'58 Complementary Triumph TR3 Motorcar [Archive]

Michael 182

February 2nd 04, 05:31 AM

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6469&item=2456760879

among others...

You do know you're going to have dirty fingernails for as long as you own
this car, don't you?

Michael

"Jim Weir" > wrote in message
...
> My lady has just informed me that she would consider a complementary
Triumph TR3
> to our classic '58 Cessna 182 a good idea. She's willing to cash in her
old
> Chevy on the Triumph...oil leaks and all...for a TR-3 of that era.
>
> Anybody got a lead on one of those old rascals?
>
> Jim
>
>
>
> Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
> VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
> http://www.rst-engr.com

Abafon Goula

February 2nd 04, 11:55 AM

Hemmings Motor News

On Sun, 01 Feb 2004 21:03:02 -0800, Jim Weir > wrote:

>My lady has just informed me that she would consider a complementary Triumph TR3
>to our classic '58 Cessna 182 a good idea. She's willing to cash in her old
>Chevy on the Triumph...oil leaks and all...for a TR-3 of that era.
>
>Anybody got a lead on one of those old rascals?
>
>Jim
>
>
>
>Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
>VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
>http://www.rst-engr.com

G.R. Patterson III

February 2nd 04, 04:26 PM

Jim Weir wrote:
>
> Anybody got a lead on one of those old rascals?

rec.autos.antique

George Patterson
Love, n.: A form of temporary insanity afflicting the young. It is curable
either by marriage or by removal of the afflicted from the circumstances
under which he incurred the condition. It is sometimes fatal, but more
often to the physician than to the patient.

David Lesher

February 2nd 04, 05:11 PM

Jim Weir > writes:

>My lady has just informed me that she would consider a complementary Triumph TR3
>to our classic '58 Cessna 182 a good idea. She's willing to cash in her old
>Chevy on the Triumph...oil leaks and all...for a TR-3 of that era.

>Anybody got a lead on one of those old rascals?

And you people worry about fixing AIRCRAFT electrical systems....

"A good days work, and home before dark"
The sign at Lucas Works...

I know a horder of such British cars. He owns two very essential
tools:

a) a cell phone

b) a pickup truck with car hauler trailer.

Good luck Jim. If you don't believe me, ask Click & Clack....
--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

Michael 182

February 2nd 04, 05:20 PM

"David Lesher" > wrote in message
...
> Jim Weir > writes:
>
> >My lady has just informed me that she would consider a complementary
Triumph TR3
> >to our classic '58 Cessna 182 a good idea. She's willing to cash in her
old
> >Chevy on the Triumph...oil leaks and all...for a TR-3 of that era.
>
> >Anybody got a lead on one of those old rascals?
>
>
> And you people worry about fixing AIRCRAFT electrical systems....

I had a mid-70's MGB once. A friend suggested I replace the electrical
system with a tallow candle, claiming it would be more dependable. He was
probably right. My brother gave me a can of mechanics soap because I was
always showing up at his house with grease stained hands, having had to dig
in under the hood in route.

Michael

Ed Sullivan

February 2nd 04, 10:13 PM

"Michael 182" > wrote in message news:<9FvTb.163259$sv6.892831@attbi_s52>...
> "David Lesher" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Jim Weir > writes:
> >
> > >My lady has just informed me that she would consider a complementary
> Triumph TR3
> > >to our classic '58 Cessna 182 a good idea. She's willing to cash in her
> old
> > >Chevy on the Triumph...oil leaks and all...for a TR-3 of that era.
>
> > >Anybody got a lead on one of those old rascals?
> >
> >
> > And you people worry about fixing AIRCRAFT electrical systems....
>
> I had a mid-70's MGB once. A friend suggested I replace the electrical
> system with a tallow candle, claiming it would be more dependable. He was
> probably right. My brother gave me a can of mechanics soap because I was
> always showing up at his house with grease stained hands, having had to dig
> in under the hood in route.
>
> Michael

Jim, I owned a 59 TR-3A which unfortunately got killed while parked in
front of my house by a DUI. I subsequently bought a 64 TR-4. I enjoyed
them both immensely. But they do need a bit of TLC. I didn't have as
much trouble with
the goofy Lucas electrical system as I did with the damn carburetors
which are kind of an unsucessful knock of an SU. I did own the TR-4
for years. After I
drove hell out of it I rebuilt the engine, reupholstered it and gave
it to my daughter to drive when she went to Cal-Poly, Later my son
took it over and completely restored it and sold it just this year.
Ed Sullivan

Henry Bibb

February 2nd 04, 11:03 PM

Jim,

These old sports cars can be a lot of fun, but do think about the safety
implications. They don't have any of the modern safety features we've come
to take for granted, and the results of an accident can be disastrous.

Henry Bibb

Jim Weir

February 3rd 04, 01:09 AM

I had a '57 TR3 going to college, and other than a damned gas tank seep that I
never COULD find, and keeping the SU carbs balanced, it was one of the more
reliable vehicles that I owned.

