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Garage / Re: Newby's first request
« Last post by TurboFource on Today at 03:44:23 AM »
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2
Garage / Re: Newby's first request
« Last post by S2Zetec54 on Today at 02:38:49 AM »....from a wet west country
That sounded scary. Think i'd bin the lock aswell
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Garage / Re: Newby's first request
« Last post by 4129R on Today at 02:07:53 AM »The steering lock is available from Rimmer Bros. Triumph Spitfire Mk 3 or 4 , I believe.
https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-GRID005829
To drop the column, the U bolt holding it to the bottom of the dashboard has 7/16" nuts holding it up. Just undo those 2 nuts (it takes ages as movement is restricted, and you are probably upside down), and the column drops down so you can drill out those bolts. Sometimes the twisting of the drill actually undoes the bolt for you.
https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-GRID005829
To drop the column, the U bolt holding it to the bottom of the dashboard has 7/16" nuts holding it up. Just undo those 2 nuts (it takes ages as movement is restricted, and you are probably upside down), and the column drops down so you can drill out those bolts. Sometimes the twisting of the drill actually undoes the bolt for you.
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Garage / Re: S1 rolling restoration
« Last post by LotusEuropa on Today at 01:40:27 AM »I want to add the first questions:
- Washing the car, I experienced loads of water collecting in the spare wheel compartment. I assume somewhere must be a drain hole or even a drain valve, but it is missing on my car (no spare wheel, holes are shut). Can you give me the position and a suitable solution? Do you have some further recommendations to keep the water out of the car as good as possible?
- There is no seatbelt installed to the car, is it possible that there was none for some of the S1s? For example in Germany there was no obligation to install them to new cars until 1974.
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Garage / Re: S1 rolling restoration
« Last post by LotusEuropa on Today at 01:38:55 AM »If you haven't already done so, it would be worth contacting Andy Graham at Lotus to see if he's got anything to add. An early chassis such as that might have ended up either as a demonstrator for car magazines or as a racer.
The previous owner, a young man who had gotten it from his neighbour, was in contact with him. Andy was unfortunately only able to give the basic information as usual (I think there was this fire in the archives or something like that). Given what you've said, it might be worth digging a little deeper. It would be great to find this in an article.
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Garage / Re: Newby's first request
« Last post by EuropaTC on Today at 01:34:25 AM »Hi and from (sometimes) sunny Lincolnshire !
Locked steering sounds very scary, you've dodged a bullet with that one.
I don't know for certain but would guess that the lock is most likely Triumph, the one on my '72 TC definitely is but I think the later cars had a re-designed steering controls ? It might be worth scanning the Rimmer catalogue to see if you recognise anything ? Personally I'd be tempted to take it off and remove the locking mechanism, no-one is going to steal these cars for a joy ride and if someone does want it they'll turn up with a low loader in the night. A steering lock isn't going to stop them.
As for brakes, there's a fair bit of info on this forum about pad material and I guess you'll know most of it from the Westfield. The summary seems to be Greenstuff for initial bite & dusty wheels, personally I've gone for Mintex 1144 pads without a servo but I guess everyone has their own favourite.
Brian
from (sometimes) sunny Lincolnshire !Locked steering sounds very scary, you've dodged a bullet with that one.
I don't know for certain but would guess that the lock is most likely Triumph, the one on my '72 TC definitely is but I think the later cars had a re-designed steering controls ? It might be worth scanning the Rimmer catalogue to see if you recognise anything ? Personally I'd be tempted to take it off and remove the locking mechanism, no-one is going to steal these cars for a joy ride and if someone does want it they'll turn up with a low loader in the night. A steering lock isn't going to stop them.
As for brakes, there's a fair bit of info on this forum about pad material and I guess you'll know most of it from the Westfield. The summary seems to be Greenstuff for initial bite & dusty wheels, personally I've gone for Mintex 1144 pads without a servo but I guess everyone has their own favourite.
Brian
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Garage / Re: S1 rolling restoration
« Last post by EuropaTC on Today at 01:13:11 AM »If you haven't already done so, it would be worth contacting Andy Graham at Lotus to see if he's got anything to add. An early chassis such as that might have ended up either as a demonstrator for car magazines or as a racer.
My first view of a Europa was around that time when someone came in a yellow one to the school I was attending and gave a talk to the 6th form students. I remember them saying it had been racing the previous weekend at Oulton Park (local circuit) even though it looked like a space-age road car to us !
My first view of a Europa was around that time when someone came in a yellow one to the school I was attending and gave a talk to the 6th form students. I remember them saying it had been racing the previous weekend at Oulton Park (local circuit) even though it looked like a space-age road car to us !
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Garage / Newby's first request
« Last post by HoraceM22 on Today at 01:06:35 AM »Morning all, My recently acquired, restored, '74 TCS has been undergoing a few bits of attention since buying it a couple of months ago, to make it more to my liking. I has a TC when they were new in '72.
