Here I go again, with the second part of the lesson!
But seriously folks, I would never try to tell any of you what to do with
your cars any more than I would tell you how to do your job!
You can do whatever you want with your cars, they are after all yours!
These are just my thoughts and ideas for you to consider, ignore, take-up,
think about ,toss in the bin or whatever...
Taking up from where I left off...
OK, now you've got grip, suspension, handling and stopping power...
Next along, your imaginary car as rescued from that DPO, has most probably
got worn bearings on all four wheels, I wonder when they were last greased? A
look at the wheel bearings often reveals the grim truth!
They must be replaced.
It is also a good idea whilst you are back there to have a long hard look at
those rear half-(drive)-shafts.
If you have the swing-axle type, you may discover a few things, one
possibility is that one of them is longer than the other, or indeed shorter!
This often seems to happen on late model Spitfires, where one has been
replaced at some time.
Assuming that they are both the same length, check them for straightness
also...sometimes, they can get bent, which causes vibration problems etc, and
sometimes, if the bearings have been neglected at any time in the cars long
history, the surface hardening of the shaft where it meets the bearing can
become worn away, and that's when wheels, brakes and axles can go their own
way!
Differentials, these are an interesting subject alone, and we could write
pages about them, (sad man).
You should assume that the oil in your imaginary car, (and it should be
Castrol EP90, GL4 NEVER GL5, as that nasty new stuff eats away at the copper
washers etc), has never been changed, and if that is the case, and your car
has done in excess of 90,000 miles or so, then not only will the oil require
replacing, the differential will almost certainly need replacing/rebuilding,
(contact John Kipping).
I leave it to you to determine exactly how much play there is in your
differential, but don't confuse loose drive-shaft Universal Joint play with
diff' play...Diffs don't go on forever, and there are stronger and weaker
versions available, in many ratios -depending on how you want to use your
car- eg. road, race, hillclimb, sprint or autox, as well as the desirable,
and sadly expensive Quaif 'Limited-Slip' effect Differentials...these are not
true LSD's with friction-plates etc, but have much the same affect and are
better suited for road use.
Forget about the old Salisbury units, as they are almost unobtainable these
days, and most certainly virtually unservicable even if you can find one.
If you can run to it, grin and bear the cost of a Quaif or similar, they are
terrific fun, and much safer in wet and slippery conditions...a Triumph
Herald in Blizzard conditions on the Motorway for instance...great fun
watching all the modern cars sliding into the ditches whilst the Herald
ploughs relentlessly onwards! (shame about the wipers though!)
Don't forget that propshaft/driveshaft, many do...it should be well balanced,
and don't be surprised if it takes two or even three attempts to get it done
right!!! (been there, done that, bought the tee-shirt!), and don't be fooled
into buying one of those fancy new thin diameter shafts to replace your big
old (original) wide diameter shaft, they are even more difficult to get
balanced properly for our Triumphs, but I don't know why exactly, just
another expensive lesson learnt...
Books can be, and indeed constantly are written about the subject of engines,
which engine?, how big?, how powerful?
etc etc ad infinitum, what I will say is that it is largely up to you...and
exactly what you want to do with your car.
There is nothing inherently wrong with fitting a huge and powerful V8 if
that's what takes your fancy, any more than there is anything wrong with
meticulously building and fitting a completely standard engine just as the
car left the production line. If done really well, then either way is the
right way! (nomex donned)...
Bear in mind a few things though, you can spend a whole mountain of money,
(two even).
You should never cut corners, you should read up thoroughly on whatever
engine you intend to fit, to discover all the pros and cons, you should visit
shows and speak to owners of cars fitted with those engines, and hear them
running, and maybe even get to drive them, or at least get a ride, just to
hear them, and feel their responsiveness...
After all there is little point in rebuilding and fitting an engine, just to
discover too late that you don't care for it!
Talk to folk on this list, and others, and find out their thoughts and
experiences, and avoid costly mistakes.
Triumphs have faults, we all know that.
But make certain that the rear half-moon thrust washers on the 6-cylinder
engine are pinned, so they don't fall out!
Use the highest quailty parts throughout.
Fit a Duplex Timing Chain mechanism, instead of the Simplex original.
Have the new Oil Pump Blue-Printed.
Make certain that the rocker arms and camshaft have been properly
heat-treated, for there are plenty out there that haven't been...valves too!
There seems to be a lot of soft stuff out there right now.
Don't have too much metal shaved off the head and then use it for street use,
otherwise the crappy gas available nowadays will soon give you no end of
grief.
Don't go too wild with that camshaft profile, fast road is plenty enough for
fast road.
(Talk to Ted Schumacher! -shameless plug!)
A bit of gas-flowing on the cylinder head ports is always helpful - read Kas
Kastners tuning books!
Lighten the flywheel by about 6 to 7 lb, or even fit an alloy one, if you
have the money.
Use Phosphor Bronze Valve Guides and Teflon Valve Stem Seals on the inlets,
or you'll get a smoker!
Oh and stay away from those damn rocker mechanism oil-feed hoses, they put
far too much oil into the tappet cover, and take it away from the main oil
gallery...why do you suppose the factory didn't think of it first?
(I know, I asked the engine designer, and I tried them out on my own 4 and 6
cylinder engines!)