Of course, there is an alternator conversion for the Lucas (Prince of Darkness)
generator, and while it isn't exactly "stock", it does a lot for the reliability
of the machine. The wire loom that goes under the carpet by the copilot's feet
is also very interesting when it finally frays shorted on a lonely road in
Kansas between St. Louis and San Diego {;-)

Jim

"Michael 182" >
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

->http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6469&item=2456760879
->
->among others...
->
->You do know you're going to have dirty fingernails for as long as you own
->this car, don't you?
->
->Michael

Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

Jim Weir

February 3rd 04, 01:10 AM

What does that mean?

Jim

Abafon Goula >
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

->Hemmings Motor News

Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

Jim Weir

February 3rd 04, 01:12 AM

The only reason I'm looking for a '58 is that the Cessna is a '58 also. I'm
looking for one with lousy paint so that we can "paint to match" the Cessna.
I'm sure French Banner Blue wasn't one of the original colors, but quite
frankly, I'm looking for something to enjoy, not to show in competition.

Jim

(Ed Sullivan)
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

->Jim, I owned a 59 TR-3A which unfortunately got killed while parked in
->front of my house by a DUI.

Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

Abafon Goula

February 3rd 04, 01:28 AM

Hemmings.com might be better for you. No comps I'm sure, but a good
idea of the latest ground rules.

On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 17:10:01 -0800, Jim Weir > wrote:

>What does that mean?
>
>Jim
>
>
>Abafon Goula >
>shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:
>
>->Hemmings Motor News
>
>
>Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
>VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
>http://www.rst-engr.com

Frank Laczko

February 3rd 04, 01:32 AM

Used to have one - great car to drive. Do you know why they like warm beer
in England?? They have Lucas refrigerators.

Frank

"Jim Weir" > wrote in message
...
> My lady has just informed me that she would consider a complementary
Triumph TR3
> to our classic '58 Cessna 182 a good idea. She's willing to cash in her
old
> Chevy on the Triumph...oil leaks and all...for a TR-3 of that era.
>
> Anybody got a lead on one of those old rascals?
>
> Jim
>
>
>
> Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
> VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
> http://www.rst-engr.com

Chris Hight

February 3rd 04, 01:47 AM

>My lady has just informed me that she would consider a complementary
Triumph >TR3 to our classic '58 Cessna 182 a good idea. She's willing
to cash in her >old Chevy on the Triumph...oil leaks and all...for a
TR-3 of that era.

I had a TR6 for a while (until the drunk in a Ford Explorer killed
it).

Here's a couple of links:

http://www.vtr.org/buyers-guide/

http://www.the-roadster-factory.com/

Good Luck.

--Chris
N6414W

[email protected]

February 3rd 04, 01:52 AM

In rec.aviation.owning Jim Weir > wrote:
> What does that mean?

> Jim

> Abafon Goula >
> shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

> ->Hemmings Motor News

Trade-A-Plane equivalent for cars, emphasis on classics/collectibles.

Some things to keep in mind if you buy a British road oiler:

Why do the British drink warm beer?
Because they have Lucas refrigerators.

Why didn't the Germans bomb the Lucas factory in WWII?
They considered it to be allied territory.

How to interpret oil puddles under a British car:

Platter size - time for new seals and gaskets all around.
Saucer size - everything is normal.
no puddle - you are out of oil.

What is the one statement that is ALWAYS true about dual SU carbs?
They are out of sync.

Start looking now for a source of wentworth wrenches and bumper stickers
reading "All the parts falling off this car are of the finest English
workmenship". I'd send you one but I used the last one on the Jag.

--
Jim Pennino, Clean fingernails and British car free since 1985

Remove -spam-sux to reply.

Jim Weir

February 3rd 04, 02:30 AM

The other question is: Why do the British not have a good computer industry?

Because they couldn't figure out how to make them leak oil.

Jim

shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

->How to interpret oil puddles under a British car:
->
->Platter size - time for new seals and gaskets all around.
->Saucer size - everything is normal.
->no puddle - you are out of oil.

Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

Gerry Caron

February 3rd 04, 02:39 AM

Del Rawlins

February 3rd 04, 03:11 AM

In > wrote:

> What is the one statement that is ALWAYS true about dual SU carbs?
> They are out of sync.

You are speaking for yourself here. Once properly set, they typically
stay that way until the next idiot decides to screw with them in an
attempt to fix some problem caused by the Lucas ignition.

----------------------------------------------------
Del Rawlins-
Remove _kills_spammers_ to reply via email.
Unofficial Bearhawk FAQ website:
http://www.rawlinsbrothers.org/bhfaq/

Del Rawlins

February 3rd 04, 03:13 AM

In > Jim Weir wrote:

> I'm looking for one with lousy paint so that we can "paint to match"
> the Cessna. I'm sure French Banner Blue wasn't one of the original
> colors

You'll go to hell for that.

