timke at microsoft writes:
> Sunday: pull off the carbs, manifolds, etc. and try to pull off the
> head. It won't move. Use all the tricks described in the Haynes
> manual. It won't move. Swear at it and beat on it with a 2x4.
> It won't move. Four hours later, 4 of us (thank god for brothers :-) )
> had it off. The exhaust valves on 3 and 4 both have holes in them,
> so I pack the head in the Valiant for a trip to the machine shop.
Back in 1985 I used to have a Mk4 Spit. Over the Christmas vacation I decided
to give the head a decoke so me and my brother stripped of all the manifolds
etc but the head wouldn't budge. Did all the Haynes tricks too with hammers -
even connected the battery any turned the engine over to see if it would
loosen it - no joy. Maybe we've been stupid and left something connecting
the two together. Asked our mates, local garages and even rang up some Triumph
specialists accross the country but it should be coming off! Finally, after
a couple of days of trying we reconnect the carbs and electrics and start the
car - even with the engine running the head is fixed!!!!!
Anyway, put the car back together properly, painting the engine and other
stuff red to match the car, clean it, put on the new tonnou(?) cover and
take a photo of Neil (my brother) zooming off down the road - it may be
winter but it isn't raining so the tops off. Let's go into town and have a
coffee. Going down to the seafront a brand new Lotus Exprit Turbo is coming
the other way at quite a rate. There are cars either side and only room for
on of us to get through so we pull up to the side and wait. The Lotus hares
through and catches our side - the bonnet's rips up the side, the A-frame
shatters, the door is almost torn off and the back wing is not very pretty.
However, the car's still driving so we pull up further along the road.
Anyway, we got our own back on the Lotus, the impact tore the front offside
wheel and suspension away and the machine carrered off into a low wall and
badly damaged the front. The driver was OK and called the tow-truck with
the in-car phone. Yuppies, AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There were three witnesses, two said it was his fault and the other - a
12 year old kid - wasn't sure, the bad news is that it is still being
contested (for that, read forgotten about). The moral - make sure you
get fully comp. insurance from a company who aren't a load of cowboys!
Anyway, up to date, I've now got a Triumph Herald conv. and have recently
took the head off - this time I used an engine hoist to get it off and
did not go for a coffee when it was put back together. I've still got that
photo of the Spitfire.
Steve.
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