MadaboutKitcars

Yep, at least I can boast a genuiely 'lightweight' chassis at the moment. Colin Chapman would be proud.

Good grief! I feel for you I thought my herald was a pig (part restored) but at least my chassis was solid the engine needed putting back together and bits making some throttle linkage fuel pump but it came with gaskets which was a bonus. Can't see to much in the piccy's but I do have spare either side front out riggers and a centre out rigger if it helps.... Pat

Thanks for the offer of the chassis bits Pat, but I've just this second placed an order with Canleys for all the bits I need just before going back on this site.

I didn't really have the time to shop around other than on the net but Canleys prices are pretty competitive anyway. I've ordered a rear outrigger, a side rail and a front outrigger for the driver's side (as that's pretty rotten too) and each part is under £25 inc vat, which is about 2/3 of what Rimmers charge (although Rimmers are cheaper for some other parts).

The trouble with shopping for essential parts is that one or two other items tend to slip into the basket when you're not paying attention: like a fibreglass gearbox cover and a set of 'blue' polybushes on this occasion, which bunped up the total a bit.

Still, I'll end up with a much better car in the long run and I can't wait to get it on the road.

Spent a couple of hours today removing the sump that was piddling oil past its gasket.





Thankfully no stray nuts 'n' bolts fell out of the engine while the sump was off and everything looks squeaky clean inside.



Once I'd shaved the remnants of the old gasket from the mating surfaces I fitted a new one, sealing it in with blue hylomar sealant, wonderful stuff that really does the job imho, although I inevitably ended up with more hylomar on my fingers than on the gasket. But so long as it fixes the oil leak I just don't care.

The new chassis bits from Canleys turned up today too. I placed the order on Sunday and the parts arrived on Tuesday: great service as far as I am concerned.

Aiming to get some 'blasting done tomorrow and then teach myself to weld.

Might be worth staying away from West Norfolk over the next few days in case of power outages...

Thorry everyone, but the trouble with hylomar ith that it'th theriouthly thticky thtuff. Tho thticky in fact that it'th thtill thtuck all over my fingerth and I've managed to get the 'eth' key thtuck down on my computer keyboard.

I'll have to thee if there'th thomething under the think that can unthtick it thoon or I'll really be in the thhit when I try to potht replieth to peopleth Thammio thpyder build entrieth.

Normal thervice will be rethumed ath thoon ath poththible.

tuperb! good luck!

Thankth.

Well, it was howling a gale outside today but I've reassembled my blasting/spraying booth inside my garage so I was as snug as a bug in a rug (whatever that means).



CALL ME 'DEXTER'...



I got a lot more of the chassis blasted back to bare metal today. It's a slow process though, primarily because of the copious quantities of black bitumen underseal gummed all over the place.

I've now taken to doing a couple of minutes blasting followed by a couple of minutes power-drill wire brushing the bitumen. The wire brush doesn't remove it, but it spreads it out thin and heats it up while the compressor gets the blasting pot back up to maximum pressure. Once it's warm and thin the blaster will then strip it off in a few seconds rather than taking ages.

I'm sure a pro' blasting rig wouldn't struggle with the bitumen but my amateur setup is doing the job without causing any unnecessary damage. It's slow 'n' gentle rather than fast and indiscriminate. You pays your money, you takes your choice.

A few more holes have appeared in the chassis today, but they really don't look quite so daunting now and I'm going to have a crack at welding everything up myself. Won't be for a while though as I reckon there's at least another full days' blasting to be done tomorrow, then it's back to work again.

Carried on with the chassis blasting today in my Dexter tent. Once I'd finished the top a quick flip with the block'n'tackle revealed the underside which looks to be in pretty good condition. There are a few repairs but these appear to be of a far higher standard than the tacked on tinplate on the outriggers.



The front of the chassis turned out to be like new under the thick coating of engine oil and dirt and blasting the underside took only half the time of the top surfaces.

Last job of the day was to give the good bits of the chassis a once over with red hammerite (not much point in painting the bits I'm going to replace), chosen because it was on special at half price, only a tenner a litre at Halfords. Methinks it's starting to look not half bad.



Back to work tomorrow so plenty of time for the paint to dry before any further progress.

Looking good, feels good to when progress can be seen as well...PAT

Thanks Pat, you're absolutely right. Although it's taking far longer and costing a fair bit more than I'd anticipated there is a real sense of achievement in breathing new life into a tired old jalopy.

Once my spyder is on the road I'll be able to honestly say 'all my own work'.

Snap on both accounts!

In some ways i wish i'd stripped and blasted the chassis right the way back the way you are doing yours, but the top of mine was solid and the patches underneath i plan on looking at in detail once it's all done as long as they get through the MOT. Fingers crossed there aren't any more surprises for you!

