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The Red Shed


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Just occurred to me that I have never started a thread about my current car!!
 
So here goes.
 
Triumph 2000 MkI, 'F' Reg though 66 model.
 
This car is still fairly original, though has different front seats (much more comfy), and the engine has a PI camshaft fitted with carbs (Stroms) re-needled to suit.
 
More Info shall follow at a later date when it is not Xmas Eve ;)
 
And to whet the appetite, I have included a link for a video I made the other day with the phone whilst travelling back from my girlfriend's father's house, cracking wee road through Glentrool, though it was rather wet!

 

http://youtu.be/8IK8xiN-rjY

 

Cheers,

 

Phil

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  • 3 months later...

Well, still running strong!

 

I shall update soon, as I am in the process of fitting the Alfa (I think??) rear seats in, this has required some mods to the seat but overall seems to be going well.

 

We had a few ignition problems recently, mostly coil related but I have got various other spares as well now.

Recently completed a 600 mile round trip last week with only a few teething niggles, namely fuel filter blocking up (I really need to sort that tank out!!) and new problem for me!

 

The front carb metering needle dropped out! I thought I was only running three cylinders, and when I lifted the dashpot the needle remained in situ. Easy to fix, but not seen (or heard) of that before.

 

On the plus side, the trip had two aims, one to meet my new niece, and secondly to visit Philip & Mike Charlton as Philip had a new heater matrix waiting for me. Spent a pleasant few hours there, and we discovered that the throttle return spring was not fitted correctly so Philip whipped out a piece of sheet metal and some tools, and we sorted it out. He then gave me a quick tutorial on timing with a strobe light (not something I have had to do before) and found that I was running a ridiculous amount of advance, so that was reset back to something approaching normal.

 

300 miles home and everything is still good.

 

This car really needs some attention soon however, as I have been using her as a daily with little work done other than basic maintenance, however I shall try and get the Herald roadworthy first before anything major is done to the shed.

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  • 3 years later...

Well.............

After promising myself for 3 years that I would do a complete restoration on the Red Shed, I seemed to be fighting a constant battle to find either time or weather to make a start.

So, today I finally got both! I was planning on spending a whole day on her, however my partners modern car has given up all hope of life so this morning was spent finding a replacement car for her. Roll on to 1300, and I finally made a start.

To go back to the start of the story, after a few years of use as a daily driver I noticed various spots of bubbling around areas such as the wheelarches etc. Now I knew from the PO that the car had been essentially a barn find, and he only had the minimum of restoration work done on the body, due to a lack of suitable repair panels and his intention to run the car as a rally car in HRCR series. No point making it look pretty when it may well end up in a hedge..........

However, a few years back a gentleman called Lloyd Reed decided to do something about the lack of panels for the Mk1's. So I sent a few bills his direction which resulted in a large pile of metal in my spare room. Never being one to do things by halves, I decided that at the same time I would tackle various other issues I had. Brakes - I had suffered the dreaded brake fade on a few occasions, so something needed to be done. Suspension - was getting a bit tired. I lucked out in finding a complete front end setup from a Stag, which I duly purchased. "Shedtune" whom I purchased this through was planning on sending his set of Stag calipers away for reconditioning, and offered to add mine to the order. I also entered into business with "Shacktune", and the end result of all of this is a back kitchen filled with recondition calipers, new uprated springs all round, Koni Shocks all round (although the front shocks will not be used now, as Shacktune has convinced me to try his superduper Koni "Race" shocks), complete polybush kit, Wheel Bearing Spacer kit and some other bits and bobs.

Anyway, this has all sat cluttering up my house for over two years, and is generally getting in the way. Having recently completed the RBRR I got the bit back between my teeth to actually doing something. The plan is to completely strip the entire tub, which is then going to go away and be chemically stripped back to bare metal. Then back to a bodyshop to get all repairs needed done, and once finished will be re-sprayed.

And, today I finally made the start! Was a strenuous few hours, but the end result is the engine and gearbox are out (and yes I was mad enough to take it through the top!!) and front end started being stripped. I am trying to remember to take regular photos, including some of the more obvious bits of rust. Lessons learnt, re-installation will go from the bottom, extra pairs of hands shall be recruited, and next time I remove a gearbox I WILL remember to remove the gearstick first.

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Hi Phil - that looks like a great basis for a restoration project. Don't over-restore it though....  do keep some of its history and patina visible; a car like that needs to look used but loved.

I realise I must have seen you at the RBRR start (I was one of the sign-in marshals) but obviously didn't recognise you!  My apologies if you were trying to catch my eye and I ignored you!

Or maybe the years since we last met have not been kind to me and you didn't recognise me either! :)

Mike

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  • 7 months later...

Well, the new rods have arrived, courtesy of maxspeedingrods :biggrin:

Looking good, I haven't unwrapped them as I prefer to keep them sealed until I need them.

So now I need a new (well, replacement) engine (so as to keep the original original!), and a steel crank. My aim is to build full steel bottom end so I hopefully don't need to worry about it for some time!!

Things are moving forward on the 2000 front however, she is provisionally booked into Chic Doig's at the end of next month to get the body stripped, repaired and re-painted.

