TAKE IT IN TOP!

Triumph 2000 MkI Anyone?

2012-01-22T22:11:00.001Z

After a lot of thought, I've decided to part with my 2000. I bought it 4 years ago, hoping it would be big enough to fit Callum and Chloe in the back, but to be honest, with the driver's seat all the way back, and the way kid's car seats are so blinking massive, there's really not much room left to make it a comfortable experience.

It's a 1969 MkI 2000 in Slate Grey with a red leather interior. During my ownership, the car has been transformed into a really useable car with the following modifications -

Static rear seat belts (inertia reels already up front)
Motolita leather rimmed steering wheel
Superflex bushes at the rear
New rear springs and shocks
New boot carpet
New 15" x 6J Minilite rims
Alternator conversion
J Type overdrive gearbox conversion from Canley Classics (originally auto)
Replacement cylinder head from Canley Classics
Chris Witor stainless steel exhaust system (manifold still the original cast item)
New rear lights

The car has just passed it's MOT requiring new steering rack gaiters and a wheel bearing that I just fitted.

Back in 2008 the car completed the RBRR, with footage of the entire event recorded time-lapse style compressing 48 hours of driving down to just 1 hour. (Thanks to my co-driver Mark). Video here -

http://9700vc.blogspot.com/search/label/timelapse

We're down Wiltshire way (M4 J16/17). If you're interested, let us know. You can drop us an email at triumph2012@gingell.com.

Here's a few pics from during my ownership, I'll try and upload some recent ones in a day or two...

They said I'd inherit an estate - and this is it!

2011-06-21T21:23:00.001+01:00

I've hankered after an estate for quite a while having previously owned saloon, convertible and coupe variants of the Herald and Vitesse. Back in 2002 this Herald estate came up for sale following the death of the original owner. My friend Keith bought it, but it was only on the road for a couple of years, and has spent the past eight or so years stood rusting away.

I've been badgering Keith for a couple of years to sell it to me, and last month he finally gave in. Keith swapped the 1200 engine for a 1500 from a Spitfire, but never completed the conversion.

Many thanks to Bill from Rarebits for collecting and delivering the estate. Here's a few pics...

Shorrock Supercharger Metering Pins

2011-05-25T19:06:00.071+01:00

The Shorrock Supercharger is lubricated with engine oil supplied via a connection at the oil pressure take off switch on the left hand side of the engine block.

The supercharger operates a total loss system, but the amount of oil used is carefully controlled via the selection of a metering pin located in the rear of the Shorrock. The metering pin sits in a 5/16" bore. The choice of pin will be dependent on several factors, such as engine oil pressure and the viscosity of the engine oil.

The largest pin is 0.311" and is stamped on the end with an "A". The pins decrease in diameter 1/2 thou at a time, so the next size down (stamped "B") is 0.3105" and the one after that (stamped "C") is 0.3100".

I just removed the metering pin from my Shorrock stamped "L" (0.3055") as the oil consumption (obvious in the blue exhaust smoke and sooted up spark plugs) was way too high and replaced it with a pin from my earlier Shorrock stamped "A" (0.311"). With any luck that will do the trick.

As a reference, here is a list of the metering pin sizes that can be selected -

Stamped	Size
A	0.311"
B	0.3105"
C	0.310"
D	0.3095"
E	0.309"
F	0.3085"
G	0.308"
H	0.3075"
I	0.307"
J	0.3065"
K	0.306"
L	0.3055"
M	0.305"
N	0.3045"
O	0.304"
P	0.3035"
Q	0.303"
R	0.3025"
S	0.302"
T	0.3015"
U	0.301"
V	0.3005"
W	0.3"
X	0.2995"
Y	0.299"
Z	0.2985"

Something for the Weekend

2011-05-22T00:05:00.000+01:00

After a chance discussion on the Isle of Wight a few weeks ago, this turned up on Thursday -

It appears to be in fair condition, but the only way to tell is to fit it and see.

Prior to installation, the manifold bolt threads have been cleaned out, new bolts sourced, made new manifold gaskets, switched over the pulleys, swapped the oil feed adapter, cleaned out the metering pin and flushed the internals with petrol.

After a lot of cursing, eventually got the shorrock installed with belts and manifolds. Battery is now on charge for another attempt at firing up.

Throughout the whole process, I've been ably assisted by Callum who was having more fun blowing up rubber gloves.

Bluemels "Flat Top Silver" Number Plates

2011-03-29T18:18:00.004+01:00

Mark Forster runs a website called MK1 Performance Conversions and has updated his site to include a section on Bluemels Bros the manufacturer of number plates during the 1960s.

Mark has an original copy of their 1964 catalogue along with a price list that makes interesting reading.

Full details on Mark's website at -

http://mk1-performance-conversions.co.uk/bluemels.htm

For anyone interested in replacing or sourcing any "Flat Top Silver" style digits or letters, I have a selection of new old stock digits and letters. Drop me a line if you are interested.

Recession? What Recession...

2011-02-05T17:02:00.001Z

Finally got a reconditioned cylinder head for the 2000 saloon this week.

Removal of the old head confirmed my suspicions as to why the car was lacking that certain 'umph...

one

two

three

four

five

six

Shorrock COMPLETE C75B supercharger -Never been fitted?

2011-01-24T14:45:00.015Z

Thought about bidding on this myself, but really can't justify the price having previously bought a Shorrock that had allegedly been "rebuilt". The guarantee this unit has "never been fitted" amounts to next to none.

STARTING PRICE : £2000.00
SOLD FOR : £2100.00

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170591637189

Shorrock blue print

2010-12-12T17:36:00.006Z

Another original component drawing from a Shorrock Supercharger has come up on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120656192688

Starting price : £30.00. Unsold.

Shorrock balanced pressure lub system blue print

2010-11-21T17:32:00.005Z

Another original component drawing from a Shorrock Supercharger has come up on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120647270986

Sold for £25.00

Shorrock outlet pipe blue print

2010-11-21T17:23:00.008Z

Some of the original component drawings of the Shorrock Supercharger have come up on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120647270984

Sold for £25.00

Triumph 2000 MkI Overdrive Switch

2010-10-19T17:09:00.004+01:00

Having discovered that the Lucas part number of the column mounted Triumph 2000 MkI overdrive switch is 34713, my saved search on eBay eventually turned up trumps with this new old stock item -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330483955931

An absolute bargain at £8.51 !

Just need to remove the steering column cowling to fit it - although I've heard it's a pig of a job!

Records Galore!

2010-10-16T00:08:00.003+01:00

A Shorrock Supercharger advert found in the 2nd October 1959 issue of Autosport...

October Sunshine

2010-10-07T23:41:00.001+01:00

She moves! First time out the garage for nearly 12 months - albeit under the power of a tow rope. Still looks totally gorgeous.

