Welcome to the list Rob .
Unfortunately I can't answer your questions , but your note has reminded me
that someone on the list ( can't remember who ) asked me about the
availability and prices of the Toyota 5 speed gearboxes in South Africa .
Well , these things are readily available and I've just stumbled upon a
company that sells reconditioned units at very reasonable prices ...
especially if you take into account that the South African Rand is worth
next to nothing compared to the US Dollar or any other currency outside of
Africa . Please note that this is not a complete conversion kit , you will
still need to buy or make a few bits and pieces ... and I'm in no way
endorsing the use of any foreign parts in a TR .
So , if anyone ( especially the lister whose original mail I deleted ...
sorry ) needs more information please let me know .
Man , I'm far behind in my replies .
Kind regards
Chris de Wet
P O Box 472 , Ifafi , 0260 , South Africa .
Telephone 012 - 3398071 ( office ) 012 - 2591129 ( home ) Cell 0839989744
Fax 012 - 3398201
One '56 TR 3 with o/d , two Heralds and four early Spitfires without o/d .
-----Original Message-----
From: Blubaugh [mailto:rblubaug@netnitco.net]
Sent: Friday, November 24, 2000 7:37 PM
To: Triumphs@autox.team.net
Cc: rblubaug@netnitco.net
Subject: HELP request TR2 trans conversion
As a new list subscriber, I am resubmitting the following item. It seems
that the first submission didn't make the list.
Fellow Triumph enthusiasts: HELP!
Somewhere, somewhere, but I cannot remember where, I did see an address for
someone offering a kit to convert a TR2 - TR3 drivetrain to a Toyota Supra
5 speed gearbox. Can anybody shock my memory or tell me where or who is
offering this "kit?" Has anyone undertaken such a conversion? Were there
complications? Were you satisfied with the end result? Is this a cost
effective alternative to rebuilding (in my case having some else rebuild)
the old Triumph gearbox? Would the Toyota Supra five speed be a better
alternative than a rebuilt TR4 full synchro, overdrive gearbox? (Are there
any TR4 overdrive units available?) I am not worried about keeping the
gearbox in my TR2 authentic Triumph. My car (its name is IPE-GAGG (short
i - long e) ... Internal Percussion Engine - Grinding And Growling Gears)
is NOT a prime candidate for restoration. As a genuine "bondo buggy" it is
a sculptor's work of art. The fellow who restored my TR2 before I bought
it should probably have given it up as a lost cause and I should probably
do so too. But as he couldn't, I can't either. I feel bold and
adventuresome (silly and foolish?) and I won't throw in the towel on this
"car of character."
Over the Thanksgiving break I hope to pull my engine and transmission for a
winter project of overhauling my engine. I have never removed an engine
from an automobile before and only once have I overhauled an engine.
Thirty two years ago as a lad of seventeen I overhauled the 215 cu.in.
alumimium V8 in my first car, a '62 Olds Cutlass F-85. It was done in my
dad's barn with the engine still in the car. It was an absolute miracle
that it ever ran again. Do miracles ever happen twice in a person's
lifetime??
My gearbox is a mess with excessive growling in first gear and almost no
synchronizer remaining between first and second gear. (I have mastered the
art of double clutching on the 1-2 and 2-1 gear change, but it only works
with warm oil.) I saw lots of glittering gold (brass) in the gearbox oil
that I drained from the tranny last week. I might as well take care of
engine and gearbox together.
My engine must be in bad shape down on the crank. Even with 50 wt. oil I
have very low oil pressure, (0 - 5 lbs) on idle with a warm engine, 60
lbs on a coldstart. En route to an MG / TRIUMPH challenge event in Indy
back in August I think I lost an exhaust valve. Number 1, 2, and 4 have
175 - 200 PSI compression and #3 has only 68 psi. I have no evidence of
back pressure into the intake manifold or the carbs, but there is a new
irregularity in the exhaust tone (hence my belief that something is amiss
with the exhaust valve). No significant change in compression on #3 when
wet tested. Does this confirm "valve" instead of bad or broken rings?
Even before the compression loss in #3, I have had lots of puffing and
smoking through the oil filler cap crankcase vent. Since I have owned the
car (one year and four months) is has leaked and used oil excessively.
Previous owner had bored the sleves .030" over. Is that common on a sleved
engine? Should I count on new sleves and pistons this time around? (I
need to be cost effective on this job.) In a TR2 of my vintage, is it true
that carriers for the camshaft are machined into the block and if these are
worn a new engine is the only answer? In any case, the engine in old
TS7690 is ripe for an overhaul. Does anyone have experience with or
suggestions for or against grinding away the spiral oil throw groves on the
crank and going with the alternative "positive" main seal?? Since my
engine seems to have a wide range on problems, would a rebuilt "exchange"
engine be a better or more cost effective solution? I think these are
available from TRF.
Any tips, hints, suggestions, sympathy,
empathy, and prayers would be appreciated.
Yours for foolish endeavours,
Rob Blubaugh
4805 Locksley Dr. E.
Rensselaer, IN 47978
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