Members present

Tim Sharpe & Kathryn Morris

Martin & Sue Faulkner

Reg & Irene Bowler

John & Margaret Martin

Colin & Ann Skinner

John Day

Nina Marriott

Anthony & Ruth Richards

Martin & Jenny Ward

Andy & Jennie Holyoak

Barrie & Barbara Cooper

Mick & Linda Forey (TR6)

John Edwards (TR6)

Allan Westbury

Paul Bowler

Roger Guy

Andy & Claire Moltu

Alan Fuller

Derek Bramford

Duncan Jolly (Camb Followers)

New members

We were very pleased to welcome along two lots of new members this month. We hope you enjoyed the meeting and found it fun. We were going to apologise for the noise but decided that was a pointless exercise since we’re always that noisy!

John Edwards came along to the meeting in his TR6, and Barrie and Barbara Cooper own a TR3A which I expect we will see later in the year.

Barry and Barbara are, in fact, very “old” members of the TR Register and have written an interesting article which you’ll find further on in the newsletter.

East Midlands Co-ordinator visit

LTRG was also duly “co-ordinated” this month by Duncan Jolly as part of his rounds. We attempted to make him feel suitably welcomed and only called him an interloper once! Seriously, Duncan, please do come along to our meetings any time you wish - you will be most welcome.

Cake shop

Rachael sent a message with Phil to remind everyone that subs are due. They are still £15 per couple. Please let her have yours as soon as possible. If you’re writing out a cheque, please will you make it payable to Leicestershire TR Group.

We resorted to using code when asking for the subs because we had a Register committee member in our midst (we’re not supposed to have subs according to committee rules). However, we’re pretty sure Duncan saw through the ploy! The reason we have them is to pay for things like postage, etc for the few copies of TRipe we still send out via snail mail and, most importantly, to pay for the Christmas Party and International booze! Priorities…..

Classic Le Mans

David Guzzetta reminded everyone that now is the time to make your final decision on Classic Le Mans. Get in touch with him if you think you might be interested and want more information.

? Quiz Night

Please note that we are turning February’s meeting over to a Quiz Night. I expect there will be some business but if it’s anything like January, that’ll be minimal to say the least!

Six members are bringing along half a dozen questions each. They are Allan Westbury, Jennie Holyoak, Andy Moltu (though we think it’s more likely to be Amy doing the work!), Ruth Richards, Phil Gunn, John & Margaret Martin.

If anyone fancies being quizmaster, that would be great - let us know on the night.

Anyone for a haircut?

Rachael, our very own starlet, is appearing in another musical at Loughborough Town Hall. This time it’s Sweeney Todd - described as “murderously funny”! The show is on from 23^rd to 27^th May and tickets cost £7.50-£9.50.

If you’d like to go to the show - and it’s highly recommended - then let Rachael or Phil know and tickets will be organised for you. They would really appreciate having your ticket money up front please - cash or cheque (cheques made payable to Phil Gunn).

For those of you who’ve not been before, the TR club members usually go on the Friday night and Rachael gets us all tickets together.

Christmas party - Reg and Irene - it was brilliant. Thanks!

It seemed like most of the discussion at the meeting centred on the LTRG Christmas Party. And why not? …

At the time of writing, the party has taken place. Boy, what a fantastic do - as ever. We LTRGers certainly know how to party! Andy and I reckon it was one of the best yet.

The Kibworth Working Men’s Club certainly came up trumps as a venue. For once, we weren’t squashed into a tiny space and could wander round chatting to different folks on their tables.

The food was very good indeed - big congratulations to the chef! The disco after the meal was great fun and wasn’t so loud that you couldn’t still chat to friends.

Mostly, on behalf of LTRG, we would like to give Reg and Irene a big thank you for organising it - more power to your elbows chaps! Your hard work beforehand (in case any LTRG party-goers didn’t know, they laid all the tables did the flower arrangements, and produced the reminder notes showing who’d ordered what) and then cleaned up the next day (with hangovers I’m sure).

New or old (members)?

Article by new members, Barrie & Barbara Cooper.

TR3A, UPH 700 (1958), red/black, bought September 2005, rebuilt 1986.

Firstly, a heartfelt thank you to Andy Holyoak for welcoming us to Leicestershire TR Group. With members like Andy we look forward to some good TR motoring and social meetings.

About 1970, we joined the early Register for three years and have been able to get our old membership number back (27) for an extra fee.

In 1960 we owned TR2, MNR 700 but in 1963 she had to go as a deposit for a house. How many of you suffered that one? In 1970 we bought TR3A, PEL 55, but in 1972 sailing took over for 30 years and she went to buy a new boat. In 1989 we tried a Morgan 4 seater but were not impressed. She went in 1991.

We looked for some time at other cars like MGBs but it remained a sidescreen TR or nothing. Not easy to find.

