DECEMBER 2005
Which one is it to be
then, Martin? You’ve got no excuses now!!
DECEMBER 2005
Which one is it to be
then, Martin? You’ve got no excuses now!!
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Reg &
Irene Bowler
Derek
Bramford
Martin &
Sue Faulkner
Alan Fuller
Dick Goodey Black Four
David
Guzzetta
John Martin
Tim Sharp
Ben &
Lisa Ward
Happy New Year to one and all!
Wow!
What on earth have we done? We
sincerely hope that the adage “we don’t suffer fools gladly” doesn’t ring true
for the Leicestershire TR Group, for fools we most certainly must be to take
over the reins from such excellent TRipers as Martin and Sue. Please be kind to us!
MEETING NOTES
After much frantic card swapping the
meeting started a little later than usual- probably the new committee just
getting into a rhythm. Fortunately for
the new scribes there’s not an awful lot to report this time.
Halfway through the meeting it was
noted that Reg wasn’t doing a particularly good job of heckling, a role he’d
taken over from Martin Ward at the last AGM.
He said he was cold and needed more time to warm up!
We have decided to have a new section
in TRipe - “Restorers’ Notes”. We’ve
started it off with what we know personally but would appreciate some notes
from members, (particularly amusing ones) and photographic evidence if possible.
TR Register’s AGM
Several members went to the Register’s
AGM in November. Phil, in fact, went
both ways with the hood down with Reg as passenger on the return journey
(although Reg said that was just because he was gasping for a cigarette!). Reg also commented that Phil’s TR7 wasn’t
even as quick as a dolly! Ooops - watch
it, Reg, you might get to walk next time!
Apparently, Tim Sharp put a spanner
in the works at the Register’s AGM by asking what they were doing about the
£180,000 they have in the account and shouldn’t they consider doing something
with it that the members can benefit from.
Prescott Hill Climb
The TR Register is taking over the
Prescott Hill Climb for a day in April.
This will be on a first-come-first-served basis - please phone the
Register office if you are interested.
Phil and Rachael reported that they found some nasty little curves when
they did the course in their Stag.
New Years Eve
A fantastic evening was had by all
who went to
Christmas Dinner
A reminder that the Club’s Christmas
Dinner is being held on Saturday 21st January at Kibworth Working
Men’s Club. The dinner itself is a very
reasonably priced £10 per head and Reg expects the disco/music to cost in the
region of £2.50 per head extra. Everyone
should, by now, have given Reg a £5 deposit per person and let him know their
choices for the meal. If you haven’t yet
booked, please phone Reg immediately and chat to him about it on 01455 272813. It promises to be an excellent evening.
2006 Programme
If anyone
has any ideas for the 2006 programme, please could you let one of the committee
know before they have their meeting on 17th
January. Thanks.
2006 weekend trips
Two weekend trips were discussed at
the meeting. Ruth and Tony will be
organising another trip to Derbyshire in July, and Jennie and
Le Mans Classic Weekend 2006
Dick Goodey has a mate coming over
from
Members’ telephone numbers
We have attached the current phone
list at the back. Please could you check
your numbers and let us know of any amendments.
You can either bring a note along to the meeting, or email us or phone
us (015376 771593). Thanks.
Restorers’ notes
Tim Collins - says he will have his TR2
(tongue-in-cheek) finished for this year’s International. The engine has been tried and tested. He just needs to get the overdrive to work
properly before lowering the body on to the chassis. Martin and I are due for another visit.
Trish Draycott - her TR6 is about to be resprayed
and certain modifications undertaken to have it ready for this coming season. We don’t see much of her due to work
commitments but she and Eddy are hoping to come on at least one of the weekend
trips.
Andrew Deacon - is currently stripping his Mark
IV Spitfire, which he has owned from new, with a view to rebuilding the
engine. He also is titivating around
with his TR6.
Martin Faulkner - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. NO EXCUSES.
GET A MOVE ON!!!
Pete Hodgson - see his attached report.
Reg Bowler - don’t know much about this one
yet, except that he bought Nigel Rees’s TR4.
Watch this space.
Ben Ward - still titivating, I believe,
although he has other “projects” on hand just now!!
David Guzzetta - is fitting a new engine, and has
had an aluminium tank installed. He also
has made quite a few other improvements.
F1 Grand Prix 2006 Programme
For those of you who like to plan
your Sundays around the Grand Prix …
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March 12, 2006 |
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March 19, 2006 |
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April 2, 2006 |
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April 23, 2006 |
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May 7, 2006 |
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May 14, 2006 |
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May 28, 2006 |
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June 11, 2006 |
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June 25, 2006 |
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July 2, 2006 |
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July 16, 2006 |
France – Magny-Cours |
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July 30, 2006 |
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August 6, 2006 |
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August, 27, 2006 |
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September 10, 2006 |
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September 17, 2006 |
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October 1, 2006 |
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October 8, 2006 |
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October 22, 2006 |
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And finally
Hmmm … this is something we will
have to work on. Watch this space!
This is probably the first winter
we’ve had here where we’ve had so little snow.
Until tomorrow (Tuesday 3rd) that is. The predictions began yesterday morning with
4”, now they’re saying we’ll have up to 7” by the morning rush-hour, followed
by some sleet and freezing rain to give a total fall of over 12” when the storm
ends on Wednesday. That should be enough
to keep me away from the office and tucked up in front of a warm fire in the
lounge. Maybe I should be thinking about
taking down the outside Christmas lights but I can’t do that until 12th
night.
I went to my first baby shower last
month. This was hosted by the paternal
grandmother who invites her friends and neighbours and people who may know the
expectant mother. The invitation
includes the names of the stores where the parents are registered so you can
buy gifts that are actually wanted.