My First Vitesse - OLO 451E

2010-09-15T21:40:00.005+01:00

Back in 1993 after I finished college I bought my first Vitesse, registration OLO 451E. It was a dark blue 2 Litre (MkI) convertible with overdrive. I sold her a few years later when I moved to Canada, but was surprised to find this photo of her on Flickr, taken on 2nd May 2010 in Croxall, Staffordshire...

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/4787881752/

I'm going to try and dig out some photos, but if anyone knows the current owner, I have the original Triumph "Servicing Schedules" booklet here on my desk.

Shorrock C75B Supercharger

2010-09-11T22:27:00.019+01:00

Although not suitable for a Triumph, this Shorrock Supercharger kit is a rare item still in its original box. I guess the rarity was reflected in the final price.

STARTING PRICE : £800.00
SOLD FOR : £1637.07

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120612255256

Manual Overdrive Conversion

2010-07-08T18:15:00.013+01:00

Here are all the parts collected so far for my impending gearbox conversion...

Reconditioned gearbox and overdrive from Canley Classics...

NOS Master Cylinder...

NOS Slave Cylinder...

Pedal box, courtesy of Tim Bancroft...

Flywheel courtesy of Mark Bland...

A few other bits, and I can't remember if these came from Tim or Mark...

Clutch release bearing - not sure if it's knackered with that chip?!

Estate

2010-05-24T02:04:00.002+01:00

Just some pics of an estate I took quite a few years ago...

Tale of Two Shorrocks

2010-03-10T23:42:00.006Z

During the restoration of the Coupe, the Shorrock unit was the only item that was not restored. I'd heard horrendous stories of people taking them apart to strip down and then having problems with the reassembly. So I opted to just give it a try and see if it still worked as well as I remembered when I had the Shorrock on my Herald 1200 saloon back in the mid 1990s.

Back in August/September last year I was still running in the engine, so didn't really give the Shorrock that many revs. However after a 1000 or so miles and increasingly higher engine revs it became apparent the Shorrock was not producing the levels of pressure I was expecting.

Fortunately, a friend of a friend had a Shorrock unit for sale that he claimed to be a rebuilt unit. It wasn't until October/November that I got round to swapping the Shorrocks over to see how well the rebuilt unit would fare. Removing and refitting the Shorrock installation isn't the simplest of tasks, but I can now do it around an hour. With the rebuilt Shorrock fitted I fired the engine up and took it for a test run. There was a noticeable improvement on the original unit. Fantastic I thought.

My joy did not last long. After less than a 100 miles the Shorrock seized solid while driving along the M4 doing about 70mph. Bugger. I was recovered home by the AA and the Coupe spent the winter under a cover in the garage.

In the last few weeks I have pulled the Coupe out of the garage and removed and stripped down the Shorrock. My worst fears haven't been realised however. The vanes and inner casing are still in fair condition having not made contact with each other. There was no sign of a lack of oil or lubrication. The metering pins on both units were identical. The seizure was caused by a poorly fitted bearing that should have been a press fit into the rear casing. Instead it appears that rather a lot of Loctite was used to secure the press fit bearing in place. When the Loctite let go, the back of the Shorrock wobbled and seized itself against the inside of the rear housing. Hmmm, not ideal.

So now, with the unit in bits I'm hoping to get the rear casing machined round ready to fit a new bearing dead centre without the aid of Loctite.

It would appear there are rebuilds and there are rebuilds...

shorrock supercharger water jacket super rare c75b 142b

2010-02-05T21:51:00.011Z

Never seen one of these before. I wonder how effective they are. The seller claims it to be a Shorrock original...

"hello and welcome to my auction for this origonal shorrock water jacket basically this goes in between the carburetta and the supercharger either the c75b or the 142b unit. this piece has 1 inlet and 1 outlet so water can flow round it. very very rare item and hard to find 1 of these now so complete your classic build by using origonal pieces ... thanks for looking

Question & Answer

Q:Please could you tell me the diameter of the hole in the middle and the distance between the stud holes.
A:The internal boar is 35mm... the 4 holes are the standard distance apart as on the shorrock inlet and outlet 50mm centre to centre...and the other 2 holes where i persume the carb would bolt on are 60mm centre to centre"

STARTING PRICE : £0.99
SOLD FOR : £137.00

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160401113935

UPDATE : Here's a photo courtesy of Paul Fleetwood of the water jacket fitted as part of a Shorrock instalation on an Ogle SX1000, a 1962 Mini based special -

Note also, the single groove pulley on the Shorrock.

Shorrock Supercharger Boost Gauge, MG, Ford, Mini

2010-02-04T22:35:00.003Z

I once thought these were rare, but they seem to come up on eBay pretty regularly...

http://offer.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=110490227908

STARTING PRICE : £0.99
CURRENT BID : £5.50

Shorrock Supercharger Oil Feed Flange, Sprite, Mini, MG

2010-01-31T23:09:00.006Z

Interesting to see that someone has decided to re-manufacture the rear flange.

"Oil Feed Flange for Shorrock CB 75 Supercharger, Brand new, machined from solid brass with 1/4 B.S.P. oil line feed, exact copy of original item"

STARTING PRICE : £25.00
SOLD FOR : £26.00

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200434344037

Triumph Shorrock Supercharger Inlet Manifold

2010-01-26T21:46:00.001Z

These don't come up very often and selling at £66.21 including the relief valve is a relative bargain!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170434348689

STARTING BID : £9.99
SOLD FOR : £66.21

Spitfire4 - Branch Manifold

2010-01-17T10:59:00.000Z

These pictures are quite old (they date from around August 2002) but I've just found them on an old PC. They document my attempt (and subsequent failure) to fit a 4 branch manifold to a Spitfire4. There were issues with clearing the breather pipe, and the rod style throttle linkage. Not to mention the fact the flange face was thicker then the inlet manifold flange (making it impossible to clamp to the cylinder head), the inlets themselves were seriously cracked underneath (resulting in air leaks) and the Y piece on the manifold exited skew-wiff on the chassis...

Disappointingly, I gave up on the project, nearly loosing the car during at attempted respray and sold it on in 2008. The manifold resurfaced on my Herald Coupe restoration following major surgery to make in clear the Shorrock Supercharger installation.

VINTAGE SMITHS SHORROCK SUPERCHARGER GUAGE MG LOTUS ETC

2009-12-15T21:30:00.004Z

Another original gauge on eBay this week

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260523167577

STARTING PRICE : £0.99
SOLD FOR : £260.00

Shorrock Brass Badge

2009-12-14T20:52:00.003Z

Here's a nice Allard Shorrock badge on eBay this week.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120505732144

STARTING BID : £25.00
SOLD FOR : £62.02

1950s Shorrock Supercharger Gauge

2009-11-28T22:57:00.004Z

I've not seen one like this before, but it does say "Shorrock Superchargers" across the face.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250538843080

STARTING BID : £0.99
SOLD FOR: £485.00!

