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Triumph TR6 - What Have I Learned

Well, it’s Sunday night, and over the weekend I managed to complete the “mechanical” portion of my ’71 restoration. I realized that I have learned a great deal through this ordeal, and thought I’d share just a few of my observations. I’m sure everyone has different experiences with some of these things and I’m also sure some of them will be universal.

• Every type of fluid you put in your car will come back out. Somewhere. At least once.

• There is no choice when it comes to brake fluid but DOT5 silicone. If I had gone DOT4 I would have no paint left in my engine compartment.

• There is no way God meant for a Monza dual exhaust system to go on a TR6.

• POR-15 is great stuff. When you put it on the car. When you put it on yourself it's not so great at all.

• Don’t buy something on Ebay unless you’re absolutely sure what you’re getting.

• Polyurethane rack mounts don’t make sense. By its nature the material possesses a built-in lubricity that allows the rack to happily slide great distances back and forth. Two mounting brackets later ($22.50 each) I realize that you can’t possible crank them tight enough with poly mounts to keep the rack from sliding. Aluminum mounts are best, even the original rubber mounts are better.

• Don’t waste time trying to “pretty up” exhaust parts. The beauty is fleeting and only skin deep. They possess an inherent desire to want to be ugly. Indulge them.

• Refer to this forum early and often. The collective experience of all of you has been invaluable.

• Most Distressing Moment – Welding directly overhead while lying under the car.

• Least Productive Moments – Grinding overhead welds.

• Most Exciting Moment – Waiting for my homemade spring compressor to let go while my head and shoulders were inside the wheel well. It didn’t.

• Most Frustrating Moment – After two days of trying to start the car, I discovered that the remanufactured distributor I just bought had the key assembly at the bottom of the shaft fitted 180 degrees off.

• Biggest Knuckle Buster – Converting my “drop-in” Monza exhaust system into my custom Monza exhaust system.

• Most Satisfying Moment – Sitting on the driveway behind the car listening to my new custom Monza exhaust system.

The most ironic outcome of all of this is that, now that I know every square inch of this car intimately, all this knowledge will be lost if I don’t do it all AGAIN!

Jim
Jim Vandenberg


I feel your pain!! Been there!!

Have you ever been sitting there with a part in your hand....struggling to get it in to position...and finally it's in position and your holding it so it doesn't move and then...you put your hand down to find the wrench you had a few minutes ago and it's not there....and you keep squirming around while holding the part trying to find the stupid wrench!?!?!

I hate when that happens!!

Henry
HP Henry Patterson

Pretty good ones! But I've had no issues with the poly steering rack bushings like you did. The mounts just scrunched down and compressed 'em like they're supposed to. Huh.
Brent B

Beautifully said Jim

Every little gem attaches you to the car a little more.

It's only a car - but mine's already promised to son #3 who has just turned 14. It won't leave our family while I'm upright!!
Roger H

It's only the beginning bro....by the way, my Poly Rack Mounts worked perfectly - no problems. I heard the aluminum mounts are pretty harsh?

Good luck

John Parfitt
73 5 Speed.
John Parfitt

Valid observations all, and then there are the intuitively obvious things that get stated. One of my recent favorites involved an anti-roll bar. The bar was 16mm, the mounts had a 5/8" bore. The instructions stated that it may be necessary to ream the mount blocks to fit the bar. Well duh, last time I checked 16 mm was greater than 5/8", not by much but by just enough to prevent proper fit up. Of course those mounts would have to be reamed to fit the bar if you elected to use those mounts. The determined solution; scrap those plastic mounts and make up a proper set out of aluminum bar stock.

Another is related to working while on creeper as an extension to or possible root cause to the Patterson corrollary above. The wrench will be either unaccessible under the creeper or will be in the way such that the creeper cannot roll and therefore it is not possible to fit the part in position in the first place causing wrench to be moved and leading to, you guessed it, the wrench that cannot be located/reached. This in turn is further frustrating as a result of the speck of dust on the floor that impedes movement of the creeper.

Bottom line: Supposedly bolt-on after market stuff often doesn't (can at times also be true of OE replacement parts) and stuff that involves fitting/fabrication/welding/etc. will typically be more involved than indicated.

