrap type fasteners through the core.

Radiator and fan out.

Kenlowe removed from old Rad.
All back in, filled, engine run, and no leaks.

After this there was just a few minor checks of oil, lighting and electrics, ignition circuit and plugs, plus putting together a collection of a few spares.

Heres hoping for good weather for the weekend.

Grand Union

The end of May we had a break on our Narrowboat on the Grand Union Canal in Northhamptonshire, starting from Gayton Junction the wife spent a couple of days with the Grand daughter through Blisworth Tunnel to Stoke Bruerne and back to Gayton. I joined on the Monday after the Duxford Show, we then cruised up the Buckby Flight, and through the Watford Staircase Locks towards Market Harborough, then back to Gayton. Only 1 bad weather day with showers on and off, the rest of the time was quite warm.

Stoke Bruerne.

Negotiating a typical bridge.

Rising in Watford Staircase Locks.

Sunny Mooring.
Sunset over the Grand Union Canal.

Entering Crick Tunnel.

1000 yds into the tunnel.

Leaving one of the Watford Staircase Locks.

Me doing all the hard work!

Near miss with a Virgin Pendalino!
Was great to get away from all the doom and gloom of the reccesion and work for a week, purposely did not use the TV/mobile or laptop to cut of the outside world which is easy to do on the canals. Bit shocked to hear of the La Carrerra cancelation, though hope to be on the informal run.

Triumph Marque Day-Duxford

The Triumph Marque Day at Duxford Imperial War Museum was a very good day, Norfolk Area met at Fourways Services near Mildenhall, with a convoy of 8 Triumphs, which quickly turned into a fast run!
Must explain convoy behavior at the next meeting!

The day was very hot, with sunburns all round, I had to take shelter in the aircraft hangars on a few occasions, but worth it to see the historic aircraft on display or under renovation, particularly liked the American Display, with the Blackbird, and my favourite yank plane the A10 Thunderbolt. I also liked the Land Warfare Museum, which is set out as trenches/battle zones from the various wars. Apart from the cars in the Marque display there was only 1 other Triumph in the whole museum, and that was a Triumph despatch riders bike in the 2nd World War exhibition.

The cars display had around 500 various Triumphs, most numerous been Stags and TR6, there where some early Triumphs, but for me it was good to see more than 20 TR7's and 8's, my car of the show was the Atlas Van, closely followed by the Coca Cola TR7.

General View of the cars on display.

Coca Cola TR7, this was a prize in a joint Coca Cola/Levis competition, fitted with a fridge, door trims from Levi jeans materials, complete with pockets, I think 2 are still in existence.

On the return journey, the recently installed rear axle drove me mad, the noise I heard, which I thought was the LH driveshaft bearing, and subsequently changed, must instead be from the diff bearings, also a vibration has now set in when backing off, definitely not the propshaft, its a specialist job to change these bearings, so will stick the other axle back in when back from holiday.

To further add to my woes, the radiator seems to have sprung a leak around the bottom outlet, so another job to do before La Carrerra.

Another Sunny Outing

Thursday night I decided to change the LH wheel bearing again as it was noisy. Getting used to this now so it did not take long to whip the wheel and brake hub off, undo the 4 bolts holding the driveshaft in and remove. Never realised before that you can remove the driveshaft without dismantling the brakes. I took a grinder to the bearing bush, chopping part way through it, then chiselled off the bush as recommended in the Leyland Workshop manual. Could not see much signs of wear with the bearing, but removed anyway and opened the box containing the bearing assy I had bought at an auto jumble. Lesson to be learnt, check the contents when you buy from auto jumbles, the bearing bush was missing!!!!

This meant a dash to Robsport on the Friday afternoon after work to get a bearing bush, and guess what, thet are only sold as a full bearing kit. So £25 lighter the bearings are in and driveshaft fitted. This has cured the problem.

Halfshaft removed with brakes still in position.

Saturday I gave the car a well overdue clean and polish, this has not been done properly since the HCR, under the bonnet was particulary dirty.

Sunday 10th Club Triumph Norfolk took 10 cars to Henham Wings and Wheels. The weather was great, sun all day, slight breeze, leading to some red faces and arms. This is always a very good show, with the light aircraft flying in and out all day and some aerobatic displays adding interest. Most unusual was a tug plane towing a glider around with the glider spinning around on its tow rope, flying upside down before finally being released and heading high, then doing stalls and spins.

A wide variety of classics and vintage cars where on display, here are a few photos of some that took my attention.

Club Triumph Area.

Club Triumph Area.

Stearman Biplane.

Mk11 RS 1800.

Talbot Sunbeam, Vauxhall HS 2300 engine.

My favourite other Wedge!

Pristine Spitfire.

Skoda, Rally prepared.

Nice Triumph.