Popular Motoring - April 1966

2009-11-25T23:15:00.003Z

I've had a saved search on eBay for what seems like ages waiting for this particular edition of Popular Motoring to appear. When I acquired my Shorrock back in the early 1990s it came with a copy of an article ripped from this magazine regarding the fitment of the Shorrock to the Herald. It's great to get a copy of the entire magazine - for the bargain price of £1.25!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160380347798

You can read the article here...

http://9700vc.blogspot.com/2007/10/supercharge-your-car.html

Matt Smith's Shorrock

2009-10-26T23:32:00.006Z

I made contact with Matt Smith this week after losing contact with him a few years back. Matt is selling his complete Shorrock gear on eBay in favour of returning to his SAH engine setup.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200398792731

Here's the pics...

50th Anniversary Herald Display at Stafford

2009-10-04T00:00:00.021+01:00

I'm still behind in keeping my blog up to date, but here's some long over due photos of the Heralds in the 50th Anniversary display at Stafford. Annoyingly I never took any pictures of my own car. Duh!

ADU 5B

2009-09-16T18:18:00.009+01:00

I'm a bit behind in keeping up with the blog, but here's a recent photo of my Herald Coupe alongside the fantastic works rally Spitfire ADU 5B...

Wiring Diagram for Smiths Classic Gauges

2009-08-30T20:30:00.004+01:00

A coupe of guys were discussing the wiring of ammeters on the Yahoo! Triumph Herald group, so I've dug out this wiring diagram that came with an oil pressure gauge I bought for the Coupe. It's a pretty simple diagram, but it shows how to wire the following items -

Ammeter
Voltmeter
Tacho
Oil Pressure Gauge
Fuel Gauge
Water Temperature Gauge
Oil Temperature Gauge

As noted on the diagram : If you are in any doubt about the fitting and electrical connection of this product, you must consult a qualified vehicle electrician. Failure to install the product correctly may result in injury or damage. Please follow the wiring diagram.

Completed Engine Bay

2009-08-20T17:45:00.002+01:00

I forgot to take photos of the engine bay before leaving for Stafford last weekend, so here's a few I took today. Please excuse the scabby Spitfire wheels on the front - just a temporary measure while the tyre/wheelarch clearance issue is fixed.

I.C.C. Car & Commercial Vehicle Body Repairs

2009-08-20T08:37:00.007+01:00

Over the weekend at Stafford, 9700VC received many favourable remarks, especially over the quality of the paint job. Although Paul Cull at Triumph Auto Classique is responsible for the Coupe's bodywork repairs, the body prep and respray was carried out by Ian Hawson at I.C.C.

Ian did a fantastic job and takes a lot of pride in his work. He also likes working on more out of the ordinary stuff.

Ian's contact details are as follows -

I.C.C. Car & Commercial Vehicle Body Repairs
Ian Hawson (proprietor)

Telephone : 01793 852091
Mobile : 07931 568979

23 Clarendon Drive
Wootton Bassett
Swindon
Wiltshire
SN4 8BT

Further photos during the paint stage can be viewed at -

http://9700vc.blogspot.com/search/label/paint

Completed Interior

2009-08-18T12:55:00.010+01:00

After all the running around last week for the MOT, I never posted a photograph of the completed interior.

The original seats and door cards all scrubbed up wonderfully using bicarbonate of soda, a toothbrush and a little hot water. I gave up trying to use washing up liquid as it was far too messy and foamy. The bicarbonate of soda just turns into a paste and lifted the dirt and grim with a little elbow grease.

The original carpets all went back in after a thorough clean with a carpet cleaner we hired for the weekend under the pretence of cleaning the house carpets. I was lucky enough to find a new-old-stock driver's footwell carpet. Over the years I managed to source original footwell rubber mats and they fit nicely.

Chapman and Cliff provided a reveneered dashboard many years ago, and earlier this year were able to reveneer the door cappings and coupe specific rear cappings to match. The cardboard dashboard surround was restored by Shaun in a pretty near original recreation of the portafleck look.

A period Motorola radio is installed in the original radio console bracket. The Herald 90mph speedo has been replaced with a 110mph speedo from an early Vitesse. A bracket for the electric fan manual override and hazard warning lights sits to the right of the steering wheel. The steering wheel itself is a period wheel I have previously fitted to various small chassis Triumphs as I find it near impossible to get behind the original wheels. The overdrive switch is mounted on the column.

Additional instrumentation by way of temperature gauge and oil pressure gauge are mounted nearly out of sight on the A post, so as not to clutter the dashboard.

Shaun and Paul replaced the original torn and stained headlining with a new item complete with an interior light from a 2000 saloon.

Official Recount

2009-08-17T22:39:00.009+01:00

I received a phone call this evening from the Concours organisers. I'm glad to report that following an official recount, 9700VC has been awarded first place in the "Modified Triumphs" category. Commiserations to Richard who had been awarded first place. The corrected scores were very, very close. Here's a picture of one very happy little boy...

Concours d'Arse

2009-08-16T22:19:00.014+01:00

First off, apologies for the long post - I don't usually write long blogs, but a lot has happened since my last entry...

I picked up my Coupe from Paul's workshop on Friday lunchtime ready to drive to the TSSC International Weekend at Stafford. Unfortunately the front 5.5J rims with 175x70 tyres were rubbing the front wheel arches. So as not to make things worse Paul had some 4.5J wheels and we fitted those on the front and put the 5.5J rims in the boot.

I had a good drive up to Stafford, the car is pulling really well, but I'm trying to take it easy while the engine is running in. Met up with the usual Herald suspects on the Friday evening with the Coupe receiving many favourable comments.

On Saturday the Coupe was part of the Herald display. We swapped the 4.5J rims back for the 5.5J rims and the Coupe looked the business. There was a great display of Heralds and it was good to see so many other coupes.

After much deliberating I decided to enter the Coupe in the Concours d'Elegance on the Sunday. I doubt the car is ever going to look much better than right now immediately following a total restoration. This is a one-off, my intention is definitely to drive the car and enjoy events like the RBRR and 10CR.

During the Sunday the car received lots of interest and I was happy to talk people through the Shorrock installation. The car was judged and I didn't feel there was anything more we could have done to the car. I spoke to the other owners in the "Modified Triumph" category and there was a friendly exchange of information regarding the work done to our cars.