Which means I need to choose a colour! Any suggestions guys? She is Damson Red currently, and a MK1.................

Ohh, and she had a wash the other day, doesn't look so bad once the green algea is removed!!

Cheers,

Phil

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Does your donor engine have to be mk1? Have a Mk2 block and 2L crank here. Block needs boring (std size now) and the crank needs a polish (0.010).

Not quite sure why you want a steel crank? Factory cranks are fine for all but serious competition use and steel ones are bloody expensive!

Looks redder than damson to me?

 

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Yeah, a quick perusal of the commission plate shows paint code 22, which I believe is actually Cherry Red.

Basically looking at either the same or slightly darker/deeper red, with either metallic or pearlescent finish (prob metallic, I think pearlescent might be too much). I was thinking about a modern colour, but I think I would prefer an original colour with a slight twist.

Crank - open to suggestion here. My plans revolve around the same hybrid cam you have Nick, along with custom exhaust (more on that another time, basically looking to play with "step" changes rather than tuned lengths) and EFI. I know the upper power band is fairly high, I want to be able to have the occasional "accident" with the right foot and not have to worry about the crank snapping in two!! Hence the maxspeeding Conrods..........

I did wonder if simply lightening and balancing might be enough? So long it ends up strong enough I am happy, but at the same time I am happy to pay whatever it costs, in the basis of do it once and do it right. It is an investment at the end of the day.

Nick - thinking of sticking with a MK1 engine simply to have it "in keeping" with being a MK1 car. Many thanks for the offer, however Chic Doig says he has a few engines, and the differential between him and a courier probably will not be that far apart!

Cheers,

Phil

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standard lightened, balanced crank with max rods and balanced piston set well happy to 7k(believe me) and mine is the mk1.5 engine i.e mk1 head on later mk1 larger journal crank, smaller journal early mk1 said to spin even nicer. if you are stuck finding amk1 small journal one S&S had amk1 vitesse/gt6engine sat around for not much money a year ago, probably still there?

alan

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Early small journal engines have a breather on the side of the block by the fuel pump/oil filter.

At present my engine is more remarkable for its hefty mid-range than its top end, the serious urge is over by 5.5k. I don’t believe it should be like this, but it’s difficult to tell what the cause is on the road as on the current gearing it romps through to silly revs in 2nd (unless you have a very long and steep hill handy), and 5500 in 3rd is already illegal.....

The 2L engine is pretty strong in standard form - my old one saw the far side of 7k several times with no ill effects.

As Alan says, std crank, carefully ground and balanced plus Max-speeding rods will be fine. Standard rods are fine too if properly prepared but Max-Speeding probably cheaper!

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On 6/15/2019 at 3:29 PM, thebrookster said:

Alan, do you have any info on how to differentiate the early Vs later MK1 engines? I have heard referrence to the two types before, but never worked out how to tell the difference apart from opening them up!

Phil

as this question comes up once in a blue moon, and i have always found the answer on a scrap of paper in a folder, its about time i put it where someone can find it in the future!

someone might like to confirm the 2000 number, as im only 95% sure on that, but Vitesse up to HC4500E, GT6 up to KC5000 and 2000 up to MB70000 all had the smaller Main Bearing journals.

alan

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  • 1 month later...

Well, now that the serious heat of the last couple of days has gone, I decided to set too and strip some more of the car.

Seats, prop and exhaust out.IMG_20190726_142828-1152x544.thumb.jpg.93035addf9d358ce99f3c78ba00b9b46.jpg

And discovered an unholy amount of rubbish inside!

Next was the fuel tank, some carpet, parts of dash and wiring loom.

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Resulting in a pile of bits to find storage for.........

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Not sure how much more I will get done today, as the clouds are starting to look a bit ominous, however I have enough out to be able to trailer it over to Chic Doig's next week. I shall continue until rains, the more out the better. Then just got a load of spare panels to put inside, and load the car onto the trailer.

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Cheers,

Phil

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Well, did get a wee bitty more done, and also moved the car round so it is ready to be pulled onto the trailer.

However my time was somewhat reduced, and not by the weather I was expecting! Three call-outs tonight on the Loch Lomond Rescue Boat for broken down boats, did take quite a while to tow two boats (together in a chain) halfway down the Loch. We might have 300HP on the rescue boat, but it has its limits :)

Maybe some more pictures tomorrow.

Phil

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1 minute ago, Nick Jones said:

Looks like good days work anyway. Chic Doig doing the bodywork presumably?

That's the intention - I can do bodywork but a) don't have the time, and b) frankly don't have the patience!

Hopefully be able to get it back solid and re-painted, then I can rebuild and do the mechanicals. Admittedly Chic is not the cheapest guy for the job, but when you are stuck in Scotland by the time you factor in fuel transporting the car to anyone else, it all comes equal in the end.

Phil

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On ‎7‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 11:55 PM, thebrookster said:

That's the intention - I can do bodywork but a) don't have the time, and b) frankly don't have the patience!

With that mind-blowing view behind you I fully understand that you don't have the patience to do bodywork :biggrin:

Good progress by the way.

JC

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