Plugs and Leads

I've got some new plugs and some new HT leads to see if I can fix the lumpy not running properly thing. If it ever stops raining and/or my cough/flu ever nobs off, I'll have a go at fitting them. Due to both of the above excuses, I have not used the car for about 3 weeks. I do wonder if it's all worth it sometimes.

Droitwich Spa Classic Car Show (05/05/2012)

Simon RP came as my co pilot and we had a good turn out: Pete, Paul, Simon, The Other Spider Bloke, John and I. It all sounded very good - the roads were to be closed once we were in and ready to display. It did happen, but we were in the High Street with a billion MGs behind. It was damned cold up there - a wind tunnel, although the bacon sarnie shop helped!

Round the corner in the sunny bit of the "square" were the old Austins and Mercs etc. Nice cars in the best spot. Where we were, there was no place to sit, chat, talk to the punters, just freeze to death and stand around. Simon and I bailed out erly, just when some arsey old cow in a wheel chair whined about me parking over a kerb ramp, where the marshals had put me, about 10 yards from another kerb ramp. I shall not be doing this one again. 

Oh, and the car? Ran rubbish as usual, missing 2 cylinders again, running very hot. One step forward, two steps backwards.

Catch Up

So what have I done since the last time we met ...

The new clutch master cylinder was yet another fantastic ebay buy. The hole in which the brake pipe fits was the wrong size and thus I had to "test" an Auto Suppliers cylinder repair kit. As I am fully aware where these seals come from, I fully expect to be replacing these in the near future! Ta to Lionel for his assistance.

The winter wind and rain have not been kind to the Beast. The car port roof had to come off for the window man and it was several months before any decent weather allowed it to be put back on. The filled arches are now cracking, the filled lower front wings are cracking, the outer sills are showing signs of rust, most of the hood poppers are shafted and the bottom of the doors are bubbling. I love TR7s me.

New Beastport Roof

Action this winter has been very limited, or that is, not at all. However, the new Beastport roof is nearly complete. Unfortunately, the clutch master cylinder is now so buggered that we had to push the car out of the Beastport, where it now rests smothered in covers and ropes as it can not make the 5 yard journey up the drive. The cylinder is now a must for this weekend.

Doctor Brinton

Despite the leaky clutch I decided to go and see Guy in Redditch as he had promised to have a butchers at the timing and position of the distributor. It got there ok, nice drive actually as 2nd october was a sunny day.

He got it out, twiddled it around and put it back in. And then twiddled the carb idle screws. Et voila, there's the 2 cylinders back that I had "lost". Took it for a run. Much better, sounds better, runs better, and no more flat spots when I put my foot down.

I then showed him the green stuff brake pads that I had purchased. Off came the wheel ... Princess 4 pots already on. How TF was I supposed to know, looks like a brake caliper to me! That's £100 saved as I don't have to get any!

The drive back along the dual carriageway was fab! I fear a speeding ticket may arrive soon!

Clutch Master Cylinder

Uh oh! Everything was going so well, it passed the MOT with very little work or money. I have been driving it regularly, going on silly 10 mile drives home. And there lay the problem ... the clutch is getting a little spongy. Got to work this morning, and there is black gooey fluid running down the back of the clutch pedal, and there is no fluid left.

My clutch master cylinder has sprung a leak. Luckily, the company for which I labour provide a master cylinder repair kit for a “well known Triumph spares company”, otherwise it's about £40 for a new one.

Typically, I have booked a day at Guy's on Sunday to give the Beast a good tune. I fear this may not happen ... Uh oh!

MOT

It passed! Got an advisory for a rusty NS sill, it's a TR7, what's new. I have a brake issue though. I purchased green stuff standard TR7 pads and they were too small. So what have I got?!