Gearboxes have been one of Triumphs weak points, but heck, many modern cars
have much more expensive gearboxes fail after relatively low mileages...my
neighbours Toyota box went after 6 years and 70,000 miles, and cost him over
900 GBP some years back, and I complained about my Triumph box failing after
20 years, 150,000 miles and cost me 280 GBP...hmmm
OK, My solution is to simply fit the biggest strongest box that was used by
Triumph on my engine, which is why I have a Triumph TR6/Dolomite Sprint
Close-ratio J-type Overdrive box on my Vitesse 6 cylinder engine...with a
different input/first motion shaft and modified gearlever with overdrive
switch on the end.
It sits nicely under the GT6 fibre gearbox cover and no-one can see any
difference!
Don't faff around with the D-type Overdrive, they always leak and the
mainshaft-tip is far too small and a real weak point on these units.
You might come up with a different solution? Rover 5-speed, Toyota gearbox
whatever, the permutations are endless, and basically, comes down to whatever
you have available and can fit! (but I suggest you speak to John Kipping in
Coventry).
Rabbit Hutch, sorry, Clutch, use a good make, such as Borg & Beck, remember
that Quinton Hazell are most certainly not so good.
Remember that there are several qualities of clutch friction plates: ie:
A-grade which are the ones fitted to new cars built by auto-makers, B-grade
as supplied to main dealer service agents, and C-grade as supplied to
everyone else!
(I don't know if that is what they are really called, but that practice went
on for years in the UK)
Starter Motors, those new re-geared starter motors from Ted Schumacher are
the 'puppies privates' (Dogs Borrocks) to coin a phrase, and so much more
powerful and efficient than the heavy old originals, although those can be
rebuilt forever if you so wish.
Niceties!
A fly-off handbarke lever for quick getaways and to annoy and perplex the MOT
test man.
(The one on my Vitesse came from a Spitfire Mk.2).
A Modern Alternator pumping out upwards of 75 amp hour, c/w the original
lethargic and heavy Lucas lump, groaning along at 35 Amps.
A Gel-filled battery which won't ever leak corrosive sulphuric acid all over
you favourite metal...
A cooling system that works, achieved by a triple re-cored radiator, a
re-cored heater matrix,(hands up anyone who has bothered?), a water pump with
extra vanes, and perhaps some of that excellent water wetter, and a
thermostatic electric fan instead of that power sapping original thing.
Really good sparking plugs (NGK seem pretty good in my Triumphs), new HT
leads every two years, a rebuilt distributor (they are good for no more tna
50,000 miles), only believe 25% of what the makers of electronic ignitions
tell you.
A decent quality coil and a new condensor and contact breaker points every
year, with a new distributor cap and rotor arm every two years. Fit a fuse
box somewhere, especially if one was never originally fitted to your car.
If the wiring loom/harness looks like it is coloured spagetti and requires
replacement, then it most probably does!
(they really do burn exceedingly well, and all that Lucas smoke will escape
very quickly indeed).
What about those carburettors then?
If originality is your thing, then they probably leak, petrol out and air
in...so rebuild them, what are you waiting for?
A fire perhaps? If not going for originality, then replace them with
something else, such as S.U.'s or Webers, or whatever...Ask the listers, Most
of them have done it before, at least once! The wealth of knowledge on this
list is immense.
Get rid of that manual fuel pump...it is sapping energy from the camshaft on
every turn, and squirt, squirt, squirts gas into the carb's, hardly supplying
a constant pressure of fuel now is it? Use a good electric pump. I like Facet
Red-Tops myself.
Just locate it well away from the heat of the engine, especially if it is a
solid state pump, and use an in-line filter, or two.
One to stop dirt blocking the pump, and another to stop dirt heading for the
carbs...some will still get through!
Don't bother with fuel pressure regulators, they can be more trouble than
they are worth.
Exhaust system, use a non-restrictive Stainless Steel system, non-magnetic SS
if possible, it's the best.
And most importantly, use a really good design of manifold/header, and go
with the flow!
Again, ask other listers for their views.
What else?
Glass, go for a Laminated Windscreen/windshield every time! (save some face)
Use good quality Halogen headlamp bulbs, instead of the original candles in
unfocused glass bottles! Pathetic and Dangerous.
Improve the output of your heater motor by junking the metal fan, and fitting
a modern plastic fan, and fit a rheostat and a three position switch to get
three speeds, stop, slow and slower! (g)
As to paint, use a modern receipe, it really is so much easier to apply and
maintain than the original stuff.
(My favorite is Glasurit)
As to the soft top, that's up to you, but I just adore my German Mohair...it
doesn't fade in the sun, and the best way to stop that rear window from
yellowing in the sun, which I am really surprised you all missed!
(Always drive with the roof down, and cover it up when it is parked with the
top-up!)
Protect your car against rust, by injecting it with waxy stuff, and thieving
scum by securing it...spend more on it than any mere woman/man/whatever, and
drive it until you can drive no longer! (or they prise it from your cold/dead
fingers).
Léon F Guyot
Triumph Sports Six Club
International Liaison Secretary
1963 Triumph Vitesse 2-Litre Convertible
nb. Disclaimer: All of the above are only my personal opinions, based on my
personal experiences, and I accept no responsibility whatsoever, from anyone
if they follow them and they don't work, or otherwise cause problems of any
kind.
Triumph Sports Six Club
International Liaison Secretary
1963 Triumph Vitesse 2-Litre Convertible
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