2012 Project Review

Year End Review

Hmmm...I made progress in 2012 which is a good thing!!!!!

Has my project been well managed in 2012?  No!!!!!

If this was a performance evaluation of me as a project manager I would probably be fired!!!

But I don't really want to dwell on my short comings...my earlier blogs reflect the challenges and my observations...nothing to be gained by going back over it all again....

So what is needed "right now" to get the project back on track?

1. Setting garage time as a priority in 2013
2. Celebrating the successes and building on them to move the project forward
3. Continue to search out inspiration from what ever sources are available
4. Stay positive-do not dwell on the obstacles...
5. Stay energized---

I have the skill sets and the resources...I really need to focus.....




The biggest challenge is setting garage time as a priority...

Oil Filter Head Clean Up

Time in Garage 1.5 hours

Cleaned up my recovered Oil |Filter Head...looks good!!!!!
Spent some time straightening out my work area...

Out into the Shed

Time in the great outdoors: 1 hour

There was a break in our winter weather yesterday (higher temperature) that allowed me to venture outside and sift through my shed for the oil filter head that I had mistakenly thought I didn't need when I bought my spin on filter adapter from Moss Motors. (I didn't read the instructions first-left them in the box until very recently)...I figured the part was in one of the Rubbermaid tubs I have stored. Unfortunately the extraction required the moving of a number of items including my table saw which is heavy and cumbersome....about 45 minutes later I came to the realization the part was not where I anticipated it was!....next step was to move over to my other shed-which is much more accessible but still required the moving off my lawn mower and assorted "stuff" to extract a box of spare parts I had put aside for later sale...the head was there....it is now in my garage awaiting clean up and reinstallation.

I delivered one of my "straightened" spare wheels down to the powder coater for refinishing. I need to change over one of the wheels on the chassis which is not an OEM issue which has slots verses the round holes of the original wheels. The tire will need to be moved over. One of the things on my list of tasks...

My parts are in...with the exception of the shock absorber mounting rubbers which are on back order....

Some activity this week but no "wrench turning" as such...

Water Pump and Head Manifold Port Clean Up

Time in Garage: 2 hours

Removed water pumps from both engines. Not sure of condition of seal on the '59 engine so I intend to utilize the '57 water pump in the reassembly. Cleaned up the head manifold port area-removed the old gasket...spent some additional time cleaning up the block. Put the manifold hold down clamps and studs and bolts into the Eastwood Tumbler...they came out "looking good"....

More Block and Trans Cleaning

Time in garage: 90 minutes

Temporarily installed oil pan and brought the engine upright again. Cleaned the manifold side of the block and the remaining sections of the timing cover and engine mount that I couldn't get at when the engine was on it's side...then back to the transmission for more clean up...I am about 80% finished now...

More Parts Cleaning

Time in Garage: 2 hours

Sprayed brake cleaner on the block areas that I have been working on...the block cleaned up well...sanded the distributor side in prep for painting....went back to the transmission for additional cleaning...There is some kind of black material on the casing...perhaps some type of undercoating or road tar...takes a while to clean off for sure...

Put the oil pan bolts and washers in the Eastwood tumbler and cleaned them up..

I decided to purchase a new oil pump pick up screen-ordered yesterday and added to the existing order..

My wife asked me last night how I was doing out n the garage and was I making progress...I said "well" and I was making progress..I explained briefly what I was doing and that I hoped to have the drive train reinstalled and the chassis ready by the end of February..I figured this would give me the 60 hours I have estimated for the job taking into account Christmas and my winter vacation and the kitchen reno I am assisting my daughter with at the end of January..she looked somewhat skeptical...I am not surprised...

Oil Pan and Engine Clean Up

Time in Garage: 2 1/2 hours

I finished cleaning up the oil pan including a primary sanding of the finish for final painting. Next I turned my attention to the engine block cleaning the distributor side of the block along with the timing cover area. I have decided to remove the water pump for painting and replacement of the gaskets which I ordered yesterday.

I also inspected the fender beads (on Friday) and determined they are pretty ratty for reinstallation so I decided I would take the new ones offered me at a 30% discount from my supplier.

I am still researching the need to solder the oil inlet screen...

Engine Internals

Time in garage: 3 hours

Last week I refocused on my critical path and decided I wanted to get the engine and transmission installed on the chassis to free up room in my garage. First order of business was removing the oil pan again and installing the new oil pump cartridge. After removing the oil pump I realized the pick up screen was broken at the oil inlet point. Checking the Moss catalogue I noticed a new screen was around $38...figuring I could save $38 I pulled the pan off my spare engine to check out the screen ...it was flawed in the same way. A quick e-mail to my supplier indicated the need to solder the screen. My rational self questions the need to fix the problem based on the fact the solder job would need to be correctly or there could be problems with contamination of the oil supply by loose solder...also it would probably be difficult to get the existing screen clean enough to solder properly....given both engines have the same problem and I am putting on an external oil filter conversion kit onto the engine which may filter the oil better than the stock system I may skip the step...more research is required....

It looks like the transmission input seal will need to be replaced....some oil leaked out when I had the transmission sitting on the bell housing when I was cleaning it...probably an indication the seal has dried up in storage...

I have to pick up some new bolts,nuts and lock washers for the new engine mounts...also new washers for the oil pan...oil pan bolts need to go into the Eastwood tumbler for renewing.

I spent about 30 minutes cleaning up the gasket mounting flange and the outside of the oil pan in prep for paint...

Lots of lugging around of engine blocks and some oil spillage to take care of.

A productive time...

Transmission Clean Up

Time in Garage: 90 mins

I completed my garage clean up and patially cleared off my work bench. Next I focused on removing 53 years worth of grime and dirt from the transmission case. I had previously attempted to powerwashed the assembly but a lot of what is remaining is really baked on and the process was largely ineffective... Last night I used a drill and wheel attachment (not a wire wheel) to tackle the really tough spots. My small scrapper also came in handy... Today I am going to pick up some brake cleaner...it is supposed to work really well for these type of clean ups..

My supplier has located a fender bead kit in his inventory that he has offered to me...not sure of the price yet but it might be worthwhile to look at...

Shocks and Part Sort

Time in garage: 3 hours

Yesterday I fired up the garage heater and spent about 3 hours working out in the garage.

I am in the midst of a sorting and tidying of the space which started last week. Slow going as I sort through the misc stuff that has piled up on the bench and floor from my end of the gardening season work/fence painting/gate fixing activities earlier in the fall...

I have 3 Rubbermaid tubs full of parts that I sorted through and organized into 2 plastic containers, one  for engine and the other for the chassis. All related parts are now together and ready to reinstall. I also put together another container of "spare" parts plus sorted a number of fasteners into a compartmentized box so I have easy assess to nuts. bolts and washers...it felt good to be handling the parts and doing some pre-work on the project...

During the sort I determined ( I have been sitting on the fence about doing this for a while) to replace the aftermarket shocks that I spent a couple of hours refurbishing last spring...I figure for $28 and change each it is not worth trying to make the other ones fit (I tried a couple of times last winter) when I can have an OEM style new shock that should just bolt in...I placed the order with my supplier and enquired about the floor to chassis mounting strips that I will need to remount the body....

For the last couple of weeks I have been daydreaming (a fair amount) about getting back to the project, also  doing project planning while walking my dog Lily, which is a good sign I am finally getting back into the right headspace to continue the project.....

Schedule Review and Priorities

Time spent in garage: 2 hours

Tasks: tool clean up/moved parts from carboard box to plastic tote. Put away tool boxes and sorted through some items on my workbench...I didn't get everything done I set out to do but at least I went out to the garage for a while...

I reviewed the schedule I created in late 2011...fortunately there were some items knocked off the list which was encouraging but at the same time "reality" set in around the number of tasks I didn't tackle and how far off schedule I really am. I reformatted some items on an existing page and looked at per task time estimate and made some adjustments. I have about 80 hours of identified work to complete to get to the point of installing the body on the chassis...I revisited what I thought the must do task are-the highest priorities and set out plans to get the work done...painting the underside of the body and engine bay are number 1...which will mean protecting the chassis from overspray and making sure all the body work on the underside of the body and fender wells is completed prior to the paint going on....I figure I have about 10 hours of prep work to complete before I paint and that I need to get going on this aspect asap before the weather really caves in...

Garage Stereo System Installed

I spent about an hour last Monday sorting through old stereo equipment, looking for a tuner,amplifier and speaker combo that would work for the garage...after some testing I found what I needed and moved the equipment out into the garage and set it up....sounds great...much richer sound than the old boom box ....another enhancement to the man cave...

I pulled a couple of rims from my storage shed...I have one more rim that needs powder coating to replace the non-original wheel that is current installed on the chassis...

Other than these two activities-no further action on the Triumph in the last week-other than numerous

Musings

On Saturday I moved the chassis back into the garage...I was concerned about exposure to the elements by leaving it in the driveway...time spent: 45 minutes ( I had to remove the rear wheels again to move the chassis under the body stand...)..time well spent...

I am presently in the midst of another major project-decluttering our basement which is detracting from me getting back to the Triumph assembly. The job has a big scope as there are many tasks to complete...my wife and I are on a 31 day timeline (we are making good progress-now on day 7) to remove all unwanted and unused stuff and free up space to maximize her art studio efficiency...a much needed enhancement and a very logical priority....