Come 3 o'clock the results were read out. "Modified Triumph" : Third place - not me. Second place - not me. First place - not me. I was gutted. Mark Bland was with me and suggested I ask for a copy of my score card to see where I had gone wrong. As the main hall started to empty, the guy who came first wandered over and couldn't believe I hadn't been placed. There were only seven cars in our class, and it turns out the organisers didn't use the same judge to judge all the cars in the class. What the heck?! On closer inspection of our score cards the concours organisers (using spreadsheets and a laptop - what's wrong with mental arithmetic or a bloody calculator!!??) had screwed up the scoring and not counted all my marks - I had in actual fact more marks than the chap who came first!! I reported all this back to the organisers - who were most apologetic, and said they would look into it but couldn't do anything now as the laptop had been put away and it was now too late.

I can't believe this is the level of organisation in what claims to be the biggest and best club for the small chassis Triumphs. My first and last concours for sure. Concours d'Elegance? Concours d'Arse.

On a happier note, thanks to everyone who lended me a hand over the weekend, or just made smart Alec remarks - thanks Ferny.

Here's my Coupe alongside Richard Philpot's Coupe DTH...

MOT Passed!

2009-08-12T15:31:00.008+01:00

Got a few minor issues to sort out, but I'm delighted to say the Coupe passed the MOT!

I feel a nice trip up to Stafford this weekend should go some way to run the engine in.

Bassett Garage
Station Road
Wootton Bassett
Wiltshire
SN4 7DS
Tel: 01793 852204

Ace Plates

2009-08-11T22:21:00.004+01:00

I tried cleaning up the original "Ace" number plates with little success. The front plate was badly battered and twisted.

I've been sitting on a stock of NOS "Bluemels" number plate digits for a few years, and I managed to strike a deal with a supplier of the Ace plates for the Bluemels stock.

The Ace plates really are nice. Made from cast aluminium, the digits are 3½" high - the correct size for pre 1963 vehicles.

10CR Seats

2009-08-11T08:55:00.005+01:00

Just won these MGF half leather seats on eBay thanks to Auction Sniper - who in their right mind sets an auction to end at 3.00am?!

Absolute bargain at only £30!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270439852009

Than plan is to make the MGF seats easily interchangeable with the original Herald items, as I only need a reclining passenger seat for events like the 10CR and RBRR.

Right now the problem is getting them home from Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Anyone from South Yorks going to Stafford next weekend?!

Really Close

2009-08-10T13:11:00.002+01:00

I knew getting the radiator to fit was going to be problematic.

I decided from the start I wanted to remove the engine bay valences that support the radiator on the Herald setup and go with supporting cradle and mounting brackets as per the Spitfire.

I also wanted to fit an electric fan in place of the mechanical one preferably sited behind the radiator.

The longer crankshaft pulley, Shorrock pulley and belts shouldn't make that much difference to positioning the radiator in it's original position.

However the fan mounting brackets have pushed the fan forward ever so slightly, and somehow various modifications have compounded to make the radiator top tube fail to align with the thermostat housing. There was no way we were going to get the original top hose on there.

As a rather drastic solution, we've cut the end off the radiator top tube in an attempt to alleviate the angles involved. This isn't my preferred solution, but hopefully I can address this problem better before the 10CR next month. Right now we want to get the car MOT and ready for Stafford at the end of the week. In place of the original top hose is a cut down bottom hose that fits pretty well.

Paul has done a really good job modifing the engine breather pipe to clear the branch manifold.

Interior and Engine

2009-08-02T00:04:00.003+01:00

The interior is now going into the Coupe - not long now. Paul and Shaun did a great job fitting a new headlining as the original item was torn and badly discoloured in a few places. The original interior light setup in the Herald is pretty basic, so there's now a roof mounted lamp as per the Triumph 2000 saloon that comes on inconjuction with the light over the dash.

The carpet, seats and door trims are all the original items given a thorough clean. The patina of the faded rear seat is lovely. The results of an old toothbrush, a little hot water, a dab of bicarbonate of soda and a little elbow grease worked wonders on the original vinyl trim.

Under the bonnet, the "Filter King" fuel filter/regulator has been fitted on the bulkhead between the master cylinders and heater, ready to supply the SU HS4 that sits just to the side of the heater valve.

Paul did a fantastic job modifying a Triumph 2000 airbox to fit the single SU. Not sure yet whether to place a filter in the airbox or go for trumpet socks on the front of the ducting pipes. Either way I'd like to fit a stub stack to ease the flow of air into the carb.

Unfortunately the radiator still isn't ready to go in, and the Shorrock drive belts I ordered turned out to be a size too big. Damn.

Spitfire Sold

2009-08-01T20:46:00.004+01:00

I should have posted this a few weeks ago, but never got around to it. This week someone contacted me to enquire if the Spitfire was still for sale, and I had to tell them it was sold.

We sold Sarah's Spitfire to Neil McDonnell. He came down with Rob Southern, and after an hour or so the deal was done. Sarah's going to miss her Spitfire for sure, but we hope Neil enjoys it as much as we did.

Here's a link to Neil's blog : http://spit1300mk3.blogspot.com/

Shorrock Trial Fit

2009-07-27T12:43:00.010+01:00

Here's the Shorrock unit trial fitted to the engine to ensure alignment with the manifolds, carb, pulleys, etc. The inlet manifolds have been bead blasted and the HS4 SU has been rebuilt by Andrew Turner.

Now the crank and Shorrock pulleys are in position I can measure the distance and order the right size belts. The Shorrock is driven from two 'V' belts. The length of the belts is critical as there is no means to tension them. I have been considering a belt tensioner or jockey wheel, but I hope some decent belts of the correct size will do the job.

The full width radiator is currently away being re-cored.

Round the other side of the engine, the 123 distributor is now fitted along with a set of Magnecor KV85 HT leads.

Roof On!

2009-07-13T18:19:00.005+01:00

I go away on holiday for the week, and come back to find Paul has got the headlining in, roof on, windscreen in, sills on, brightwork on, bootlid on, rear lights in, fuel tank in, exhaust system on, wheels on! It looks gorgeous! Just need to get the radiator and plumbing sorted before firing it up.

Engine and Gearbox

2009-06-26T22:53:00.016+01:00

The engine and gearbox are finally back in the car.

The engine now sports a modified 4 branch stainless steel exhaust manifold. Modifications were required to clear the Shorrock inlet manifold on primaries no. 2 and 3, and no. 1 needed pulling in to clear the Shorrock unit itself. Underneath, the Y piece exits at 1 5/8" running all the way to the back with a single silencer just clearing the towbar bracket. The front of the cylinder head has been drilled and tapped out to accept a bigger stud to handle the weight of the Shorrock unit. On my previous Shorrock installation, the original bolt broke and I'm hoping the bigger stud will alleviate the problem.

