Blimey!

Umm, TD at Brands Hatch did not go so well, I had a good drive in the GT6 over to Brands around the M25 fighting and sparring with the continental lorries and got to within 1.5miles of Brands Hatch when disaster struck!

I was coming down 'Death' hill (Yep, the locals call that section of the A20 that, nice name) when the car lost drive, I managed to freewheel around the roundabout at the end and into the Texaco PFS. Quick look underneath to discover the OS driveshaft hanging out of the hub. Spent an hour attempting to get the shaft back into the CV joint to no avail. The best way to have attempted the job would have been to have taken the shaft of the diff end, push the shaft back into the outer CV and put bolt the shaft back onto the diff. However this would have entailed getting under the car supported on a small trolley jack on a hill, thinking about either the car falling on me or the car running down the hill damaging the underneath made the decision to get her recovered home easy! So first use of Peter James Insurance breakdown recovery system. Must say the company who picked me up, PJM from Swanley, were excellent, the recovery man took alot of care and was very courteous, not bad as he seemed to be suffering from the mother of all colds!
I must say thanks to Richard and Hilary Brake and Mike Banks for stopping and helping to move the car, they pushed the car up a part of the hill, no easy push, so thanks very much. Its great the help one receives from fellow CT members, all the members I come across are very friendly and pleasant.
I spoke to Dave Pearson, and he has sent me some new 1/2'' longer shafts, these will cure the problem, I will fit these next week and hopefully the car will be good to use for the impending Club Triumph Autosolo at Buntingford.

Managed to get home by 17.30, immediately leapt into the Focus and drove back to Brands Hatch. I took my crash helmet back with me and enjoyed passenger laps in Michael Helm's TR6 and Andy Martin's Vitesse (6003VC-Ex Works Monte Carlo Vitesse-I think driven by future Le Mans great Porsche driver (911 and 917) Vic Elford), both being great cars and very well driven. Mike showed me some great lines and boy did he attack the corners in the car, the ride over the rumble strips being impressive! Mike told me that the car has hard springs, but as is usual for cars when on a track the car felt lightly sprung. However I felt the roll was abit too much, Mike agrees and I believe he may source a stiffer anti roll bar for the front end.
Andy's Vitesse is a beauty, very well tied down and just it goes where he points it, very good-who said Vitesse do not handle? The biggest difference I felt between the two cars was the extra grunt afforded by the 2.5 engine in Mike's TR over Andy's triple weber'd 2 litre six. This was the first time I had been in Andy's car, and I was totally won over by the car, the attention to detail is superb, minor things like the seat belt webbing used to pull the perspex side windows up and down, the authentic haphazard layout of the dash being two examples of the hard work that has gone into the car when built by Canley Classics and by Andy since he got her back 3 years ago. Andy often uses the car for work, how many ex-works rally cars are used for commuting!
Andy and Mike are both proper enthusiasts and good members of Club Triumph who get out there and use their cars. Thanks to them for the fast but safe laps of Brands!
As usual Paul Michelmore was terrorizing the circuit in his glorious six pot injected Spitfire, what a car. I must get Paul to take me around a track sometime, sure it will be fun! I reckon Paul's car is as well sorted as a Spitfire with a six cylinder engine could be. If ever there was a car that makes me think about moving the engine back in my GT6 then Paul's car is the one, terrific! Also great to see Richard and Hilary Brake having fun in Richard's injected six cylinder Spitfire, afterwards in the pub we had a chat about the rear suspension of the car, Richard feels some more work being needed to tie the rear end down. He has just fitted CV driveshafts to the car, these being a design using Escort and Volvo parts, as many have found after moving away from Rotoflex driveshafts he has found the driveability of the car to be very much improved.

Whilst at Brands is was great to see Doug and Katie Foreman who were taking the opportunity to have passenger rides in various cars. I was pleasantly surprised to see how well Doug is looking after his horrendous accident in early March, what a resilient chap!
Also present were Dave Picton and 'Fred', Slezak, Dave using his mk2 Jag and Fred using her mk1 2000. This 2000 is another great car that is used in alot of CT events, as usual Fred was driving the car in her spirited manner. Talking later on I was told that Fred is driving her newly acquired Spitfire mk3 to Finland where she lives and works at present, good luck to her on that mammoth drive. Evidently Dave has bought her a nice toolkit for the car so she should be ok if any problems occur!

On the subject of roll, my 2.5 rolls alot, as previously mentioned I have bought some harder bushed arb links for the car, it will be interesting to see how they affect the roll of that car, there always seems alot of lost motion on the normal rubber bushed arb links.

Anyrate after Thursdays fun I now seem to have 4 Triumph cars and not one runner amongst them! Looks like Sunday will be busy!

I am comforting myself with the thought that if the driveshaft had popped out whilst driving around Brands Hatch it could have been disasterous!