I hope to sneak out to the garage for an hour or two today and do some sorting of parts and clean up of the space...I also plan to move a better stereo out there (the components are presently stored in my basement) as the existing unit is cumbersome to use and doesn't have very good sound...

I continue to ponder the whole "project management" aspect of rebuilding old cars. Making the work a priority and knocking off tasks to get me closer to completion...As I have discussed earlier I can see why so many project cars get abandened...reality sets in with respect to skills, money, scope and most importantly time...I don't want my project to become a statistic in the abandoned project car world...

While in the garage yesterday I realized "once again" my tools are in a state of disaray which is a distraction to me....I need to focus on this aspect today...

Trial Fit -Rack and Pinion

It looks like I am going to have to modify the mounting arrangement for the Moss Rack and Pinion conversion after all...frame is straight and to spec and the steering knuckle assembly still does not clear the frame appropriately...I will send an e-mail to my supplier and give them an update....

I did mock up a 'fix" that should be structurally sound and not take too much time to execute...I plan to take pictures and document the process...

Time spend: 30 mins

Chassis is Back in the Driveway

 A successful trip to pick up the chassis...frame is now aligned and checked to specifications. The build can continue..cost $399 with taxes....gas-about $50....hold down straps-$20 (not happy with them-I am going to return them-they didn't work that well) there will be somekind of trade in kind for use of the trailer...future consideration....time spent : about 6 hours total-dedicated travel...trailer pick up and check out..loading and unloading the chassis...connecting and unhooking the trailer 3 times...etc etc...It was a very interesting experience towing the trailer...got into some tight spots parking wise...the trailer was wider than my truck so lots of attention had to be paid to clearance when driving down busy roads etc...

Frame Straightened-$350

The good news is my frame has been fully checked out and straightened. As I suspected the only area needing straightening was the front left hand side..about 3/4"...it will be interesting to see how the rack and pinion steering fits now there is no twist in the frame...cost is going to be around $350...about what I expected...the body shop indicated the frame was in good shape-better than average from what they have seen...encouraging...now I need to head back down and pick it up and return the trailer...

Chassis Delivered for Straightening

The chassis is now safely delivered to the body shop awaiting straightening next week. The trailer worked well and I found I could manauver through traffic with no problem, however the trip was not without peril!! I cam around a bend on a major 3 lane expressway and came upon a single bed mattress sitting in the middle of my lane...there was nowhere to go as there were vehicles on both sides so I ended up running over the mattress..I thought I had cleared it but unfortunately it stuck under the trailer and I dragged it for about a kilometer before a young women opened her window and screamed out that I needed to check my trailer. The mattress was firmly imbedded into the frame so I had to get the jack from the truck and jack up the trailer on the side of the road while cars zoomed by. A bit of a harrowing experience on a number of fronts...I did provide a public service by removing the bed from the road but at the same time there was inconvenience and danger thrown in.

When I got to the body shop I was warmly greeting and assisted in unloading the chassis..I was assured there was plenty of in-house experience with this type of work and that in their determination the frame was not that bent...they had the spec sheet in hand and all was well... Interestingly they said if I had been 10 minutes earlier they could have put the chassis on the machine right away...hummmm...the universe works in strange ways...

I now have unlimited access to the body-on Friday morning I purchased some 120 and 220 grit sandpaer...hopefully today I am going to begin sanding the primer in prep for paint....

time spent on Friday 4 hours-including travel

$$$ spent....$26....hold down straps and sandpaper

Chassis Loaded on Trailer

Last night I extracted the chassis from my garage. I had built a wooden frame to support the body while I worked on painting the chassis side of the body. Unfortunately I built it around the chassis so I had to modify it slightly to move one of the support legs further out so it would clear the rear end tires...plus I had to remove the rear wheels and use my jack as a trolley to move the chassis under the support beams of the body stand...not a big deal but it took time...after the frame was removed I swept up and remove some old worn out carpet for disposal...time: 2 hours...

This morning I hooked up the trailer and backed it into the driveway and loaded the chassis on my myself!! I was impressed with myself that I could do it single handed...the ramps were a bit too steep so I had to jack up the back of the chassis and again use the jack as a trolley to move the rear wheel onto the ramp. I think I might have scared the bottom of the frame a bit when it hit the trailer ramp the first time-hard to know...not a big deal...time 1 hour....

Now off to buy some hold down straps....plus I have to take some pictures before I head down the highway...

Preparing to Move the Chassis

Yesterday evening I picked up a trailer from a colleague to move my chassis to the body shop for a frame alignment. An important next step in the project. Fortunately I found a detailed drawing on the Internet with the chassis dimensions that I will pass on to the technician. I am keeping my fingers crossed the frame is just "slightly" tweaked and straightening will not be a major undertaking time wise and $$$$ wise....

In the last few weeks I have started to daydream about getting back to the restoration which is a good sign. I am at a critical point in the project (Kijjiji ads galore show cars for sale in similar states-owners having given up) and I want to make sure I press on and get through the hurdle of the having stopped the project due to the twisted frame..months have passed...hard to believe....

There are some critical tasks I need to complete before winter arrives-painting the underbody and engine bay and finishing off some bodywork...

I also need to repair or replace my shop vac-the motor is hatched.....

Sandpaper/Wood/Ford Ranger Spark Plugs

I have actually bought some material for the Triumph....sandpaper for sanding down the primer on the bottom of the car and on the engine compartment plus the 2 X 6 and 8 board that is needed to modify my body stand to allow the chassis to be moved out of the garage. Small steps but Triumph focused which is a positive thing...total cost around $6

Yesterday I attempted to install 6 new spark plugs in my 2004 Ranger...4 out of the 6 got installed-the other two proved to be too challenging for me to handle yesterday...it seems the 2004 Ford Ranger has a clearance problem on the passenger side plugs on trucks equipped with the 4.0 litre engine and Air Conditioning. References on the Internet proved this is a bear of a job for even the most seasoned mechanic.I decided to walk away from the task, purchase myself a swivel head ratchet and 1" extension and try again another day (or maybe take the truck to a mechanic). Fortunately the plugs only need to be replaced every 100,000 kms so odds are once I complete the job it is unlikely I will have to do it again..

I have noticed a change in my self confidence level since the breaking of the retaining bolt for the brake caliper on my 1979 Ford Camper van (see earlier blog) when things get challenging...there is a bit of an intimidation factor playing out for sure...

MOOP (Material Out Of Place)

I have wandered out into the garage a couple of times in the last month or so....I glance at my disassembled Triumph and wonder two things:

1. Why has my enthusiasm for the project diminished so dramatically in the last few months...
2. What am I going to do about it??

Re Point 1: the bent frame scenario was very discouraging. Although I have a plan to address the issue I have yet to take action...no action-no results... Logically there are other things I can be working on in lieu of frame related tasks but I haven't even attempted to pick up a wrench, sander or any other tool which ultimately doesn't move the project along... To complicate the issue, we are enjoying the best summer weather wise in a decade so multiple distractions have kept me outside and away from home also diminishing my focus...Working on the Triumph has not been a real priority...I met a friend in a book store a few weeks ago and we had a brief conversation about finding time to do the things we dream about and how hard it is to keep the commitment of taking the time to pursue our interests "front and center"..another important point in my analysis as I have not made the Triumph work a priority...the list goes on and on....

Re Point 2: The project time line drifts into the future....I have missed a number of critical milestone dates that I had set for myself which in itself is kind of discouraging. Intellectually I know I have to stop beating myself up for not being focused and get back to the work at hand...small steps-small victories can build up momentum so  I need to get back into the garage (and start blogging my progress again)...

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A few weeks ago I needed to repair a section of my fence. The bottom rung had rotted out and the boards were hanging loose....the work needed to be done...I went to my local Home Depot and grabbed my building materials and set out to get the work done...Nearly every tool I needed to use was out of place...the term is MOOP....material out of place vrs MIP...material in place...rung true...I marveled at how much time it took me to "search out" my tools...a detriment to the successful execution of a project...after my daughter's renovation project I didn't take time to re-shelve and organize my woodworking tools....plus I left my drill in the back of my truck-a place I would not normally look to find it....I needed to spend some time considering what I had used the tool for last....as it was not in any of the usual places...my patience was certainly tested....it is all in the details.....fortunately my mechanic tools are all where they need to be...I won't be able to use MOOP as an excuse not to work on the Triumph....

Inspiration and Such

On Wednesday night I went out to the garage and "yet again" played with the positioning of the rack and pinion assembly to see what modifications would need to be made to the bracket to get the clearance I need for the steering yoke. While I was there I remeasured "yet again" the frame misalignment and tried to figure out if correcting the slightly twisted configuration will help me with the clearance...verdict is still out...In addition I went out into the shed and retrieved the TR-7 steering shaft I had purchased a few years ago to see if it had different sized knuckles than the Moss supplied unit...unfortunately they are remarkably similar. The support bracket would require the welding of a plate to support the moved U-bolt bracket...pretty straightforward fabrication I would assume? I sat for a few minutes and contemplated where I was at project wise- then left the garage and went to bed...