The 3 rail gearbox internals are now housed in a new aluminium gearbox casing from Canley Classics. The bell housing is an original aluminium item sourced many years ago from Bill Davies at Rarebits4classics. On the back of the box is a D type overdrive unit.

It's coming together really well, and I can't wait to get it on the road!

Spitfire MOT Passed

2009-06-16T08:11:00.010+01:00

After a minor issue with the handbrake, I'm glad to report Sarah's Spitfire passed the MOT. After being sat in the garage for a couple of years, I'd forgotten how quick and nimble the Spitfire is. We've had a couple of enquiries, but if you're looking for an example of a nice MkIII this one ticks many boxes.

Further photos and details at -
http://9700vc.blogspot.com/2009/05/spitfire-mk3-anyone.html

We Have an Engine!

2009-06-08T23:28:00.004+01:00

It took longer than originally expected, but on Saturday I collected my engine. The basic spec is as follows -

BORE : Plus 0.040"
STROKE : 76mm
SWEPT VOLUME : 1183.6cc
COMPRESSION RATIO : 7.76:1
CON RODS : Lightened, balanced and shot peened
CRANKSHAFT : Shaped, nitrided and balanced
FLYWHEEL : Lightweight and balanced

Here it is hanging on the crane after receiving a few coats of paint.

Load Adjusters

2009-06-03T00:10:00.003+01:00

A job I should have done a while ago, but have only just got round to, was ditching the shocking "Load Adjusters" on the back of the 2000. Any caravan-pulling 2000 owners want them (!) let me know before they go in the bin.

Hopefully the rear end will now settle down a little.

Just Another Set of Minilites?

2009-05-31T00:14:00.003+01:00

It's amazing what you can pick up on eBay. Here's what looks like a really tatty set of Minilites a previous owner decided to paint red. However, these are magnesium Minilites that have spent the past 20 years or so on a TR6 down Salisbury way. The seller had owned the wheels since 1985 and was told they had come from Abingdon Special Tuning Department. Apparently they'd come off a car that had "competed in a Monte Carlo Rally" or something. When I suggested it was maybe the World Cup Rally, he said, "yeah that's it". The tyres aren't bad either. Ho hum...

5½J Steel Dunlop Rims

2009-05-27T23:10:00.008+01:00

Here's my set of 5½J steel Dunlop rims nicely powder coated ready for rubber. Just need to source some decent original hub caps to finish them off as the repro hub caps currently available don't have quite the right shape around the centres.

Spitfire Mk3 Anyone?

2009-05-25T11:38:00.011+01:00

After a lot of thought we've decided to part with Sarah's Spitfire. Sarah's owned it seven years, but it's spent the past few years sat in the garage not being used. It could do with a little tidying, but the basis of a great Spitfire is all there -

* 1971 tax exempt Mk3 Spitfire
* J-Type overdrive and three rail gearbox
* 13" 5.5J original Minilite wheels on 175x60 tyres
* Original seats in great condition
* Polyurethane suspension bushes throughout
* Halogen headlamps
* Rear swing spring

We have a stainless 4-2-1 branch exhaust manifold ready to go on.

It's not been driven yet this year, so I'm going to try and book it in for an MOT this coming week.

We're down Wiltshire way (M4 J16/17). If you're interested, let us know. You can drop us an email at triumph2009@gingell.com.

I hasten to add Sarah is very particular about who she sells her pride and joy to!

123 Ignition Distributor

2009-05-21T18:18:00.013+01:00

My original intention was to fit a reconditioned Lucas distributor on the Herald. However, some recent discussions on the Club Triumph Forum regarding other options made me consider the 123 Ignition Distributor instead.

The 123 is a direct replacement for the original Lucas item and has some great features -

no more worn parts - the only moving part is the rotor arm and the shaft of the distributor itself - the points, the weights, the springs are all gone.

pre-selectable advance curve - allows the distibutor to be setup to match the best advance curve for the engine.

maintenance free - once setup, should never have to worry about it again.

There are some other features - such as "spark balancing" !? - but I'm already convinced of the advantages over the Lucas item.

The 123 is manufactured in Holland. Right now the only down side to getting one is the crap stirling/euro exchange rate!

Further details
123 Product Page
123 Installation Manual
123 Leaflet

Order from
SCParts

Clutch Master Cylinder

2009-05-20T13:06:00.004+01:00

Found a new-old-stock master cylinder on eBay, so that's the second item crossed off the list for the manual overdrive conversion on the 2000...

Fuel Supply

2009-05-19T21:01:00.007+01:00

I've opted for an electrical fuel pump to keep up with the demands of the Shorrock Supercharger. The fuel pump will be installed in the boot, with a combined fuel filter/regulator in the engine bay - exact position to be decided.

This is a "Facet Red Top" fuel pump, and a "Filter King" fuel regulator. To setup the regulator, there's a pressure gauge that can be connected onto a T-piece.

The fuel pump will required a cut-out switch in the event of an accident.

Possible fuel pump wiring diagram -

Herald Pedal Rubbers

2009-05-17T18:24:00.002+01:00

Pretty mundane, but these Herald pedal rubbers are allegedly original new old stock. Courtesy of eBay.

Wiltshire Air Ambulance

2009-05-16T20:56:00.006+01:00

Forget about those staged shots down at Lands End on the RBRR with the helicopter looking like it's about to land on your car roof...

This thing came down pretty much in our front garden this afternoon when one of our neighbours was taken ill...

Happy Birthday!

2009-05-16T00:51:00.008+01:00

My Herald is 46 years old today - first registered back on 16th May 1963!

The bonnet and doors are now fitted and the rear tub is fixed in place along with the three rear valences. With any luck the engine will be ready in the next couple of weeks. Getting close now...

Shorrock Inlet Manifold Mods

2009-05-12T22:40:00.007+01:00

Progress on the Coupe continues. Here's the Shorrock inlet manifold with custom made blanking plug, and a boss for the pressure relief valve ready to be positioned a-top the manifold to allow the exhaust manifold to fit.

Original Shorrock Gauge

2009-05-07T10:56:00.006+01:00

It's been a while since any decent Shorrock kit was on eBay. Here's a NOS item still in the box...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260406184966

STARTING BID : £125.00 (Reserve not met)
UPDATE : Just sold for a staggering £361.00 !!

Auto to Manual O/D Gearbox Conversion

2009-05-05T13:19:00.007+01:00

It looks like days of the auto box in the 2000 are numbered, as I've just managed to source a manual overdrive gearbox. I've had problems with the auto box getting stuck in 2nd gear when cold (yes there's plenty of oil in the box), and it's slowly getting worse. I have enjoyed the auto, but my preference is manual/overdrive. Just need to sort out all the other bits required for the conversion...

