New Alternator

Having had the alternator fail, and looking at the ridiculous prices from the top 3 TR suppliers I chose to purchase a much cheaper and similar unit meant for a Dolomite. £50 including postage as opposed to over £86 not including posting, and the same amp loading. This was promptly delivered, however I had to rotate the casing to suit the TR7 and also change the distance tube for bottom pivot, which is shorter on a Dolomite, and swap the longer tube out of my original alternator.

Casing on new alternator TR7 set up on left. Dolomite set up on right. Changing is simple to do, simply remove the plastic end cover, then remove the 3 long bolts, and carefully rotate aluminium casing, taking care not to seperate the Ali casings from the black part of alternator.

Pic shows casing rotated and larger distance tube shown on right for TR7 mounting, failure to swap the distance tube over will result in casing becoming distorted when bottom pivot bolts are tightened, thus internals will foul casing.

That was last weekends job, this weekends was to get Gills Blue FHC trailered to the barn out of the weather. Not a staight forward job as the battery was flat and would not charge up with battery charger, I will get it tested but sure its knackered, more money to be spent, after swapping batteries over from my 7, the next problem was the solonoid was stuck, a quick rocking in gear sorted this. With it started, I then found the clutch was stuck, quick start up in gear and all OK, then the rear brakes where badly stuck, I had to take a hide mallet to drums, then rock back and forth to free them, Finally I noticed the carpets where wet inside, seems as though water runs down door seals, collects in rear corner on top of seal, then spills into footwell, so had to pull out carpets and felt sound deadening to dry out, will investigate later. My mate then turned up with a less than standard car trailer and some planks as the proper trailer was hemmed in by a lorry with keys not handy, getting it on was a bit dodgy but we got it to the barn ok.

Finally got the dammed thing on the trailer.

Battery and Alternator

So after the battery dying on me on the New Year run, I pinched the battery of the wifes Blue TR7 and took the car back to the barn to work on it on last Friday afternoon.
It got me there without problem and seemed to be charging OK.

The rest of the afternoon I chased about for a new battery, firstly having the battery checked, which was confirmed as U/S. Dont know if both my cars wiring is an oddity, but my positive terminal is to the left, which I was told is quite rare on modern batteries of the size I required, I also needed a flat top battery due to the Dis-car-nect device which isolates battery, otherwise I would have to modify cables, again difficult to find as most have an inbuilt handle.

After trying 3 tyre and battery places I eventually found a Unipart battery to fit, this was duly fitted on Sunday, alternator was checked and appeared to be charging OK. No time to have a run out on the Sunday as I had homework!! seized float valve on water tank in loft.

New battery fitted.

So come this Fridays early finish from work, I pick the car up from the barn, get a couple of miles down the road and the ignition warning light comes on and stays on. Pull over, turn off, start up, no warning light, off we go again only for ignition light to come on again when near home. At home, a quick check with the meter confirms not charging. So I took off the alternator, checked the brushes which to my untrained eye look OK, and gave it a good clean out, plenty of dust in there which was cleaned away. What I can see of the diodes looks ok, ie: no burn marks and all wiring contacts look OK. After re-fitting the unit the light is on straight away, and still not charging. Not a lot else I can do, so looks as though its gonna swallow more money. Will pinch the alternator of GIlls FHC for a week or so.

New Year Activity

Having got the Gold DHC up and running before Christmas, I had to fit a new water hose to Gills Blue FHC. This was the rubber hose under the inlet manifold, a bugger to get at. This entailed removing the K and N Filters and backing plates, dissconnecting the throttle linkage, then removing the steel heater pipe at the union under manifold to release the rubber pipe. After re-fitting everything I ran engine up to temperature to check all was OK. Had to fix this at home as the car is now out of tax and mot, thus marooned in the back garden. Should be in the barn out of the rain and away from the cat who likes licking water off it, but with my luck I dare not risk the 12 mile trip to the lock up.

I need to get it under cover soon so will have to borrow a trailer.

Thirsty Cat.

New Year Run - SOC Frostbite 2011

On the 2nd of January Club Triumph where invited on the Stag Owners Club Frostbite Run, a run of about 50 miles on a cold, damp Sunday. 8 Club Triumph and around 12 Stags started out from Harford Tesco, taking in some wet and muddy roads, baulked by an unscheduled road block, in my neck of the woods I knew a detour that added a few miles to the run to halfway point for coffee and cake at a Garden Centre.

Club Triumph Cars at the start.

Stags at the start.

More Club Triumph cars at start.

More Stags.

At the Halfway Halt.

After the coffee stop the run carried on through the Tas Valley, yes we have valleys and hills in Norfolk, only smallish, before heading for the finish at the Dove Inn at Poringland. About 7 miles away from the finish, I noticed the heater fan slowing down and voltmeter showing way down, No warnings from the ignition light so I dashed to the finish point. After stopping in the car park I thought I had better try to start again, the battery was so flat I only got one click out of the starter relay, then nothing.

Home was only about 17 miles away, and I realised I had to get the car home quick whilst still in daylight, so got a jump start and caned it home, returning quickly in the modern so we could still join in the meal.

At the Finish.

I must remember on one of these runs to find somewhere photogenic for a shot of the cars together.

We enjoyed a deserved pint and a good value roast dinner and sweet, and a little bit of chit chat before heading home. thanks to Stag Owners Club for the invite.

Norfolk Area Events

We are now starting to get a few events and run details in for 2011, I will start a 2011 events page over on my website shortly.

Christmas Acitivity

A busy time was had prior to Christmas, Firstly I finished the axle re-installation on the DHC, fitted the brakes, then after bleeding, took for a long test drive. Great to get back in the car after the prolonged cold spell, noticed a big improvement in drive train noise levels, further checks under the car also found a badly perished gearbox mounting, so a new one was ordered and fitted. Prop also has a bit of play, so that needs attention too. Having racked up the miles in the last 2 years as a near daily driver I am beginning to pay for all the hard work the car has done.

