Nut Rivits

Time in Garage: 1 hour

I have experienced some frustration with anchoring my transmission cover nuts into the floor pan. My first pass of " gluing" the nuts didn't work. I think it related to the finish. I couldn't get a good bond. I then went to a specialty jobber and got some clinch nuts but they did not install well either. Not fit for purpose. Searching the internet provided me a homemade way of using nut rivets without utilizing the tool ( the cost of which I find prohibitive considering I was only going to install 6 nuts) .. Using the YouTube method failed. My son has nut riveters at his shop..both a manual and pneumatic version which I have made a request to borrow..."right tool for the job" has to apply in this application. No short cuts...

New Bumper and Fasteners etc/garage time

Time in garage: 3 hours
$$$ spent $426

Yesterday I finished off the bead trim for the transmission tunnel and epoxied in the nuts for the tunnel fastening bolts. I picked up my fasteners, a new brake switch and other assorted small parts from my supplier on Friday along with the new front bumper... Not sure about the purchase of the bumper at this point as it is not needed for a while but the price was right...

Fastener Clean up/Garage Chaos/sheet Metal

Time in Garage: 2-1/2 hours
$$$ spent $70

Back in the garage yesterday...still lots of "day to day" distractions keeping me from my hobby...I continue to determine priorities from a day to day perspective..determining "first things first" ....feeling aware and focused doing so but not always easy for me to do and more "often than not" . not Triumph focused....yesterday was high on  " old car hobby" desire but a low physical energy day which translated into some progress being made...but once again not as much done as I had planned...

I cleaned up my Eastwood tumbler and reintroduced the fasteners that I started cleaning a few weeks ago. The media had become very contaminated so the fasteners came out tarnished the first time...

My garage required an hours worth of clean up before I could even start working...I talked to my wife about this "hindrance" to my productivity...she just smiled a knowing smile...my next home will have a larger shop area...I am really cramped space wise which leaves no room for items to be "parked" out of place...

My son bent my 90 degree sheet metal beads for the transmission tunnel  to floor mounting surface yesterday. A critical task in the reintroduction of the body to the chassis. I am very grateful for his work...today I head out to the garage to install the bead.

I purchased some small heavy duty discs for cleaning up the footwell and under dash areas...plus found sanding discs  on sale for my orbital sander...very good price...I also purchased a spray can of undercoating for touch up and final spray of the beading.

Binder/Buy vrs Build/ Nov/Dec Plan

I rearranged my Triumph binder ... While doing so I had an opportunity to view to view the "before" pictures taken when the previous owner rescued the '59 from the farmers field. Looking at the pictures shows me how far I have progressed...encouraging on many fronts..

This week "Bring a Trailer" had a nice TR3 listed for $12,000 and change...really got me thinking about the build vrs buy options that present themselves from time to time...would I have been better off to buy a better car initially... You bet! Had I bought a $12,000 car 5 years ago I would have been driving in the interim instead of building...the estimated $$$ difference by the time I finish the build . About $3000 cheaper to build I figure but the final $$$ are not in yet....my car will be more personalized... Trade offs for sure...

I laid out my Nov/Dec plan on paper...trying to set reasonable goals?

Removed the hinges from the damaged door frame...started to put tools away in garage..ran out of energy....

Fasteners and Other Misc Parts Ordered

Time in Garage: none

It has been a quiet week Triumph wise. No garage time since the last entry

Tonite I ordered replacement fasteners for the transmission to engine mounting. No luck in locating my cleaned and painted fasteners so I decided to reorder tonite...Included was a new brake switch, drain tap and hold down clamps-brake line to differential and a few other odds and ends. Also I was offered a new front bumper at a discounted price. I sat on the fence for a few weeks but decided to commit today as I am going to eventually need one....

Body Off Again/Brake Line Routing

Time in Garage: 3 hours

Yesterday I determined to remove the body from the frame one more time. Access to the bolts I need to cut off/remove (on the outrigger flanges) is too difficult with the body on the chassis. I also decided having the body back  on the stands makes for easier access for the tasks I need to complete in the near future.

