[TR] [Bmcu] 57 TR3 Finally on the road and a brake question

[wbeech at flash.net]

Jeremiah,
Congratulations on getting on the road legally and for rescuing an obviously
neglected car (41 years is a long time between drives).  We more TR3s back
on the road! 

Re your top:  My old top is real tight as well, at this time I am still
lacking an inch or two of being able to stretch over the support rods.  My
plan is to wait until a nice hot/sunny day and leave it outside to warm it
up and then try to stretch into place. (WAIT, why am I putting the top up on
such a nice day?)  Not sure what is the proper procedure is, snap the top
and slide the rods into place or the other way around, perhaps some other
list member can chime in here as the owner manual doesn't really address
this.

Re your brakes:  Fluid can't disappear so you have a leak somewhere that you
have yet to discover.  Now that you are legal and sure to be using the car
more that once every four months I would re-fill and re-bleed everything to
get all the sponginess and double-pumping out of the system.  Then the first
place I would look is the inside of the wheels to see if there is fluid
stains on the inside of the tires, this would indicate a leaking wheel
cylinder.  Check under the dash, on the floor and around the MC area to see
if there are and MC leaks.  BTW, pulling and re-building the MC is not too
bad a chore for an afternoon.

All the best,
Bill

Bill Beecher
'58 TR-3A TS 30766 L aka "Tar Baby"
www.triumphowners.com/1566
"A Triumph is man's best friend, it always comes when it is called...of
course, some times it is difficult to make it go"




-----Original Message-----
From: bmcu-bounces at autox.team.net [mailto:bmcu-bounces at autox.team.net] On
Behalf Of jeremiah at curryclan.net
Sent: Friday, April 23, 2010 12:58 PM
To: triumphs at autox.team.net; Bmcu
Subject: [Bmcu] 57 TR3 Finally on the road and a brake question


** Check out http://britishmotorclub.org  **

After about 5 years I now have my 57 TR3 (TS16441L) legally on the road in
Utah!!B  The car has been sitting for 41 years, but I have only had it for
~5 yrs.B  Fun to drive and little scary for someone who has never driven
anything similar.B  My daily drivers are a 1992 MR2 turbo and an Audi
allroad.B  Thanks to all of those who have answered questions along the way
and to Mark for running the list.
B
Here is my question
When I went to drive the car the other day, the brake/clutch reservoirs were
empty (or at least nearly so).B  I had filled them and bled the system about
4
months earlier after replacing the seals in the brakes and the rubber
lines.B I did not do anything to the master cylinders, but the pedal seemed
to be firm and everything was working fine.B  So I added a bunch of fluid
and was able to drive, the brakes were a little spongy, and the clutch
didn't feel like it was totally disengaging without pumping, but I assume it
just needs bled.
B
My question is, where could the fluid have gone?B  my first thought was the
master cylinder, but if that was the case, I would have expected one of the
baffles in the reservoir to be low.B  Should I replace seals in them
anyway?, sounds like a lot of work.
B
On another note, I tried last night to put the soft top on.B  I wasn't sure
how to make it fit, so I tried attaching the top with the frame not fully
erected and then tried to push it erect.B  Is that the right way to do it?B
I ended up ripping a seam, but I guess that isn't to surprising for a >40 yr
old top.
B
thanks,
Jeremiah
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