----------------------------------------------------
Del Rawlins-
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Del Rawlins

February 3rd 04, 03:21 AM

In > Jim Weir wrote:

> Of course, there is an alternator conversion for the Lucas (Prince of
> Darkness) generator, and while it isn't exactly "stock", it does a lot
> for the reliability of the machine.

I don't believe we ever had any trouble with the lucas generator in the
MGA which has been in the family since '63. Either that or my dad never
mentioned it, and I think he would have had it gone bad at some point.

You can also buy a Pertronix electronic ignition module for most of the
old Lucas distributors which replaces the points and condenser.

> The wire loom that goes under the
> carpet by the copilot's feet is also very interesting when it finally
> frays shorted on a lonely road in Kansas between St. Louis and San
> Diego {;-)

On the MGA the wiring to the SU fuel pump (which sits behind the
passenger seat) and rear light wiring is held in the same clips that
hold the fuel line to the inner frame rail. Now that was good thinking!
8^P Course these are the same people who saw no need to include a rear
main oil seal on the engine. At least they put a drain hole in the
bottom of the transmission bell housing.

----------------------------------------------------
Del Rawlins-
Remove _kills_spammers_ to reply via email.
Unofficial Bearhawk FAQ website:
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Don Tuite

February 3rd 04, 04:31 AM

On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 17:12:38 -0800, Jim Weir > wrote:

>The only reason I'm looking for a '58 is that the Cessna is a '58 also.

A Studebaker Avanti then?

Don
(Ignoring the gullwing SL.)

Don Tuite

February 3rd 04, 04:55 AM

Another random thought or two, starting with California aviation
history: For many years, the FBO at Santa Ynez had '58 Chevy
Biscaynes as their rental fleet. Maybe they bought them from a
Tijuana taxi company. I seem to recall that they went for $8/day in
1970. Gas was thirty cents a gallon.

Typically, V8s of the '50s got 12-13 miles to a gallon. Caddys got as
much as 17. Remember the "Mobilegas Economy Run"? 20 mpg was
unheard-of for Detroit iron. Until the Falcon and Corvair. (OK. I'm
slighting the Nash Metropolitan.)

'58 was the only year for Chevys with that particular rounded body
style. The next year, Chevy went to the Martian Ground-Chariot body.
Basically, they hammered the fins on the '57 over sideways. '55s,
'56s and '57s all used different tricks to hide the gas cap behind the
left tail=light so that green gas-jockeys couldn't find it.

My old man had a '58 that he must have bought around '61. It was
painted what could only be called, "GM chalky sorta-blue." I learned
to shift on his '54, which was "GM chalky pretty-much-gray."

Don't mind me, I'm old.

Don

[email protected]

February 3rd 04, 05:04 AM

In rec.aviation.owning Del Rawlins > wrote:
> In > wrote:

> > What is the one statement that is ALWAYS true about dual SU carbs?
> > They are out of sync.

> You are speaking for yourself here. Once properly set, they typically
> stay that way until the next idiot decides to screw with them in an
> attempt to fix some problem caused by the Lucas ignition.

Not quite...

I still remember the picture quiz in one of the car mags that showed a
pair of SUs with the question "What are these?", the correct answer
being "Out of sync".

Other than cleaning the points and plugs at 3k and replacing them at
6k, I never had any problems with the ignition systems. Of course this
was before gold or platinum plugs became available.

I especially loved the carb on the Triumph. It didn't take long to learn
to keep a spare diaphram and a screwdriver in the trunk for when the
damn thing cracked and started leaking air limiting your max speed to
about 15MPH. Armoralling them seemed to make them last a bit longer.

--
Jim Pennino, spender of way too may Sundays sitting on the tyres of
British road oilers

Remove -spam-sux to reply.

Dave Stadt

February 3rd 04, 05:19 AM

> wrote in message
...
> Jim Pennino, spender of way too may Sundays sitting on the tyres of
> British road oilers

On the GT6 they made sitting on the tire to work on the engine real easy.
The entire bonnet tilted forward.

Del Rawlins

February 3rd 04, 05:48 AM

In > Don Tuite wrote:

> Typically, V8s of the '50s got 12-13 miles to a gallon. Caddys got as
> much as 17. Remember the "Mobilegas Economy Run"? 20 mpg was
> unheard-of for Detroit iron. Until the Falcon and Corvair. (OK. I'm
> slighting the Nash Metropolitan.)

And of course the Nash Metropolitan used the same basic engine that is
installed in my MGA, albeit with a somewhat milder cam and only one
carburetor. The MG gets about 28 mpg if you can keep your foot out of
the throttle.

