First repairs!

First repair before we even got to the start. Nothing too serious, broken exhaust rubber and had a spare in the boot. Now fixed.

Locked and Loaded

The Flying Log is pretty much packed now with lots of spares and tools in the boot and ready to go on the RBRR tomorrow.

I'll be picking up Glynn and Mark from High Wycombe station on my way to the start at Knebworth. The run starts at 6pm. Getting excited now!

All stickered up now and looking the part

The RBRR stickers are all in place, all the prep work is done so team Flying Log is all set for next week.

I've got Thursday off work for a lie in and  few last minute checks. As I greased the wheel bearings a couple of weeks back I'll recheck the adjustment in case they have settled, check all the fluids and tyre pressures.

Then load The Log up with tools and spares and on Friday I'll be picking up co drivers Mark and Glynn from High Wycombe station then we'll head off to Stevenage for lunch and then onto the start at Knebworth House.

The start assembly at Knebworth is a sight to behold with 140 Triumphs all lined up ready for the 6 o'clock start before screaming up the A1.

Preparation work near enough done

The Flying Log is pretty much prepared for the Round Britain Run now…  

Following all the other jobs that I’ve done in previous weeks today I’ve done the following

• Replaced the front tyres that were over 10 years old, the Costco tyre place also rotated the tyres so the new ones are on the back and re-did the pressures.
• Changed the engine oil and filter, Valvoline VR1 20/50 and a genuine Unipart Oil Filter
• Topped up the gearbox oil.
• Checked the diff oil (didn’t need topping up).
• Checked the brake fluid.
• Checked the Clutch Fluid
• Topped up the coolant which had settled slightly since draining, flushing and changing last week.
• Removed both front hubs, re-greased and adjusted the wheel bearings.

I was going to change the spark plugs, I bought a set a couple of weeks ago and can’t find them despite looking high and low. New set of NGKs ordered on ebay today which I’ll gap and change before the run, not a long job.

All that’s left to do is a last minute check of fluids and pressures and a check and readjust of the wheel bearings in case they settle having been re-greased today.

One little revelation today is that I usually change the oil in the garage which is not easy as there is not a lot of room to work around the car (unlike the GT6!). So today I decided to do it on the drive, although my drive slopes this actually helped as I parked it nose down, jacked the front of the car up so it was level (checked with a spirit level along the sill trim). This made the job so much easier, plenty of room to work around and even under the car.

Less than 3 weeks to go!

 

Not long to go now, the Round Britain run kicks off in less than 3 weeks! It’s not to late to sponsor the team if you haven’t already and thank you to all who already have.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rbrr2018teamflyinglog

If you want to see the spectacle of 140 Triumphs en-route the opening times for the checkpoints have now been published. The controls are due to stay open for 1 hour from opening and the teams will need to check in and get their road book signed to show completion of the run.

Friday 5th October
1	Start of run Knebworth House Stevenage	18:00
2	Whetherby Services on the A1M	21:13
3	Carter Bar Layby, England/Scotland Border on the A68	23:58
Saturday 6th October
4	Knockhill Race Circuit, Fife	01:44
5	Skiach Services, Allness	05:03
6	Seaview Hotel, John O’Groats (Breakfast stop)	07:42
7	Skiach Services, Allness	12:47
8	Morrisons Garage, Stirling (Scotch Pie stop!)	17:12
9	Tebay Services M6	20:08
10	Gledrid Services, Chirk on the A5	23:10
Sunday 7th October
11	Monmouth North Services A40	02:14
12	Okehampton Services A30	05:04
13	Lands End Hotel, Lands End (Breakfast Stop)	07:29
14	Bude Castle, Bude	10:49
15	Badgers Holt, Dartmeet, Dartmoor	12:21
16	Pimperne Village Hall, Dorset (Cake Stop!)	14:43
17	Turweston Aerodrome, Brackley	17:27
18	Finish of Run, Knebworth House, Stevenage	18:55

Round Britain Run Update

It’s now only just over 5 weeks until I attempt the Club Triumph Round Britain Reliability Run in the “Flying Log” again, 2,000 miles in 48 hours around the British mainland. This time the event is raising money for the charity Epilepsy Research UK, particularly appropriate as we lost one of our Club Triumph members, Martin Randle, to Epilepsy last year at much too young an age.

Our Team consists of myself and co-drivers Glynn Davis and Mark Smith, friends who are also Triumph nutters and like myself suffer from the syndrome of collecting multiple Triumphs!

Last month it looked touch and go as to whether I was going to be able to drive on the run as I woke up one Saturday morning with double vision. Although this lasted several weeks the good news is I’ve now fully recovered and have been discharged by the eye doctor so will be driving. If I still had a problem I would have still completed the run but just in the capacity of navigator.

The preparation of the car is now well on track. The biggest job was a replacement gearbox and overdrive which was completed back in May.