Cracked It

2009-05-02T22:17:00.006+01:00

It's a year since I bought the 2000 off eBay and things have gone pretty smoothly. A few weeks back the exhaust started to blow somewhere around the downpipe gasket. Except it wasn't the downpipe gasket. As you can see it was a little more terminal than that. Fortunately I was able to source a replacement manifold. Funny thing is the Vitesse manifold cracked in exactly the same place during my ownership.

Triumph Herald Twin Petrol Tanks

2009-04-22T22:30:00.010+01:00

Here's a period photo courtesy of Andy Martin (6002VC Vitesse fame) showing the arrangement of twin tanks in the back of a Herald. I'm not sure which car this is. Closer inspection makes me think it's a saloon. I considered this mod for my Coupe, but the loss of some boot space put me off.

Shorrock Backfire/Safety Valve

2009-03-18T22:20:00.008Z

Spotted on eBay this week -

Shorrock backfire/safety valve. New, with modified internals for improved efficiency. Correct 1" x 20tpi thread. Fits all original Shorrock manifolds. Complete with gasket. (also used on Allard Wade supercharger installations)

Buy it now : £40.00

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260378986323

Towbar

2009-03-18T19:54:00.007Z

Over the years of owning Heralds and Vitesses, I've been rear ended twice. On both occasions it was at relatively low speeds, but the damage was considerable.

I fitted a Watling towbar to a previous Herald so I could fit a bike rack. Unlike some Herald towbars this one fits below the valence rather than through it.

I'm hoping the towbar will act as a deterent to anyone who tries to rearrange the rear end. The towbar is fixed to the end of the boot outriggers, through the spare wheel well, and down to the chassis cross member behind the diff.

Coupe Roof Packing Pieces

2009-03-18T19:40:00.005Z

If you thought the only piece of wood on the Herald was the dashboard, think again. Wooden packing pieces were placed on the sides of the coupe roof where it bolts down just past the b-posts. For whatever reason Triumph in their wisdom made them out of chipboard that have over time expanded with damp. I've re-made the packing pieces from a piece of hardwood scavenged from the local tip.

Deal or No Deal

2009-03-15T20:53:00.004Z

Meant to post this one last week, but I've only just downloaded the pics off my camera.

At Stoneleigh I was reunited with my old Vitesse MGY 989D owned by fellow Herald/Vitesse fan Richard Philpott. Richard had the Vitesse in the "Cars for Sale" section. However just as a deal look imminent, Richard had a change of heart and pulled the car from sale.

I was impressed to hear from Richard that he'd managed to trace and make contact with the original owner's family.

Engine Components

2009-03-12T22:41:00.011Z

Following an engine stripdown at the end of last year, here's a few photographs of the engine components prior to rebuild. I'm sticking with the original 1147 block bored out to +40. The crankshaft has been nitrided and the entire crankshaft assembly including the lightened flywheel, clutch and 3 groove crankshaft pulley have been balanced. The con rods and have been lightened and matched with the pistons.

Roy is doing a great job on the head - although he admits there is still a little more to do.

With any luck the engine will be assembled very shortly.

TomTom Go 920T Sat Nav

2009-03-07T08:32:00.011Z

Ever since I did the 10CR in 2005 with James Carruthers using a TomTom Sat Nav, I said to myself I've got to get one of those. Only problem being they were way out of my price range.

A few years on, new models have been released and the prices have come down somewhat. Today I went into my local Currys and discovered they'd slashed the price of the outgoing TomTom Go 920T model to only £179.99. For that you get -

* 4.3" wide screen.
* TomTom RDS-TMC Traffic Receiver.
* Bluetooth hands-free calling.
* UK, Republic of Ireland, Europe, USA and Canada maps.

You'll struggle to find this level of spec on the current range of sat navs for under £250, so if you're thinking of getting a sat nav, get down to Currys before they sell out!

Shorrock Supercharger Oil Metering Pins

2009-02-17T21:44:00.014Z

On eBay this week a supposedly rare set of metering pins. The auction reads...

Here we have a set of 6 very very hard to find metering pins for the oiler on C75B Shorrock Superchargers. They are PIN letters...

C = 0.3100 thou
F = 0.3085 thou
I = 0.3070 thou
L = 0.3055 thou
O = 0.3040 thou
R = 0.3025 thou

These are brand new unused machine ground Shorrock pins not lathe turned. If you have ever set up a Shorrock you will be aware that getting the oil feed right is critical, without a selection of pins you can't do it. The bore of the oiler is 5/16 (0.3125) so the pins drop 2.5 thou to pin C and then 1.5 thou down to pin R.

Please be aware that lathe turned pins are not suitable for this application and if you were able to find a machine shop to work to 1/2 thou increments the charge would be around £35 each (lathe turned), machine grinding is cost prohibitive unless you have hundreds made so a set of 6 ground pins is a holy grail!!!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140300928673

UPDATE : Sold for £150

Thermostat Cover

2009-02-14T21:28:00.002Z

Nothing of note to report, but here's a new-old-stock thermostat cover I picked up off eBay this week. This one comes with the take-off for a temperature gauge sender. Bargain at £6!

Green Coupe

2009-02-02T20:01:00.005Z

Spotted this Coupe a while ago. Here's some pics of the dashboard and additional driving lamps.

Moto-Lita

2009-01-30T14:35:00.012Z

As a reward for passing the MOT last week, and also because I was fed up getting filthy hands on damp mornings from a worn out steering wheel, I've treated myself to a really nice Moto-Lita for the 2000.

At 15" diameter it's a little bit smaller than the original wheel, but you get a little more leg room in return. The thicker, chunkier rim makes the car feel much more confident than trying to grapple with the skinny rim of the original.

Purchased from Bryan Jones Autoquip Ltd
Trading on eBay as Classic Steering Wheels

Herald Headlamp Cowls

2009-01-26T23:38:00.008Z

What must be the holy grail for any early Herald owner - a decent pair of headlamp cowls. I managed to pick these up locally along with a number of other spares from a previous Herald Coupe owner. Still in their battered boxes, Lucas part number 54520154.

What are the chances of getting these remanufactured?

MOT Passed!

2009-01-23T12:43:00.011Z

I took the 2000 down for an MOT this lunchtime. The MOT tester appreciated something out of the ordinary, and I'm glad to say it passed with just an advisory on a front wheel bearing!

Highly recommended if you're looking for a friendly MOT station in north Wiltshire. You can also watch the Hercules fly overhead and land over the road at RAF Lyneham while you're waiting.

Frankham Motor Services
Chippenham Road
Lyneham
Wiltshire SN15 4NX
Tel: 01249 890809

Local Map

More Shorrock Supercharger Manifolds

2009-01-22T18:29:00.009Z

Here's a few manifolds for the Triumph Herald setup. All for sale from the same seller just down the road in Bath.