Last night (looking for some automotive inspiration/motivation on Youtube)  I watched a couple of episodes of Rat Rod TV....the aspect of having the ability and drive to create a unique piece of automotive art for a reasonable sum of money is truly inspiring...the show has a very "can do" type of feel to it...which is what I need to feel right now...I have wanted to build a hot rod since I was 8 years old and seeing the show rekindles that desire..interestingly I am still contemplating the building of a rat rod using my Triumph frame and even did a quick calculation on cost...the idea really intrigues me...but alas I can't start on anything like that until I get my car back together...

Ford Van Brake Caliper Challenge Revisited

On Saturday I tackled removing the broken e-z out from the steering knuckle on my 1979 Ford van and was successful in removing the offending hardened tool piece. I took my time and gingerly ground out an access area with my Dremel tool (after reading about the process on the Internet). With some persuasion from a hammer and drift I was able to extract the piece with a pair of pliers. I re-drilled the hole and ran a tap into the hole and created new threads. The first 1/8 to 3/16 of the hole is damaged from the e-z out extraction but there is still about 5/16 of an inch of threads available for the bolt and with a torque value of 17ft pounds I am sure the treads are adequate for the bolt tightening..To be on the safe side I applied some JB Weld to the opening and created additional material for threading. The bolt is now securely housed and given it is just a "stop" for the sliding caliper bracket I am comfortable the fix is "fit for purpose" I will examine the bolt for tightness once I have a few kilometers on the vehicle. I figure my "bolt breaking" fubar took 4 hours to correct and cost me $30 (including the cost of the broken e-z out) to remedy. All  avoidable if I had taken some time to "evaluate" the situation to determine my next steps before blindly proceeding in a "forceful" way..a good lesson learned on many fronts...

First Day of Summer-Update

My Triumph project has stalled..earlier in the week I contemplated how "best" to move the project along? After careful consideration I determined the next step should be to move back to finishing off the body work while the weather is more conducive to the task...I have a few higher priority tasks outside of working on the Triumph which I hope to finish off in the next few days...then hopefully I will return to my long abandoned project and start making progress....

Recently I listed my '57 body on Kijjiji and had no takers but lots of "hits". I figured I was sitting on a treasure trove of desirable parts but that does not seem to be the case?? I withdrew the listing after a couple of weeks to rethink my marketing approach...

Automotive Fubar-Broken Bolt

Earlier this week I over tightened a bolt and broke it off. I should have known better and backed away from applying a bit more pressure to "seat" the bolt tighter when it wasn't really necessary. I had actually stopped to assess the situation at one point because what I was experiencing tightening the bolt didn't seem to make sense..I removed the bolt-compared it to the original and reinstalled it. Rather than go back into the house and grab the repair manual to check torque values I pushed ahead and suffered the consequences... After breaking off the bolt and I went out an bought an easyout tool that also broke off when I went to extract the remains. In retrospect it was a mistake to buy a cheap easyout which further compounded the problem. I now have a major mechanical issue to resolve that could have been avoided for sure....


This is not a Triumph story but a Ford one.I own a 1979 Ford Camper van. It has been in the family since the early 1990's. Lots of great camping memories come with the vehicle. In 2009 my wife and I drove the van 5000 kilometers from Canada to the Oregon coast. The van required some mechanical prep to bring it up to travel standard and it performed well only requiring a fan belt adjustment while on the road...

About a week ago we decided to take the van on an excursion for 10 days or so. This decision required I do some pre-work and bring the van up to travel standards again. One thing that needed repair was the front brake calipers. The plungers weren't operating properly and the calipers needed to be replaced. I went to the auto parts store and bought everything I needed. Things went fairly well until the last bolt was to be installed.

The series of events have provided a valuable lesson for me. In fact multiple lessons on a whole bunch of different levels.

Rack and Pinion/Critical Path

Last week  I had an opportunity to discuss the rack and pinion installation with Moss Motors. Their installation has about 1/8 of an inch clearance on the steering shaft yoke which is not a huge tolerance in my opinion. I am surprised given the year of the car that the British manufacturer of the part would consider frame fabrication to be so consistent that a 1/8" tolerance would be acceptable???  We talked at length about options including the return of the assembly for a credit etc. I want to stay on course and install the assembly so I am going to proceed with the frame straightening in the next few weeks. If the unit still does not clear properly I will need to "engineer" a modification to the mounting plate (moving the rack and pinion further to the left but drilling new holes for the u-bolts and reinforcing the plate in some fashion) so the yoke clears and/or switch out the yoke for an aftermarket yoke with a smaller diameter. I work with mechanical engineers so I will sit down with one and have them check out what I am doing to ensure the mounting plate still has integrity. I have to admit this setback has impacted my enthusiasm somewhat but I know I have to get back to the build and turn some wrenches soon.

This week I have been brainstorming about what my next steps might be? Based on my considerations I think I will move to painting the underside of the body and engine compartment while the frame is out for straightening. The weather is warmer and more conducive to this activity and I really need to get it done as it is a bit of a bottleneck to moving the build forward.

I have put the '57 tub, fenders etc up for sale-no inquires yet...

More Frame Musings

Time in Garage Thursday 1 hour

I went back out to the garage on Thursday and did another "level" check of the frame and trial fit of the rack and pinion assembly. For sure the frame is slightly twisted-no doubt about it but perhaps only 1/4" to 1/2 inch? I took a tape measure and utilizing the shop manual did a check of the other coordinates and the frame appears to be straight in other aspects. Jiggling around the rack and pinion does not provide any kind of clearance opportunity with the steering shaft yoke so I am painted into a corner-something must be done.

Follow up with My Parts Supplier/Body Shop Friday
Money spent: $3.45

I went down to the big city and talked to my Triumph specialist (while picking up my previously ordered trunnion nuts) and he said I definitely should take the time and have the frame straightened while the body is off the chassis. He suggested it is time and money well spent and I "for sure" can't argue with the logic. Earlier they had recommended a body shop next door to them which has a lot of experience with frame straightening. I went next door and talked to the manager and determined there is an opening the bring the frame in (week after next) so my next steps is to make an appointment and arrangements to borrow a car trailer and haul the chassis down.

We also discussed the potential of using an different after market universal joint which would have better clearance potential for the steering shaft yoke to spring tower. He showed me an example he had in his shop and looked very fit for purpose. Cost around $65.00. A viable option if the frame straightening doesn't give me the clearance I need??

I am still not sure why the rack and pinion assembly is designed to have such close tolerances for steering shaft yoke clearance but until I hear back from MOSS motors all I can do is speculate. One way or the other I have a problem to resolve before I can move on.

While in the shop I noticed a British Sports Car gathering in Radium Hot Springs in mid June. I longed to be able to participate.....I really want to be driving a sports car again....

The Frame

Time in Garage Saturday: 1-1/2 hrs

I moved my table saw and woodworking tools out of the garage freeing up some much needed space. The next task was to bend my wife's cruiser bicycle kick stand into a more usable configuration so the bike stands up properly and then took out my tape measure and level and checked out the TR3 chassis.

It seems I have a clearance problem with the rack and pinion assembly due to the fact the frame appears to be slightly twisted at the front (about 1/2 to 3/4" out) . I felt genuine disappointment when I made the discovery as I now have to utilize a 3rd party to straighten the frame and at what cost?  The other option I have is to resurrect the '59 chassis by sand blasting it and painting it and transferring the components. Anyway I look at it this is definitely a "bump in the road". The upside is the discovery has been made before the body was installed...

Ah the "joys" of the old car hobby???

Triumph TR-3 Potential Frame Issue?

Time on Phone Tuesday: 20 mins

I talked to Moss Motors technical department on Tuesday about my interference problem. They suggested there might be a problem with frame alignment. Their suggestion makes me break out in a cold sweat. The frame was sandblasted and powder coated before I purchased the 2 TR-3's. Visually it looks fine and it has sat very square on jack stands and when lying on the floor so I am going to keep my fingers crossed the frame is square. If not, the issue will need to be resolved. Moss is going to do some measurements on their converted car and let me know what dimensions look like. They also said they would take pictures.

I have a restoration guide that tells me how to measure up the chassis which I plan to do today. I would be surprised if the chassis is bent but one never knows...

I am also moving some of my woodworking tools out of the garage and into my shed which will allow me to move around better in the garage...

Rack and Pinion Steering Mock Up/Transmission

Time in Garage Thursday: 1 hour
Time in Garage Monday 45 mins

Mock up of Rack and Pinion completed-an issue has arisen with respect to interference between the frame and steering u-joint. More work is required.

Update:
Still no progress in resolving the steering u-joint interference issue. Still awaiting some direction from Moss Motors (I have placed a call with their technical support team ) which I assume will happen today??? I am very reluctant to start grinding away metal until I know I am on the right track...

My garage space is once again clogged with woodworking tools (unloaded from my truck) from my daughter's reno job I have been working on for the last month. It was good to have the extra space in the garage with all the tools removed but all that has changed again..Before I do any more work I am going to have to get my space back in order which will probably take a couple of hours...The reno is officially "finished" so I can return my focus to the Triumph...

Another distraction Monday was the detailing of my 94 Ranger in prep for selling. It took about 3 hours to complete but worth it. Last night I did some Internet research on selling prices so I will have a better idea of what to price it at.

Last week I took my transmission to the car wash and gave it an engine cleaner soak and wand clean off. I was surprised at how "baked on" the crud is as there was still a fair amount of grime on the assembly. So yesterday out came a scrub pad, toothbrush and cleaner combined with some old fashion "elbow grease" I started to remove what was left over. A fairly tedious endeavor ( I am about 50% complete) but necessary to do.....

