Are cars less characterful than they used to be?

[Turbobanana]

Alright, been a while, and although not really a "Readers' Cars" thread yet, here's an update.

It seems I mistook "character" for "pain in the arse".

The parts arrived for the rebuild / rewire of the gear lever, however nothing appeared to fit so most has been abandoned and only the wiring and switch were eventually used. I now no longer get an electric shock when operating the overdrive. That said, the overdrive now doesn't work: I can hear it trying but there's no drop in revs when driving. I've been using it a bit anyway: the lack of overdrive for short commutes is less important than it would be for longer runs. No apparent repetition of the fuse blowing, so I assume the voltage stabiliser replacement was worth it.

Some friends had an accident in their car, which has now gone for repair, so my wife kindly (?) offered her Ford Fiasco as a replacement, meaning the 6 would be needed as the second car for a week or two. No problem - I'll give it some time on Sunday to sort a few issues: driver's door window tricky to operate, check oil & water, tyre pressures, give it a clean etc. You know: common sense stuff that will keep it functioning for a week or two.

All went well: oil & water levels good, fixed the window by installing the regulator correctly (!), cleaned the windows inside & out and put some RainX on the 'screen because the drought appears to be over. Toddle off to Tesco to check the tyre pressures. All seemed good... until I went to replace the dust caps. I heard hissing.

Now, Milton Keynes is not known for its indigenous snake population, so hissing at a service station can only mean a tyre deflating. Sure enough, the nearside front was losing pressure through the valve. Rapidly. Replacing the dust cap slowed it down but didn't stop it. I uttered a few words that shouldn't be repeated here, inflated it to well past its recommended level and drove swiftly home - only half a mile or so, fortunately.

Once back on the driveway the car sat so low I couldn't get my trolley jack underneath it, so I put some more air in the tyre from a plug-in compressor and drove the car onto a small pile of wood. It was tempting to ignite the wood at this point, but I resisted. Instead I jacked it up and removed the wheel.

Of the 4 wheels & tyres that came with the car, the best tyre was selected and offered up as a temporary, it'll-look-crap-but-keep-me-mobile measure. Naturally the wheel nuts used to secure the unidentified slot-mags wouldn't fit the standard steel wheels, so feeling as deflated as the damn tyre I reassembled, shoved the whole lot back in the garage and retired to beer and a roast dinner.

I have ordered some wheel nuts (best part of £70!!), in a pre-emptive move ahead of fitting a set of steel wheels eventually. Upon arrival I will change the flat, take it to a local tyre fitter to see if they can do anything with the weird, angled valve and then refit as I hate cars with non-matching wheels. End goal is a set of 5.5J steelies, as already mentioned.

So, apologies for the long, rambling post (rant), but I wanted to get the frustration off my chest. Ahhh, that's better.

Ultimately, once we get the Fiasco back, I think I'll have to get the car to a classic-friendly local garage to have a go at the overdrive: it really needs to work but it's beyond my abilities. The further I get into this, the more I think the car resprayed (badly) and just thrown back together with no attention to detail. There is no sound deadening - anywhere (I've ordered some). Overspray is rife. The exhaust catches on the chassis. Lots of little things - but they all add up. Last night I was ready to torch it.

On a positive note - it clears the speed bumps on our estate. That was one of the reasons I was put off a TVR.

Onward...

[Turbobanana]

C70R said:

I think we've at least answered the "why" part of the thread title...

There wasn't a "why" in the thread title, but funnily enough "why" was one of the words I used frequently last night.

Others were f**k, t**t, s**t, b******s, b*****d and w****r.

But I take your point.

[Turbobanana]

Yertis said:

Turbobanana said:

Typical Triumph stuff

Have you purchased the official workshop manual yet TB? It'll make things a lot easier. With re the overdrive, IIRC there's a relay in the circuit. Worth finding that and checking the contacts. The solenoid on the D-Type overdrive is a known weak-spot and that would be my next port of call. Not that expensive or difficult to change.

Sorry to hear it's turning into a chore

Thanks once again for the support, Yertis. "Chore" is probably a bit harsh, but the focus for this week is on getting it back on the road in some usable form,however scrappy it looks.

