Time in Driveway: 2 hours
A beautiful evening working outside in the driveway. Very quiet neighbourhood wise and a bit on the cool side but great to be out of the house and away from the TV set. It felt good overall and I had a sense of accomplishment when I was finished.
I finished pulling apart the front suspension on the purchased frame. The fasteners are ready for cleaning in the Eastwood tumbler and today I will start the clean up process on the removed suspension parts. I also want to remove the brake drums from the rear axle and see the condition of the brakes etc. I am still pondering the validity of the purchase price of the spare frame vrs the value of the parts harvested (vrs buying them separately which would have a freight and time component attached) but I need to move on and focus on the reassembly. There is no use at looking back at this point? I think it will be a bit of a wash overall...
I have started looking at the wiring harness purchase which I hope to do early next week. I plan to order a replacement ignition switch, light switch, horn button and wiper switch..I may need a new solenoid...not sure yet....
I have the chassis parts on order that I need plus the parts needed to put the spare motor back together. Included is 2 TR6 wheels and tires that I am using for the rear wheels on the '57 reassembly.
Today I have to focus on cleaning up the garage and putting tools away. Also my wife bought me a set of combination wrenches at an estate sale that complement my tool box collection in a good way. Now I have multiply versions of the same size which comes in handy when working on cars. All for $10.00
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Front Suspension Disassembly
Time in the Driveway: 4 hours
Yesterday I tackled the disassembly of the purchased chassis components. I got the right side completely disassembled and the left about 50% done. Things went well. I kept the chassis in the bed of my truck and worked at waist height which was helpful. The most difficult bolt removal was the bolts holding the brake callipers on.....took lots of torque to loosen them. Interesting the brake pads look almost new and the rotors are in good shape-though rusty. I am going to see if the pistons move in the callipers with an eye on potentially reusing them. The lower control arm condition is great on one of the arms and not so good on the other with the trunnion bushing worn. The trunnions themselves seem fine as are the ball joints. I may reuse the ball joints rather than replace...not sure? I also removed the rear shock absorber from the frame piece. It appears to still work but further investigation is required. I still have to remove the other. I want to pull the rear brake drums off and check out the condition of the linings etc. I want to be able to reuse as many parts as possible.
The day was coolish and overcast but it felt good to be outside and in the fresh air. I found the work challenging and satisfying but noticed some discomfort in my lower back when I was finished for the day.
I am hoping the purchase pays off.....the trend says probably...I won't really know until I get the left hand side of the front suspension disassembled.
Yesterday I tackled the disassembly of the purchased chassis components. I got the right side completely disassembled and the left about 50% done. Things went well. I kept the chassis in the bed of my truck and worked at waist height which was helpful. The most difficult bolt removal was the bolts holding the brake callipers on.....took lots of torque to loosen them. Interesting the brake pads look almost new and the rotors are in good shape-though rusty. I am going to see if the pistons move in the callipers with an eye on potentially reusing them. The lower control arm condition is great on one of the arms and not so good on the other with the trunnion bushing worn. The trunnions themselves seem fine as are the ball joints. I may reuse the ball joints rather than replace...not sure? I also removed the rear shock absorber from the frame piece. It appears to still work but further investigation is required. I still have to remove the other. I want to pull the rear brake drums off and check out the condition of the linings etc. I want to be able to reuse as many parts as possible.
The day was coolish and overcast but it felt good to be outside and in the fresh air. I found the work challenging and satisfying but noticed some discomfort in my lower back when I was finished for the day.
I am hoping the purchase pays off.....the trend says probably...I won't really know until I get the left hand side of the front suspension disassembled.
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Rolling Chassis 1957
$$ Spent $950
The project has taken an interesting turn of late. About a week and a half ago I shared a beer with the original owner of my TR3's . Through the course of the conversation our attention turned to the TR3 market and what appears to be few cars coming up for sale and when they do they sell fast. My friend still longs for a TR3 and is not really happy owing my old MGB which is currently going through a major body restoration. How he arrived in this spot is interesting to consider but not for sharing today.
At the end of our conversation I determined I do not want to sit on the fence for another summer season and have the '57 body sit on my utility trailer and the frame propped up against the fence so in my wisdom (based on marketing the car) I have decided to take a side trip and reassemble the pieces into a rolling chassis and then determine the next steps. The car is worth more if I do so and there is a potential I have nearly enough pieces to put it back together. Previously there were some complexities to doing this around the damaged rear hubs and having to replace them and some missing suspension parts that need to be bought. In order to address these concerns I have purchased a discarded TR3 chassis from my parts supplier and had it cut up so I could transport it home easily. The frame was damaged and not repairable but the components look good. So I have another differential and a complete front suspension that appears to be tight. I have purchased new ball joints and a front suspension kit for reassembly. I am keeping my fingers crossed this purchase will translate into all (if not most) of the parts I need.
I have the original '59 front right fender in for bead blasting as I am not happy with the 2 other repaired fenders. I need to make a new lower patch and bang out a few dents then apply a skim coat and prime. This is also a departure from the original plan.