----------------------------------------------------
Del Rawlins-
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Unofficial Bearhawk FAQ website:
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Del Rawlins

February 3rd 04, 05:50 AM

In > Gerry Caron wrote:
>
> "Jim Weir" > wrote in message
> ...
>> My lady has just informed me that she would consider a complementary
> Triumph TR3
>> to our classic '58 Cessna 182 a good idea. She's willing to cash in
>> her
> old
>> Chevy on the Triumph...oil leaks and all...for a TR-3 of that era.
>>
>> Anybody got a lead on one of those old rascals?
>>
>
> Just like old airplanes, start with the type club. Here's the web
> site for one close by you, the Sacramento Valley MG Car Club:
>
> http://www.svmgcc.org/

While Jim is looking for a Triumph, I think your suggestion makes a lot
of sense. 8^)

----------------------------------------------------
Del Rawlins-
Remove _kills_spammers_ to reply via email.
Unofficial Bearhawk FAQ website:
http://www.rawlinsbrothers.org/bhfaq/

John Ousterhout

February 3rd 04, 06:17 AM

Jim Weir > wrote in message >...
> My lady has just informed me that she would consider a complementary Triumph TR3
> to our classic '58 Cessna 182 a good idea. She's willing to cash in her old
> Chevy on the Triumph...oil leaks and all...for a TR-3 of that era.
>
> Anybody got a lead on one of those old rascals?

Jim, running for Governor made most of us believe that you had lost
your mind. This PROVES it.

Why do they say "There will always be an England"?

Because when they finally turn off that great ignition the entire
country will just keep running on.

- John (FORMER owner 59 TR-3, 66 TR-4A) Ousterhout -

G.R. Patterson III

February 3rd 04, 02:15 PM

Don Tuite wrote:
>
> Another random thought or two, starting with California aviation
> history: For many years, the FBO at Santa Ynez had '58 Chevy
> Biscaynes as their rental fleet.

If you really object to tinkering with cars to keep them running, don't buy *any*
American iron made in '58.

George Patterson
Love, n.: A form of temporary insanity afflicting the young. It is curable
either by marriage or by removal of the afflicted from the circumstances
under which he incurred the condition. It is sometimes fatal, but more
often to the physician than to the patient.

jls

February 3rd 04, 07:32 PM

"G.R. Patterson III" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> Don Tuite wrote:
> >
> > Another random thought or two, starting with California aviation
> > history: For many years, the FBO at Santa Ynez had '58 Chevy
> > Biscaynes as their rental fleet.
>
> If you really object to tinkering with cars to keep them running, don't
buy *any*
> American iron made in '58.
>
> George Patterson

We had a '58 Chevy with a 283 in it. My dad put 100k miles on it and then
he sold it to a family in Madison County who put another 100k on it before
it was junked. We had a '59 Chevy too. It had a 283 V-8. I would sneak
it out in the dark of night and do 120 in it up Middle Fork Straight.

Jim Weir

February 4th 04, 12:17 AM

They bought them from the City of Santa Ynez as surplus when the city bought new
cars. They must have had twenty or thirty of them at one time.

Jim

Don Tuite >
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

->Another random thought or two, starting with California aviation
->history: For many years, the FBO at Santa Ynez had '58 Chevy
->Biscaynes as their rental fleet. Maybe they bought them from a
->Tijuana taxi company.

Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

Gerry Caron

February 4th 04, 01:15 AM

"Del Rawlins" > wrote in message
...
>
> While Jim is looking for a Triumph, I think your suggestion makes a lot
> of sense. 8^)
>

Sorry... Old age is setting in. 8^)

Try: http://www.triumphtravelers.org/

Gerry

David Lesher

February 4th 04, 03:38 PM

There is a book you need: "How to repair your foreign car" by Dick
O'Kane -- it was written in the 1960's and was mostly but not
exclusively about British vehicles.

It had chapter titles such as:

Why, when Britannia rules the waves, can't they make a car
that runs in the rain?

Carburettor is a French word meaning "Leave it alone...."

There were also chapters on what your tool kit should have. The
typical British car's contents were described and derided "The
mallet for knock-off spinners will do you no good when you need a
lug wrench...."

It suggested you take a sunny day and figure out how to jack up the
car & change a tyre then, not not wait for a dark, cold rainstorm.
[Hint: my BiL's Morgan is jacked up from INSIDE the car..]

There was an entire chapter on likely the worst-designed piece of
hardware since the Tacoma Narrows Bridge -- yes, the SU electric
fuel pump.

And every single word is true. Buy it before you get the car.

--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

Ron Natalie

February 4th 04, 06:29 PM

"David Lesher" > wrote in message ...
>
>
> There is a book you need: "How to repair your foreign car" by Dick
> O'Kane -- it was written in the 1960's and was mostly but not
> exclusively about British vehicles.

I was listening to click and clack one day and a woman called in and her
recently licensed son had been offered two used cars as gifts from relatives.
One was an old RangeRover and the other was a non-descript type.

Their suggestion as that owning the Ranger would teach him a valuable
lesson: "Never buy a British car."

tongaloa

February 4th 04, 09:31 PM

wrote:
> What is the one statement that is ALWAYS true about dual SU carbs?
> They are out of sync.
>

This is not true. They will stay in sync for weeks at a time and
may be adjusted in about the same time it takes to 'check' the oil.
Bit of hose and a good ear. When they sound the same, they're synced.
-t

tongaloa

February 4th 04, 09:34 PM

Don Tuite wrote:
>
> Typically, V8s of the '50s got 12-13 miles to a gallon. Caddys got as
> much as 17. Remember the "Mobilegas Economy Run"? 20 mpg was
> unheard-of for Detroit iron. Until the Falcon and Corvair. (OK. I'm
> slighting the Nash Metropolitan.)