Will definitely look at the OD relay when I get a chance though

[Turbobanana]

QBee said:

I too am disappointed for you. Ok, we know that when you buy a 50 year old car you run the risk of niggles being tricky to fix, but you deserved better luck.
They were much simpler cars back then, but this one seems quite complex compared to the 1967 Mini that I used to pull apart and spanner myself back in the day (perish the thought now).

Good luck ongoing wth your GT6 adventure. I should be getting my TVR back from an engine rebuild any day now. I will think of you when I finally get to drive it again, both of us in characterful cars. And yes, cars are less characterful than they used to be.

Thanks QBee, appreciated.

I always knew that going from a "youngtimer" 31-year-old Saab to a proper classic would involve some shenanigans, so I'm not too disappointed. It's more a sense of frustration and, with the acquired knowledge of the intervening 50 years, a feeling of exasperation and "why did they do it like that?"

In other news, my cherished plate application has made it through the postal strike and is safely in the hands of the DVLA for processing - I never realised historic status cars had to be done by post. Luckily the previous keeper had it MoT'd in July - about the only thing he did right, I think. It's nothing special, just a 3 x 3 dateless plate I acquired years ago with a free Volvo 340 attached, but it makes it more personal to me. Perhaps I'll love the car a bit more once that's on it.

Enjoy what's left of the summer in your TVR.

Onward.

[Turbobanana]

Yertis said:

These are in essence very reliable cars, I ran mine as a daily for five years and drove all over the country in it.



I think they always look much bigger in pics than they actually are.

5.5J steelies...

Agree they look bigger in pics. Look good in white, too. Mine is apparently Wedgewood Blue, according to the tin of paint that came with it. Not an original GT6 / Spitfire colour, but at least from the BLMC stable at the time.

[Turbobanana]

P5BNij said:

Turbobanana said:

Yertis said:

These are in essence very reliable cars, I ran mine as a daily for five years and drove all over the country in it.



I think they always look much bigger in pics than they actually are.

5.5J steelies...

Agree they look bigger in pics. Look good in white, too. Mine is apparently Wedgewood Blue, according to the tin of paint that came with it. Not an original GT6 / Spitfire colour, but at least from the BLMC stable at the time.

There used to be a pair of them I saw regularly round here in the '90s, both on K reg' plates and both immaculate, one was a very similar shade to the Bahama yellow that Aston Martin and Porsche used to use, the other was in BL black tulip, which really suited it. They sort of disappeared and shortly afterwards I found out from a neighbour that they both belonged to the same bloke and he used them alternately on different days.

Best of luck with yours TB, keep us posted on your progress

Thanks Nij. I've just learned that Wedgewood Blue was in fact a standard GT6 colour, but under mine I suspect is the original French Blue. And some red. And...

[Turbobanana]

Duke Caboom said:

Low gearbox oil can stop the overdrive working, I think. Could be an easy fix. Also I think there is an inhibitor switch which you may disturb fiddling with the wiring.

Its been over 30 years since i had my last overdrive car, so maybe I've miss remembered.

Thanks Duke, another simple thing to check.

[Turbobanana]

Yertis said:

Hey TB post some more pics when you get it back on the 5.5s

I need to buy some first!

In fairness, it has one on at the moment. The best of the 5 spares it came with is a 5.5 and that's currently on because although I had the valve on the slot-mags fixed yesterday I haven't got round to putting wheel back on the car yet. New wheel nuts arrived courtesy of Rimmer Bros, so I used it to commute this morning and it's in the works car park now with 3 slot-mags and 1 steelie, for a proper mismatched look that seemed common in the 70s but not so much nowadays. Big shout out to Fast Fit in Kingston, MK, who replaced the valve and didn't charge me a penny!

Hopefully this weekend I'll get a chance to look at overdrive relays and gearbox oil levels. I've decided that the interior ought to be priority over the exterior aesthetics, because although I don't like the slot-mags they are functional and the tyres are good. The crumbling seats need changing and I have some sound deadening material I bough off Amazon to try and make it a bit less racecar and more refined.

Onward...

[Turbobanana]

P5BNij said:

This car needs its own Readers wives thread

Keep up the good work!