Last night I was very low energy but decided time spent in the garage was more productive than watching tv so I ventured out for an hour or so and tried to install brake lines. I has previously rerun them but removed them when I had the chassis straightened/checked in 2012. They have been kicking around the garage for months and often getting in the way...after some trial fits I got most of the lines figured out but ran into trouble with the rear axle configuration. Now resolved based on research on the Internet...an excellent resource..

Body Reunited with Frame (almost)

Time in Garage 3-1/2 hours

Reunited the body to the frame this afternoon!!!!looks good!!!

Back to Parts Sorting and Garage Clean Up

Time in garage 7.5 hours over 2 days

I have misplaced a container of cleaned and painted fasteners I took care of last winter. In my quest to locate them I have ended up going through every one of my stored parts boxes ( in the garage and the storage shed) and sorting the needed parts for the final assembly from the spares. Re boxing and labelling followed. Unfortunately no fasteners turned up! I am not sure where they are which is a bit of an aggravation. The container is obviously stored somewhere out of sight or it has been accidentally boxed and turfed out during one of my garage clean up sessions.  I am going to do one more pass today. If not located I will need to repurchase...

The "sorting" activity turned out to be  time well spent.

I also reloaded all the '57 body panels back into the tub ( from the storage shed) and retarped the tub for weather protection.

My garage needs a reorganization and clean up which I began yesterday. I plan to continue the activity today.

I have located a "parts" chassis that I could incorporate to get the '57 into a rolling chassis stage. I am not sure how I am going to proceed at this point?

Missed Tasks

Time in garage 3-1/2 hours

Yesterday morning I woke up realizing there were no anchor nuts installed in the replacement floor boards for mounting the transmission cover and that I needed to get them drilled and nuts adhered.  I also discovered later in the day was the missing attachment bracket that sits near the parking brake lever. ( this is the advantage of having the '57 still around!) I fabricated the new bracket and drilled the holes for the cover. My son is going to get me some thin gauge mild steel to fab the lip that goes around the floorboard opening for the transmission cover...this will need to be installed soon. It would have been preferable to have the lip installed prior to applying the HPC coating but I am not too concerned this step was missed.

I decided yesterday to remove the heater and take out the instrument cluster and old wiring harness. I have been having to work around the dangling harness on numerous  occasions so it was nice to see the entrails gone! The heater hoses were super rotted and just crumbled when I was disconnecting the heater. I  accidentally dropped the heater core on the driveway after undoing the last nut which was totally avoidable. It doesn't look damaged? Even more parts being removed ....arghhhh!!!

I am looking into some Fiero seats! I checked some out for my MGB a few years ago and I think they would make a good enhancement to the car from a comfort perspective. The seat rails need to be positioned and drilled for attachment so I might as well find some  seats and custom fit them. Of course seat belts will be need to be purchased and installed at some point...

A productive day all round!!!

HPC Coating Applied in Trunk Area

Time in Garage: 3 hours over 2 days
$$$ spent $70-paint and respirator cartridges..

The body is still sitting in my driveway-countdown to October 20th body to frame reconnect continues-the body prep is done!  Yesterday  afternoon I sprayed the trunk with the High Performance coating ....outside temp was around 50 degrees F which was a bit low but I got around the low temp by utilizing my space heater placed under the car cover once the coating was laid down. I'm not  too overly concerned about paint  adhesion ( room temperature is optimum) as the trunk area will be covered with carpet...the coating took about 30 minutes longer to set up which was to be expected...the spots spray gun worked well...I was glad I sprayed outdoors vrs in the garage..

My main focus will now be on the frame prep....painting and body work will recommence once the car is moved back into the garage...outdoor ambient temperature is just too low to continue...

Trunk Area Prep

Time in Garage:3-1/2 hrs

The weather was fine yesterday. I prepped the trunk area for the High Perfprmance coating..seam sealed etc. Probably another hours work to do before the finish is applied ....

Intake and exhaust Manifold Installed

Time in Garage:1-1/2 hours

On Monday the weather caved in...rain and much colder temperatures thus I was unable to continue with painting so  I moved into the garage and prepared the exhaust and intake manifolds for installation and attached them to the engine.

 I have a misplaced fastener issue to address. There is a container of cleaned and painted fasteners that t can not locate right now...more searching is in order...