What, no King Midget?

Del Rawlins

February 4th 04, 09:41 PM

In > tongaloa wrote:
> wrote:
>> What is the one statement that is ALWAYS true about dual SU carbs?
>> They are out of sync.
>>
>
> This is not true. They will stay in sync for weeks at a time and
> may be adjusted in about the same time it takes to 'check' the oil.
> Bit of hose and a good ear. When they sound the same, they're synced.

There is a procedure to follow when adjusting and synching the SU carbs
and if you do not follow it, you will have a devil of a time getting
them right. Also the use of the Uni-Syn tool is a much more precise
technique than listening to the hiss.

----------------------------------------------------
Del Rawlins-
Remove _kills_spammers_ to reply via email.
Unofficial Bearhawk FAQ website:
http://www.rawlinsbrothers.org/bhfaq/

[email protected]

February 4th 04, 10:04 PM

In rec.aviation.owning tongaloa > wrote:
> wrote:
> > What is the one statement that is ALWAYS true about dual SU carbs?
> > They are out of sync.
> >

> This is not true. They will stay in sync for weeks at a time and
> may be adjusted in about the same time it takes to 'check' the oil.
> Bit of hose and a good ear. When they sound the same, they're synced.
> -t

"...weeks at a time.."; I stand by the original statement.

For those that want to see the "official" procedure, you can find it at
http://www.britannia.org/mg/garage/display.php?ArticleID=004

Of course, after a while you just do a quick and dirty.

--
Jim Pennino

Remove -spam-sux to reply.

G.R. Patterson III

February 4th 04, 10:58 PM

wrote:
>
> For those that want to see the "official" procedure, you can find it at
> http://www.britannia.org/mg/garage/display.php?ArticleID=004

Man! And I thought I had it bad rebuilding the rear end of my old Ford! They do
this every few weeks?

George Patterson
Love, n.: A form of temporary insanity afflicting the young. It is curable
either by marriage or by removal of the afflicted from the circumstances
under which he incurred the condition. It is sometimes fatal, but more
often to the physician than to the patient.

[email protected]

February 4th 04, 11:09 PM

In rec.aviation.owning G.R. Patterson III > wrote:

> wrote:
> >
> > For those that want to see the "official" procedure, you can find it at
> > http://www.britannia.org/mg/garage/display.php?ArticleID=004

> Man! And I thought I had it bad rebuilding the rear end of my old Ford! They do
> this every few weeks?

Why do you think they call them "sports" cars?

Want to hear what you go through changing the rear axle u-joints on a
Triumph Spitfire, which I was never able to get to last more than about
a year?

--
Jim Pennino

Remove -spam-sux to reply.

G.R. Patterson III

February 5th 04, 12:21 AM

wrote:
>
> Want to hear what you go through changing the rear axle u-joints on a
> Triumph Spitfire, which I was never able to get to last more than about
> a year?

No. I own a '72 Triumph Bonneville which I hope to start working on next Summer.
I'll find out these things for myself, thank you very much! Though I hardly think
it can be a bad as the '66 Ducati I once had.

George Patterson
Love, n.: A form of temporary insanity afflicting the young. It is curable
either by marriage or by removal of the afflicted from the circumstances
under which he incurred the condition. It is sometimes fatal, but more
often to the physician than to the patient.

Del Rawlins

February 5th 04, 07:54 AM

In > G.R. Patterson III wrote:

> Man! And I thought I had it bad rebuilding the rear end of my old Ford!
> They do this every few weeks?

If they are doing it every few weeks, either they are doing it wrong or
there is some other problem that carb adjustment won't fix. Most
problems with dual SU carburetors are caused by people who don't
understand a dual SU setup. Unfortunately, the first thing such a
person usually does is to alter the adjustment in lieu of diagnosing the
problem. Then you wind up with a situation where, in addition to the
initial fault, you have maladjusted carbs to deal with as well.

It is important to note that these cars aren't exactly spring chickens
anymore and due to wear the carbs will most likely have issues which
cannot be solved simply by throwing a rebuild kit at them. Rebushing
the throttle shafts is not a simple task and there are several shops
which specialize in this work. 45 year old SU carbs can be made to work
well, but expect to send them out for a professional overhaul with new
throttle shafts and bushings first. One of the nice things about the
growing popularity of restoring these old british cars is that brand NEW
SU carbs are once again becoming available, which may be a good way to
go for a road car which won't be competing in concours competitions.

Also, somebody in this thread mentioned the SU fuel pump, which has been
a constant source of headache for many over the years, but there is
nothing wrong with the original design that a diode across the points
won't fix. For the non-purists among us, reproduction units utilizing
solid state circuitry are now available which should eliminate any
future problems with the fuel pump.