Shorrock supercharger manifold #1

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280303452758

UPDATE : Sold for £95

Shorrock supercharger manifold #2

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280303454065

UPDATE : Sold for £75

Shorrock supercharger manifold #3

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280303455712

UPDATE : Sold for £95

Crash Test Triumph Herald

2009-01-20T20:18:00.002Z

Spotted this on YouTube...

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=DXnbj6_xZDE

Shorrock Supercharger Gauge

2009-01-18T22:45:00.002Z

Yet another original gauge on eBay this week...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250359636276

UPDATE : just sold for £250!

Sunvisor Clean-Up

2009-01-17T21:12:00.011Z

In true restoration "before and after" style, here's a few photos of the minging sunvisors as removed from the car, and after a few hours spent with a toothbrush and a bottle of Ecover washing-up liquid...

Interestingly the passenger side is missing any trace of a vanity mirror. Instead there is what appears to be an aftermarket mirror fixed to the driver's side. I guess the "one careful lady owner", Miss Evelyn Mary Beamand liked to keep an eye on her appearance...

Bulkhead and Dashboard

2009-01-16T22:55:00.017Z

Here's a few photos of the bulkhead fitted up with the wiper motor and rack, master cylinders, heater and wiring loom.

Inside Shaun has done a great job recreating the "Portafleck" effect on the dashboard surround. The dashboard itself was re-veneered a few years back by Chapman & Cliff and has sat in the loft since - it's great to see it finally fitted.

New Old Stock Carpet!

2009-01-16T10:58:00.008Z

It's still amazes me what you can find as "New Old Stock". A casual chat with my favourite Triumph Spares specialist from Fillongley turned up trumps with this footwell carpet piece from the back of the stores. (part number 805053 if you're interested, and yes they have them in stock!)

The rest of my carpet cleaned up okay - if a little faded. It was just the driver's side that's looking a little worse for wear.

Another item ticked off the list!

Get Away in a Triumph Herald

2009-01-14T14:08:00.006Z

Just spotted this 60 second original cinema advert featuring a Herald saloon registration 9662VC - only 38 before mine!

http://www.betterstream.com/video/143/standard-triumph-herald-ad-1960s/

Manifold Problem

2009-01-11T20:55:00.018Z

The original Shorrock installation used the 948 twin carb cast exhaust manifold. This is okay, but the engine would sure breathe a lot better on a branch manifold.

About 10 years ago I managed to get hold of an original but rusty mild steel branch manifold for the MkII Spitfire. Unfortunately this fouled on branches number 2 and 3.

A few years back I bought a John Kipping stainless steel branch manifold suitable for the 948/1147 setup. This looks like there will be just enough clearance of branches 2 and 3...

I need a spare 1147 head to check for sure.

The real problem is the pressure relief valve incorporated into the Shorrock manifold. There's no way that's going to clear branch number 4...

Once the valve is removed, it fits no problem...

But the Shorrock unit needs the protection of the pressure relief should the engine backfire out through the inlet manifold. So the problem is how to incorporate the valve into the manifold.

Two options spring to mind...

Cap the end of the manifold, drill and tap a hole on top of the manifold to accept the valve in it's a new location.

Lewis Jones did something like that on his 1300/1500 Spitfire utilising the Herald 13/60 inlet manifold...

The casting of the Herald 13/60 manifold has a flat section at this location suitable for a vacuum gauge pickup. There is no such flat section on the Shorrock manifold.

The second option would be to attempt a remote location using suitable plumbing.

As noted by others, discharged fuel/air mix over a hot exhaust manifold doesn't sound very clever, so I'm thinking relocating away from the exhaust is a good idea. Just not sure how.

I'm thinking of a banjo bolt arrangement, anyone know of any such specialists or have any other suggestions?

Here's a few more photos showing the manifolds together.

UPDATE : Following a suggestion by Dave Powell, I made contact with Derek at Flexolite (01684 541 941 / www.flexolite.co.uk).

Fortunately Derek had a Shorrock to hand and was able to tell me the 1" UNF thread (20 TPI) is a complete bastard size, and so I'd need to get the plug made especially, as well as obviously needing a tap of the same size to cut the new thread. Nothing insurmountable then but he left me plenty to think about...

Lucas Spotlamp Bracket

2009-01-10T21:30:00.004Z

Spotted this on eBay and meant to bid on it but forgot. Damn.

A new and unused LUCAS spotlamp bracket suitable for the Triumph Vitesse and Herald. Designed to mount the spotlamp above the bumper. An original 1960's accesssory.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250351834008

Sold for only £6.05

Shorrock Supercharger Manifolds

2009-01-08T20:08:00.007Z

Some individual Shorrock manifolds for the Triumph Herald sold this week on eBay. I really can't believe they're selling for this much...

Shorrock supercharger manifold #1, £132 !

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250349481740

Shorrock supercharger manifold #2, £139 !

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250349479893

STOLEN : Shorrock Supercharger

2009-01-08T16:45:00.012Z

I'd been watching this on eBay earlier this week, and can't believe it's been stolen. It's a real shame as the auction included all the necessary manifolds and mountings for the Herald 1200 engine. Fortunately the seller had noted the Shorrock's serial number, so if this does turn up it should be easy to trace. The listing reads -

A Shorrock C75BV supercharger. which comes with ultra rare Triumph 1200 inlet manifold. The front mounting plate has been made in alluminium, it also comes with the three other manifolds and the carburettor(see pictures) The supercharger spins freely with no damage to the vanes. The only part missing from the kit is the bottom pulley. (It will not cost very much to have one made in alluminium).

Serial no 173 which makes it an early one!

Would perfer collection in person or can post at your own expense.

Any questions or quiries please call Dave on 07956 487 643

On 05-Jan-09 at 20:22:22 GMT, seller added the following information:

This item is no longer available as my garage has been broken into and it was stolen along with other car parts and tools. at the weekend. (SORRY to all ebayers who were watching or who had made a Bid!)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250349534319

Shorrock Supercharger Boost Gauge

2009-01-08T16:32:00.004Z

These original gauges are apparently rare, but they seem to pop up on eBay with regular occurrence.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220338076095

Just sold for £302!

Take Them All with a Shorrock!

2009-01-03T19:41:00.004Z

I've not seen a sticker like this before - not sure if it's original artwork or not.

75mm/3" diameter vinyl sticker. £2.99 "Buy It Now"

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230317374564

Triumph Herald 1200 Twin Carburettor Conversion Kit

2009-01-03T10:30:00.011Z

While rummaging over Christmas I came across this original article from the Standard Triumph Review magazine back in 1962. It's an interesting but rather brief account of the work involved to convert the Triumph Herald's single Solex carb to twin SUs.