UHP 700 has had six owners. The last one a boat yard owner who reminded me of Fred Dibnah. She stood in the open, covered in tree glue and soot, with aero screens only, and seemed to say to us “I am yours for cash and lots of TLC”.

Restoration notes! Pressure wash and clean all round. Boy did she need a wash. Strip out good upholstery and rub down inside and under car. Wax oil and underseal and full service. Replace door hinge pins (great fun that). Hammerite base and top coat inside car (very expensive). Open new cheque book in anticipation.

Very relieved to find (touch wood) that our careful pre-purchase inspection proved OK. No major problems to date. However, lots of detail to attend to.

She came with four year old weather equipment so we were lucky there. The front grill was damaged and there was slight damage to the apron. It’s now 90% OK (although we have paint matching problems). Most re-chroming now done.

2138cc + twin SUs + overdrive - she runs and sounds like a true TR.

Current objectives: (a) Use and enjoy car and club. (b) As funds allow, enhance an already sound car.

Jobs to do: Grease front hubs (wire wheels), overhaul brakes, sort boot lid (HELP!), recover ½ seat pads, (black/white pipe anyone??), fit new door handles and locks, remove headlights and pods to ensure no tin worm, overhaul wiring, ‘sometime’ new windscreen and re-chrome surround. Last but not least, re-spray and enamel the wheels.

Advice and visits welcome.

We hope to make new friends and, yet again, enjoy TR motoring.

Achieving an ambition

No.1

Alan Fuller has now let slip that he is seriously thinking of selling his TR6 as he has now acquired a Porsche 944 Series II Cabriolet (something he has wanted for more years than he cares to think about).

He and Sue are very concerned indeed that they won’t be able to continue as members of LTRG if they sell the TR6. We have assured them that this is most definitely NOT the case. LTRG is very much a social group where the people come first and the cars second. Their company and friendship would be very much missed.

Personally, we recall talking to Pete Hodgson about joining LTRG way back in 1997 and he informed us that most members own a TR6 of some sorts, some members aspire to own one, and some will never own one but just like them. We thought this was an excellent sentiment. Alan and Sue - please take this to heart. You two, not your car, are the members - please continue to come to meetings and on outings.

No.2

Paul Bowler is another member who has acquired a vehicle he has longed for over many years and that is a Citroen Maserati. This is one of the most comfortable Citroens ever built and if this model is anything like the DS Series you will run out of courage before you run out of road! Enjoy it, Paul - SAFELY!

While I was tidying up!...

Part one:

When I was tidying up our bookcases the other day, I came across my 1955 copy of “The Motor”. This was the magazine produced for the London Motor Show. I thought you might all like to see the article about the TR3 which was “launched” at the Show. There are two pages to the article and they are at the back of this TRipe. The scan isn’t brilliant because I didn’t want to break the back of the magazine - but I’m sure you’ll enjoy it anyway. Andy

Restoration corner

Tim Collins - TR2

Tim has now lowered the finished body shell on to the chassis. The wiring loom, dashboard and instruments are now in place. He is currently drilling holes for lights and the accessories under the bonnet.

The seats have now been retrimmed in leather and are waiting fitting. He has been in contact with a guy who restores old and period material and paintwork with regards to the geranium trim and because post-war they used dyes and synthetics that were in their early stage of development over the years they have tended to faded with sunlight. Consequently, the geranium that we understand is more of a terracotta colour. So watch this space …

Martin Ward - Triumph estate

Estate car is due to be fitted with a 2.5S engine. Having followed (or tried to!) Martin W to Martin F’s some time ago, I’d have thought it was already quick enough!

Tony Richards - TR6 & Stag

TR6 - Off-side rear wing needs replacing. A new wing has been fitted and a paint match process will follow!

Stag - diff is out and ready to be overhauled.

Reg Bowler - TR4A

The wiring is a mess and he’s hoping to sort this out over the coming weeks. An electric fan and a landrover thermostat has now been fitted with a heat shield over the alternator.

Martin Faulkner

We know what his problems are ……….

Allan Fuller - TR6

Alan is having some work done on the driver’s door and the rear wing.

Derek Bramford - TR6

Derek has steering problems - the car veers to the left. I have suggested it might be the shims but if anyone else has any ideas or can offer help he would be very grateful.

Barrie Cooper - TR3A

See article …………

Andy Holyoak - TR6

The retrim is nearly finished and the vehicle is starting to look good.

Phil Gunn - “The fleet”

Stag - the hood frame collapsed and the vehicle is now awaiting a new hood frame and mohair hood.

Alvis - seems to be running OK with little adjustments here and there.

Triumph 2000 Estate - this is a bag of nails at present! Probably new engine - not sure yet. Watch this space …

TR7 - running and works well.