----------------------------------------------------
Del Rawlins-
Remove _kills_spammers_ to reply via email.
Unofficial Bearhawk FAQ website:
http://www.rawlinsbrothers.org/bhfaq/

David Johnson

February 5th 04, 08:26 PM

Don Tuite > wrote in message >...
> Another random thought or two, starting with California aviation
> history: For many years, the FBO at Santa Ynez had '58 Chevy
> Biscaynes as their rental fleet. Maybe they bought them from a
> Tijuana taxi company. I seem to recall that they went for $8/day in
> 1970. Gas was thirty cents a gallon.
>
They still have one of them, but not for rent any more. I suspect that
they were bought in a Government Surplus auction at Vandenberg AFB.

David Johnson

Rich S.

February 5th 04, 08:44 PM

"David Johnson" > wrote in message
m...
> Don Tuite > wrote in message
>...
> > Another random thought or two, starting with California aviation
> > history: For many years, the FBO at Santa Ynez had '58 Chevy
> > Biscaynes as their rental fleet. Maybe they bought them from a
> > Tijuana taxi company. I seem to recall that they went for $8/day in
> > 1970. Gas was thirty cents a gallon.
> >
> They still have one of them, but not for rent any more. I suspect that
> they were bought in a Government Surplus auction at Vandenberg AFB.
>
> David Johnson

I remember flying to airstrips in Idaho in the 70's. Many of them had '58
Chebby's parked there. They were retired state vehicles which, instead of
being auctioned off, were taken to remote airstrips and left for the use of
transients. You'd use one for a day or two, fill it with fuel, throw a
couple of bucks in the ashtray for maintenance and leave it for the next
guy.

Seems like another planet from this one.

Rich S.

David Johnson

February 6th 04, 06:16 AM

"Dave Stadt" > wrote in message >...
> > wrote in message
> ...
> > Jim Pennino, spender of way too may Sundays sitting on the tyres of
> > British road oilers
>
> On the GT6 they made sitting on the tire to work on the engine real easy.
> The entire bonnet tilted forward.

You can do that on an E-Type Jaguar as well. I have owned a '70 coupe
since new. The carburetors (Zenith Stromberg) finally gave me trouble
this year. Most of my problems have been (you guessed it) - electrical.
They were a lot of car for the money in those days. Can't say that
about the new ones (tho they are probably better in every way).

George A. Graham

February 6th 04, 11:48 AM

On Thu, 5 Feb 2004, Rich S. wrote:

> I remember flying to airstrips in Idaho in the 70's. Many of them had '58
> Chebby's parked there. They were retired state vehicles which, instead of
> being auctioned off, were taken to remote airstrips and left for the use of
> transients. You'd use one for a day or two, fill it with fuel, throw a
> couple of bucks in the ashtray for maintenance and leave it for the next
> guy.
>
> Seems like another planet from this one.
>
> Rich S.

I have found many free loaner cars lately. The one at Clearwater
Florida is/was a brand new Buick!

George Graham
RX-7 Powered Graham-EZ, N4449E
Homepage <http://bfn.org/~ca266>

Ron Natalie

February 6th 04, 01:50 PM

"George A. Graham" > wrote in message ...

> I have found many free loaner cars lately. The one at Clearwater
> Florida is/was a brand new Buick!
>
The folks at Garrett County MD let us take the airport beater. When we were
waiting around the airport for the weather to clear we decided to go get lunch.
The owner told us to just take her car instead of the "courtesy" car because
the A/C worked in hers.

Token

February 6th 04, 06:24 PM

"Jim Weir" > wrote in message
...
> My lady has just informed me that she would consider a complementary
Triumph TR3
> to our classic '58 Cessna 182 a good idea. She's willing to cash in her
old
> Chevy on the Triumph...oil leaks and all...for a TR-3 of that era.
>
> Anybody got a lead on one of those old rascals?
>
> Jim

Woooo weeee.....lots of negativity here concerning British cars...lol Some
of it is tongue in check, some is not. Take the negative with a grain of
salt, and consider that most of the problems stated have indeed happened,
but far less frequently than one is lead to believe.

I currently own a few British cars, most of them Triumph. The short list of
road worthy (although not necessarily on the road at this time): 3 1962
Triumph TR-4's, one silver, one red, one blue, one each of the following,
1962, 1965, 1967, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980 Triumph Spitfires, stretching
the roadworthy bit on the 1965 a little. Other than that is a couple Jags,
only one is road worthy at this time, 1958 Jag Mk IX Saloon.

The carbs on these things should not be anything like the flaky nature
people are presenting here. I normally adjust on any given vehicle roughly
twice a year, at the major seasonal changes. Plugs do seem to get eaten up
pretty rapidly, with replacement in the 6000 mile range not uncommon. My
Powder Blue 1962 TR-4 has given me something over 130,000 trouble free miles
(no telling how many miles it had on it when I got the car) in the past 7
years with only normal maintenance, leaving me stranded on the side of the
road one time, bad points. The points had been telling me for weeks (hard
starts, rough idle) that I needed to replace them, I kept thinking "next
weekend". I converted it to electronic ignition right after that, since it
was my daily driver, and never had another issue. The carbs do get rebuilt
every three years or so, takes maybe two hours tops.