Perished Mounting and New Mounting.

After this Gill and I attended a rather flash party at my current employers, Lotus Cars, They pulled out all the stops, massive marquees erected, free champagne, and a lavish meal for around 1500 employees, dancing to a fantatastic group, more free drink, and free gifts of an exlusive model of the new Esprit, and handouts of promotional material, tee shirts, etc from the Paris Motor Show. The CEO unvieled the Lotus Renault F1 team colours, also on show was the line up of the 5 new proposed cars.

Lotus Renault F1 car.

Lotus Elite.

Lotus Elan.



Lotus Esprit.

Exiting times at Lotus, hope they get round to making them all, although I think they won't all be UK made.

Following this we had another lavish meal, The Club Triumph Norfolk Area Christmas meal, at Diss Golf Club, I think there was about 25 of us there, everyone enjoyed this, with silly balloons and other fun items to keep amusment levels high and an ongoing music quiz as the evening progressed.

Table set for revellers. Heres to another good year for the Club.

December Update

Thought an update was due for December, I have had the master cylinder back for a few weeks for the blue DHC, but it was always too cold to work on it where it is immobilized in the garden.

We did not have much snow in Norfolk, but it turned into a solid block of ice overnight that took ages to thaw.
I would recommend Past Parts for any brake items, they did a good job and a quick turn round and having a look around the workshop they are capable of restoring brake parts for almost every classic.

Re honed and sealed cylinder.
Once there was a break in the weather this was fitted, the brakes where bled with my new Gunson easy bleeder, uses the air in the tyres to force fluid into system, another useful tool. After sorting a dead battery, the car was started only to find a water leak on the hose under carbs, probably frost damage despite fresh anti freeze so I have still not got the car to the barn for winter.

The DHC got its axle back last week with a new crown wheel and pinion fitted, again good service from a local transmission repair specialist, this was fitted to car last week, but I still have to fit brake shoes and brake springs on, it was just too cold in the barn, my hands where freezing. Hoping for a mild spell at the weekend to get this sorted.

Away from it all

Gill, Toni the daughter, and I have just spent a week aboard our shared narrow boat getting away from it all, we took a leisurely one week trip from Gayton Junction on the Grand Union Main Line Canal to Norton Junction, then up the Watford Staircase flight and up the lonely and picturesque Leicester Section of the Grand Union Canal as far as Welford Junction. It was cold, to be expected in November, but we had some very nice sunny days on this secluded waterway which wends it way from Watford Junction towards Market Harborough, then Leicester, the only signs of modern hectic life being the M1 crossing at Watford Gap and the A14 crossing further up about 5 miles from M1/M6 junction. The canal only passes a few villages and is a haven for wildlife, particulary Kingfishers, I spotted lots that would fly in front of the boat, perch on a branch or reed, then when we where level would take off and repeat, too fast for my camera work though. In winter the canal is little used by other boats.

Cold and frosty morning at Buckby Locks.

In the wide locks at Buckby, no other boat to share with makes locking a little harder.

Gill steering between the 7 locks at Buckby.

The Watford Staircase Locks, 4 narrow locks one on top of each other.

















In Lock 3 of the Narrow staircase locks.

Reflections on the Leicester section of Grand Union Canal.

More reflections on a sunny, crisp day.

Lovely winter colours.

The following couple of days where Foggy in the mornings, eventually burning off into sunny days, makes for some interesting steering.

Poor visibility needs a good lookout to spot other boats.

Just spotted the light on this oncoming boat in time to avoid a collision.

Fog starting to lift.

Clear skies on a winters day.

Original milepost from when the canal was

called the Grand Junction Canal Company, we turned

back a few miles further towards Leicester.

Overcast the next day, the canal loops around Cracks Hill

near Crick adding around 2 miles to the journey, sign of a

James Brindley built canal, he followed the contours of the

land rather than dig cuttings or build embankments.

Sunny the next day, on the home straight back to Gayton Marina.

We enjoyed a good relaxing week, with some nice weather, in the cold winter evenings we where nice and snug with the solid fuel stove going full blast, with no pubs or restaurant's within easy reach on this secluded stretch of canal we took turns to produce nice meals aboard and sank a few bottle of wine. No problems with the boat to deal with other than prop and rudder picking up fallen leaves, a regular blast in reverse clears these. Back to reality and work now!

TR7 wise the Master Cylinder of the Blue FHC is ready for collection from Past Parts Ltd, but not had a chance to pick it up, I also heard from the axle repairers that the crown wheel and pinion from the Gold DHC are quite worn and need replacing, luckily I have sourced a good 3:45 ratio crown wheel and pinion that is being sent to them.

Both TR's off the Road

For the first time I can remember I have both TR7's off the road with mechanical woes. The Brake Master on the Blue FHC was finally sent away for re-honing and to have the seal matched that the TR specialists could not manage!!!!
I found a company called Past Parts Ltd, only 35 miles away in Bury St Edmunds who are classic brake specialists.
I have also taken the rear axle off the Gold DHC again, the 1:45 diff, which has had a slight whine on back off for a long time started to get more noisy on the way back from Le Mans, and the constant whine, getting worse has finally driven me to get it fixed by specialists. I dropped it in to a company in Norwich this week who suspect they will have to replace diff bearings and sort out backlash adjustment. Halfshaft bearings are ok being fairly recent replacements. I had put this job off until I felt sufficiently recovered from my back operation to safely do the job. Getting it off was only a 2 hour job, and did not strain my back, Suspect I will need help to put back together.

Axle out again.