Rack and Pinion Conversion-Support Installation

Time in Garage Saturday 1.5 hrs

Yesterday I laid out the hardware for the rack and pinion steering conversion, attached the tie rod ends and started attaching the support bar to the chassis. The support bar was not a "press fit" which required me to do a bit of adjusting with a large adjustable wrench to straighten the chassis mounting points enough that I could insert the support bar. As with other tasks related to this build it took longer to do than I had anticipated. I had to be careful to keep everything in alignment so the crush sleeves could be mounted and lined up properly so the bolts could be properly engaged into the threaded ends. It took more than a bit of fitting but when I left the garage yesterday I was well on my way to getting things tightened down.

There is also a couple of fasteners missing from the hardware package which means an email needs to be sent to my supplier...

It felt really good to be back out in the garage...

Moss Rack and Pinion Conversion/Project Update/Budget/New Truck

Time in garage Tuesday : 3o mins

$$$ Spent: $700.00

On Monday I took delivery of my rack and pinion steering conversion from Moss Motors. I ordered it during the MOSS sale and saved 10% which was worthwhile. I unpacked the box and I am impressed with what I have seen. Everything looks good. I took out the parts and trial fitted the bracket on the frame.

I haven't worked on the Triumph for nearly a month having been distracted by my daughter's house reno, our own kitchen back splash project and returning to work on a part time basis. Up to the middle of March I was very diligent about working on the car (pretty well on a daily basis) and as a result making some good progress during the winter. Hopefully I will get back out there on a regular basis and meet some more schedule milestones.

From a budget perspective (based on my previous recap) I believe I have spent what I originally anticipated would be my total expenditure for "reassembling" the car. The rack and pinion conversion is an extra cost not originally anticipated and I went over on the front suspension rebuild as I had not anticipated having to replace as many parts as was required. There are a number of small incidental expenditures that add to the total and a couple of "miss steps" like bead blasting the "57" hood and trunk lid $300.. A few dollars here and there start to add up quickly...I talked to my parts supplier and he says most of the projects in their shop go over budget for a number of different reasons and it is just part of the "game" and not to worry about it. So here I am-not meeting schedule and over budget...but still enjoying the process....

Selling the "spare" parts will offset total project costs...

Earlier in the week I committed to purchase a newer Ford Ranger. A 2004 to replace my 1994. Today I finalize the deal and the truck is officially mine. A colleague owned the truck and has been trying to sell it for a few months so he was very receptive to reasonable offers... He is a "shade tree" mechanic and taken good care of the vehicle which shows making it an economical replacement. I had the truck safety inspected and it passed with flying colors other than a "near future" requirement to have the front brake pads replaced. I seriously contemplated putting about $1500 into repairing the 1994 but decided I would be further ahead buying a replacement vehicle.

Parts Pickup

$$$ spent: $9.85

I picked up my small parts (mainly fasteners) order yesterday and returned some unneeded parts for credit....

Tools

Time in Garage Saturday: 15 mins (company this weekend so no Triumph time on the horizon)

Gave a visiting friend a garage tour yesterday-updated him on my progress and gave him a look at what I had accomplished since his last visit about a year ago. He was impressed. He has a vintage jeep and early 1950's Dodge truck to restore-they are sitting in his yard right now but on his mind project wise. I passed on my bead blast cabinet to him. He has an industrial compressor on his acreage and will make good use of the cabinet once he starts rolling on his restorations. He has done me some favors in the past and I feel good about passing the unit to him...

Yesterday I gave my neighbor back his coil spring compressors after over a year of borrowing..I feel a little "sheepish" that I kept them so long but he didn't seem to mind and of course he knew where to find them if he needed them back...

More things out of my garage-excellent...

More Garage Clean Up/Micro Managing Tasks

Time in Garage Wednesday 1-1/2 hrs...

I finally got the garage clean up completed. The task took longer than I had planned but I believe the time spent was well spent. The effort made has really improved the space and given me more access which is great. I still need to tackle my boxes of sand paper and abrasive tools to get that in order...

I went to my critical path task sheet that is tacked to the wall and marked off my accomplishments. As a subset of the exercise I made some notations on my white board to micro manage some of the outstanding tasks. I reckon (realistically) I am a month behind in my revised project plan (devised in early January) which is a bit discouraging to admit but appears to be the reality. Nearly every task has taken longer than my estimated execution time...it appears I need to put more contingency into the planning cycle. Anyway I feel good that I have reviewed the progress and reset the timeline...

1957 TR-3/Garage space

Time in Garage Monday-1hr

I disassembled my table saw (for moving-too heavy to manhandle fully assembled) and moved it along with my air compressor to my daughter's reno project which freed up further room in the garage. Today I am going to finish the garage clean up..

This morning I itemized what I believe are the marketable 1957 components and sent out an e-mail to a couple of local Triumph restoration shops to gauge interest?

Workflow

Time in Garage Saturday: 3-1/2 hrs

Time in Garage Sunday: 1 hr

I regrouped and moved things around in my garage Saturday. The initial issue was the chassis was facing the wrong way in the garage and there was no room to move the engine hoist (which is stored at the front of the garage) and the removed engine into place due to interference. I originally contemplated moving the body outside and turning around the chassis by moving it down the driveway and on to the street and then back up the driveway. The task would not be that straight forward due to the fact we still have a significant amount of snow on the ground. After surveying the situation I realized that I could move the chassis back towards the front of the garage and clear out a path by moving my compressor, the transmission. radio and parts boxes and manhandle the engine to the garage door side of the garage which I accomplished. When it is time to install the engine, I can open up the garage door, move the chassis back towards the door and position the engine hoist in front of the chassis and not have to move the body outdoors or reposition the chassis. This is very do-able if the weather cooperates. The upside is I don't have to move the body outside and it can stay on it's stand until I get the paint applied to the underneath of the car.

I also determined I have more "dormant" and redundant stuff stored in my garage which I have started to clear out. I freed up one shelf in my cupboard and moved in some of the engine parts and got them out of the way. I also repositioned my rolling tool box into a better location allowing better accessibility.

Yesterday I reassembled the 1957 windshield frame-making one good unit out of a bunch of parts. The 57 had been rolled and the frame was bend. The windshield has no glass in it..The previous owner had purchased some replacement parts but never assembled the windshield.

Yesterday morning I "estimated" (for curiosity sake) the cost of reassembling the 1957 to finished primer. About $5800 if the engine proves usable.

Some more garage cleaning work is required today before I continue with the reassembly..

Triumph TR3-Parts Sort-Engine Mounts Found

Time in Garage Friday: 1-1/2 hrs

Time in Shed Sorting Parts-2-1/2 hours

First Things First: Early Friday morning I decided I need to move out all the surplus suspension and brake parts out of my garage. They are stored in a large wooden box that takes up a fair amount of room (space is at a premium in my garage at the best of times) and I figured why continue to have the parts readily available when I no longer need them . So I opened up my storage shed (it was a beautiful warm winter day-perfect for the activity) and moved out all the Triumph part boxes and components that currently resided there and cleared out space to place the box in the shed. I unpacked the box, moved it into the shed and started to repack the components discarding/recycling anything that wasn't salvageable. I then went through 4 Storage totes (unpacking them completely) primarily searching for my new engine mounts (which I located). While I was sorting I discarded the 1957 wiring harness and a fairly large bag of rubber components that were far beyond being useful. Based on what I have discarded in the last few months I think every rubber component on the car was shot. This action freed up one entire tote. I also isolated all the "homemade" Rack and Pinion components so they are in one place. I now have a much better idea of what I have and where it is.

I gathered up all the spare windshield components. I want to make up one good frame out of all the parts. I am assuming some of the components are not salvageable as the '57 was rolled at one point and some of the components are bent...

I also made a mental list of potential items that could/should be sold. (Steering box etc) and what should be retained as "spares" pending final completion of the 1959.

I moved tires and the refurbished rear brake drum from the shed into the garage ready to be installed on the chassis.

I started doing some garage clean up but ran out of energy. Today is a new day..I plan to get back out there first thing and finish off the job...

All in all a

Triumph TR3-Front Brakes Installed

The body is tilted on it's side. The floor pan is coated with 2 coats of POR15 primer awaiting a top coat of white paint and clear coat

Time in garage Thursday: 3-1/2 hours

Finished assembling the front brakes etc. Trial mounted the front steering arms -temporarily attached pending receipt of the rack and pinion steering kit. Cleaned up my work area. Took some pictures and contemplated "recycling" of the 1957...

This is the assembled left hand side suspension with the Toyota 4 piston caliper installed and the modified dust shield attached. I am 110% happy with this side. I ran into a problem with the right hand side install. There is a minor interference problem between the caliper and rotor. I am not sure what the problem is but I determined not to disassemble again as I will have to pull the assembly apart again when I install the steering-for now the wheels turn and that is all that is important (to move the chassis around)

Front tires installed-a major milestone in my mind.