New Gearbox fitted

Other jobs which I’ve completed are :_

• Replacing the coil, distributor cap and rotor arm whilst trying to fix a misfire. The misfire turned out to be tight valve clearances on 3 of the exhaust valves which were adjusted and misfire fixed.
•  Getting the master light switch working properly (it sometimes was intermittent and needed a wriggle) using electrical contact cleaner, I’ve also got a couple of spare switches to take along just in case.
• Replacing the twin tone front horns, one of the originals had packed up so I only had a single tone and it was a bit feeble. Horns will be needed up in the wilds of North Scotlandshire to get the sheep and other wildlife to clear the road ahead!
• Replacing a lower ball joint – needed for the MOT anyway.
• Working to free off a partially sticking front brake caliper that was making the car pull to one side under heavy braking, again required for the MOT.
•  Replacing the Fuel tank, the old one worked fine but a baffle inside had come loose and was stopping the fuel sender from working meaning the fuel gauge got stuck. Slight problem when I went to replace the tank, the second hand one I’d bought turned out to be a bit smaller, turns out it’s from a Toledo rather than a Dolomite. Anyway, made up brackets to support the rear and it’s fitted and working. The slight reduction in capacity from 12 to 10 gallons will be OK for now.
•  Replacing all the rubber fuel hose with the latest R9 spec which is suitable for the latest fuels which have ethanol added. Ethanol eats standard unleaded fuel hose and breaks it down causing leaks and sediment.
• Replacement of the Hazard Flasher Switch, picked up on the MOT that the warning bulb wasn’t working and the previous owner had glued the switch together which prevented bulb replacement in the existing switch.
• Getting a small patch welded on the inner wing  for the MOT.
• Car now MOTd with no advisories.

Toledo Fuel Tank is slightly smaller than the original, 10 Gallon Capacity rather then 12.

I have a few more jobs to do over the next few weeks which are really standard servicing :-

•  Oil and Filter Change.
• Brake and Clutch Fluid check.
• Drain the coolant, flush the system and replenish with new anti-freeze mix.
• Check Gearbox and Diff oil and top up as necessary.
• Check and adjust tappets.
• Change Spark Plugs.
• Check ignition timing (it’s electronic so no points to replace/adjust).
• Tune and balance the carbs.
• Replace air filters.
• Re-grease and adjust wheel bearings
• Pump grease into the grease nipples on all greasing points.
• General check of all suspension and steering nuts and bolts.

I’m also going to replace both front tyres, they have loads of tread and passed the MOT but there are a few minor cracks in the rubber and they are about 10 years old.

There is a drivers briefing meeting on 22^nd September where I’ll pick up all the briefing pack with road book etc and also the stickers so the car will then be stickered up to look the part for the run.

The Flying Log, stickered up on the last RBRR back in 2016. Picture taken at Loch Naver in very Northern Scotland.

Finally, if you would like to sponsor our team it would be really appreciated. To sponsor us please go to our just giving page :-

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rbrr2018teamflyinglog

We hope to raise at least £1,000 in all and as the event raised just under £100,000 in total last time it would be great if the £100,000 barrier get's broken this time around. Over the years, Club Triumph has raised over £600,000 for various worthy charities.

A massive thank you to all those that have sponsored us already.

My Car is now a TV Star!

This has been really difficult to keep under wraps, but as some of you may have seen if you watch the programme, my GT6 appeared on Car SOS on Thursday night.

The filming took place last September and I was sworn to secrecy by the TV company and agreed not to publically mention my involvement in Car SOS or publish any pictures on line etc until after the programme had been screened.

Last summer I had an email from the production company – Renegade Pictures who make the Car SOS series for National Geographic. They contacted me asking if I knew anyone who had a GT6 that they could use for filming, they wanted a car to film as the example of a tidy roadworthy GT6 to film in an episode.  Snag was I couldn’t go asking out on facebook groups or internet forums etc as those who watch will know it would ruin the whole thing if the beneficiary of the restoration was to find out and the filming was to be in the Brecon Beacons. I couldn’t immediately think of a GT6 owner in South/Central Wales. As it was a 71 MK3 they would be restoring which is same year as mine I said they could use mine if they would pay expenses. So having agreed funding for an overnight stop in a Hotel, breakfast, petrol, and the Seven Bridge Toll I happily agreed.

It was a pretty long day as although it would only be a few minutes featured on the programme TV production is a long job and it took nearly 6 hours.

As well as the presenters Fuzz Townshend (The TSSC honorary president) and Tim Shaw driving the car with driving footage both in and outside the car I also drove some of the driving sequences, although that will not be apparent from the TV show.

Me posing with Fuzz, Tim and my GT6.

Filming consisted of lots of driving around a twisty section of road high in the Brecon Beacons being filmed from the air by a drone and at ground level several camera men. Cameras were mounted for in car footage of Tim in the car with Fuzz as a passenger. Then there were some detail shots on the road with go pro cameras pointing at various bits of the car and road (which I drove for). There was some filming of the car stationary using a boom camera to focus in on the interior and exterior details. A few still pictures were taken as well to use as promotional material.

Filming underway, Fuzz getting into my car.

A in car driving sequence being filmed Tim driving my GT6 with Fuzz in the Passenger seat.

There was some stationary conversation with Fuzz and Tim including a comedy moment that unfortunately didn’t make the final cut, Tim is 6ft 9 tall and really had to squeeze to get into the driving seat. He also had to take his boots off to drive as his huge feet were too wide to operate the pedals except in socks! The boots were put in the passenger footwell, and when Fuzz got in he dumped them outside into the car park. Then the boots were filled with Quavers to attract a couple of local sheep to come and “eat“ them!

Tim’s boots dumped in the car park next to my car

There were two other cars being filmed at the same time for other episodes. An MGA and a Lancia Delta Integrale.

Fuzz and Tim in a really nice MGA

Lancia Delta Integrale also being filmed on the day.

At the end of the session the TV company gave me a “money can’t buy” Car SOS Key ring, like the ones Tim presents to the deserved recipient of the restored car in each programme when they say “You’ve been Cars SOS’d”.

Car SOS Key Ring, I’ve been Car SOS’d