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Triumph TR6 - Dumb Question # 11teen

I was not sure how to label this, but dumb question seems apporpriate...! I've now stripped the TR-6 of EVERYTHING and am ready for the paint&Body guy. Took the engine out a couple of nights ago. Lesson learned...if you're going to pull the engine and transmission together, make very sure that the vehicle is high enough on jack stands or whatever that the transmission does not strike the shop floor when the engine pulls free of the body!! An adjustable leveler really helps in determining just the right angle to tilt the engine up to clear the steering bar and not impinge the bell housing. Also don't forget to remove the cross member holding the rear transmission support.

Well enought of that. My real question has to do with the boot lock. I've obtained a matched set of lock cores for both doors, the boot and the cubby box so that one key fits all. Today I removed the boot lock (last thing on the body to come off). Can't get the lock core out!! Looks like I'll have to grind off the rivet(s) head and remove two retaining long rivets or bolts with the end peened over so that I can get to the screws securing the lock core holder before I can exchange the core. As the locking mechanism is constructed, I don't see any other way to accomplish this task. After replacing the core, I guess it'd be necessary to replace the "rivets" with bolts about 3" long and thin nuts. Anyone done this before that can offer some much needed advice? Thanks.

Oh, BTW, one person can remove the engine with a hoist, but it sure is easier with 3 or 4 standing by!! And taking the intake and exhaust manifolds off first really helps.
db

Doug Baker

Doug, I read your advice on engine removal with much interest. I too am about to embark on removal & rebuild of my engine. I was planning to remove with the tranny attached. However after reading your post I wonder if the extra time to remove the tranny from engine first would make the engine removal much much easier. I have removed the tranny before, so I know what to do here. Thanks,

Pete Russell
Pete Russell


I removed my engine last fall and still remember a few things...amazing as that is!

I removed the trans first. I used a typical engine hoist with an engine tilt mecahnism that allows you to change the angle of the engine while it hangs off the hoist. I did it all myself and probably would not have been able to do so with out that tilt mechanism. It was all very straight forward. I did not use jack stands but I did use a jack under the front cross member to enable removal of the cross support bar that you have to remove so the engine pulley can clear.

Since I couldn't easily get the exhaust header apart from the exhaust manifold, I removed the intake and exhaust manifold and pulled the exhaust manifold to the side while it was still bolted to the down pipe.
When the engine was out I was able to climb into the engine compartment to romove the bolts. A couple of the bolt broke because the nuts were so fuse on but thah was an easy fix.

When the engine is coming out watch for things that catch on the steering shaft...like the oil filter adapter and engine mount.

I definately recommend an engine stand...they are reasonably priced these days.

Hope that helps you Pete....good luck!
HP Henry Patterson

Doug:

Sorry to say I have nothing to help with the boot lock problem but would like to comment on engine removal. Having done the job both ways on my TR4, essentially the same as the TR6, I'd definitely go with separating the engine & trans prior to removing the engine. The trans comes off the engine & out through the passenger compartment fairly easily and the engine is much easier to maneuver without the added length of the trans. I am now looking at this job on the TR6 as my engine is very tired & it's time for the rebuild or swap for my spare '74 engine. BTW, I got an engine stand for $50 at Crappy Tire - now for a cherry picker. Good luck.

Bob
1976-TR6
Bob Evans


Bob,

I saw a cherry picker at Harbor Frieght for around $150.00 U.S. It looked like good quality and plenty of lifting capacity. If you don't have Harbor Freight in Canada I'm sure there are equivalent discount tool stores around.

What's the real name of "Crappy Tire". It's got to be a nickname...right?

Henry
HP Henry Patterson

When pulling engine and transmission as a unit, I have not found the use of a tilt mechanism necessary. First, the bonnet is removed followed by the seats, dash support, carpet and tunnel. Then the car goes up on jackstands as high as possible and all of the underside stuff is disconnected or removed. The front wheels are removed and the front end is lowered such that a more or less straight line parallel to the floor is made from the transmission mount to the top of the front valence/grill mount.