Getting ready for Brands Hatch, Jaguars and the 'Space Race'

Have decided that I will use the GT6 for this week's TD evening at Brands Hatch. Therefore I have spent some time today working on the old car, this consisted of making some plates for sticking on the inner wheelarchs to spread the load for the roll over bar fixings, all went well. However I have found that the bottom of the rear NS wing has broken away from the floor and is flapping in the breeze. After having a good poke around a fair bit of welding is needed, I will need to get someone to make some plates up and get welding at some point (Maybe its time to start to learn to weld).
I also fitted the 5.5J steels onto the car, however I do not think they suit the car so will take off and go to Brands with the Revs fitted.
I had wanted to fit the Wilwood brake calipers to the car, however I do not have the correct studs so will not bother for now. I hope to be able to find the correct studs at say the Silverstone Historic or buy some from Namerick the nut and bolt supplier in Hove, Sussex.

Sort of looking forward to the evening, reckoning on getting about an hour or so solid driving around the track. Chris Shaw the Club's Track Day Organiser has done a great job selling the tickets, at one point it looked like we would only sell 10 tickets, his networking skills are good!

Talking to Dave Picton and 'Fred' Slezak who always do the CT TDs, I understand that Dave will be taking his mk2 Jag along as he does not have a Triumph on the road at present. Its a great car that is now looking a bit scruffy, in fact very similar to the mk2 Jag that featured within the film 'Withnail and I'. Dave and Fred left it with me one Xmas whilst they went to the USA and told me that I could have free use of her over the break, so took it out on Xmas Eve for a tour of few local pubs with my buddy Diz. Gotta say I enjoyed the drive, the weather was lousy, but we had some fun in the car. It was interesting to compare the car with my 2.5 saloon, in most areas I felt the Triumph was superior. The handling and ride of the 2.5 was superior and felt more modern. However the Jag had more grunt but was let down by the recalcitrant moss gearbox, but boy did the car have some prescence and it felt special to be driving something different on Xmas Eve.


Must say that I think the mk2 is a better looking car than the Triumph, William Lyons could definitely draw and style good looking cars. I think Jaguar saloon cars were better looking than the sports cars they produced, the XJ6 series one being to my eyes the best looking saloon car ever made. One of my neighbours has a newish XJ Jag and it sure is one good looking car, especially since Jaguar added the duct into the front wing just past the wheelarch. So exciting that Jaguar seem to be making cutting edge cars after years of being overshadowed by the German luxury car makers. This summer will see the replacement Jaguar of the XJ saloon and from what I have read it looks to be a tour de force, the car will again be alloy bodied, glued together like the present XJ and will have the latest Jaguar V8 engines in both petrol and stump pulling diesel guises. If it looks and goes anything like the XF they will have a winner on their hands. Gotta say I get sad when I think about the way the British car manufactuering business went, this nation has produced some great cars especially in the 60s and its sad to think they have all gone away. I know some will say that one can still buy Minis, Bentley and Rolls Royce, but they seem sort of fraudulant, especially the 'plastic' Mini that is sold on a bogus 60s Britain ticket, reckon Issigonis must be turning in his grave! I just hope that BMW do not ever re-introduce the Triumph marque name, time to let the name die!

With regard to the saloon I have purchased two TCAs with which have polybushes fitted from James Paddock, also bought some up-rated anti roll bar links and a head gasket set for the impending cylinder head change. Must say I was impressed with the service and prices I received from this company, will use them again. I hope to get stuck into the car next weekend. As I have mentioned before I bought the head from Andy Pearce, he contacted me the other week to tell me to get the head on pronto as its a good one and I will notice an immediate increase in both power and torque. I cannot think why I have never fitted the thing?

On a completely different subject there have been a number of programmes on BBC commemorating the 40th Anniversary since the NASA Apollo moon landings. I was eight when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin first stepped on the moon and don't really have much memory of it. But my word how amazing that they did such a thing, I think the computing power of the moon landing craft was less than the computer I am using to type this blog! Shocking really that the promise of the Apollo missions was not built upon apart from the Space Shuttle missions. One of the programmes had a NASA chap on who stated that they hope to go back to the Moon in I think 2018. Blimey from Kennedy's emotive speech about going the moon it took 8 years, even though the missions in 2018 will be alot more complicated it shows the speed and will power involved in Apollo!

Post Unofficial La Carrera Caledonia

Well back safe and sound from Scotland after a mammoth 535miles drive yesterday. I left Aviemore at 6.20am and got home at 14.40, not bad.

Following the trip, I have a number of issues to address on the car:

1. Bottom ball joints (TCA) need replacing. Some have told me that these are easy, some others tell me that one needs to get them done professionally, not sure. I see Rimmers sell rebuilt TCAs at £38ish. Seems dear, will shop around.

2. Valve seat recession is starting to get very bad. I checked the valve clearances at Callender and found that the car had no gap on the exhaust valves. Years ago I bought a 2500S head from Andy Pearce, so will have look at that and fit it. It is fitted with bigger valves so should be suitable.

3. I reckon the sills need to be replaced, the car is creaking and when jacked up the doors do not close very cleanly. (I remember this happening to a new Pug 405 I had years ago-good eh). Money being a bit tight means that I will have to wait abit though. The MOT test is due before the Club Triumph 10 Countries Run, so will hope to get the car through with some localised welding?