The project has taken an interesting turn of late. About a week and a half ago I shared a beer with the original owner of my TR3's . Through the course of the conversation our attention turned to the TR3 market and what appears to be few cars coming up for sale and when they do they sell fast. My friend still longs for a TR3 and is not really happy owing my old MGB which is currently going through a major body restoration. How he arrived in this spot is interesting to consider but not for sharing today.
At the end of our conversation I determined I do not want to sit on the fence for another summer season and have the '57 body sit on my utility trailer and the frame propped up against the fence so in my wisdom (based on marketing the car) I have decided to take a side trip and reassemble the pieces into a rolling chassis and then determine the next steps. The car is worth more if I do so and there is a potential I have nearly enough pieces to put it back together. Previously there were some complexities to doing this around the damaged rear hubs and having to replace them and some missing suspension parts that need to be bought. In order to address these concerns I have purchased a discarded TR3 chassis from my parts supplier and had it cut up so I could transport it home easily. The frame was damaged and not repairable but the components look good. So I have another differential and a complete front suspension that appears to be tight. I have purchased new ball joints and a front suspension kit for reassembly. I am keeping my fingers crossed this purchase will translate into all (if not most) of the parts I need.
I have the original '59 front right fender in for bead blasting as I am not happy with the 2 other repaired fenders. I need to make a new lower patch and bang out a few dents then apply a skim coat and prime. This is also a departure from the original plan.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Moving Fenders Around
Time in Garage: around 2 hours
I spent some time in my storage shed finding the spare master cylinder bracket, reservoir and moving the fenders, trunk lid and hood out of the shed and into the garage. I made a determination I might need to restore the original right hand fender rather than use the one I repaired a few years ago. More work needs to be done to determine the best way to proceed?
I spent some time in my storage shed finding the spare master cylinder bracket, reservoir and moving the fenders, trunk lid and hood out of the shed and into the garage. I made a determination I might need to restore the original right hand fender rather than use the one I repaired a few years ago. More work needs to be done to determine the best way to proceed?
Engine Married to Chassis
Time in Garage: 1-1/2 hours
Yesterday I dropped the engine onto the chassis. The process was straight forward with a few challenges moving the engine out of the garage and in position. I had to stop half way through and re position the arm on the engine hoist in order to have enough "reach" to get the engine to sit on the engine mounts. The stance of the arms on the hoist also interfered with the wheel position-another challenge... A minor set back-but something that needed to be done. I didn't install the transmission mount so |I utilized a 2 x 4 to support the back of the transmission. I have noticed some interference with the bolts on the front pulley. I need to go back and look at the instructions for the rack and pinion installation to see what has been recommended to rectify the situation?
I also purchased some white board cleaner and new fine point dry erase markers to reconfigure the action list which is copied down on the whiteboard on the wall of the garage.
I had to inflate one of the front tires after I installed the engine. Now the engine is in place I can start working on the front shock installation etc. I really want to chop away at the misc activities related to preparing the drive train.
Today I plan to go out in the storage shed and try and retrieve the other master cylinder bracket in order to avoid having to reattach the reservoir bracket that I mistakenly removed on my misguided attempt to convert to TR4 master cylinders. I also plan to move the fenders, hood and trunk lids out of the shed into the garage. I am looking forward to getting back to some body work.
I checked out a 1983 Mazda RX7 for sale in my city. 58 k on a new rotory engine. The car looks too good to scrap but is the configuration I considering for the '57 conversion. Trying to stay focused on the '59 as the #1 priority...
Yesterday I dropped the engine onto the chassis. The process was straight forward with a few challenges moving the engine out of the garage and in position. I had to stop half way through and re position the arm on the engine hoist in order to have enough "reach" to get the engine to sit on the engine mounts. The stance of the arms on the hoist also interfered with the wheel position-another challenge... A minor set back-but something that needed to be done. I didn't install the transmission mount so |I utilized a 2 x 4 to support the back of the transmission. I have noticed some interference with the bolts on the front pulley. I need to go back and look at the instructions for the rack and pinion installation to see what has been recommended to rectify the situation?
I also purchased some white board cleaner and new fine point dry erase markers to reconfigure the action list which is copied down on the whiteboard on the wall of the garage.
I had to inflate one of the front tires after I installed the engine. Now the engine is in place I can start working on the front shock installation etc. I really want to chop away at the misc activities related to preparing the drive train.
Today I plan to go out in the storage shed and try and retrieve the other master cylinder bracket in order to avoid having to reattach the reservoir bracket that I mistakenly removed on my misguided attempt to convert to TR4 master cylinders. I also plan to move the fenders, hood and trunk lids out of the shed into the garage. I am looking forward to getting back to some body work.
I checked out a 1983 Mazda RX7 for sale in my city. 58 k on a new rotory engine. The car looks too good to scrap but is the configuration I considering for the '57 conversion. Trying to stay focused on the '59 as the #1 priority...
