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Triumph TR6 - A Shining Moment.....?

Okay...I got the engine fired around the 1st of May, which met my target, and most of the rest of the car went together without too many....surprises, or headaches...? A friend and I drove the car from Boise to Portland for the Portland Historic Races, 11-13 July (saw a beautifully prepared TR6 blow away a gaggle of 911's in his run group, but that's another story) and it ran like a champ up and back, 800+ mile trip in 3 days. Wife and I will take it over to the Oregon Coast this weekend.
However, there was the day back in April when we started to prime the oil pump, and discovered the beginning of 'Lake Castrol' under the car.
After being disassembled by the PO, the engine sat in that state since 83. I took it to one machine shop, pulled it from there after a high degree of incompetency was displayed, & got it to a very good shop that balanced, bored, did the headwork, etc; after which I took it home to do the rest. When we spooled up the oil pump, with the engine in the car, oil came from everywhere. PO or the first shop had removed all the oil galley plugs down the side of the block, and the one on the back....under the flywheel. This happened the day after the interior was completed. Seats and carpet come back out, trans tunnel, etc, had the gearbox on the floor in 45 minutes flat. Those plugs are pretty easy to overlook, especially if you didn't have 'em or never built one of these engines before.
So many times I picked up tidbits on this BBS that saved me from other disasters, and so I owe thanks to all that post here, as your queries and the many replies have diverted me from other 'Lake Castrols'!
I feel pretty good about how the car turned out, considering the 3 pickup-loads it took just to bring it home late last September. It was truly a basket case.
So....my 'shining moment' is shared with you, and did you know that a stock oil pump will pump three quarts of oil on the floor (through those little holes) in about 30 seconds? It could have been more if my drill turned higher rpm's, but that was another thread!

happy moToRing to all!
Rod





Rod Nichols

Rod,

Well done; it really is worth it once you get there. My shining moment came about one thousand miles ago after a year and a half resto.

I'v been fiddling around with the thing for a thousand miles trying to find that sweet spot and finaly removed the blasted rear swaybar and removed the big fat front bar and put the old stock front bar back on and got my tire pressures set and finally found that TR6 sweetspot again.

That bloody rear bar turns the car into a nervous oversteering bloody nightmare.

Now I can actually drive the thing fast again. I guess the rear bar works well for autocross etc. but really spoils the car. The old mechanic up at the British Auto was right!

John Parfitt
73 5 speed.


John Parfitt

Rod
There is no better feeling of accomplishment, pride, and joy than the first drive after the restoration. I know your feeling. I was like you. I started with 2 tubs, 1 frame, and engine and a whole wack of boxes. I was not as fast as you...I took 3 years.
Wait till you get the "wow,nice car", whistles, thumbs up, etc.....but then you probably have had some already.
Congratulations!!
Rick C



"A British car that is not leaking oil is out of oil".
Rick Crawford

Hey John,
Sorry to hear your rear anti roll bar didnt work for you. The problem though is not with the bars themselves but with the selection or maybe more properly put mis-seleciton of them! Thick bars are desinged for race work and one big bar on either end will upset the handling for sure- the stock front bar is more than adequate for street and if you add a rear bar it should be small in diameter in order to obtain more balanced handling (small increases in the diameter of the bar makes for dramatic increases in its stiffness). I have a rear bar on my car and I can say from expererience that is an incredible performance enhancement. There is a lot of info on the web re tuning suspensions and including the use of anti roll bars.Check it out!
Cheers
Michael

This thread was discussed on 22/07/2003

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