Triumph TR3-Front Bearings Cleaned and Repacked

Time in Garage Wednesday: 3 hrs

Travel Time Picking Up Parts: 30 min

Spent: $2.00

A good day (Wednesday) in the garage. A huge contrast to my less than stellar day on Tuesday...I finished modifying the dust shields (see earlier blog entry), cleaned and repacked the front wheel bearings and picked up some new Grade 8 bolts for the front suspension caliper plate attachment and mounted them. All brake and front hub components are now staged for installation. Of course the installation will be temporary pending receipt of the Rack and Pinion kit (which won't be permanently installed until final body mounting so the steering shaft can be aligned up properly) and related hardware but nevertheless it will feel good to get all the pieces out of boxes and onto the chassis.

The donor car spares/rejects/ discard pile is growing bigger. I had to reject a front wheel bearing in the reassembly process due to binding so it too was added to the pile.

Triumph TR3-Picture of Dust Shield Modification

Both Dust Shields have been modified today. Took about an hour total...

The shield on the left has been modified to fit the TR-6 caliper brackets and Toyota 4 piston caliper. On the right is the stock TR-3 shield prior to modifications. I decided to take a picture so I would have a photographic representation of the before and after. Note-disclainer: the image is for my reference purposes only and is not intended for instructional purposes....

Triumph TR3-Dust Shield Challenge

Time in Garage Tuesday: 1-1/2 hrs

Tuesday was a bit of a frustrating day in the man cave. Things did not work out the way I had intended and I found I had to really practice being patient with myself (not being judgemental). I decided first thing that my task for the day was to modify the front brake dust shields to match the refurbished TR-6 caliper mounting plates I am using for the Toyota caliper mod. I trial fitted both the left and right hand shields (to determine which was the right and left), referenced (one more time) the Internet instructions for trimming down the shields to clear the new calipers and started to modify the right hand side and while doing further trial fits got "confused" as to the configuration of the TR-6 caliper bracket ( left vrs right)..I had previously disassembled the mock up I did last week (and subsequently mixed up the parts) and ended up having to re-reference the shop and restoration manuals to prompt me on the configuration and then mock one side up again. I realized as I went through the steps that this was all "rework" and I belittled myself for not making a sketch or taking a digital picture before pulling the previous mock up apart!! Near the end of the work session ( I started to run out of energy-mainly to do with getting frustrated) I realized the trimming photo in the Internet instructions wasn't really that clear visually and that perhaps I should go back onto the Triumph site and look at the picture again-the image would be clearer on my computer. So I left my garage and went back into the house and pulled up the site-zoomed in on the photo and re-read the instructions and realized they are trimming back a TR-6 dust shield in the instructions and not a TR-3. The instructions read that the dust shields are "fundamentally" the same-which is true. However I discovered a TR-3 dust shield requires a different approach for trimming that is not made clear in the instructions...I had made some progress but had no desire (or energy) to go back out into the garage and revisit the trimming. I shutdown the project for the day...

Triumph TR3-Regrouping-Fasteners

Time in Garage Monday: 1-1/2 hrs

I did a quick sort of my fastener container removing all obsolete duplicate hardware. The reason I did this is I have misplaced the attachment bolts for the front caliper brackets. I was looking for them to complete the mock up of the front brake system. I remember removing them and putting them in the Eastwood tumbler to clean them up but where they have gone is a mystery??? I will venture out into the garage today and check again. I have a feeling I have but them into a container of some kind and moved them out of the way? If no luck I will need to purchase some new ones (which I should probably do anyway)

I traced out the modification that is required on the dust shields for the front brakes. I plan to tackle the mods today.

I did some cash flow planning yesterday trying to determine what the most logical order is for ordering the parts I need to get the chassis back together. After much pondering I have decided to just order the rack and pinion conversion kit this month leaving the pulley replacement and electric fan, brgs etc for order later in the year. The Moss sale is very enticing but I really don't want to spend the money and have the parts just sit around for an extended period of time. The pulley conversion, alternator and the electric fan installation can all wait until the car is painted and almost ready to drive. The other piece of the puzzle is to determine what to do with the '57 to generate some cash flow for the remaining purchases vrs taking the cash out of my bank account.

Triumph TR3-Right Front Suspension Installed/Toyota Brake Mock Up Completed

Time in Garage Friday-none

Time in Garage Saturday- 4 hrs

Time in Garage Sunday 5 hrs

My parts order arrived when my wife returned home from her trip Saturday. In the evening I went out to the garage and did a mock up of the 4 piston Toyota brake conversion on the left hand suspension (using the TR-6 caliper brackets and mounting bolts) and all the parts fit. I installed the new rotors on the hubs and they look great too. It is very satisfying to know I have the right parts!!

On Sunday I bolted in the right hand side suspension components and installed the coil spring. My modified compression tool worked great and the exercise went much more smoothly than the left hand side. I also installed the rear brake plate with newly installed brake components. This is a temporary installation pending installation of the new rear bearings..I want to be able to put tires onto the chassis and move it around. I attempted to install one of the front shock absorbers but realized weight has to be applied to the front suspension so the bracket aligns up properly. I'll have to wait to do this job-until I get the engine in.

On Sunday morning I looked through the Moss and the Ron Francis wiring catalogs and made a list of the remaining "known" items to purchase. Cost to complete (to mechanical completion) is around $1800 which includes the purchase of the rack and pinion steering upgrade and the alternator conversion. The premise I am operating under is that I have one "good" engine and transmission, if not costs will escalate. ... I have roughly $3000 invested in mechanical parts and body shop materials so far so to mechanical completion and body in primer the cost will be around $5000.. give or take 10%. Total investment including trade of my MG and purchase price of both TR3's around $9500 all in... hopefully there will be some cash coming back when I dispose of the '57 to offset total $$$outlay...

I spent some time cleaning up my workspace Sunday evening.

Triumph TR3-Rear Brakes Assembled/Clean Up

Time in Garage Thursday: 3-1/2 hrs

Rear Brakes Installed: Yesterday morning I decided to install the rear brake shoes, cylinders etc on to the backing plate which I completed. I found an excellent descriptor of how to install the retaining clips for the wheel cylinder in the old TR3 shop manual. Much more descriptive than the Haynes manual. Once again it took me a bit longer than I had anticipated-the positioning/installation of the parking brake levers threw me off initially...I couldn't see how you could wait until 2 of the clips were installed to install the lever. I kind of talked myself out of following the instructions in the manual until I finally did a trial of the procedure and it worked just fine. My mind was playing tricks on me based on assumptions the procedure would not work (the cylinder would be too tight against the back plate to install the levers?)..I had to read the instructions a couple of times to have it sink in....then just do it... lesson learned...

I sealed up the spare rear end axle tubes and moved the rear end out of the garage.

Rear Hubs Cleaned: I spend about 20 minutes per side cleaning up the rear hubs. Still contemplating installing new hub bearings and going through the whole rear hub removal procedure...

I cleaned up tools and put them away and generally cleaned up the work area. Still some work to do in this arena today...

Triumph TR3-Warped and Discouraged (Sort of)

Time in Garage Wednesday:2 hours

Yesterday afternoon I ventured out into the man cave to analyze my rear hub situation. As recommended I retrieved one of the rear brake drums and inserted the hubs it check trueness. It turns out one of the hubs was distorted (I double checked the trueness but mounting the hub on one of the axles and spinning it) when it was pressed from the axle. The hub is now junk!! I also discovered a serious flaw on one of the axles..where the axle tube seal rides there is a noticeable "groove". This is probable cause why oil migrated past and fouled the rear brake shoes... I am not sure why I didn't see this flaw before I took the axle to have the hub pressed off? I also noted that the other axle which housed the difficult hub to remove is seriously "blued" from being heated. I am not sure I am comfortable utilizing it in the rebuild? I have an e-mail out to my sports car source to get their opinion?? It turns out my attempts to utilize a local shop and save some money has turned out to be misguided!!

Phase 2 of the analyzes had me wandering through the snow and wrestling the second differential out of it's resting place by my garden shed, through my backyard gate and down the front sidewalk and up my front driveway. I ended up having to stop the migration and move my truck so I could maneuver the differential (which had wheels mounted) through the garage door. Once inside the garage I let the rear end sit for a couple of hours to let some of the ice to melt. Late in the afternoon I tackled the removal of the axles...the bearings spin freely with no binding and the seal surfaces look reasonable on first pass. I am still contemplating not having the hubs pressed off and installing the axles "as is" ...I cleaned up the axles and did a first pass on cleaning up the flanges and hubs. I drained the very slow moving differential oil from the spare rear end. Today I am going to button up the spare rear end by placing plastic at the end of the tubes and temporarily placing the flanges back on-then move it back into storage.....this will protect the internals from contamination ...

During my moving around in the garage I accidently knocked one of the front hubs off my body stand ( in retrospect they shouldn't have been sitting there) which in turn crashed down on the top of the powder coated frame nicking it ( a very small nick but a nick nevertheless)...I berated myself for a few minutes because the whole incident could have been easily avoided...with some care and attention applied on my part.....another learning experience. I moved both hubs on the carpeted surface on the garage floor. They are now out of the way.

While all this was happening I really had to fight bouts of feeling discouraged-the first time I have felt this emotion in a long time (related to the rebuild)... I realize I have to be patient and tenacious and move forward. I also have to figure out how to approach the suspension shop to inform them of the problem??? I am not sure how this issue is going to be resolved. I guess some research on the cost of replacement hubs is required???

Fortunately there is a wealth of TR3 support available and I told myself last night any problem can be resolved-sometimes all it takes is money??