Looking More Like a Car Again

2008-12-16T12:30:00.006Z

Here's the Coupé looking more like a car again. The chassis is now properly rolling and the bulkhead and rear tub bolted down. The dashboard is in. The roof is painted and the duo-tone on the bonnet is done. It's now back round the painters for polishing. It looks great.

Shorrock Supercharger Gauge with Side Illumination Bracket

2008-12-15T22:00:00.009Z

Not seen one like this before. Currently on eBay for £150

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180314383787

UPDATE : Just sold for £279.09 !

Shorrock Supercharger Leaflet - Triumph Herald

2008-12-07T19:40:00.010Z

A two colour, three-fold brochure. It is for the Triumph Herald, stating that new motorways will need Shorrock performance, and Shorrock literally transforms the Herald. Performance figures and a nice illustration of a Shorrock Supercharger installation in a Herald.

Just sold on eBay for £57.00!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260327013504

Shorrock Supercharger Brochure - It's Quicker Off The Mark

2008-12-07T17:35:00.008Z

A two colour, 8 page brochure. Featuring photos of Mr Shorrock himself, cutaway drawing of a supercharger, Renault Dauphine, A series, Ford Anglia. Superchargers distributed by The Donald Healey Motor Company, The Cape, Warwick, England. Over-printed by Allard Motor Company, stating all orders and enquries to be sent to them until further notice.

Just sold on eBay for £73.51!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260327051843

Chassis Complete!

2008-12-06T20:06:00.009Z

Here's a few pics from Thursday taken by Paul - annoyingly I left the memory card for my camera at home. Duoh!

All the chassis components are now on, brake lines, fuel lines, front & rear suspension, diff and steering.

Doors!

2008-12-01T22:58:00.011Z

Here are the doors (hanging upside down) looking good in their duo-tone cactus and sebring paint.

The bonnet is nearly finished just waiting for the cactus on the lower half of the wings. The roof is still in etch primer but should be painted cactus this week or next.

Shorrock Supercharger Boost Gauge - Original Leaflet

2008-11-30T23:47:00.004Z

If you thought the gauges went for silly money, this leaflet just sold on eBay for £62!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260320931007

Shorrock Supercharger Price List

2008-11-30T19:09:00.006Z

Original Shorrock literature. Two colour. Shorrock Superchargers Ltd price list: Ford 100E, Austin Healey Sprite Mk1/Mk2, Triumph Herald, etc. Issued by the Allard Motor Company. Approximately A4 - single sided.

Just sold on eBay for £45.09!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260320698084

972 NHW - Where Are You Now?

2008-11-28T08:02:00.001Z

I found these photographs of a Herald Coupé I owned back around the year 2000. I sold it a few years later, but I'd be interested to hear from any previous or current owners.

It was fitted with a single Weber, roll cage and a pair of Cibie Oscars. Downsides were the most uncomfortable bucket seats, lack of overdrive and the MkI chassis.

In November 2001 the Coupé was featured in Practical Classics along side Karl Dandridge's 6 cylinder Coupé.

10CR'09 Entry

2008-11-24T23:56:00.013Z

Well I managed to get my entry in for the 10CR next year. Right now I'm the only Herald Coupé on the list (#29). As 2009 is the 50th anniversary of the Triumph Herald, it seems only fitting to do it in the Coupé rather than the comfy armchair of the 2000 saloon.

http://club.triumph.org.uk/comps/index.php?id=23

Chassis!

2008-11-20T15:10:00.014Z

Here's the chassis with the front suspension going on. The wishbones have been powder coated and I'm using Polybush throughout. I'm using Canley's trunnionless vertical links.

Lack of maintenance is no excuse, but witnessing first hand the joys of a broken vertical link at about 45 mph on a narrow country lane with traffic coming towards us, is an experience I don't wish to repeat!

4WD Triumph

2008-10-31T10:19:00.023Z

Five years ago I put together a web page with some photographs and details of the 4WD Triumph put together in the late 1960s. Unfortunately the web page was lost a while ago, but I recently found the photographs on my computer, so I'm uploading them here in case anyone is still interested.

Background Information

Sometime in the 1960s, Triumph designed a 4WD utility vehicle utilising 1300 FWD derived components, called the Triumph Pony. From what I can tell, Triumph never went into production with the vehicle, instead series production was taken up by a company called Autocars in Haifa, Israel who turned the Pony into the Dragoon.

Triumph Pony / Autocars Dragoon

Autocars Dragoon

Triumph Pony - registration CHP 786C

Triumph Pony / Autocars Dragoon Technical Specification

Engine
Triumph 4 cylinder, I-I-W-F (cylinders in line, valves in head (OHV), water cooled, front mounted), 1498cc, 56 bhp @ 4300rpm

Transmission
4F1R x 2

Brakes
Hydraulic

Tyres
6.50-13

Wheelbase
2.01 m.

Overall
l x w x h : 3.43 x 1.57 x 1.93 (max) m.

Weight
991 kg. GVW on/off road : 1638 / 1435 kg.

Note
Normally front-wheel drive, engagement of rear wheel drive also engages low range. DeDion front axle. Semi-elliptic springs front and rear. Produced to British design (Triumph 'Pony').

Triumph Pony Gearbox

Pony Gearbox from Canley Classics (shown with genuine Le Mans Spitfire wheel)

Motorsport

However, the story doesn't end there. The Triumph Competition's department took a 1300 FWD, and fitted a Le Mans Spitfire 70X spec engine, 2000 LSD rear end and the Pony 4WD system. Now we're talking! The result is shown below, being driven to first place by Brian Culcheth at a televised Autocross at Lydden in Kent, in February 1969.

Getting some air!

Brian at the Wheel!

Unfortunately, in an event later in the same year at High Egdorough, the car with Brian Culcheth at the wheel broke a trailing arm, rolled and was comprehensively written off.

Oh dear!

'finishing lines' - courtesy of Classic Cars Magazine

Letter from Brian Culcheth to Jason Chinn

Further reading

I'm assuming (until David Pearson tells me otherwise) that the Pony gearbox will bolt on to the back of the FWD engine in a similar fashion to the FWD gearbox -

FWD transmission

Here's a more detailed cross section of the arrangement of the FWD gearbox. It would be great to get a similar diagram of the Pony gearbox arrangement -

FWD cross section of clutch, gearbox and final drive

Here's the arrangement of the RWD rear axle. Note the mounting points of the "trailing suspension link (2)" and the "semi-trailing radius rod (4)" -

RWD rear axle

Here's the arrangement of the FWD rear axle. I'm assuming that the FWD rear axle shares the same mounting points as the RWD rear axle.

FWD rear axle

If anyone's actually up for doing this conversion, I'd be very interested to see the results!