Been a bit quiet on the blog front but busy on the "Log"

No Blog entries since July "tut tut". But apart from going away in the sun with the Kids for Summer Holidays things have been busy on the Triumph Dolomite front. This is for the best of reasons though as the "Flying Log" is my Round Britain Car this year so I've been busy prepping it.

One job was purely cosmetic, the chrome door trim fell off at TriumFest and there was a bit of corrosion spreading out from one of the clip holes. I tackled that by stripping back, painting with some Finnigan's No1 antirust, followed by a bit of filler  to smooth the repair, primer and Poo Brown rattle can. Not a perfect match but a reasonable finish. I then reattached the trim with new plastic clips.

The next job didn't go quite according to plan. The previous owner had stripped the thread on one of the Front Brake Caliper bleed nipples, this had been fixed with a bodge. he had forced a 10mm bolt into the 2/8 unf thread for the nipple, and bled the brakes by slackening the bolt to almost undone while a helper pumped the brakes. Must have been a bit messy but it got through the MOT like that and the front braking efficiency was fine. However, I didn't fancy the idea of being on the RBRR and having to fix a brake problem without being able to bleed the brakes properly. I found a 7/16 unf bleed nipple on ebay. I drilled and tapped the thread out to 7/16 unf and tried to fit the nipple, then found it wouldn't seal as the hex was bottoming out as it was shorter than the 3/8 nipple. I was unable to find a longer 7/16 nipple so the Caliper is scrap. I shopped around and found that Mick Dolphin was listing NOS Calipers for £35 a real bargain. However I couldn't get hold of him by email or phone so ended up ordering a recon Caliper from Canleys and paying the exchange surcharge. A bit more expensive but it allowed the car to be fixed. Then guess what, Mick contacted me, he had been away on his holidays, he has several NOS Calipers, but by then it was too late.

 Anyway the rest of the prep work was basically a full service.

Change Brake Fluid and Bleed Brakes
Set rocker clearances
Change Rocker Cover gasket
Change and gap plugs
Tension Fan Belt
Set points gap (points and condenser had been recently changed)
Set the timing (using strobe)
Top up the dashpots
Adjust the carb mixtures (using colour tune)
Balance the carbs (had to use the old fashioned tube in the ear'ole method as the carb choke is too close to the suspension turret to allow the use of my webber "snail" synchrometer)
Take front hub bearings apart, clean and inspect, re-pack with grease.
New pair of tyres
Set tyre pressures including spare
Change Engine Oil and Filter
Top up Gearbox oil
Top up Diff Oil
Check Clutch Fluid level
Grease steering rack and track rod ends
Check tightness of suspension and steering bolts
Clean Fuel Filter
Change Rad Cap and top up coolant

I used the car for the Driver brief up at Gaydon, a round trip of over 200 miles and it ran like a dream.

Then it was time to get the car looking the part for the run, gave it a good clean and attached the rally stickers, charity stickers and rally plaques. There is nowhere sensible to cable tie a rally plaques on the front of a Dolomite without blocking Rad airflow, lights or number plate so I taped it to the bonnet with electrical insulating tape. The bonnet needs a repaint anyway so it doesn't matter if it damages the paint.

Stickered up and looking the part

A bit of a clean up of the interior, application of Rainex and it's pretty much ready for the run now.

As you probably know, the charity this time around is Macmillan Cancer Support, a good cause and quite poignant this year having lost a good Triumph friend, Carol Boyland to Cancer earlier this year. If you are reading this and haven't already sponsored me or another team please consider making a
donation via my just giving site:- www.justgiving.com/Flying-Log or via just text giving by   sending a text with "RBRR48 £2 /£5 /£10" (enter one amount only) from your mobile to 70070.

I'm doing the run as a team of with Bodders and Glynn  so may even get a bit of sleep this time around!

One more Triumph event before the run, The Duxford all Triumph Day which I'll be attending in the GT6. Then we'll be off on the run from about 6pm on Friday 2rd October from Enfield, in John o Groats for breakfast on Saturday morning, Wales overnight, breakfast at Lands end on Sunday and back to Enfield after afternoon cakes at Pimperne. Can't wait.

Route for the RBRR 2014

TrumFest 2014

Last weekend was the inaugural TriumFest meeting at Donington Circuit. Organised by the TSSC this event replaces the former international weekend that used to be held at Stafford county showground. The Stafford event had become a bit stale after over 20 years and the move to Donington was a welcome change especially as it was to include some driving action on the old Heritage loop track.

I had to use the Flying Log Dolomite for the event as I had my two kids for the weekend and two kids plus me plus a weekend of camping gear into a GT6 doesn't fit. We left late morning on the Friday expecting to be there early afternoon, however the great British road network had other ideas and what should have been a 2 1/2 hour drive took 5 1/2 hours due to snarl ups particularly on the A34 and M40. Anyway we arrived at about 5:30 and set the tents up then ventured into town to get some food for the barbeque.

After the Barbeque it was down to the Beer Festival that had been organised on the campsite. There was a good selection of ales and ciders on offer and a good opportunity for a catch up with Triumph friends from across the country.

Then on Saturday it was time for the event proper to start. I went early and purchased my ticket for laps of the Heritage Loop historic circuit nice and early. After a wander around the autojumble and a look around the early arriver cars it was time to take my place in the queue for the Heritage loop laps. The first lap was a guided lap behind one of the marshal's cars (a Dolly 1850) to show the way around the track. Then there were individual laps one at a time, untimed as per the MSA permit. Despite having a guide lap first I still managed to get lost on my first lap as I went the wrong side of some cones at the brow of a hill, having topped the brow I was suddenly presented by the grass in front of me and locked all four wheels up to avoid leaving the track. Anyway the following laps were better as I knew my way around and were great fun even in the underpowered "Flying Log" 1500 Dolomite.

Getting Ready for my Heritage Loop Laps in the "Flying Log"

I also watched a few other cars negotiating the loop, including one of the Jigsaw racing Spitfire Lemans replicas.

Then another look around the show. Lots of nice cars including a lot of GT6s. A lot more recently restored MK1s including Dennis Benson's very early "Press Release" Mk1 which is restored as a total original. Better than most concours cars but not entered in the concours!

A few of the GT6s at TriumFest.....

Dennis Benson's MK1 ex press car

Dennis Benson's Mk1 ex Press car

Alastair Banks' Mk2 won best GT6 in the concours

Volvo T4 Turbo Engined GT6 owned by Ian Cottam

A few of the other cars:-

TriumFest incorporated Coupe Sunday so there were a few Herald Coupes there like this one owned by Craig Gingell

Not all Triumphs at TriumFest, this was a rather nice Bond Bug

Ashley Mills' 2.5 Pi Mk1

Nice Triumph Gloria Vitesse

Rather nicely customised Mini Van

Then after the event and another Barbeque it was off to the on site drive in movie a screening of the Italian Job. Great film and great atmosphere.

Then off to the party with live band followed by more drinkypoos!

Then off to Bed.

On Sunday it was time for more laps of the Heritage Loop, this time with my Son James on board. Video footage of this loaded   http://youtu.be/bomL3lXORbo

A bit more wandering around the trade stands and cars.

A go at the blindfolded autogymkhana.

Driving Blindfold in the AutoGymkhana

A look around the concours hall.

And finally a visit to the Donington Museum, the Triumfest wristband entitled me to half price entry so it would have been rude not to make use of it! An excellent museum, I knew there were F1 cars but didn't expect the collection of military vehicles, bikes, road and rally cars.

All in all an excellent weekend, a real step forward compared to the previous Stafford event, cant wait for next years!