A colleague came over last night to look at my project. He has a 1976 MGB he has owned since new that he is contemplating reconditioning. Based on his mechanical background I think he appreciated the work I have done so far. I ventured over to his place and looked at the MG. Good starting point for sure...it will be interesting to see how he proceeds...

I spent some time going over my task list and marking off what I have completed. I also did some planning for the Oct 20th reuniting body to chassis...lots of t asks to do yet...

More Coats of Paint-Engine Compartment/Trunk Surface Repair/Trunk Lid sanding and primer

Time in Garage: 7 hours over 2 days
Money spent: $32 approx

I sprayed another coat of paint on the engine compartment. Coverage looks good. I have to continually remind myself it is the engine compartment and the paint does not need to be perfect to be presentable. I determined not to straighten out all the dents etc and to leave some of the "scars" from earlier owners present rather than sanitize the engine bay. The car is a driver and I want it to have some character when it is finished. At this point I am not sure if I will regret going in this direction but for now I am staying on course.\

As indicated earlier I fabricated some reinforcement strips for base of the trunk and steel epoxed them into place along with the new bracket for the divider. I exercised some creativity and made non standard shapes figuring they would be covered with the carpet anyway. I plan to rivet them in place, seal the seams  and finish off the surfaces,prime and potentially HPC the trunk area today. Interestingly I have to purchase a new rivet tool. Over the past few weeks I have experienced malfunctions in both of my existing tools. I repaired one of them and for some reason the tool has disappeared since. I have looked in all the possible places and have had no luck locating it. The second tool had a jammed rivet in it. I pulled it apart and it looks like it is not repairable...just worn out I think...I am also going to purchase shorter rivets when I replace the tool which I think will be more fit for purpose.

The trunk lid had been previously primed but for some reason the surface was damaged while the lid was in storage. I sanded down the surface with 240 grit wet and dry sandpaper and applied a coat of etching primer to the bare metal. I also did a 240 grit sanding of the hood which I need to finish today.

Trunk Area Repair...1st Coat Paint Engine Compartment

Time in Garage: 5 hours over 2 days
Money Spent $140 approx-body shop supplies.

I tackled fixing the trunk area with a few coats of fibreglass reinforced filler. There was a small area to repair ( along the ridge) and the repair looks good  at this point. A bit more sanding and finishing to do yet! I made a new bracket for the trunk divider ( the old one was severely rusted) and reinforcement strips to attach to the trunk surface to reinforce the panel above the spare tire. If I don't attach the strips I think the panel will vibrate and be annoying while driving!

I painted the engine compartment white. Duplicolor Lacquer. First 2 coats. There is a small paint run to be repaired but overall the paint job is "fit for purpose" Some  additional sanding is required. Once the sanding is completed an additional coat will be applied today . The HVLP spray gun worked well...

Making Progress!

Engine compartment Final Sanding

Time in Garage: 2 hours

I came home from work early on Wednesday and decided to tackle the final sanding and clean up of the engine compartment. Task finished. I wet sanded to 240 grit which I think will be "fit for purpose"

The Project in Review

A colleague of mine is coming over for a garage tour next week to look at my Triumph. He has a mid 1970's MGB that he has owned since new that he is considering bringing back to life after years of being parked. I always tell people who view my work in progress that there is a lot more work and money invested than what is apparent viewing the bare chassis and tub sitting on stands! I seem to need to justify my progress particularly to people who are not familiar with bringing an old car back to life. As I mentioned in earlier blogs I don't think I would attempt a rebuild of this magnitude again, preferring instead to spend more money initially and start with a better car! If I had followed this route I would be driving a sports car instead of still building it... I have to keep remembering it is the journey, not the destination that is important!

I can very much appreciate why restorations cost so much to complete when done by professionals. Hours and hours can be consumed just cleaning up parts and doing the most mundane tasks! Looking at my powder coated frame and disassembled body I know how far I have brought the project along and I have to remind myself not to be too judgmental that I don't have the project completed.

Engine Bay Prep

Time in Garage: 5 hours over 2 days

Worked Saturday and for a hour Monday night

Applied some fibreglass filler ( in the engine bay area) to the lower sections of the inner wheel wells to reinforce where the bolts go.  Finish sanded and primed. Tonite I removed the steering column bracket for painting black and the excellerator rod and brackets for painting. I cringe every time I remove another part..but it has to be done...

