Trials and tribulations

I took MOE out to Leicestershire before Christmas, and a horrible smell started to waft through the car, and no it wasn't me! I thought it was something dripping on the exhaust, but having has a triumph on the road since 1973 I have smelt engine and gearbox oil on the exhaust before (many, many times lol).

So I thought as I didn't readily recognise the odour it must be power steering fluid, a quick inspection did'nt show anything obvious so I continued to drive. As I got to the M6 the smell increased and then the ignition light came on, a quick check saw that the fan belt was ok, and as I have a huge battery on her I decided that I would make Birmingham, which I did without a problem.

At home quick check of the dynamo, with a circuit tester between the contacts on the back I revved it up and the lamp should have glowed, it didn't so a new dynamo was needed.

A local member gave me a reconned C40 dynamo that he had in stock and wasn't ever going to need again and over the holiday I bought on ebay a RB340 Control box. Now if you replace a faulty dynamo, I would always recommend that the control box is changed as 9 times out of 10 it's a faulty control box that causes the dynamo to fail. I changed the control box Thanks to Mick Papworth for telling me where it was! Then I went to fit the dynamo only to find that although it looked the right one it was about an inch shorter, a quick phone call to the local supplier found a C40L i then left a few days before I got around to it.

I went to open my garage door to change dynamo, and it was frozen shut, two days later it was still frozen so today I attacked it with a paint stripping heater gun and eventually a bolster chisel that did the job! Changed the dynamo and you have to make sure that is the right polarity, you take a lead from the battery and strike one of the terminals at the rear of the dynamo three times, the little one (field) for negative earth cars and the larger one form positive earth cars.

Car fixed total cost £103 why didn't I fit an alternator nah, new fangled things lol!

Photos to follow when I can work out how to use my new camera.

Oh yes one point make sure your get the correct control box as well as the correct dynamo for your car I got the wrong one first time around!

NEC Classic Car show 13th,14th, 15th November & CT Library

I am getting the Courier Van ready for the NEC next weekend which looks like it going to be a great show, I have a bad back, neck and foot after tripping in the garage which is slowing me down but it the courier is not in bad shape, and just needs a touch here and there.

Do come on to the stand and say hello, you are more than welcome.


Well the library is well sorted and up and running, unfortunately this can only be accessed by members, an email to me with your membership number, name and address will get you a copy of the database containing the content of the library which I have recorded. Snail listing can be sent at cost.

Availability is via snail mail at the moment, but personal callers are welcome.

Goodbye Ruby Tuesday

Well after a long time trying to sell the Mk2, it went tonight and I am pleased to have broken even on the deal, and saved a good car from the banger racers.

Funnily enough after being visited by a few time wasters and lots of others making cooing noises over it, it was a young family who have recently started coming to our local meeting who, as they put it fell in love at first sight. It is a great car solid as a rock and very good mechanics.....I suspect it may end up to be a 2.5 manual though

So that just leaves me MOE and the Courier, that will do for a while........but how long will that last :-)

Stafford Looms

Well it seems that all my triumphs will be at Stafford this year, the Courier as part of the general herald mania, also being used to carry the model display and the concours on Sunday. The blue 2000 to be up for sale and MOE...... well why not she is my ultimate driving machine.

Out an about in a triumph or two.

Three shots from Duxford

Tuesday has been the car of the last couple of months, it sailed down to Duxford and back without a hitch, and last weekend trolled down to Ross-on-Wye to the 2000 register National weekend.

Off to the the Club Triumph National in MOE this weekend, I started her up today before popping over to Coventry, and she sulked like anything, misfiring, groaning and kept cutting out. It seemed like fuel trouble, I think it was a reoccurence of a sticky needle valve, anyway after a couple of minutes the fault cleared, I love driving MOE but I can't seem to drive slowly.....always puts a smile on my face..

MOE being bad + Outings

A couple of weeks ago MOE degraced herself by dumping all of her power steering fluid outside the registry Office in Birmingham. She was shipped off to Coventry to Mick Papworths and she got a new high pressure hose as a crack had appeared in the old one. A completely shot steering column joint both ends was replaced (wonders how the hell did that get though the MOT?) Apart from these two items just a brake adjustment and lube change saw her winging her way back up to Brum, lovely, smile back on face!


The local Birmingham area have had a good May, 40+ folk turned up at the monthly venue, a regular member Judy had a surprise 60th birthday party sprung on her and we have attended a couple of events including last weekend at Sandwell Historic vehicle pagent.

Wedding