About 50 people attended and we had a lovely meal after which the gifts
were opened and passed around for all to see.
At first I thought it a little strange but now maybe I understand the
logic. By the time the child is born,
the parents will know what they’ve got and what they still need. Gifts are not normally given after the birth
except, perhaps, by the immediate family.
Work is quiet and we have begun
advertising for my replacement. Three
people have expressed an interest although I think they’ll drop out when they
learn the salary. I enjoy the job
because of its flexibility; within reason I come and go as I please. It would be ideal for someone who has young
children as the hours could fit in with school time. Fingers crossed that they’ll find someone who
can start when I want to finish (July/August).
As we’re now into our last year in this
country so our attitudes are changing.
My tolerance for the bad weather is strengthened by the fact that this
will be our last winter. While out
shopping over the past few days I’ve seen items drastically reduced in the
sales that I’ve thought would make wonderful Christmas gifts for next
year. There’s no sense in buying them
now as it would just be more to dispose of or try and ship.
When I write next we’ll be
vigorously finding an estate agent to handle the sale of our house; a serious
task when you consider they charge 6-7% of the selling price! Anybody want a much loved house in
Heather
Peter Hodgson
REBUILD OF BLACK TR 4 CT14790 LO
– NOVEMBER’S SUCCESS TURNED INTO DECEMBER’S DIRT-EATING
I’ve been around long enough to know
that it had to happen. It was just the how, the when and the how bad that
wasn’t known for sure.
Last month’s missive told you that
I’d got the bottom end of the engine stitched up. I was now ready to put in the
camshaft and get myself tangled in the timing. The camshaft went in about one
third of the way and a very solid metallic DOOIINGGG was heard. It happened on
the second and third attempts, too. I remember the navigational difficulties
through the bearings from when I did the 6’s engine, and recalling too that I
had chipped a tooth with expensive consequences I backed off and started to
measure. It soon became clear that the shaft would not even enter the first
bearing in order to pass through it. I know for certain that it fitted in the
machine shop after the bearings were installed, so what had happened? To cut a
long story short the bearings were not exactly placed to accommodate the
set-screws that go through the block to prevent them spinning, and instead of
the screw tips sitting in the locating holes in the bearings they had lifted
them off their seatings. The guys at the machine shop were very good about it,
but couldn’t get at the engine until a couple of days ago when they came to
visit it and carted it away on the back of their truck. I spoke to them today,
and they have driven the bearings out. They hope to have the new ones in later
today and get the engine back to me tomorrow, New Year’s Eve. So much for
finishing the engine during the holidays.
The electrics have not progressed
one bit as the dip-switch still hasn’t shown up. So much for being tempted to
use a small enthusiast-dealer to undercut Moss. At least Moss’s stuff does show
up. And Santa brought me a multimeter, so if the electrics get out of hand I
have yet another way of not understanding why.
So you’ve heard what hasn’t happened
in the month. What has happened, then? Worked away a lot, suffered much
brass-monkey weather, shifted a 10 inch snowfall, went to pick up the gearbox
from my man. It certainly looks a really professional job. He went to the
trouble of telling me all that he’d had to do and offered me the box of bits
that he had removed. Included in there were a knackered third gear as expected
and various rings and clips, but the most worrying things were broken lock washers
that could have let loose at any time – and you know what shrapnel can do
inside a gearbox. The bolts that they were locking were actually preventing
them from going anywhere. The offended look on his face when I declined to take
away with me the box of broken bits was a delight. If they are no use inside my
gearbox they’re no flamin’ use in a box in my garage. I also bought from him a
high-torque starter, so we’ll see how that goes on.
In the last few days I have got my
head into the question of conversion from positive to negative earth and the
fitting of an alternator instead of the dynamo. The more you read and listen to
advice the worse it gets to understand how best to approach it. Then you
realize that some of it is contradictory, and you have to get into it a couple
of levels deeper just to understand which bit to relegate to the background.
When I was with Dick this time last year I listened a lot to what he had to say
and took some piccies away with me. He has the TR 7 alternator, and when I was
getting my wiring the supplier prepared it for negative earth, and without me
specifying what fittings I wanted he made it up with the appropriate connector
for the TR 7. So far so good, and all consistent. I asked him which alternator
to use, and he said the Lucas ACR 16 or ACR 17 as fitted to the 7. Dick had
alerted me to the need to fabricate a new bracket as the dynamo one won’t be of
any use, and of the need to go to the thin belt. He remembered that he thought
the MGB crankshaft pulley was suitable and that he had bought a complete pulley
kit from Moss. Armed with all this I went to Moss
Who’s running the complaints
department at the club these days? Part of your collective job is to keep me
out of trouble and you have failed miserably. Why did nobody warn me that the
first job after installing the dashboard and before the master cylinders is to
put in the oil pressure gauge line? The joy is next to impossible when you get
in enough wiring to power a small town behind the dash. In order to feed the
pipe at a correct angle to reach the back of the gauge I ended up having to
remove the whole of the master cylinder assembly. That gave me enough angle,
but of course when the master cylinders have to come out so does the pedal box.
Bastard.
I just noticed this morning that
when I was taking the car apart I left a broken bolt in the hole for fixing the
radiator stay. It’s in a really awkward place to get a grinder in to remove the
projecting bit prior to drilling – which is presumably why I left it there in
the first place meaning to go back to it. Another job for Helicoil man – except
that I have no ¼ inch inserts, and they come in packs of 12, which means
another $25 down the pan. Are we past the $20,000 mark yet dear?
Have a great New Year everyone.
Peter
P.S.
It’s Monday, after work and the engine fairy has just left a lump of
iron in the garage.