Now all the top stuff is disconnected, radiator removed if not out all ready, front crossmember tube, etc. A chain with hooks placed at the stock engine lift points. The engine lift is rolled in from the front and lowered to just above the valve cover and bolted together about the hook on the engine lift with the chain lift point being about cylinder four. A short lift is required and the hoist is then rolled back, being raised as the engine sump approaches the body work while making sure that the transmission is clearing body work at the rear (lots on room for this on non-OD cars, with OD rear clearance is tighter and balance point is shifted back slightly).

Going back in is pretty much the reverse process.
SteveP

Click on Boss Tools in Windsor, Ontario. I have bought from them several times and they are prompt. When I had questions they called back in minutes. They have a shop crane to lift out an engine for $207.00 CDN$. Their engine stands range from $50 to 127. CDN$

Don Elliott, 1958 TR3A

http://www.britishcarforum.com/ubbthreads/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/1977/cat/517

http://www.britishcarforum.com/ubbthreads/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/1978/cat/517
Don Elliott

Can anyone help Doug w/ the lock ? It was about 5 years ago when I did mine .I have forgotten.
dk
DON KELLY


Can't help on the lock core unfortunately. But in an effort to give Pete plenty to think about...

Steve P. gave a good detailed description of pulling the engine with the trans. But in my case I couldn't do it that way because of my tight space in my garage. I had to roll the car back, after opening the garage door, after I had the engine lifted with the hoist. Of course if it's a warm day it doesn't matter. Just make sure you leave room on either end.

Henry
HP Henry Patterson

Doug, sorry, but the subject matter on your post seems to have changed to "removing engine". I didn't mean to do that on you. Great ideas on engine removal though. Chris Trace has offered his engine hoist, and I already have a stand with 1200 Lb capacity.Thanks Don E. for suggestion(BTW how was your drive back to Montreal after BCD?) Steve P great idea on lowering the front end for easier removal. I plan to start getting things ready for removal next weekend.
Cheers.
Pete Russell

Hi Doug et al.

I did the boot lock on mine before I sent all the little bits out for cad. plating... Just drill out the rivets. When I got the lock bracket back (two parts of course) I made up a couple of small aluminum rivets on the lathe and assemled the lock by swaging in the rivets on a press. You could even use a vice. If you can find a company that deals with air craft frame work they will have the correct aluminum rivets... you could probably pick up a few for a polite chin wag! No such company around here so I just made them up. .....to keep my horns original looking I had to make up a small pile when I disassembled and rebuilt them ... hows that for AR??? My wife thinks I'm nuts and I'm inclined to agree!

Good luck with the rebuild!
Rob

PS even after being a member of this board for a year somehow the server does not recognize as such... whats up with that?? Doesn't really matter though as I really enjoy this friendly group and the exchanges made here! Thanks to everyone out there.
Rob Gibbs

How big a crane do you need to pull a TR6 engine out ?

Click below to find out : -

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1308165/posts

Don Elliott, 1958 TR3A

BTW We had a nice ride back to Montreal. Louise drove from Havelock east of Peterborough to Perth along the 2-lane Highway 7. I actually fell asleep and woke up twice while she was out passing tractor trailer trucks. That's the first time she has driven the TR in 40 years.

The total for the weekend trip was 981 miles.

Don Elliott

http://www.britishcarforum.com/ubbthreads/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/1920/cat/517
Don Elliott

Rob,
Thanks for benefit of your experience. Looks like I'll just grind the peened ends of the rivets off and proceed with disassembling the lock core from there. An Aircraft supply company in Atlanta has a whole section on fasteners so maybe I can get rivets there. If not, I'll manage with some some bolts. Won't be original, but the convenience of one key locks all about is driving the train.
db
Doug Baker

Doug
I used very small nuts and bolts to put back together.