If you do get a TR-3, do yourself a big favor and make sure to get one with
overdrive. Without OD the car is a bit too "buzy" at highway speeds, and it
really is not fun on longer (say more than 30 minutes) runs. The OD turns
it into a very different ride.

Someone else mentioned Hemmings, that is a good source, but be prepared to
spend a bit more, most people who list there expect the car to fall in the
book value ranges. I have had good luck with things like
www.traderonline.com and www.autotrader.com and local swap sheets /
classified adds. Most of my cars were located within about 75 miles of my
house.

Someone else put the link of www.vtr.org up, there is some good info on
there concerning buying these cars and what to look for. Specifically
http://www.vtr.org/TR3/index.html is a place to start, with
http://www.vtr.org/buyers-guide/index.html being something to read also.

T!

Triumph_TR4 (at) hotmail (dot) com

Don Tuite

February 6th 04, 07:36 PM

On Fri, 06 Feb 2004 18:24:18 GMT, "Token" >
wrote:
>
>Woooo weeee.....lots of negativity here concerning British cars...lol

To be fair then, consider the Renault Dauphin.

Don

Rich S.

February 6th 04, 09:40 PM

"Don Tuite" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 06 Feb 2004 18:24:18 GMT, "Token" >
> wrote:
> >
> >Woooo weeee.....lots of negativity here concerning British cars...lol
>
> To be fair then, consider the Renault Dauphin.
>
> Don

Careful! You're getting close to home, here. Several parts on the Emeraude
plans call for "Citroen", i.e. canopy door latches, cowling hinges, etc.

Rich S.

Blueskies

February 6th 04, 10:14 PM

Where do you keep (at least?) 14 cars?

--
Dan D.

..
"Token" > wrote in message news:mZQUb.107230$U%5.552289@attbi_s03...
>
> "Jim Weir" > wrote in message
> ...
> > My lady has just informed me that she would consider a complementary
> Triumph TR3
> > to our classic '58 Cessna 182 a good idea. She's willing to cash in her
> old
> > Chevy on the Triumph...oil leaks and all...for a TR-3 of that era.
> >
> > Anybody got a lead on one of those old rascals?
> >
> > Jim
>
>
> Woooo weeee.....lots of negativity here concerning British cars...lol Some
> of it is tongue in check, some is not. Take the negative with a grain of
> salt, and consider that most of the problems stated have indeed happened,
> but far less frequently than one is lead to believe.
>
> I currently own a few British cars, most of them Triumph. The short list of
> road worthy (although not necessarily on the road at this time): 3 1962
> Triumph TR-4's, one silver, one red, one blue, one each of the following,
> 1962, 1965, 1967, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980 Triumph Spitfires, stretching
> the roadworthy bit on the 1965 a little. Other than that is a couple Jags,
> only one is road worthy at this time, 1958 Jag Mk IX Saloon.
>
> The carbs on these things should not be anything like the flaky nature
> people are presenting here. I normally adjust on any given vehicle roughly
> twice a year, at the major seasonal changes. Plugs do seem to get eaten up
> pretty rapidly, with replacement in the 6000 mile range not uncommon. My
> Powder Blue 1962 TR-4 has given me something over 130,000 trouble free miles
> (no telling how many miles it had on it when I got the car) in the past 7
> years with only normal maintenance, leaving me stranded on the side of the
> road one time, bad points. The points had been telling me for weeks (hard
> starts, rough idle) that I needed to replace them, I kept thinking "next
> weekend". I converted it to electronic ignition right after that, since it
> was my daily driver, and never had another issue. The carbs do get rebuilt
> every three years or so, takes maybe two hours tops.
>
> If you do get a TR-3, do yourself a big favor and make sure to get one with
> overdrive. Without OD the car is a bit too "buzy" at highway speeds, and it
> really is not fun on longer (say more than 30 minutes) runs. The OD turns
> it into a very different ride.
>
> Someone else mentioned Hemmings, that is a good source, but be prepared to
> spend a bit more, most people who list there expect the car to fall in the
> book value ranges. I have had good luck with things like
> www.traderonline.com and www.autotrader.com and local swap sheets /
> classified adds. Most of my cars were located within about 75 miles of my
> house.
>
> Someone else put the link of www.vtr.org up, there is some good info on
> there concerning buying these cars and what to look for. Specifically
> http://www.vtr.org/TR3/index.html is a place to start, with
> http://www.vtr.org/buyers-guide/index.html being something to read also.
>
> T!
>
> Triumph_TR4 (at) hotmail (dot) com
>
>
>

Token

February 6th 04, 11:03 PM

"Blueskies" > wrote in message
om...
> Where do you keep (at least?) 14 cars?
>
>
> --
> Dan D.

