Greetings. So after some trouble with the tow company, I did manage to get my
ball-dis-jointed TR4 to a good local shop. Sadly, they found significant
problems with the frame: Poor welding and alignment of the front suspension
supports leading to front wheels with positive and negative camber (the tops of
both wheels lean in the same direction â?? the top part of both front wheels
lean toward the passenger side).
On a lift, when pointed out by a pro, the problems are obvious. From one side
to the other, things are just not aligned the same way. One looks pretty good
and the other looks bodged, with what was colorfully described as â??bird
shitâ?? welding in some areas. On the ground, the problems are less obvious,
but still visible. The shop thinks the camber issue must have been present
before my ball-joint failure. I feel Iâ??d have noticed the significant
positive camber on the front passenger side, but hindsight is 20-20, so who
knows?
Anyway, the shop recommends replacing the frame because of the difficulty
finding a place that has the knowledge needed to straighten everything out. I
do have a full-size frame diagram from the previous owner, but have no idea how
accurate it is. The shop is looking for a new frame, but theyâ??ve not had much
luck so far.
Iâ??m curious to know the listâ??s collective thinking about what I should do:
Repair the frame, replace with an old frame, or replace with a Ratco frame.
Given my penchant for (in-period) originality, Iâ??m surprised to find myself
considering the latter, but Iâ??m still relatively young and would like to keep
and drive the car for many years. A new Ratco frame would give me peace of mind
for a long time, and has the additional advantage of not needing any work.
Presumably, a Triumph replacement frame would.
By the way, a shout-out to Hagerty Insurance for eventually making good with
the towing issues. The truck and driver that turned up at my house on the day
told me that they were not informed that a wheel was partially off when they
accepted the job. I ended up having to pay out of pocket for another truck to
come out and tow the car to the shop. Hagerty was not helpful on the phone, but
when I emailed them a copy of the receipt and an account of what happened, I
received a check covering the full cost in a couple of weeks.
Thanks.
Jeff Gayton
1962 Triumph TR4
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