Must be nice having one key. I have 4.
Rick C
Rick Crawford

Actually Rick, I'll have two...one for the ignition and one for everything else. John at TRF worked with me on building the set of cores with a cubby box lock and then a door set and boot lock to match the cubby lock. I don't think that it'd be very difficult to change out the door and cubby locks so if anyone is interested, send John Swauger at TRF a note and let him know. the whole set was very reasonable and he even swapped even with me on an earlier cubby lock I had ordered; a black one. Now I'll have a chrome one which I guess is original for the 71.
db
Doug Baker

Doug
Yup, '71 boot lock was chrome.
Sounds like John at TRF has gone the extra mile.
That is what you call good service!
Rick
Rick Crawford

Rick, I know that you meant cubby box lock was chrome for '71. the TRF number for the whole kit is RFK1555, $59.46 USD. The same deal is available to all, just send John an email (trfmail@aol.com) or call him. I've always had excellent service from TRF.
db
Doug Baker

Doug,
Actually what I said I meant. The boot lock is chrome. My eyes saw the word boot not cubby. DOOH! Now that I have read your post(s) properly:
Doug,
Thanks lad. Just went out to my car and noticed I have the wrong cubby box lock on my 6. After reading your last post, I thought, wait a second is it not black (the cubby box one:)?? Looked it up in VOL11 and sure enough you are correct, it is suppose to be chrome up to '72. No wounder I have a key for everything! Oh well, another point gone on concourse.
Rick C
Rick Crawford

Rick- Shame on you for having the wrong color cubby lock. If you had any concern at all for your fellow 6 owners you would give back all those 1st place trophhys and say how sorry you are to have deceived the judges!
dk
DON KELLY

FOR SALE
One 2nd place trophy....made of plastic.
one second place plaque ...good wood quality.
Two first place plaques...also good wood quality with no rust or termite holes.
Will throw in a nicely restored TR6 that is not 100%original if price is right.

Must sell, going on extended all inclusive holiday for next 20 years.
He
Rick Crawford

Rick and Don, glad ya'll are having a good time:) I now have an extra black cubby box lock which, I'm told, are rarer than hen's teeth. (Apparently Rick Crawford will too soon, when he gets the correct one:)) The deal TRF made with me will honor credit for a return, but if there's someone in need of an extra point or two somewhere, here's your chance.
db
Doug Baker

Yea, that was one of the things that never made sense to me. The early cars got black everything else except the cubby lock, while the later cars got chrome everything else except the cubby lock. When I first got my car the lock was dead, so I decided to go with the black one to "make a fashion statement." I also took a TR4 fingerpull, stripped off the chrome and painted it to match the lock. Now all black and easier to open all in one fell swoop.
SteveP

My '72 (CC80171UO) has a black cubby lock. Does that make me special?
Rick Orthen

I had no lock when I started putting the rear together so got one off of ebay without keys of course. Yes, drill out the rivets, re install a new tumbler and re-rivet..but be careful to get as flat a profile as possible on the new rivets.

Should be about a 10 minute job in total


good luck

bob
Bob Craske

Rick O
According to TRF PLATE FW you are not special....sorry lad:) Up to '72 was chrome and '72 on, black. I guess I am the special one:) Will have to pull it of this winter and see if I can take it to chrome.
The other interesting thing is the cubby check strap. That one went metal, plastic, metal then back to plastic over the years. Mine is OE chrome metal. I guess I will have to start showing the car with the cubby open so the black lock does not show...:) Never figured out why they did not put the finger pull on. I suppose because of the spring loaded cubby box light switch.
Doug, thanks for the use of your thread so Don K and I could have some fun.
Rick C
Rick Crawford

I don't know what all the fuss was about with the engine and gear box. I simply removed the body and there they were! P.S. my 1972 has a Black cubby lock and a chrome check strap I'm assuming there both original. P.P.S- stop for a cup of tea or a beer if it's getting annoying! Usually winds up cheaper that way! Regards John
John O'Meara

This thread was discussed between 16/10/2005 and 03/11/2005

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