Not sure Mrs Banana would be up for that...

...anyhoo, here is a picture of what it might look like on 5.5s (at least a quarter of what it might look like, given it only has one on at the moment). Note the overspray: there is enough of this to cover one of the smaller central African republics and I do wonder whether the person painting it had ever heard of the term "masking". It's everywhere: under the bonnet, on the dash, seats, instruments, fuel tank etc.



That said, and overdrive issues notwithstanding, the "restoration" seemed to focus on the mechanical side because it drives well enough, the chassis looks clean and shiny and all the suspension components look new.

Onward...

[Turbobanana]

P5BNij said:

That's lovely and the steelies really suit it - are they the same size as used on TR4s and 5s?

As for the overspray on the interior surfaces, sugar soap is good for shifting such things, using a soft-ish washing up scourer, it worked well on the black vinyl covering the top and bottom dash rails in some of the Mini Coopers I've owned. It's very good for cleaning up vinyl headlinings too

Thans Nij, good tip with the sugar soap.

The wheels are only 13": TR4 / 5 etc used 15" I think. Odd PCD as well, 4x95.25, which means the 5.5J wheels were popular with FF1600 racers so many used ones have had an "interesting" life.

[Turbobanana]

So, the weekend...

I replaced the overdrive relay with a much nicer-looking, NOS shiny one but it's made no difference sadly. The overdrive still fails to proceed and I have no real means of accessing the gearbox oil plug other than removing the legendary paper transmission tunnel cover, so I'll resign myself to leaving that to a specialist. In any event - knowing my luck - it'll be more that just an oil change / top-up and will probably need a new solenoid or OD unit rebuild.

I spent some time yesterday applying Dodo Mat sound deadening. I bought some sheets off Amazon and applied them under the bonnet, under the driver and passenger footwell mats and in the boot. I have to say it's made quite a difference: the car feels a little more civilised, especially as I also tightened the nearside bonnet locator pin to stop it rattling. I suspect when new these were quite a refined car, what with a smooth straight six and the fixed roof, but mine felt racecar raw. It now feels more like I expected it to, and hopefully the overdrive being reinstated will allow it to cruise more quietly.

The latest frustration is the driver's window regulator: it was off its runners when I bought the car, so the window wound up OK but wouldn't drop properly. I removed the door card a couple of weeks ago and managed to re-engage the rollers with their track (as well as reconnect the bent bits of wire that Triumph considered acceptable for the door release mechanism...) but now the glass has become detached from the frame itself. Sigh...

On a positive note, DVLA processed my cherished transfer within a week and I now have a lovely set of black acrylic plates with the ribbed silver numbers on the car, with my private plate of course. It looks great - photos to follow. Also, I did the school run on Friday and picked up my 10-year-old. His mates loved the car and urged me to rev it in the car park, giggling at the creamy six-pot howl from the "cool little car" that was probably built before most of their parents were even born.

Onward...

[Turbobanana]

Yertis said:

Fixing that door glass into its channel properly will be a caper Fortunately I never had to do it on the GT but on TR it's a complete ball-ache involving rubber strips, evo-stick, one yard woodworking cramps, skinned knuckles and much swearing. That said, you might be able to do it with taking the whole lot apart. Good luck.

I still reckon the overdrive will be the solenoid. If it was the inhibitors (a good observation by the way) you'd get no indication it was even trying to work.

Yes, I'm expecting the window regulator to be, umm...challenging, based on my experience of the door lock etc. Also, cleaning it all will be a nightmare as it's caked in grease and crud from years of use. But... there is so much heat soak into the cabin that I seem to be constantly driving it with the window open. Also, my commute ends with a card swipe into the work car park, so I need the window down anyway. If it rains, I can raise it (it's the going down that's the problem).

Overdrive solenoid will be investigated, but not by me: #beyondmylimits. An investment for another day will be a plastic / GRP transmission tunnel, insulated on the inside, properly sealed and fitted and with a hatch cut into it for accessing the gearbox oil filler.

Onward...

[Turbobanana]

a8hex said:

QBee said:

You haven't experienced heat soak until you have driven my TVR Chimaera on a warm day.
4.6 litre V8 heater to the left of your legs is a thing of considerable discomfort.
I always go everywhere with the windows open, and it was even too hot yesterday with the roof off.