Removal of the (Banks and others) gear linkage to check and tighten, etc. Making a reverse gear detente plate which works well (I'll put this on - with drawings - later for your appraisal). Refitting the reconditioned original Girling servo. Fitting the "H" clips to the rear brake shoes which were missing and now have a semblance of a handbrake, still to get the fronts to bite like I am used to with my supercharged X/Flow Westfield, any suggestions? The Westy has a AP Racing master cylinder.
Today's question concerns the steering lock. I had a scary moment the other day when making a gentle slow RH turn out of a garage when the steering suddenly wouldn't unlock and I went " slowly" careering clockwise across the road to the opposite kerb. Luckily there was no other traffic about. It needed a REALLY hard tug to get it to unlock. This has happened on a much smaller level a couple of times previously and I thought it was something at the rack end, but I couldn't replicate it back home. This time when I investigated I could hear a clicking around the steering lock, and I have deduced that the steering lock has broken down and this time the locking lug went into the column. Strangely, after a fiddle about, even with the key out, the lock wouldn't engage at all!
So, after looking behind the scenes, I can see that to replace this (or just remove the locking lug, if poss, I'll need the drill out the two snap-off bolts, but to get at them I need to undo the bolts holding the column to the chassis (I think). This in turn means I will have to remove the dash so EVENTUALLY I'm asking "is the dash just held by the screws around the edge of it? or is there something more sinister lurking?"
As it's the Kit Car show next Saturday and Sunday at Malvern and I'll be there with the Westfield, I might be able to get a replacement at the right price. Are the lock actually Spitfire bits? If I can get mine off in time I'll be able to take it along to
compare
Sorry to drag this out but as it's one of my first posts I thought I'd give a heads up on where I'm at. Dodford, Northants, UK as it happens.
I'm sure Some of you will be able to offer advice.
Many Thanks in advance
ATB all
H.
Horace Marks
Removal of the (Banks and others) gear linkage to check and tighten, etc. Making a reverse gear detente plate which works well (I'll put this on - with drawings - later for your appraisal). Refitting the reconditioned original Girling servo. Fitting the "H" clips to the rear brake shoes which were missing and now have a semblance of a handbrake, still to get the fronts to bite like I am used to with my supercharged X/Flow Westfield, any suggestions? The Westy has a AP Racing master cylinder.
Today's question concerns the steering lock. I had a scary moment the other day when making a gentle slow RH turn out of a garage when the steering suddenly wouldn't unlock and I went " slowly" careering clockwise across the road to the opposite kerb. Luckily there was no other traffic about. It needed a REALLY hard tug to get it to unlock. This has happened on a much smaller level a couple of times previously and I thought it was something at the rack end, but I couldn't replicate it back home. This time when I investigated I could hear a clicking around the steering lock, and I have deduced that the steering lock has broken down and this time the locking lug went into the column. Strangely, after a fiddle about, even with the key out, the lock wouldn't engage at all!
So, after looking behind the scenes, I can see that to replace this (or just remove the locking lug, if poss, I'll need the drill out the two snap-off bolts, but to get at them I need to undo the bolts holding the column to the chassis (I think). This in turn means I will have to remove the dash so EVENTUALLY I'm asking "is the dash just held by the screws around the edge of it? or is there something more sinister lurking?"
As it's the Kit Car show next Saturday and Sunday at Malvern and I'll be there with the Westfield, I might be able to get a replacement at the right price. Are the lock actually Spitfire bits? If I can get mine off in time I'll be able to take it along to
compare
Sorry to drag this out but as it's one of my first posts I thought I'd give a heads up on where I'm at. Dodford, Northants, UK as it happens.
I'm sure Some of you will be able to offer advice.
Many Thanks in advance
ATB all
H.
Horace Marks
9
Garage / Re: S1 rolling restoration
« Last post by LotusEuropa on Today at 01:05:01 AM »Concerning the VIN plate I also believe the current one isn't the original one. I think it was added sometime later, probably during the repaint some 20 years ago. I will reverse it to the original plate as soon as I have found a correct one for sale.
Unfortunately some information, e.g. if it really got rear ended, is missing as the car stood for several years now and most of the work was performed before. I cannot find anyone who did repairs or respray and therefore I cannot say what exactly happened in the past 57 year.
Unfortunately some information, e.g. if it really got rear ended, is missing as the car stood for several years now and most of the work was performed before. I cannot find anyone who did repairs or respray and therefore I cannot say what exactly happened in the past 57 year.
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Garage / Re: PA Motorsport upgraded stub axles?
« Last post by Richard48Y on Sunday,May 26, 2024, 11:01:14 PM »Outer axles being a weak link are why I wanted to get the upgrade posted above.
I've put off assembling my rear hubs waiting for a response.
I've put off assembling my rear hubs waiting for a response.