4. Ujs are knocking on take up, so will replace those once the problem ones have been identified.

Otherwise she remains a great example of one of these under-rated cars, what old sixties saloon car could travel 500 miles very easily in 8 hours and still be able to mix it with the fat cats in their modern Jags and BMWs on the M40 motorway as we headed to London!

Talking with Dave Langrick a couple of months ago he feels I am stretched attempting to keep two cars on the road, gawd knows what it will be like when I start to use the Herald. Still I have nothing I wish to do to the GT6, so hopefully expenditure will not be needed on that little car.

Back to the 'Unofficial' LCC, it was ok, but taking part on my own was'nt as good as I had hoped. However spending time with Dave Pearson and Jason Chinn was good, thanks to them for letting me tag along. Dave's Vitesse was fine, low geared but otherwise she went well, very nippy.

As usual the Scottish scenery was breathtaking, I always find it amusing that British people like to bog off to Europe, when all they need to do is travel up to Scotland and see such marvellous views, still leaves it all unspoilt. Best thing about Scotland is the sense of pride the locals have in their beautiful countryside, exemplified by the lack of rubbish everywhere.

The best moment for me during the event was finding a superb dinner stop at Dull, a village near Tummel Bridge. If ever in the vicinity, do go to the 'Adventure' business and have lunch-very tasty. As is the way on the LCC, the Saturday night was a bit boozie. I enjoyed a nice curry with Dave, Jase, Mike and Ive and then we stumbled into the Waverley Hotel to find Dave L, Frenchie and co already stuck into the beer, seemed rude not to join them. I waddled back to the Dreadnought Hotel (Reckon its days are past-knock it down!) at gone 12, marvelling at the darkness of the town, remember that in June it does not get dark until 10.30-11.00 up there. The Dread's Scottish breakfast lived up to its name-nouveau Brekkie anyone!

What to do next year now that McJim has finished the event. Many feel that Club Triumph should take it over. At last nights CT Ctte meeting we discussed this, but will have further talks and make a decision soon. One thing is for sure if we do, we must invite other old car clubs along, the variety of vehicles makes the event more interesting. Also Jim's knowledge of Scottish roads is extensive, so I am sure he would have to be consulted/utilised.

A Saturday afternoon stop when we bumped into the Notts lot.

Saturday early evening at the car park near 'The Dreadnought Hotel'. Looks like some of the usual CT small talk is on! Actually what a poor pic!

Car park at Kenmore, Dave and Jase look to be deep in conversation. Nice orange ST in the background eh!

So all in all a nice weekend.

What next, MGoT Track Evening at Brands Hatch on Thursday 25/06: I will use the GT6 and I hope to have the Wilwood brake calipers fitted.

As a postscript, if ever in Cumbria, have a drive along the B5305 from M6 jct 41 to Wigton, great road!

Off to Scotland

Thursday 09.00am:

Right, getting ready for this weekend's fun in Scotland. I was going to take the GT6, but as I need to be back in London for Monday nights Club Triumph Committee Meeting I have decided to use the 2.5.

The La Carrera Caledonia was a CT Drivers Challenge round, but as the 'Official' event was cancelled and we are now all taking part in an unofficial event, CT have decided to delete the event from the DC. Therefore I could have taken the Focus, however I suppose that would not be in the spirit of things!

The 2.5 has not been used since the HCR in April and I have had a number of issues to rectify as follows:

Re-build front NS hub include replace the stub axle and fit new bearing.

Fit a new electric fan. As the engine is now in the correct position (!) the crank shaft pulley fouls the Pacet fan, this has caused the spindle on the fan to break. Therefore whilst I await a smaller unit, I will fit the electric fan of the GT6. I will take a standard crankshaft pulley mounted fan with me as back up in the boot to Scotland. Only snag with that could be that the oil cooler will be in the way!

The carburettor throttle linkeage fouls the choke spindle bar, this will need a bit of light filing!

Adjust the valve clearances, standard camshaft therefore 10 thou everywhere.

That is it apart from a good wash-the car that is!

Thursday 11.00pm:

Umm, managed to get the above done today as well as find time for a 1.5hour kip on the sofa, I do like an afternoon snooze! Took the car over to Andy Martin's to pick up some items that he needs to get to Dave Pearson tomorrow (Some ex-works Rally Car parts-bit daunting having irreplaceable stuff in the boot) , the car seemed to be going well, although it is still pinking. This is down to the shagged out dizzy. I have two options, buy a 123 or buy a second hand Lucas unit that is correct for the car and get that re-built. Dave Langrick has one of those spare and will sell to me? At present I am thinking 123.

Tomorrow morning will be spent travelling up to Dave's to meet up with him and Jason. Also Tim Hunt is going to meet us as well, a spot of lunch and then off to the Old Stone Trough at Keswick. I will check the wheel bearings before I go tomorrow morning though!

It will be nice to get some mileage done in the 2.5, and after checking on Google Maps, I have found that the mileage from Aviemore to Crews Hill is 520miles! Looks like the long legged gearing of 27mph/1000 revs in overdrive top will be useful!

Below is a pic of the car and James Carruther's 2000 on last years LCC