Triumph TR3-Rear Hub Bearing Replacement?

Time in Garage Tuesday: none

Picking up parts: 20 mins

Tuesday was a strange day for me energy wise. I must have been heavy into hibernation mode (might be the result of all the snow that fell on the weekend) as I was not really not "motivated" to do automotive work or much of anything else... I was also distracted by other "value added" activities like going for a very relaxing and therapeutic massage that took a couple of hours (including travel time), cooking dinner and practicing my drawing. Also an errand that I need to run took much longer than anticipated....Everything contributed to me not migrating out to the garage during the day.... In the evening I ended the day sitting on the couch watching TV for a couple of hours (Speed Vision mainly-at least it was car related???)......I realize it is not the most productive use of my time but a "low energy" passive activity that took priority...I should probably cut myself some slack and get back put into the garage today and make up for some lost time......what has passed has passed!!

In the afternoon I made my way up to the suspension shop to retrieve my hub washer that was missed when I picked up my axles last week....

In an e-mail response from one of my suppliers they indicated rear hub bearing failure is a rarity in TR3's and as such they do not stock bearings. Cost for replacements are in the $70 each range..I am thinking about pulling the axles out of the other rear end to see what condition they are in? While driving around yesterday I was also thinking about spending the $140 for the replacement bearings in the context that we recently paid Honda $550 for a valve adjustment and new spark plugs (for example labor was approx $25 per plug for removal and installation) for my wife's Fit-so the cost of the new bearing doesn't seem that unreasonable...

More decisions to be made today....

Triumph TR3-Critical Path Review

Time in Garage Monday-None

I took the day off yesterday. I had planned to do some clean up of the workspace and rear hubs but ended up doing nothing. I did call my local bearing supplier to see if the rear hub bearing were available. The cone is but it is very expensive-the race is not available in Canada. I made an e-mail enquiry with my Triumph parts suppliers on bearing availability-no word back yesterday. I may contact my brother today who has contacts in the bearing industry and see what he can do?

I did a quick estimate of the tasks remaining to finish off the chassis to rolling status.

Right hand suspension assembly 4 hrs

Front disk brake install 6 hrs includes repacking the front brgs

Hand brake installation 2 hrs

Rear hub bearings and seals 4 hrs

Rear brake assemble install 2 hrs

Clean up and paint driveshaft 4 hrs

clean up and inspect transmission 4 hrs

find engine mounts and install 2 hrs (for some reason my purchased engine mounts are missing?)

reconnect brake lines 3 hrs

misc 2 hrs like installing wheels, transmission mount etc

33 hrs

I wasn't able to meet my critical path tasks for the month of February although I did spend a fair amount of time in the garage. My estimates for painting the remaining chassis components was was way off. Also the complication of the worn trunnion slowed down the reassembly of the front suspension. 33 hrs is a considerable amount of time left pending but if I keep my head down perhaps I can catch up a bit...

Triumph TR3-Quality Garage Time

Time in Garage Saturday: 3-1/2 hrs

Time in Garage Sunday: 4 hrs

List of Completed tasks:

1. installed rear differential, shocks and axle straps-took about 2 hours to complete ( a bit challenging to do single handed-a combination of my body weight,jack stands and floor jack were required to compress the leaf springs enough to get the u-bolt nuts started). Interestingly I dropped one of u-bolt nuts and ended up not being able to find it in the immediate area. Today I am going to do a sweep and hopefully it will turn up. I used another nut to tighten down the U-bolt which I will replace when the original nut turns up.(or I buy a new one)...

2. Laid out all the front end components that are yet to be installed just to make sure everything is accounted for....(it is) Still awaiting my parts delivery-my wife is spending an extra day away and won't be back until tomorrow at the earliest..

3. Installed the right hand shock hardware and did a trial fit in the lower wishbone-all A-OK.

4. Removed the rear hub bearing races. The bearings need replacing.

5. Repainted the front body hold down plates and related hardware....

6. Decided to wipe down (cleanliness is next to godliness!!!) the powder coated chassis and remove some paint splatter. The chassis has been gathering sanding dust and dirt for over a year and was looking a little "ratty". I had used covers to protect the chassis when I was painting the underside of the body but for some reason in a couple of places there was splatter...the specks of paint removed easily (although it did take longer than I anticipated-all the time I was having an inner dialog about making sure I am more careful next time!!-ha ha). The chassis looks much more impressive clean...

All round a good couple of days in the man cave....

Triumph TR3-More Painting,Parts Pickup and Rear Bearing Inspection

Time in Garage on Friday: 1-1/2 hours (includes 1/2 hour reading manuals)

Picking up parts-1/2 hour

Spent: $2.40

First thing Friday morning I inspected my paint job on the shock absorber brackets, spindle etc. I determined another coat of paint was in order so I sprayed the parts in two phases. I am now satisfied they are fit for purpose. Based on my discomfort with the nylon lock nuts for the rear differential U-bolts I purchased a few weeks ago I determined to get a more robust solution. I purchased grade 8 nuts ( I don't recall what they are called but they have tapered threads that lock down the nut as the nut is tightened down-they can only be used once) and washers. I am now set to go. I read up on replacing the stub axle seals and hub seals and did a quick inspection of one of the removed rear axle bearing...it has been recommended I change them out. I have yet to drive out the race from the rear hub to see what the number is ?

I was not overly motivated to work in the garage yesterday, a low energy day....

Triumph TR3-Rear Shock/Axle Straps/Spindle Painted/Rear Hubs Removed

Time in Garage Thursday: 1-1/2 hrs

Purchases $360 approx

Finished off painting the rear shock brackets/axle straps and spindle. Picked up the removed rear hubs. Some concerns around condition of one of the axles. Doing some more analysis today. All the remaining parts orders came in. I will have the rotors/caliper brackets and trunnion delivered on Sunday when my wife returns home. Purchased 2 more cans of spray paint. Chassis Black and Super Primer...

triumph TR3-Primer Application/Rear Hub Removal Challenge

Time in Garage Wednesday: 3 hrs

Delivery of Axles For Hub Disassembly: 30 mins

I finished applying the primer to the two rear shock absorber brackets, the remaining front steering arm and the right hand side spindle. I also coated all the rear axle hub mounting hardware and the refurbished hub grease cap. I sprayed the primer in 35 min segments-so out to the garage-spray-leave right after-set the oven timer-timer goes off-go back to the garage-move the parts to expose unpainted surfaces-spray and leave again-etc etc until 2 coats were applied. I ended up spending another hour prepping the shock absorber brackets as there were some areas I was not happy with when I did the final Metal Prep application. I also reattached the rotor bolts and repainted front wheel lugs to the front hubs-everything looks good. I also temporarily attached the adjustment mechanisms to the rear brake plates-just to see how they looked installed.

I decided to take my axles up to a suspension shop I did some previous business with. I think they are a competent shop and do lots of work on special interest cars... The hubs are not coming off easily which is a bit of a concern. Today will bring more news as to whether the overnight soak in penetrating oil will make the difference? They are recommending changing out the bearings which is probably a good idea...

Triumph TR3-Axles Removed/Some Painting

Time in Garage Tuesday: 1 hr

Daydreaming and Scheming: 1 hr

Removed and tagged the rear axles for hub removal, cleaned up the rear hub/axle hardware in the Eastwood tumbler, squirted on another coat of black paint on the front hubs and applied a coat of primer to assorted fasteners.

Received notification of the Moss Motors super sale and downloaded the installation instructions for the rack and pinion steering mechanism...I think I should order it before the March deadline and get the 10% off...more pondering required on this...

Still contemplating the sale of the '57..

Triumph TR3-Final Paint-Front Hubs

Time in Garage Saturday- 1 hr

Saturday was a busy day preparing for my cross country ski trip so not much time available for TR-3 work. Finished painting the front hubs and did some general garage clean up....

Triumph TR3-Rear Shock Absorber Play???

Time in Garage Friday: 2 hours

Time on Snow Covered Driveway: 1.5 hours

Friday was an "interesting" day on the project.....while doing the final clean up on the rear shock absorber plates I decided to go back and check the shock absorber resistance. One shock was fine but the other had no resistance. I was a bit surprised at my finding. I also checked the "hanger" that attaches the plate to the shock absorber pivot arm and found one of the bushings fairly worn. It was very nice winter day yesterday(about + 4 C) and sunny so I decided in my wisdom to go out to the stored 1959 chassis which is leaning up against my fence in my driveway and extract the shock absorbers and then pick out the best 2 out of 4 for the rebuild.... Wedged between the fence and my camper van the chassis was frozen to the ground. The shock that was in the upright position was fairly straight forward to remove although there was a fair amount of crud and rust to contend with...the shock in the "ground" side was a much different story!!! Access was very restricted to begin with and I had to contend with a bunch of snow that had accumulated. After some struggle one of the bolts came undone but no luck with the other so I ended up taking my angle grinder and grinding off the head of the bolt. Even after I did this the bolt would not push through so I had to get a drill and drill out the center of the bolt. All of this was very time consuming. Finally with the help of a center punch and a large hammer I was able to drive the beheaded bolt out of the bracket to free up the shock. Unfortunately the spring was partially buried in the snow and was covered in ice. To make matters worse one of the fender hold down brackets was blocking the way of the extraction. It too was totally frozen in the ground in the absolute best place to block my extraction. So back into the garage to get a socket wrench to undo the nut and bolt. Not an easy extraction either. Finally the bolt came off and with the use of a hammer to persuade the bracket to move over ( a bit) I was finally able to get the shock past the spring and free...by this time my knees were soaked and I was a bit chilled. I thought to myself I am I don't work in a auto wrecking yard in the winter...