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Chassis Path Forward Explained
Time in Garage: 1-1/2 hours
Planning and E-mailing: 1-1/2 hors
Purchase of Parts: 1959 : New reservoir and connecting pipes (around $150 Cdn)
Purchase of Parts: 1957 Chassis $650
Yesterday I ventured out into the garage for another round of garage clean up and reorganization. The space looks much better and I found my engine hoist chain that I couldn't locate last weekend.
I decided to purchase a damaged chassis to harvest the rear end and front suspension parts to get the 1957 Triumph back into a rolling chassis basis. I gave instructions on how I want it cut up so I can load it into the back of my Ranger truck. I have sat on the fence about this purchase for a number of months and I realized that the '57 is not going anywhere until I take some time to make it sellable. It is a bit of a gamble but the upside is definitely there. Spending money to make money. I also ordered a suspension kit and new ball joints. I am hoping the salvaged chassis has front end parts that are in good condition. My initial investigation shows this as being the case. The next part of the puzzle is to make sure I don't spend too much time on the reassembly. More to follow on this.
Planning and E-mailing: 1-1/2 hors
Purchase of Parts: 1959 : New reservoir and connecting pipes (around $150 Cdn)
Purchase of Parts: 1957 Chassis $650
Yesterday I ventured out into the garage for another round of garage clean up and reorganization. The space looks much better and I found my engine hoist chain that I couldn't locate last weekend.
I decided to purchase a damaged chassis to harvest the rear end and front suspension parts to get the 1957 Triumph back into a rolling chassis basis. I gave instructions on how I want it cut up so I can load it into the back of my Ranger truck. I have sat on the fence about this purchase for a number of months and I realized that the '57 is not going anywhere until I take some time to make it sellable. It is a bit of a gamble but the upside is definitely there. Spending money to make money. I also ordered a suspension kit and new ball joints. I am hoping the salvaged chassis has front end parts that are in good condition. My initial investigation shows this as being the case. The next part of the puzzle is to make sure I don't spend too much time on the reassembly. More to follow on this.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Moving Along
I haven't spent much time in the garage in the last few weeks. I have taken on a temporary work position and have been traveling, getting training and project orientation so once again the Triumph has fallen to a lower priority in my life.
I got the drain spigot replaced (the one received from Moss has a broken handle) and a new water pump gasket (the other was really brittle and split when I took it out of the package. I viewed the $500 chassis I have been offered that has all the components I need to put the spare chassis back together. I am going to make the decision this weekend and get moving on it.
Yesterday I extracted my camper van from the ice in my driveway. The front left tire was flat and it took a while for the engine to fire up. My battery charge of a month ago or so did not last long enough to get the engine firing so I had to boost the battery. I commissioned my compressor and blew up the tire and moved the van back and chipped out a lot of the ice after it had warmed up for a while. I had to move the van and remove the ice so I can extract the chassis and mount the engine in the driveway because I don't have enough room in my garage to do it there.
My wife and I were at a dinner party last night and my TR3 project came up for discussion through an innocent question asked by a friend. My wife lamented the trading of our beloved MGB for a car that didn't run and that required excessive work and how she doubted the Triumph would ever be finished? A friend spoke up and asked her if she spent any time in the garage helping out and that comment garnered no response other than a shrug and a "no" . I am sure I am not the only old car hobby guy that experiences an ongoing "critique" by a loved one but I cringe whenever the subject comes up because I often find myself having to defend my hobby and my intent and often it is not comfortable to do so. I have met people in the old car hobby where female partners have as much enthusiasm for the cars and working in the garage as the man does. Hmmmm....
I got the drain spigot replaced (the one received from Moss has a broken handle) and a new water pump gasket (the other was really brittle and split when I took it out of the package. I viewed the $500 chassis I have been offered that has all the components I need to put the spare chassis back together. I am going to make the decision this weekend and get moving on it.
Yesterday I extracted my camper van from the ice in my driveway. The front left tire was flat and it took a while for the engine to fire up. My battery charge of a month ago or so did not last long enough to get the engine firing so I had to boost the battery. I commissioned my compressor and blew up the tire and moved the van back and chipped out a lot of the ice after it had warmed up for a while. I had to move the van and remove the ice so I can extract the chassis and mount the engine in the driveway because I don't have enough room in my garage to do it there.
My wife and I were at a dinner party last night and my TR3 project came up for discussion through an innocent question asked by a friend. My wife lamented the trading of our beloved MGB for a car that didn't run and that required excessive work and how she doubted the Triumph would ever be finished? A friend spoke up and asked her if she spent any time in the garage helping out and that comment garnered no response other than a shrug and a "no" . I am sure I am not the only old car hobby guy that experiences an ongoing "critique" by a loved one but I cringe whenever the subject comes up because I often find myself having to defend my hobby and my intent and often it is not comfortable to do so. I have met people in the old car hobby where female partners have as much enthusiasm for the cars and working in the garage as the man does. Hmmmm....
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