The sale of the 1957 tub fell through after nearly 3 months of being on hold waiting for the potential buyer to show up. Our schedules conflicted a bit which made a showing difficult to arrange. He finally showed up and determined my tub was not in any better shape than his one at home? I had provided numerous pics so I was a bit surprised!  He was also concerned the floor boards had a different configuration behind the seats. I could sense his disappointment and gave him an out on the purchase. We determined the car is probably a TR2.  I had a " feeling" the deal wasn't going to go through right from the beginning. It just didn't feel right to me. For example I was very surprised we had arrived at a selling price without the buyer seeing the tub in person? Oh well, back to square one!!!! I have some research to do...more to follow on this subject...

Major Milestone Accomplished: HPC Coating Applied

Time in Garage : 12 hours over 2 days
Dollars Spent: $300 approx

A colleague very generously offered to spray a HPC coating on the underside of the body and front fender wells..a job that was completed last Thursday night. I think he sensed the need to make the offer and get me move moving again on my project based on a couple of workplace discussions we had around the current stages of our individual projects. Another contibuting factor is warm days are quickly disappearing closing the window of opportunity to get the job done so there was a sense of urgency timing wise.   I am very glad progress has been made!!!

I am currently preparing the engine bay for painting...

The Project/Back in the Garage

Time in Garage: 3 hours

It is hard to believe it has been over 6 weeks since I worked on my Triumph? The summer has flown by and obviously my old car hobby has not been a priority! It has been an interesting [and good] summer on many fronts and as one can imagine a busy one! I was at a friend's wedding last weekend and met up with a colleague who is into rebuilding jeeps. He has a fully equiped shop and loves to get out there and wrench but finds it difficult to find the time. He and his wife shared the only way work gets done is if they set a date by choosing an event to attend and then by doing so he buckles down and delivers! They suggested the date should be realistic and they said I do the same! Good plan...I started my project in 2009. It is hard to believe it has been 4 years since I started the build!  A considerable length of time. I too, really need to buckle down and deliver! I am not sure what event I will pick but when I do I will publish an entry

Another colleague has his second project vehicle up for sale after he came to the realization the build is not going to happen as project truck number one is still in the garage unfinished. We talked about Kijjiji and all the abandoned projects listed and his conclusion is the builder probablly didn't have the skill set to finish the work (which probably includes project management skills and discipline to stay on track) or the money to have someone else finish it? He could be right!

On Saturday I did the final sanding and finishing on the waterpump housing and water pump. Painted both. Cleaned up and applied the first coat of silver paint to 50% of the exhaust system. Coming to the conclusion prep doesn't have to be perfect as I am not concerned if the paint deteriorates as I drive the car. I also painted the clutch inspection plate. Some garage clean up was in order first.

Oil Pan Paint Applied/parts sorted

Time in garage: 3 hours

Catch up on earlier work. Oil pan painted..sorted through parts...

Exhaust System Clean Up/The Garage

Time in the garage : 3.5 hrs

I have just about finished the exhaust system de-rusting . About another hour or so to go. Not sure of my decision to save some money and not sandblast the assembly but I think it will be fit for purpose once I get a majority of the rust off.

I spent a few minutes researching painting options and decided on barbecue paint. I know after a few months of driving the paint will probably peel off and the rust will return but a least it will be cleaned up in the short run. A majority of cars on the road have rusted exhaust systems...so not a problem in my eyes.

I do have some POR 20 that I bought last year...i thought about using it  but curing  would be the problem...

I am also cleaning up the hangers and related hardware/bolts.

Garage clutter caved in on me again. 2 hours today cleaning up...

Valve Cover Hold Down Bolts/Garage Clean up/Project Discussion

Time in Garage: 2 hours on Saturday

Not a lot of time spent in the garage over the last week ...Social events in the evenings during the workweek and other distractions/interruptions/ priorities this weekend have dominated my personal landscape trumping Triumph work sessions.

I did manage to get my valve cover hold down nuts  un-seized which is another step completed in the engine block reassembly.

Spent about an hour tidying my garage. Heading out to do more of the same today.