Another coat of black paint on the right hand shock absorber hardware and assorted lug nuts etc. The front hubs are now in two coats of primer ready for the final coat of paint...

I am heading off to the mountains this afternoon for a few days of cross country skiing. Hopefully I will get out into the garage for a while this morning...

Triumph TR3-Moving the Chassis/Lots of Surface Prep

Time in Garage Thursday: 3 hrs

Yesterday I repositioned the chassis, moving it deeper into the garage, back from the garage door and away from the body support stand so I can get access to reassemble the rear end components. I placed the rear of the chassis on jack stands and moved the differential into position.

After doing this task I retrieved the rear shock absorbers (they need to be installed before the rear axle U-bolts go in) and realized I did not "appropriately" surface prep the parts that need to be painted. More clean up ensued. They brackets etc were fairly clean and good shape so not much clean up was required. The shocks seem to be in good working order. I made a note to replace the hydraulic fluid before the body is reinstalled.

I reassembled the left hand side shock absorber hardware and did a bit of Chassis Black touch up of the bolts. The assembly looks clean. I did a trial fit of the attachment bracket on the lower right wishbone that has yet to be installed and everything worked well. I seem to have temporarily misplaced my new upper shock absorber grommets etc so some rooting through my parts supply is in order.

I cleaned up the steering pitman arm and the rear axle straps. The straps look a lot better than the rusted hulks I started with. Some more primer was applied to fasteners and the right hand shock absorber attachment bracket. I threw some more fasteners into the tumbler and they all came out clean and shiny.

I made an enquiry with a local brake shop to get get a quote on removing the rear axle hubs. Any way I slice it, it looks like about $100 per side is in order. I am still trying to decide how to address this task???.. should I use the local shop or take them to my Triumph specialist? More pondering is in order today...there are pros and cons of both approaches.

I was curious about the cost to have a specialist rebuild the front suspension so I checked with one of my sources. Labor costs for a mechanical rebuild is around $2000-a show quality finish etc:$3000...plus parts.. wow...I was surprised. I won't have a show quality finish but it will be presentable...after going through the clean up/rebuild process I can see how the hours add up...

A good day in the garage. It is very satisfying to see paint applied to cleaned up components...

Triumph TR3-Front hub final cleanup

Time in Garage Wednesday: 2 hours

Supply Pick Up-1 hour

My main focus was on the final clean up of the front hubs. I ran my 3M rust remover tool ( an orange wheel that attaches to a drill) which worked really well for the final clean up. I removed about 90% of the surface rust-then treated the hubs with metal prep which should neutralize the remaining rust that I couldn't get at with the tool. There is a bit more prep needed to finish off surface...With a couple of coats of primer followed by two coats of chassis black the hubs should look as good as new. I also cleaned up the right hand spindle. It was pretty rust free and surprisingly left unpainted when installed. It too will be covered in primer and painted the same way as the hubs. A final coat of paint was applied to the suspension stop and shock absorber hardware. Lug nuts and assorted fasteners were placed in the Eastwood tumbler for processing.

I picked up some 3m dust masks, shop towels and a new quartz replace bulb for my tripod mounted flood light. The light actually is brighter than with the original bulb that I accidently broke a few weeks ago (by tipping over the light and having it crash to the floor)... It will be good to have the light back and functional. Total cost $18. I also replaced the block heater plug on my wife's Honda Fit. One of the wires had broken (from the continued flexing of the plug) and as a result the plug needed to be replaced. Quoted price at the dealer $45...my cost $6.00 and 20 minutes work.

I enquired about getting the rear hubs professionally removed. A little pricey. I may see if I can rent a hub puller and see if I can do it myself first. Not sure $200 is a reasonable cost?

All round a good session in the garage. I had a busy day yesterday with other distractions and commitments so not much time to spend turning wrenches...

Triumph TR3-Another Coat of Paint

Time in Garage Tuesday: 30 mins

Yesterday being Valentines Day, it was a "Love" focused day vrs working in the man cave ...I did get out there for a few minutes, cleaned up my work bench, took out a bag of garbage and applied Chassis Black paint to some of the primer painted surfaces and called it a day.....

Triumph TR3-More Parts Cleaning/Painting

Time in Garage Monday: 3 hours

Did the following:

1. Completed final cleaning and prime coat on the suspension stop bracket

2. Finished cleaning up both front hubs-they still require some finish sanding before primer and paint. I scooped out the old wheel bearing grease-one hub looked like the bearings had been repacked later than the other hub that had a good coating of "vintage" grease..I discovered the inner bearing race on one of the spare hubs "spins" so the hub goes to the discard pile. I am glad I have a parts car on this project and the ability to choose the best parts.

3. Picked out the best front hub bearings. Removed the inner races from 2 hubs to switch bearings. The best set are "OK" but somewhat marginal but given the yearly mileage the car will be driven I have few years of service at least...

4. Final coat of red paint on the shocks

5. Chassis black sprayed on assorted parts

6. Loosened up both threaded adjusting nuts on the rear brake adjusters-applied WD 40 and let it soak. Both adjusters are now fully functional. Just need to pack them with the grease that came with my brake hardware kit and it will be all systems go rear brake wise. I need to do some research on configuring the rear brake cylinder C-clips-which clip goes where and how to install the rubber gasket? It has been too long since I disassembled and I kept no record...

I had an interesting telephone conversation last evening with an acquaintance who owns a Mazda Miata. He asked me how my project is going?? He is an artist and paints with my wife from time to time and says when he asks her about my Triumph project she just rolls her eyes and sighs!!! Her response doesn't surprise me-I find it kind of amusing to be honest...I explained to him that I believe I have completed many of the difficult tasks and now I am on the road to reassembly. He asked if I will be driving the car this summer? I wanted to say " yes" but I am reluctant to do so. I stated one of the observations I have made about the process is when I look at a finished assembly or component it is hard to realize the number of hours it took to get to the finished state??? The hours just get burned up with all the related tasks and unless you have done it yourself a person would not have a real appreciation of what happens in the background to get to that shiny clean finished state...I can see why a restoration on one of these cars would be in $30K range.. even though they are of a straight forward design...

Another relaxing day in the garage-not overly productive in my view but progress is being made..

Triumph TR3-Front Hub Clean Up/Brake Adjusters etc

Time in Garage on Sunday: 2 hours

A fairly quiet day in the man cave yesterday. I stood at the bench with the front hub clamped in the vice and spent about 30 minutes cleaning and checking out bearing wear. I removed the lug nuts for tumbling at a later date. I cleaned up the metal straps that restrict the rear end travel, located (and cleaned up) the missing front suspension bracket (not sure of the name of the part-it attaches to the frame under the lower wishbone and prevents travel) which had fallen behind my air compressor, did some further clean up the rear brake springs, freed up the plunger that was stuck in the rear brake adjuster and put the parts back into the tumbler for a couple of hours..they came out looking clean and shiny and squirted another coat of paint on the front shocks. Most of the work was done in short segments so I made numerous trips to the garage during the course of the day.

I was watching a bit of the Search and Restore program on Speed Vision on Saturday morning and one of the segments talked about the painting of the numerous parts to be time consuming. I can understand the observation for sure. The good thing is the painting of small parts allows for a short duration visit to the garage that can be fitted in nearly anytime of the day or evening which means some flexibility in when I head out....I really have to make sure that TV does not trump working on painting Triumph parts!!!

Triumph TR3-Painting and Rear Brake Mock Up

Time in garage: 3 hours

I started the day out but retrieving the painted rear brake plates and laying them out on the coffee table in our family room. From there I gathered the new parts I purchased. Brake cylinders, brake shoes, new clips for mounting the cylinders and placed them in position on the plates. I am reusing the adjusters and brake shoe springs from the '57 so I placed them in the Eastwood tumbler (I think it is great to be able to add parts and walk away and let the machine work its' magic-it is like having an assistant to do grunt work) with a small amount of cleaner to renew them. The springs didn't turn out as clean as I expected so I soaked them in degreaser over night. One of the four adjuster plungers is seized. A WD 40 soak didn't free it up so I liberally applied a penetrating oil to the part and also let it set overnight. Hopefully this morning I will get some movement-if I can't free it up then I am going to have to extract an adjuster from the '59 differential and start the process over again...

I painted the front shocks red. One more coat will be required this morning. I primed a selection of shock absorber and rear axle fastening hardware ready for the chassis black topcoat.

I also contemplated how I am going to approach the replacement of the rear hub seals. It looks like I might have to 3rd party the installation as special tools are required. I know there was oil leakage on one side when I disassembled the axles so both the bearing and the seal might need to be replaced. The bearing was also dry which is not a good sign. I am contemplating using one of the axles out of the '59 as the backing plates were free of oil when I dismantled the brakes. Still a risk if the seals are not changed as the vehicle has sat for so many years. Some more contemplation and planning work is required in this arena.

