February 2006
Don’t be FOBBED off Martin !!!
February 2006
Don’t be FOBBED off Martin !!!
Members present
Martin
& Sue Faulkner
Andy &
Jennie Holyoak
Kathryn
& Tim Sharpe
Trish Draycott & Eddie (Ford Escort but not for long!)
Paul Bowler
(Citroen SM)
David Guzzetta
(TR5 - roof down!)
Dick Goodey
Reg &
Irene Bowler
Roger Guy
Martin
& Jenny Ward (2000 Estate)
Ben &
Lisa & Bump
John &
Margaret Martin
John &
Chris Day
Allan
Westbury
Andy Moltu
& Amy & Chloe
Phil &
Hannah (TR7 roof down)
Colin &
Ann Skinner
John
Edwards (TR6)
Scott Blakey & Sam
PS: we’ve had some members putting down on the
“register” that they’d been at the previous meeting but we’d not included them
on the list. If we missed you off we apologise.
However, can we please ask that you ensure you put your names down on
the list at the meeting. Thanks.
New members
Firstly,
can we please apologise to John Edwards whose name we got totally wrong last
month. Welcome again, John
J
Secondly, welcome to Scott Blakey
& Sam J
Colin &
Ann Skinner - we’re not sure if you’re new members or “old” ones who’ve come
along. Welcome anyway J
Cake shop
Reminder to pay your subs if you’ve not already done so.
They are still £15 per couple.
Please let Rachael have yours as soon as possible. If you’re writing out a cheque, please will
you make it payable to Leicestershire TR
Group.
Meeting notes
Well, if
you thought there wasn’t much to report in January, how would you describe
February?!! We did manage to get some
business done but to say it was negligible is putting it mildly.
Martin
reminded us that he’s booked a room for us all at Terracotta in
Also,
Martin W has thought up an excellent “competition” for us all. It’s called “who goes furthest in his
Triumph?”.
Initially, it was TR but as our membership owns a variety of Triumphs it
was extended. Sorry folks, but it wasn’t
extended to those non-TR cars L
Also, in answer to Phil’s very cheeky question - NO, it’s not
all the Triumphs in one family added together!!
Nice try though!
? Quiz Night
The reason
for little or no business was because February’s meeting was turned over to a
Quiz Night.
As ever, it
was a roaring success and, for once, the cheating seemed minimal (I
think?!).
We split
into five teams, with a question-master at each table. Ruth’s map of the world and Jennie’s
guess-the-picture caused much consternation and Allan W’s questions written on
a flight back from the
The final
results were as follows:
Top
Table 39
Youthful
36 ½
Bump
& the Babysitters 34½
(wonder who was on that team?)
TRossers 33
A
Team 32 ½
Christmas
party - Part 2
Specially
for all you party animals on the table I missed out last month. Sorry J
By the way,
the wine cost the same as last year - £400.
From a personal point of view though, it didn’t seem to go very
far. Maybe we should do some
fund-raising before our next “do” so we can buy lots more? J Hic!
The awards,
as ever, were entertaining. Pictorial evidence - and the information behind - below.
Red Cabbage Award (prat of the year)
Reg -
you’re supposed to PARK the car, not DITCH it!!!
Big Pants Award (prat of the year 2)
This went
to Martin F for losing his keys at the International last year and then finding
them in his toilet bag the next morning.
Mind you, it did give Ben and others a good excuse to go back to the
German camp, ostensibly to check for lost keys but really to check out their
particularly good Schnapps.
Very
kindly, someone (sorry, don’t know whose door to lay the blame at) made Martin
a new keyring to help him avoid such incidents in the
future (front page picture). Thanks J
We also have
some photographic evidence of Roger donning his housewife’s head and fighting
Ruth for the bin liner to start collecting the rubbish after the party. Well done lad J
On a sad
note, the Steward at the Kibworth WMC had a heart attack shortly after our
party. Apparently, he is on the road to
recovery and we all sent our best wishes via Reg and Irene. We agreed that Rachael should send some
flowers from club funds.
New idea - spares list
Andy Moltu
and Dave Guzzetta would like to propose that LTRG members put together a list
of spares either that they carry on board or keep at home. This would be for anyone who gets stuck and
needs a part in a hurry, such as a drive shaft or diff (like Reg did for
the
These could
be for loan, purchase or even free depending on what the part was and who owned
it and their preferences.
If you
think it's a good idea, please contact Andy Moltu with your list so that we can
publish something in March’s newsletter.
While
I was tidying up!...
Part two:
You know,
there’s nothing new under the sun is there?
In the Motor Magazine, September 1967, there was an article, and I
quote, “… radar speed traps are coming along nicely and parking meters are
being discussed in simple Anglo-Saxon phrases.
Doubtless the picture will be rosier in another ten years.” “Rosier”?!!!
the full article is scanned at the back of
TRipe.