Anyone looking for a cheap donor?

Take a look at this but be quick, it ends today!

If it doesn't sell you could always contact the seller and make an offer...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1968-triumph-herald-project-/170705733253?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item27bedac685

found a cheap engine for that donor car....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-Spitfire-1300-Race-Engine-CES-/250901868519?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3a6aeaafe7

Hmmm, tempting.

I fear it may possibly be a bit peaky for road use though. Think I'll stick with my straight six.

Spent a couple of hours stripping down the rear suspension and removing the differential this afternoon so I can replace all the bushes with the polybush set I bought. I've now realised that blasting a rolling chassis leaves you without access to some crucial places that really need blasting and painting so I'll be doing those areas shortly too.

The diff. came out surprisingly easily but most of the suspension bolts are siezed in the steel bush inserts making the job a big pain in the bottom. Guess I'm going to have to drill out most of the siezed bolts and replace them with new as even my ball-joint splitter just ended up mushrooming the ends of the bolts rather than pushing them out.

On a more positive note, I've now started spraying and lacquering my wire wheels. I'd have done them all but the can of Simoniz 5 wheel silver paint I bought ran out after three wheels (a phone call to trading standards is in order I feel ). The colour's quite a bit darker than I was expecting, looking more like grey steel than bright silver, but I kinda like the effect and I'm not going to redo them now after all the work I've put in. Before and after shots below:





Quite a difference!

Hoping to start welding up the chassis in a day or two, just waiting for a delivery of steel at the moment...

Looking good!

when clicked the thread it showed up a nice item as recomended

an electronic ignition kit for a bargain price

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-Herald-Electronic-Ignition-Kit-Coil-/120762854523?_trksid=p4340.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DDLSL%252BSIC.NPJS%252BSI%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BUA%26otn%3D10%26pmod%3D170705733253%252B170705733253%252B170705733253%26po%3D%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D3466457665568581833

Funnily enough I've already put a 'powerspark' electronic ignition system on my Vitesse engine. It was about £26 from the site linked below and included a new rotor arm.

http://www.simonbbc.com/powerspark-kits/triumph-powerspark-electronic-ignition-kit-25d6

It seems like decent quality for the price, installation was simple and the old lump certainly fired up a lot quicker and idled smoother once it was fitted.

I'm toying with the idea of adding an MSD 5 multi-spark ignition system as well. This is to try to make the car as fuel efficient as possible as the Spitfire tank holds only 7 1/2 gallons, limiting the range.

http://www.vwspeedshop.com/product.php?productid=16212&cat=444&page=1

Although that site is a vw specialist the MSD systems were designed for big, lazy American V8's and are switchable for 4, 6 or 8 cylinder cars.

MSD ignition

I had it on my Suzuki LJ80 about ten years ago, not sure if it was a bit OTT.
But it looked good.

Which Poly bush kit



What Poly bush kit did you go for? was it spitfire or herald, I have been toying with the idea and think that spitfire should best work due to the new swing spring I want to fit and the larger front anti roll bar, thsat is if the rest of the suspension bushes are the same. I notice also the Spitfire bush kit is cheaper too?

I went for the kit listed for the Spitfire mk I - III, Herald and Vitesse mk I from Canleys because I'm leaving my swing-axles as Triumph intended (apart from slamming it onto the tarmac).

http://www.canleyclassics.com/searchforapart/?desc=POLYBUSH+KIT+-+SPIT+I-III+VITI+HERALD&ptno=KIT33B

I chose the blue 'comfort' bushes instead of the red 'sport' ones because I don't want the ride to be too hard. I've driven too many cars that've had the ride and road handling ruined by being 'uprated' for the track when they're only ever going to get used on the road.

The Peugeot 306 is a case in point: supple and well damped as standard they can be driven safely to their considerable limits. When the 'Max Power' readers start adding stiffened springs and gas shocks all they get is wheel hop, understeer and snap oversteer followed by a view of the bottom of the nearest dyke through the sunroof.

Back to the polybushes, not sure what the differences would be with the swing-spring setup, but you can buy each bush individually so mixing and matching the correct ones shouldn't be too difficult.

Good luck!

Hi its Pat, been driving Skippy for 2 weeks between showers you don't want any thing stiffer on the suspension mines all original 13/60 herald 80mm lower and 4 top leaves removed and 80mm off the front coils and standard antiroll bar and she is quiet firm enough and no roll, could be different with a six pot up front. I'm going to get Skippy weighed at the local weigh bridge but I get in flying helmet, goggles and I'm GONE with silly grin...PAT

ps last pic in Sammio site gallery

Ha Ha, just checked the image on the gallery: Baron von Skipdriver I presume?

Ist gutt yar, vot ist your name, "don't tell him Pike", above 60 mph need the chin strap done up