Six are in garages, none of my new cars are...lol. The rest are outside,
mostly under car covers. My wife says I can not use over 1/4 of the
property for car storage, so I still have an acre or two left I can use. I
did not list my parts cars, figure at least one parts car for every one that
is road worthy. You must remember that most of these are not show cars, in
fact only one has ever been shown, but just good examples I have managed to
collect. Also, the fact that I am in the desert, and really have nothing
but wind and sun to worry about, makes it very easy to keep a car outside.
I have, however, looked at putting in a steel building for the top 10 or so
cars, dragging my heals on that just a bit.

This is an addiction, not an investment. Been feeding this addiction for
something like 25 years, going on 26. Got my first Triumph in late 1978, it
was a 1979 model Spitfire. Not the 79 I have now though.

Now my youngest daughter thinks of American Iron. She just (at 15) got her
first project, a 1964 Chrysler New Yorker. She is eyeballing a 1932 Ford
Model A that the same people she got the New Yorker from still have. I told
her not until the New Yorker is on the road, at which time she points to a
couple of my Triumphs and says, in a very teenage way, "It looks like you
have more than one project going at a time".

T!

Triumph_TR4 (at) hotmail (dot) com

Don Tuite

February 6th 04, 11:06 PM

On Fri, 6 Feb 2004 13:40:41 -0800, "Rich S."
> wrote:

>"Don Tuite" > wrote in message
...
>> On Fri, 06 Feb 2004 18:24:18 GMT, "Token" >
>> wrote:
>> >
>> >Woooo weeee.....lots of negativity here concerning British cars...lol
>>
>> To be fair then, consider the Renault Dauphin.
>>
>> Don
>
>Careful! You're getting close to home, here. Several parts on the Emeraude
>plans call for "Citroen", i.e. canopy door latches, cowling hinges, etc.

Citroen is a different pot de poissons. Except for the 2CV, a
Citroen's faults, if any, come from an excess of engineering elegance.

Don

Rich S.

February 6th 04, 11:37 PM

"Don Tuite" > wrote in message
...
>
> Citroen is a different pot de poissons. Except for the 2CV, a
> Citroen's faults, if any, come from an excess of engineering elegance.

2CV - Yup, that's the one.

I used a CAP-10 canopy frame on the Emeraude. The handle appears to be
Citroen. Do you think I can get I new blank key to cut for the lock? NON!

Rich "Keyless in Seattle" S.

David Lesher

February 7th 04, 04:46 PM

Don Tuite > writes:

>On Fri, 06 Feb 2004 18:24:18 GMT, "Token" >
>wrote:
>>
>>Woooo weeee.....lots of negativity here concerning British cars...lol

>To be fair then, consider the Renault Dauphin.

ARHHHHHHHHHH!!!

--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

Paul Sengupta

February 10th 04, 03:12 PM

Ah, that's why your Triumph Spitfires still survive. They just dissolve
over here.

Paul

"Token" > wrote in message
news:o3VUb.239004$xy6.1248086@attbi_s02...
> Also, the fact that I am in the desert

Dylan Smith

February 10th 04, 06:23 PM

In article et>, Henry B
ibb wrote:
> These old sports cars can be a lot of fun, but do think about the safety
> implications. They don't have any of the modern safety features we've come
> to take for granted, and the results of an accident can be disastrous.

You're telling this to a GA pilot? GA is accepted to be 7 times more
dangerous than driving a car (about the same as riding a motorcycle on
the road). I don't think he's worried about the old TR-3 lacking
airbags, and I seriously doubt he'll be doing many miles in one per
year!

--
Dylan Smith, Castletown, Isle of Man
Flying: http://www.dylansmith.net
Frontier Elite Universe: http://www.alioth.net
"Maintain thine airspeed, lest the ground come up and smite thee"

Dylan Smith

February 10th 04, 06:29 PM

In article >, Jim Weir wrote:
> I had a '57 TR3 going to college, and other than a damned gas tank seep that I
> never COULD find, and keeping the SU carbs balanced, it was one of the more
> reliable vehicles that I owned.

Funnily enough, I was never plagued by Lucas Prince of Darkness. I had a
1969 Mini when I was a student (the car was older than me), and my
ability to make morning lectures had much more to do with my reliability
after imbibing vast quantities of beer than Joe Lucas's electrics. The
only serious electrical fault I suffered was the voltage regulator for
the dynamo (generator) died. It was a relay-based unit and just needed a
good clean and the contacts re-gapping. By contrast, the generator on my
old Cessna 140 died once a year without fail.

I've had far more trouble with Ford electrics (on the Ford Sierra I
owned, the headlights went out suddenly whilst driving at 80mph down an
unlit road due to faulty wiring, I had numerous faults in my F-150
truck, including the fuel injection return system).

My current car has Lucas electrics. It's an Audi A4!

--
Dylan Smith, Castletown, Isle of Man
Flying: http://www.dylansmith.net
Frontier Elite Universe: http://www.alioth.net
"Maintain thine airspeed, lest the ground come up and smite thee"