Stopped to talk to a neighbour yesterday while walking my dog. After some conversation about his new fence the topic shifted to how my Triumph project was going? As the conversation progressed I started feeling more and more defensive. I admitted to him I was growing weary of having the car disassembled in my garage but I also didn't want it to become a Kijjiji statistic (unfinished project) and to be sold returning 25 cents on the dollar! I cut the conversation short and moved on. Lots of sensitivity related to the topic for sure?

Fuel Pump/Spin on Oil Filter Install

Time in Garage: 3 hours

I cleaned mating surfaces for the fuel pump and oil filter.

I had previously purchased a spin on filter conversions from Moss Motors. I had to clean out the old dried up rubber gasket from the existing filter housing before installing the aluminum housing from the kit-  a task that took much longer than expected. The new assembly (with the bright orange Fram filter) looks great against the newly painted engine block. Unfortunately I was unable to do the final install because the oil gauge line is in storage and not easily assessible. The line is needed because it acts as a spacer on one of the studs.

 I  was unable to do the final install on the fuel pump because I couldn't locate my previously purchased gasket...

1957 Tub Sold

Last week I started parting out the '57 by selling the tub to a fellow enthusiast. The decision was not an easy one to make but I think serves both of us in the most beneficial way. My rebuild fund gets a boost in $$$, the spare tub is no longer sitting around taking up space and I still have access to the parts I need to finish off my car. More parts will be sold as the build progresses.

Oil Pump/Oil Pan Installed

Time in Garage 3-1/2 Hours

A good day in the garage yesterday....installed the new oil pump cartridge. Pretty straight forward other than my not checking the oil pickup configuration before installing the cover so I ended up pulling the cover off one more time. Tolerances look good. I ran the oil pan sump bolts through another cleaning cycle utilizing my Eastwood tumbler. Applied gasket sealer to the oil pan gasket and installed the newly painted Oil pan- torquing down the bolts to spec. Satisfying to see the bottom end buttoned up. I applied some paint to the bolt heads for rust protection. Looks good too.

Engine Painting

Time in garage 4-1/2 hours

Cleaned up the engine block one more time and painted it with Duplicolor engine enamel.
Removed oil pan (again) and cleaned exterior in preparation for painting.
Reviewed manual to determine torque values for oil pump installation
Checked out Alternator kit. Read literature.

Good day all round...

Summer Solstice Garage Time

Time in garage : 2-1/2 hours

Worked on the front suspension (replacing nuts etc and installing a missing bolt that was misplaced for the rack and pinion mounting bracket) plus refitted the right hand brake calliper. It required a slight grinding modification to the body of the calliper where it mounts to the support bracket to address some excess material the was causing the calliper to rub against the rotor ( and bind) when tightened down. A simple fix that worked well.

The previous weekend found me cleaning off my work bench in order to free up a working area and cleaning up generally. I have some ideas for future improvements in storage efficiency that need to be done based on my limited space availability.

I purchase an alternator replacement kit from Moss Motors that was on sale for $50 off..by looking at the installation video I determined it would be easier to install with the body off the chassis than on so I splurged so I can have it on hand. 

I have an offer in hand for my 1957 tub only. Currently contemplating my next steps! 

Modified Moss Rack and Pinion Mounting Bracket

Time in garage:45 mins
Task: Modification of steering assembly bracket

Last week I had some welding done on my mounting bracket by a local firm to my specifications. After a couple of trial fits and 2 sets of measurements I took the plunge and drilled out the new mounting holes. The bracket looks great and I think will resolve the clearance issue between the steering shaft knuckle and frame.

No Wrenching In The Neighbourhood

Yesterday I took the Rack and pinion mounting bracket to a welding shop to see about getting a modification made. I couldn't seem to communicate what I needed done in a way that the fellow understood...I also don't think he was  too interested in doing the work either which didn't help the situation ..he  recommended another shop which is better suited to taking in a small project which I appreciated.

I have done no work in the garage since March 10th...it is now May...my work contract is consuming my time and energy and keeping me away from "wrenching" on my Triumph...one of many excuses..ha ha...

Rack and Pinion Mount/Clutch Install

Back into the garage this afternoon.
Time spent: 1-1/2 hrs

Removed the rack and pinion bracket so the new tab can be welded on.
Cleaned off the flywheel clutch plate surface.
Installed new clutch.
Drafted out new "to do" list

Listened to the radio-choosing of the new Pope on "Cross Country Checkup" on the C.B.C.-interesting phone in quests...