Triumph TR3-Man Cave Clean Up/Shock Absorber Paint

Time in Garage: 3-1/2 hrs

Parts Pick Up: 1 hr

$$$ Spent: $30

As I promised myself , first thing Friday I ventured out into the garage with the intention to sort through, clean up and put away the multitude of tools spread all over my work area. Mission accomplished. I also tackled a major clean up of my work bench...I can now see the top of it. I boxed up some redundant "stuff" that accumulated on the bench over the last few months. Other assorted tasks including a sweeping of the floor and sorting through my multitude of drill bits-restocking my bit stand and checking the sharpness of the spare bits. Sorting the good from the marginal. I did this while watching TV last night which was a good use of my time...

Total time spent 2-1/2 hours on Man Cave clean up...time well spent in my determination...

I picked up some nuts and washers for installing the rear axle u-bolts. Unfortunately I could not get a good grade of nylon lock nut (3/8 fine thread) from any of the jobbers here so I decided I would use my purchase for the original install and then change them out later for the right nuts. Holding the rear axle in place safely is a big deal and I don't want to compromise safety..

I purchased another can of chassis black paint, primer and a can of red paint for the shocks. I decided to indulge my creative side and paint the shocks a non standard color basically for appearance sake...I went out last night and removed the peeling labels from the shocks, sanded and prepared the surface for paint. The shocks didn't have a very thick coating of paint originally so I ended up putting on a coat of primer last night as there were more than a few bare spots of metal showing.

I cleaned up the rear axle brake backing plate hardware in the Eastwood Tumbler. The pile of parts are now ready for painting.

I removed my homemade spring compressor from the frame. I also purchased the ready rod and nuts to improve the design. Total cost $6

Triumph TR3-Left Hand Front Suspension Spring Installed

Time in garage: about 3-1/2 hours

A successful installation of the left hand spring yesterday. I had to remove of the lower wishbone arms (one more time) to recheck one of the trunnion bushings because I was having trouble closing the gap between the wishbone arm and trunnion. Everything checked out OK so I reinstalled the arm and proceeded with the spring installation. My homemade spring compressor worked fairly well (it got difficult to tighten as the spring compressed) but I am going to make a few modifications before installing the right hand spring. I plan to lubricate the washers and move up to 1/2" redi rod ..a bit of rework and expense but I think it is a safer alternative than utilizing the 3/8" redi rod I used initially. For safety sake I made sure I contained the kinetic energy of the spring by using an external spring compressor in tandem and as I proceeded to tighten the spring down I also installed long guide bolts (and nuts) from the lower wishbones to the plates which would provide more containment if something would go wrong.

After the engine and transmission is installed I will bounce the chassis up and down a few times then go in and recheck the bolt torque values.

My work area is trashed. Tools and parts everywhere. I lost track of my 9/16 socket. Very annoying to say the least...First things first today will be a tidying of the tool crib and a general clean up...

Triumph TR3-Wrenches Turn

Time in garage Wednesday; 4-1/2 hours

A number of different tasks handled yesterday:

1. Checked out rubber bushings on 1959 shock absorbers to see if the shock mounting bushings are the same as the '57's-they are not-the '59 shocks are not usable (too worn out) however they appear to be OEM replacements. The '57 shocks are non standard but have the same dimensions as the OEM. They are still in good shape so for the "short term" I will reuse them with an eye on replacement after I get the car back on the road.

2. Removed the rotors from all 4 front hubs. One hub is badly rusted (surface rust). Randomly checked condition of wheel bearings. I should have a good "matched" set when I am finished. The TR-6 rotors are in at my suppliers so all 4 rotors are considered spare parts. 2 of them still look usable-the other 2 are suspect (scored). The hubs require clean up and paint and bearings cleaned and re-packed with grease. 3 of the grease caps are damaged (dented)-one is pristine. I plan to straighten out the best one of the remaining 3 and put it into the tumbler to clean it up.

3. Received confirmation that my upper wishbone configuration is fine. Continued to assembly left hand side suspension. It went well with the exception of installation of the new trunnion. There was a burr on the spindle that did not allow the trunnion to seat properly against the seal (required number of turns to seat it). Clean up of the burr was required with a few trial fits before it was seated to my satisfaction. I am going to reuse a grease fitting that is currently churning around in the Eastwood tumbler. A question around whether I had the right trunnion seal resulted in an exploratory disassembly of the spare suspension components to confirm. Probably took 30 minutes to complete the task. Proved the seal to be correct so worth it.

4. The new replacement trunnion will be received in 10 days which impacts my critical path a bit. I plan to finish installing the left hand suspension today and put the wheel back on. I will then move to the rear differential and brakes next-getting them bolted up. When the parts come in I will finish off the right hand suspension...there is lots to do in the meantime....

Triumph TR3-Clean Up

Time in Garage Tuesday: 1 hr.

Yesterday I spent about an hour cleaning up my workbench (there is still work to do) and sorting the cleaned up fasteners and hardware. I wasn't feeling very well physically (I woke up feeling very tired which lasted through most of the day) so I determined not to tackle anything mechanically challenging as I just didn't have the energy to do so...

Triumph TR3-Front Shock Bushings/Upper Wishbone Configeration

Time in garage Monday: 1-1/2 hours

Mainly focused on installing the lower shock absorber rubber bushings in both shock absorbers. I am using the Munroe shocks out of the 1957 that seem to be in good shape. However the bushings I purchased did not seem to fit properly requiring some "modification" to fit. I had to trim them down a bit-I am assuming the shocks are after market and not identical OEM replacements?? I may do some more research today on the situation...I placed the lower brackets in the Eastwood tumbler for clean up and let the machine do it's thing for about 3 hours...I decided yesterday I am going to use the shocks and maybe sometime down the road replace them after I have driven the car for a while..they should be "fit for purpose"...

I took pictures of the upper wishbone configuration to make sure I have them reassembled correctly (front and back placement) then set them to my supplier in Calgary who happens to have a TR3 parts car sitting in their yard. I asked them to confirm my reassembly. I expect an answer back today..

Not a lot of energy yesterday for TR-3 work but I did get out into the garage and make some progress...

Triumph TR3-Non Spec Trunnion/Painting/Research

Time in garage Sunday-1 hr

Reviewing torque specs/internet search-1 hr..

A bit of a setback yesterday. The "used" trunnion I had set aside to reuse (on the right hand suspension) turned out to be flawed/out of spec and therefore unusable....upon closer inspection the shafts were a bit too scored and when inserted into the lower wishbone bushing too loose...I went back and rechecked a couple of the other spare trunnions-even going as far as to partially clean up one as it looked promising... Same problem with fit...I sent an e-mail to my supplier yesterday to order a replacement. I had a "hunch" this might be an issue (reusing an old part) but decided to proceed without really checking fit closely-a bit of an oversight for sure!!!

I sprayed on a coat of Chassis Black on the lower wishbone to frame brackets and the upper fulcrum nuts and washers..

Last night I threw the extra front shock mounting hardware into the tumbler for cleaning. I figure having the fasteners cleaned up will give me more options when I reinstall the shocks.

I also spent about 30 minutes reviewing my manuals to get tightening spec for the front suspension components. I re-read the assembly procedure.....plus did a bit of research on the internet to see if there were sites available for cross reference...A successful endeavor.

I also realized yesterday the body to frame mounting plates (professionally fabricated to match the replacement mounting plates installed on the 59 frame) on the underside of the body that mount the body to the frame may not line up with the powder coated frame (which has the original mounting brackets) ...some measuring is in order.....

Triumph TR3-Wrenches Touch Bolts=Front Suspension Work

Time in garage Saturday: 4hrs

Time driving all over picking up misc supplies: 1.5 hrs..

I entered the garage in mid afternoon and stay "heads down" until around 5:00 p.m. Good progress on reassembling the front suspension. I put the front of the frame on jack stands which provided a good height for handling the components etc. No challenging issues to report other than having to use wet and dry 220 grit sandpaper to remove a skim of the powder coating to install the lower wishbone bushings. This activity probably added 30 minutes to the work session overall. I am about 40 percent assembled at this point. I also completed the fabrication of my homemade spring compressor. Last night I went out again for about an hour and worked on prepping some unpainted parts by placing them in my Eastwood tumbler and letting them "vibrate" overnight...

I jumped in my truck and started searching out the "nuts" I require for the rear axle u-bolts. Two auto supply store visits yielded nothing so it looks like I will be forced to go to a fastener specialty jobber. There are a couple listed but they were not open on Saturday. A job for next week. I purchased a new grease gun and chassis grease...the gun is a good quality unit that was listed on sale for $12 off. I also purchased a tube of 105 lubricating grease for engine (new oil pump assembly)..total cost around $40.00

Triumph TR3-Homemade Spring Compressor

Not much happening Triumph wise in the last 2 days. I did however, get out yesterday and purchase the materials required to build my homemade spring compressor (ready rod etc), a new grinding wheel for my angle grinder and a new saw blade for my hacksaw. Total cost around $19.00. Hopefully today I will get out to the garage and fabricate the spring compressor... I still have the spring compressors I borrowed from my neighbor last year-I am going them to use it to do the initial compression and then use the homemade one to hold the spring during reassembly (I have a sense there is going to be some interference issues reassembling using the borrowed units...of course I am going to very careful with the reassembly-there is lots of kinetic energy stored up in a compressed spring...)