SteveP

What about that work light with the hook on it so that it can be hung anywhere to shine on the part you are working on but the ONLY place it ever shines is right in your eyes! Or if you are under the car on your back it will always roll towards your bald spot so it can burn you. Or what about that Bermuda Triangle of the engine bay, I am reattaching something with a nut
and washer, if they get away from me and fall I go straight to box and get a new one. There is no point
getting on your hands and knees for a look cause they
are gone. Somewhere between the hood and the oil pan
is a portal to the twightlight zone and it is sterwn
with lock washers
Christopher Trace

Chris,
I have found a head light (literally one that fits on the head with an elastic strap) to be fantasic for throwing light right where you want it. Also lets you have both hands free to hold onto that wrench that Henry Patterson keeps misplacing:)
db
Doug Baker

Ha ha how true Chris,I'm in the triangle now...2 weeks ago I dropped the clip that holds the carb linkage to the pedal arm ....it's completely gone..I heard it fall, it's not on the frame nor the floor !! been looking for days !
Charlie
Charlie B.


Hey I have a great idea for an invention. We'll modify a head-light, like DB's, to include loops around the band to hold a full complement of wrenches and screw drivers and other assorted tools neatly ordered around the head to be readily available for use. No more misplaced wrenches for me. When my wife walks into the garage and see's me covered in grease, staring at her with the head-light beaming in her eyes and all the tools wrapped around my head.....She'll think nothing of it!

HP
HP Henry Patterson

I wondered what that place was called..now I know..the Bermuda triangle. Man..been there!
Thanks Chris
Charlie, look on top of the bell housing or your starter motor. Not exactly a piece you can fab.
Rick C
Rick Crawford

How about spending hours setting up and clamping a plate to the underside of the car so it can be welded, and then without warning, running out of gas, causing a big lump of weld splatter to fly directly into my earhole causing me to jult upwards and smack my head on the chassis giving me a bruised and underbody sealant covered forehead. And then it started raining!!
Welding under cars is never fun......
james

Steve, the creeper story is so true. I think Murphy's Law is hardest at work when you're on a creeper. Sometimes I feel like I'm in one of those old prison movies where the keys to the cell are lying on the floor outside and the guy just...can't...quite... reeeaaach ...'em.

Henry, you paint a hilarious picture, and you're right, our wives are so used to our odd obsessive behavior that they wouldn't look twice.

Jim
Jim Vandenberg

Jim:

Please tell us more about the Monza system. I've been trying to decide between the Monza, which is just plain steel, the stock stainless system for my '76 or the dual sport Falcon system. I hear the Falcon is the most expensive and probably the best overall. Also hear the Monza is reportedly sexy but subject to corrosion and the stock stainless is probably the best overall value for money but no horsepower gain. The approximate $200 price difference is not the deciding factor. I've also never heard a brand new Falcon or Monza system operating up close and personal so I'd be interested in comments on the sound, value and performance. I don't want to sound like one of those rice burners with the coffee can mufflers. Any advice guys?
P.S. I'm a member but lost my password and temporarily my e-mail in hard drive crash.

Thanks,

Bob
Bob Evans

Bob,

The Monzas are LOUD! I put a set on my TR6, and loved them as long as I was just driving locally and for short trips. Then I took a trip to Key West(over 1000 miles one way). The first thing I did when I got home was order a stock replacement for them. 2000 plus miles of Monzas was just way too much.

If you plan on doing a lot of driving, I'd avoid them. For short periods, they are cool.
Dan Masters

I agree with Dan....Monzas came with my car and sounded great for a while but any long drive caused a constant loud drone that I could not adjust too..I installed a stock system and I LOVE IT !!!
Idling or cruising...
Charlie
Charlie B.

Bob,
I'm with Charlie & Dan. I got the stainless stock system, and around town at 2700-3000 RPM it has a nice growly note. At highway speeds, it seems to quiet down a bit! Very bearable for cruising!

And maybe that isn't the Bermuda Triangle....possibly the Coventry Circle? Been in there a few times myself, whatever you call it!

Rod
Rod Nichols

Bob,

I would probably echo Dan's comments. The Monza's are much louder than stock. I really haven't had an opportunity to drive the car any distance yet so I can't comment on that, but I just love the low rumble they give off at idle. They also sound VERY cool on deceleration. My '71 is green, so the chrome tips with yellow accent also LOOK really good. I got them on sale at TRF about a year ago for under $200 so it was a pretty good buy no matter what.

I don't really plan on any 1000 mile trips, but we'll see...

Jim
Jim Vandenberg

This thread was discussed between 14/02/2005 and 17/02/2005

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