The TVR Cerbera, with the same Ford Mustang Borg Warner T5 gearbox, is even worse - the gear lever can burn the skin off your hands as it connects directly to the gearbox.

The first time I was lucky enough to beg a ride in a D-Type there was a wooden lattice work piece in the passenger footwell. I asked about it and was told that without it the passenger tended to end up with burnt feet even through boots and protective clothing.

I once did a barbecue and welded my socks to the inside of my shoes.

[Turbobanana]

I've been commuting in the 6 this week, as Mrs Banana has lent her Fiesta to a friend and commandeered the Benz for her own use. Here it is on the drive this morning, just out of the garage and ready for the school run, dwarfed by my neighbours' Juke and Golf.

Note the plethora of racing mirrors - none of which allow any meaningful view rearward at the moment.
Fortunately the weather has been kind, as I've been unable to attend to the driver's door glass which now resides somewhere near the bottom of the door cavity. Should get a chance to look at that this weekend, as Mrs B is in Barcelona. Also, I've got a Spitfire 1500 front spoiler and a set of engine valences coming: the first because I like them and reckon they resolve the front nicely, the second because they are missing on mine and serve as splash guards and heat management devices.

Still don't like the wheels, although they are at least period-correct 1970's.

[Turbobanana]

coppice said:

The wheels are a bit Custom Car - period , yes , but not quite for PLU . A set of Minilites, though ...

I keep thinking about Minilites (or, more likely, Minators or similar). They're reasonably cheap new, whereas a set of 5.5J steels in need of a repaint and tyres is still c£300 or more, depending how bad they are. For similar money I could get a set of new alloys with correct offset, a choice of silver, gunmetal or black centres and obviously factory fresh / straight. But... the steels look so right.

Interestingly, the 5.5J wheels were (still are) used on some of the older Formula Ford 1600s and occasionally a set comes up on eBay. I bet they've led an interesting life.

[Turbobanana]

P5BNij said:

I think it looks great on those Wolfies, they fill the arches nicely and it's sitting 'just right'. In fact the whole car looks 'just right' but I understand why you're going for the steelies

There's a lovely Mk2 in the collection at Gaydon...

Thanks Nij. Not been to Gaydon for a while.

I deliberately wanted a Mk3 as the rear end is better resolved to my eyes: the Mk1 & 2 look too short. However, I'm coming round to liking the Mk2 more and more, particularly on Rostyles. I'm not a fan of the blunt-snouted Mk1 shape though.

The 6 is having a day off as I'm in the Benz today, which feels like an SUV in comparison (in fact it's only an E Class Estate). Someone pointed out the other day that the 6 might even fit under the barrier at the work car park.

[Turbobanana]

P5BNij said:

Your last comment made me chuckle - at the NEC show in November last year I too ka ride in one of the Sporting Bears charity cars, a beautiful S2 Lotus Europa and coming back into the NEC the owner Steve drove it straight under the barrier! And yes, I did duck inside the car!

I'll try it next week - let you know how I get on

[Turbobanana]

QBee said:

I had an 2001 E class estate in very dark grey about 10 years ago. My colleagues referred to it as the hearse.

Very poignant, given this week's events: the E Class hearse that was used to transport Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in Edinburgh looked awful - like it had been designed by a child and built out of Lego.

No disrespect intended towards Her Majesty, just a comment on car design.

[Turbobanana]

Duke Caboom said:

I had a student summer job working in a storage facility in a former naval station, complete with man in hut who had to come out and manually raise an ex military stripey pole barrier. My Spitfire just fitted under without raising it. The first few times very slowly. By the end of my time I was attacking it like I was escaping from East Germany.

All of which is fine, until they cotton on and lower the barrier a bit. Ouch.

[Turbobanana]

lowdrag said:

I thought I could get away with the toll in Switzerland In my D-type and all was fine until the head restraint got caught on the barrier. Rather red-faced I was

You lack a sense of drama, lowdrag.

If one has a D-Type, the barrier gets caught on the aerodynamic tail fin specifically designed by Malcolm Sayer for high speed stability, not the head restraint