February 27,2010 Garage Clean Up

The 27th of February TR3 activity consisted of a couple of hours of garage clean up so I could move the '59 back into the garage. The tarp and car cover had lots of snow and ice built up on it which translated into some extra effort on my part to extract the sleeping Triumph from it's outdoor parking spot into the warm garage. It also took a fair amount of physical effort to move the car. I almost gave up at one point but I persevered and finally moved the beast into the garage by attaching a chain to the front of the chassis and pulling the car (from inside the garage) verses trying to push it on the snow and ice covered driveway. I came very close to approaching a neighbor for assistance but it turned out to be unnecessary.

I also installed the garage door sealing strips to stop drafts from entering the garage from the outside. I removed them a few years ago when I repainted the front door trim and never reinstalled them. I think this will increase the efficiency of the unit heater somewhat.

Once the car was in the garage I surveyed the work that needs to be done. I reviewed my white board and crossed off the completed tasks and reconfirmed my critical path as still being viable. I also determined (99% sure) I am going to remove the body from the chassis to allow access to the bottom of the car for painting of the underside and also repair of the back panel around the spare tire holder.. The reason I am going to do this is I think it will be straight forward lift at this point as a majority of the bolts have been replaced when the new floor was put in and as such they should be easy to remove plus I have to disassemble the steering in order to install the rack and pinion assembly leaving a few electrical disconnects and of course the brake lines etc. I am not going to do this until I get the rest of the body panels repaired and in primer including the interior and trunk areas. I want to to make sure all the tasks are complete before additional disassembly happens.

The issue of what to do chassis wise is still out there?? I am leaning towards using the powder coated '57 chassis and reassembling the front suspension using the Moss Motors rebuild kit then transferring the engine/transmission and rear end over from the 59. The engine is going to be repainted black with the pan being pulled and a new gasket installed. Of course the transmission will need to be separated so the clutch can be checked and the new throw out bearing installed. I am keeping my fingers crossed the clutch pressure plate and disc will not need to be replaced at this point.

A good day in the garage with lots of daydreaming taking place. I continue the project with resolve and focus and hopefully I can follow a path of least resistance and get the car back on the road in the summer. I am enjoying the process so far.

Out of the Snowy Driveway and Back Into the Garage

Today I move the '59 back into my heated garage. This is a pivotal moment in my critical path as I start to fit the repaired panels back onto the body to check for fit. There is still lots to do but this event should provide me with a much needed motivational boost.

A New Year-Warm and Comfortable

Last week I finally got my garage unit heater inspected and commissioned which is a giant step forward on the Triumph project critical path!!!. The installation took about 6 weeks longer than originally envisioned but what can one say when your son is doing the work for free (he is a journeyman sheet metal worker) and it had to fit it in as an "extra" in his very busy schedule..

I have spent some quality hours working in a comfortable environment...I have to love that...

Latest Musings 2009 Wrap Up

Yesterday I spent some time de-constructing the 1959 Triumph to try and decide what quality of car I would have when I was finished the reassembly. My goal is to have the best possible car with the least amount of effort and money expended.

The big issue for me right now is whether or not to remove the body from the frame (on the 1959) to paint the chassis (prevent further rusting) and paint the underside of the replaced floor panels. It is possible to paint the bottom of the floor panels without this step but the repainting of the chassis is much more of a challenge. It is going to be very difficult to get in on top of the rails with a paint brush. The additional step of separating the body would add hours to my stage one time estimate but might provide me with a more solid basis for the reassembly. On the other hand I already have a powder coated chassis already to be reassembled-perhaps I should use it as a basis and reassemble it during the winter using all the good parts from the two cars? Then there is the question of what body to use if I head in this direction?

The 1957 has the original floor panels but the rear quarter was damaged in a roll over and partially repaired. The body has also sat out in the elements so it will need to be sandblasted and repainted. This would have to be done regardless of whether the car is reassembled or sold. The 1959 has the floor panels replaced but they are not original style. The sheet metal work was done by a professional fabricator but it does not contain the original details that a reproduction panels would. The 1959 has an interesting history that makes me want to reassemble it but the 1957 would probably be worth more if redone?

I have come to the conclusion recently I don't have enough parts to reconstruct both the 1957 and the 1959 without considerable expense. Arriving at this conclusion causes me a bit of a quandary as the "partially" complete 1957 car has much less value disassembled as it would if it was complete. Checks on the Internet (E-Bay and Hemmings) show some of the parts have value if sold separately but many parts have little value. I also don't have enough "A" condition body panels to put two cars back together. Body work is expensive and some of the required work is beyond my capabilities to complete so I would have to farm it out to a body shop.

Over the next few weeks I am going to do some planning and daydreaming to see what I am going to do next. On a positive note my son phoned yesterday and the garage heater has been put aside. I maybe out in the garage sooner than later....

The Model

Today I purchased a basic Triumph TR3 1/24 model kit off E-bay.... I considered the purchase for a while ( I tried to find one locally with no luck) and determined it was a good visualization to complete the model as a replica of what I am building in my garage. This way I can complete it during a cold winter's night and then focus on it as a desired state for the real thing...a small step but for some reason it sits well with me...

Garage Heater

In October 2009 I decided the only way I was going to get my TR3 ready for the summer of 2010 was to install a heater in my single car garage to extend my "wrench turning" potential to those cold winter days and nights that are just waiting for some meaningful "hands on" experiences. My son is a sheet metal journeyman and offered to install the heater and also to engage the services of a plumber colleague to run the gas line and do the necessary hook ups. The overall cost seemed reasonable and I was willing to contribute some "sweat equity" to the equation to get the work done. Everything was looking great project execution wise but unfortunately my son has been otherwise engaged with a very rigorous work schedule (long hours) for the last few months that has predisposed him to working with paying clients verses helping dad out...so I have had to be patient and the project has missed the good weather window and has now moved into a more challenging winter environment-not good but unfortunately unavoidable...

This weekend is looking promising...my son is coming over for dinner this evening...I have my fingers crossed it is all going to work out and I will have a comfortable work environment on the horizon....

1959 Triumph TR3 Phase 1

Phase 1 of the project has a running assembled car as an outcome. Not a restored example but a "driver"-a car that is reliable (or as reliable as a Triumph can be) and useable...a car that can be left in front of a Starbucks or in a crowded shopping center without a worry about "dinged" paint jobs or theft of a highly desirable car....plus I like driving my cars-including on gravel roads and in the rain so no "trailer queens" for me....of course the other reality is I do not have the financial resources to "restore" the car in the first place so "preservation" and fun go hand in hand as I move forward with my project