Looking towards some warmer weather so I can get the engine block painted.

Checking out ads on Kijjiji looking for a cheap utility trailer to move body around...

Need to do another clean up of the garage. Woodworking tools spread about...from Kitchen reno...

Looking to Magnus Walker (major 911 Porsche obsession) for inspiration-to get my TR3 project/enthusiasm refueled

Deep in Thought-Project Execution

For the last 3 weeks I have been a home handyman-my spare time totally focused on my daughter's kitchen renovation with no progress being made on the Triumph. This time, last year I was out in the garage almost daily working on my car. Once again I am experiencing conflicting priorities and compromise with respect to my project completion deadline.

Last week has been interesting from the perspective 3 people have asked my about my project? Totally unsolicitied enquiries which really got me thinking about the bigger picture with respect to how I approach working on the Triumph.

The "rub" for me is the project has now gone on too long to complete...taking it out of the category of hobby and pleasurable spare time pursuit into the realm of aggravation and disappointment with the unfinished state. A dangerous place to be in the overall scheme of things....

When people ask me how things are going I now become defensive and offer up excuses for non-completion and lately, a lack of progress....the other issue than causes me grief is my garage is not accessible for other endeavors based on the car being dismantled and not moveable.

The internal dialog continues......

Engine Work...More parts cleaning

Time in Garage over the past few days: about 6 hours

I have stripped down the engine to a long block configuration. Today I  purchased a high quality wire brush attachment for my drill and really cleaned up the block and transmission. One final surface prep clean and I should be able to apply some paint. As with a majority of the tasks on this car it has taken me longer than expected to get the work done, as always I am more aptimistic than practical...a majority of the removed parts are cleaned up and wire brushed. A long and tedious process that still needs completion.

I attempted to remove the broken studs on the exhaust manifold. Soaked the studs overnight wnd used a stud remover but the studs were just too brittle after years of use. I ended up having to drill out the remaining portion of the studs and clean up the treads with a tap 3/8 nc cost $9. It took me about a hour to do the job not including the time spent to get the proper tap.

I removed the intake manifold from the exhaust manifold and cleaned it up..it looks much more presentable. Started to clean up the distributor..about another 30 mins left to finish it off.

Finished cleaning up the oil canister housing..looks good and polished off some other clean up jobs.

I am coming to the conclusion one had to be a bit obsessive to take on a project like this and get it finished in a reasonable time frame ....oh well ...live and learn...

Rekindled Project Focus

Time in Garage Friday: 6 hours

I am recently back from a January vacation to the Palm Desert in Southern California, somewhat recharged and refocused and ready to get back to work on my car. Christmas break was a bit challenging health wise as I contracted a fairly serious cold/flu that put Christmas celebrating and working on the Triumph on the back burner. I had to lay low and take it easy...

Yesterday I did the following:

Removed the fan extension from the front engine pulley..interestingly I didn't realize there was a large bolt that had to be removed. After a bit of frustration trying to break the extension free I referenced my manual and read through the instructions...I chuckled to myself around the 15 minutes I wasted that could have been avoided had I read the manual first!!! Arghhh..

While referencing the manual I recorded all the relevant torgue readings on a piece of paper that I put into a clip board...easier to read and doesn't mess up the manual with greasy fingers

I removed the thermostat housing and waterpump housing for clean up and reinstallation with new gaskets..

Removed the distributor and found a large deposit of gunk that needed cleaning out...it has been a while since the distributor has been removed. It will require clean up and a bushing check...

I did another clean of the block in prep for painting. I removed the spark plugs to clean up the head surface and noticed one was broken. Not sure how that happened but it will need to be replaced.

The block is now about 80 percent prepared for paint...yesterday was a great day to work on the car as I could keep the garage door open...record temperatures in our area...felt more like spring than mid winter...also good light and ventilation for parts cleaning...

On Thursday I traded out the remaining after market slotted wheel for the proper rim that I had recently powder coated...now the chassis has all the right rims installed. Cost to do this: $42 for the rim recoat and $22 for tire swap and balancing and a new valve stem...the slotted rim was put into storage...