Andy H
Disabled parking
While I was
standing in the foyer of Stoneleigh, minding my own business, I noticed out of
the corner of my eye a Discovery pull up immediately outside the door in one
of the disabled parking spaces. I didn’t
recognise it until Reg and Rog emerged.
Reg had a
huge grin on his face and Rog was walking towards the
entrance like a man of 90, completely bent over and apparently in pain. He hobbled through the admissions tent, got
“away” with parking in a disabled spot, straightened up and walked on - bolt
upright.
Now is that
a blag or what?!
Having said
that, to be truthful, he did have a bad back! (Andy H)
Technical notes
TR6 chassis
The forward
bridge upright brackets (the bit containing the rear springs) are no longer
available. To overcome this, you can use
a 3mm box section, cut and angled correctly and welded on top of the chassis. This means the whole unit is enclosed and not
open to the weather. Obviously, before
you start cutting, you take exact measurements of the angles (all of which I
have) but this is the ultimate in bridge strengthening. The rear bridge is still available and is
supplied now as an enclosed part. (Andy H)
If anyone
else has modifications they’ve worked out for themselves and would like to
share, or any other useful information, please let us know and we’ll include
them in future TRipes.
Classic cars Thai style
Jennie’s son, Tom, as most of you know lives in
Trim (without dieting!)
TR Bits
recently sold their trim shop to PJM Motors in Market Drayton. Yvonne, who runs PJM specialises in MGs. However, she’s
done a fantastic job on my interior and on a couple of other cars I’ve sent her
way. Her workmanship is excellent and
the seats, in particular, are good looking and soft and supple to the
back.
I believe
she is planning on doing a demonstration at the International of making a hood
bag (ours in fact!).
She is also
considering having a Pound Shop at the International to dispose of all the
surplus trim panels that came along with the deal. Bargains galore!
I have
spent two days so far with Yvonne sorting out various panels into sets and she
is now ready to go on all TR models.
Her service
is very friendly and helpful and I can strongly recommend her.
|
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Restoration corner |
|
Tim Collins - TR2 Ongoing |
|
Martin Ward - Triumph Estate No news
this month |
|
Trish Draycott - TR6 Car is
currently at Iliffe’s bodyshop being repainted
totally, engine bay included
|
Reg Bowler - TR4A Ongoing
|
|
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Martin Faulkner Our
secret sources tell us that there is progress! |
Allan Fuller - TR6 No news
this month |
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Andy Holyoak - TR6 Road
tested. Possibly thrown a UJ -
vibration coming up through the steering.
Apart from that - magic and new diff appears to be fine J |
Tony Richards - TR6 & Stag TR6 - not started yet Stag - now back in one piece |
|
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Derek Bramford - TR6 No news
this month |
|
Phil Gunn - “The fleet” No news
this month |
|
Tim Sharp - TR6 No news
this month |
|
Andy Moltu - TR7 It’s
running. Shortly to go for MOT & still in need of a little paintwork! |
REBUILD
OF BLACK TR 4 CT14790 LO – A QUIET SORT OF MONTH REALLY
I always look back at last
month’s report before I write the current one.
I don’t really seem to have made the expected progress, although if the
temperature had not returned to zillions below this weekend I would certainly
have finished the engine yesterday or today.
I’ve lost a weekend (happily) to seeing number two son as he was
visiting this area on business and chose to arrive early so that I could show
him round
In truth the time lost in February has gone mainly on struggling with the geometry of the alternator conversion kit bracketry. The water pump and crankshaft pulleys lined up ok, but the new hanging bracket for the alternator put that pulley 3/8” proud. I had to alternately heat and beat the bracket so take that lot out of it, and then had to cut the accompanying bushes and pedestals to suit. I’m still a bit puzzled as to why it was necessary, and wonder whether I got the correct kit. I put a repair kit on the fuel pump and I’ve now got to the top of the engine with a shiny rocker box top. I now need to attach the new plug leads to the new dizzy top, time the ignition, install the oil filter and cooler attachment, fuel pump, breather, heater pipe. The exhaust and inlet manifolds will need a bit of attention from the grinder before they become healthy bed-fellows. Then on with the clutch and gearbox. It actually looks like a very nice engine as it sits there on my garage floor, but looking good doesn’t actually make it any good, I suppose.
I eventually received the dip-switch (what a saga) and it turned out not to be the answer to my headlight function problem. I will now have to swing into action my Christmas gift from Heather – a multimeter. I just cannot rationalize what could be the problem. Hope it’s not an incorrect loom.
As I don’t have much to tell you this month, I won’t go on about nothing. I just hope there is more content available to include next time. By the time you see my next bit the cars coddled away for the winter will have been brought out from their caves blinking in the Spring sunlight. Enjoy them.
Till next time, go safe.
Peter