Andy Moltu - TR7

Engine and gearbox are now re-united and he is now preparing the car for its MoT. If it passes, he will spend some further time on it bodywork. If it doesn’t - it’s a case of shrugging their shoulders and thinking …

Tim Sharp - TR6

This is currently undergoing a total engine rebuild to a reasonable spec with a THS cam, polished and ported head. It will also have a metering unit to match the cam. Watch this space on further improvements …

REBUILD OF BLACK TR 4 CT14790 LO – ALL OUT OF EXCUSES

If you have been paying careful attention to these missives over the past few years you will have come to the inescapable conclusion that winters are quite nippy round here, and that the chances of getting anything done in my unheated garage are very slim. Until this year’s sub-tropical January. We have had several days in the 10 to 12°C zone and progress has been possible. (Then it dumped 8 inches Monday morning)

Vertical progress has been made to the rocker shaft, and forward progress to water pump and crankshaft pulley. Of course there has been the odd excursion into strange territory. The conversion kit arrived from Moss, and so far so good. I say “so far” because I have yet to install the alternator on its fixing kit, but the new narrow-belt water pump pulley and crankshaft pulley seem to be in line with each other. The one thing I did not appreciate was that there is no accommodation for the fan extension on the crankshaft pulley, so I’m going to have to go to an electric fan whether I like it or not. I was going to re-install the mechanical one for the time being, just for convenience and speed, but now I have to go the electric route. And it’s another variable in the equation to go wrong.

I ordered a comb-your-hair-in-it exhaust system from Simon at TR Enterprises as I couldn’t source anything noisy here. You should have seen that when it arrived by UPS. $270 carriage! I need to check that the beautiful manifold, carbs and alternator are happy bedfellows. Simon recommended the use of a file if not.

In the packet from Simon was a used rear (drilled) rocker shaft post, as the original one was firmly wedded to the old shaft. I had managed to remove the other three ok, but the rear wouldn’t move. Sourced many moons ago was a replacement rocker shaft, so I now came to marry them all together. The original posts wouldn’t look at the new shaft. Out with the measuring device. Old shaft 3 thou slimmer than new (which is the correct spec of ½ inch). The post from Simon was fine. The original ones must have been reamed to fit a slim shaft, so off to my favourite man in our tool shop to have them reamed out a bit more. (By the way, Bruce our toolmaker is only one of twenty-seven to whom I have promised the first ride). I didn’t think for one minute that the shaft end-caps would have the same problem, so I then spent time taking them out with a small hard round bit. Then the fornicating Mills pins wouldn’t go in. The holes in the end caps were not in the same plane as those in the shaft (shaft wrong) so I just put them in place and stuffed a drill bit straight through, followed by the Mills pins. They seem tight enough. I hope they hold ok, as bits of Mills pins floating around among tappets will not be a happy sight.

I won’t bore you with timing the camshaft. Suffice it to say that it was on the third position of the camshaft sprocket that we finally got a workable position. It probably took about three hours to do. You can follow all the readings on a piece of cardboard on my garage floor if you want.

On the more mundane side of things (but representing very real problems) it took ages to find anyone who had ¼ inch-28tpi Helicoils for the body-bolt removal problem I referred to last month. I sourced 7 of the 8 manifold studs from Moss and had to get the remaining one from another supplier. Bolt $1, carriage and packing $7.50. No wonder I don’t shop there more often, but they do bail me out from time to time. I had all the old bolts and was prepared to use one if ok, but it was one I had to cut to remove, and as it was the back lower it was of a different size in order to accommodate the lifting bracket. Bugger.

The carbs man called me to tell me that all was good and that if I would kindly supply him with a credit card number he would send them back. Apparently all was basically ok with the exception of a fuel-logged float. He had re-set to factory spec and beautified them, but as I had mentioned that I had fitted an uprated cam he suggested that we see how it goes before changing the jets. He believes I won’t notice any difference below 3,000 revs. Another $375 and not counting.

So what now? Set tappets, rocker box on, fit alternator and check inlet and exhaust manifolds, heater pipes, fuel pump (after re-building), dizzy, new block drain tap (old one buggered big time), attach clutch and gearbox. I have put on standby my man who was so grateful with my reward for his help last time that he will appear with lifting tackle, and in we go. Easy isn’t it?

Then before I do anything else I will clean out the garage ready to put the house on the market. Hope I don’t find anything I’ve missed out. The odd piston would be embarrassing, would it not?

Ok, offski. The man who knows these things is promising that I will have to rise early tomorrow to shift a few more inches of snow before I go to work

Hope the annual meal went well and that we all have somewhere to go back to next year.

Peter

ps My English colleague Martin did some serious damage to his back last month and had X-rays at his local hospital. The nurse invited him to remove all his clothes and put on a Johnny. After he had picked himself from the floor he discovered that in America a Johnny is the back-fastening loose gown you wear while undergoing a medical procedure.

pps Heather says “Hi” but she’s on strike this month