NYTW at Runswick Bay

 

Third weekend in May is the North Yorkshire Triumph Weekend at Runswick Bay near Whitby.

I would imagine it's a similar thing to the Isle of White event for those in the North. We arrived Friday evening having driven the 100miles from home with the trailer on the back and the sunroof fully open. The weather was superb. Friday evening involved pitching our 'house' for the next two days, eating some dinner and enjoying a few drinks as we wound down from the previous weeks work. Very pleasant.

 

Saturday morning dawned with glorious sunshine. Excellent, this is the day for the roadrun out over the Moors with a suggested route and destination of the 'Red Lion' pub, the highest on the Moors I believe. Inevitably we went wrong a couple of times and the picture below was just one 'discussion' about where we should have turned.

 

 

The keen observer will have noticed the bright sunshine theme running through these pictures, it is very unusual for this weekend and event.

 

As can be seen in this picture above there are Fords to traverse and quite a few hills to climb along the way. Needless to say we managed the pub ok and FRanK performed faultlessly in the heat. The recent rear springs also showed their value four up on the undulating roads.

Saturday night at Runswick is party time in the big marquee with a live band and bar. They even let you take your own drink in if you want. Around ten o'clock we decided to head back to the tent and get the fire going and the drinks flowing.

 

Sunday is a relaxed car show and shine with prizes awarded to cars from the public's vote rather than 'judges'. Not familiar with what these lads are doing to the poor TR6, I believe they called it polishing! Must be a TR pastime.

 



 

This stunning little 12/50 Herald got my vote in it's class, a really nice car.

 

 

A friend of Amanda and I called Alistair has just had his mk2 GT6 painted after some new panels were fitted, he also changed the colour (to Amanda's dismay) from Sienna Brown to Lichfield Green.

I think it looks well in the colour which was never offered on this model of Triumph.

The general public judging must have thought so too as it won 'best GT6/Spitfire' and was second in car of the show.

 

 

For the 'mechanical admirers' out there, here is an under bonnet shot showing the car's 3 hungry Webbers.

 

 

 

And lastly the 'proud father' Al and his two shields for the day. Well done mate, told you the car would look good in Lichfield.

 

 

RBRR is getting closer!

As the title suggests, time waits for no man but a leaking diff will ruin itself in the end.

With this in mind and the Runswick weekend only 5 days away I decided that the incontinent nose oil seal had to go. The diff was looking pretty rough and the oil stains on the garage floor and pit boarding are annoying.

 

With the use of a trolley jack (and mole grips on some very overused nylocs!) the diff was out and on a dolly to move around.

 



 

Ihad anticipated that the original mounting bushes would be tired and got some superflex ones in stock for this job.

After much cleaning and painting the diff was at least ready for it's new leather lipped seal. Having been soaked in EP90 for 72hrs it was hopefully swelled enough to do the job.

 

I never throw away old bearings as they come in handy one day. Can't remember what this was from but its the perfect size to install the seal.

 

 

The diff was then installed back under the car with it's refurbished quill shaft housing, new bushes and new Nylocs. It looks much better in real life, the camera phone isn't like a DSLR in low light conditions (sorry).

 

 

The car was then put back on the ground, refilled with fresh oil and taken to Runswick a couple of days later.

270 leak free miles were travelled and along with  the new 575lb rear springs which were popped in one afternoon whilst I made a cup of tea (they are that easy really) FRanK performed really well and the rear springs gave an improved and more controlled ride. Just why I bought them really.

 

One more thing crossed off the 'to do' list.

'Car bedroom' and gathering of parts

The double boarding in the garage was completed last week with Dad helping to do the last 10 boards. The larger plasterboard sheets for the walls in the bedroom above arrived and were passed up through the joists to save taking them in the house and up the stairs. Then Amanda helped me finish the first layer of ceiling that had been left off and continue the second layer before Mum nad Dad came to stay.

The completion of the plasterboard then meant that the skim of plaster (for fire regs) could be applied. So this Wednesday evening when we got home from work this was the scene that met us in the garage.

Once dry this plaster can be painted, the lights fixed up and the garage can be used for storge for the time being and then FRanK preparation for the RBRR.

On thursday some parts for that preparation arrived. Some HD rear springs from Mr.Witor, with +5mm poly insulators just incase. The two-tone air horns are less neccessary, they won't help with three fairly heavy drivers, full tanks of petrol and a boot full of spares, tools and jack like the springs will but........................I always wanted some and Amanda refuses to travel in FRanK if I reinstall the Maserati (La Cucaracha no less) air horns that I have. Spoil sport!

Another step closer.......

So after another week or so we were watertight, roof was on, windows were in and garage doors were ordered. We were told the doors would be delivered before Christmas, perfect timing with only a few days here and there (at work) they would be on in time for the new year.

So some pit boards were cut and placed over the pit and the area was tidied in readiness for some painting. With the cost of electricity getting more and more everyday it makes sense to emulsion the walls white to fully reflect the natural light when available and the fluorescent light when it's not.

The picture above shows FRanK in his new 'house' but taken through the rear door opening. Painting the walls has so far taken 28litres of emulsion and the ceiling hasn't been started yet! The garage doors finally arrived last Wednesday night, after lots of fobbing off from the garage door company. So this meant that we needed to get them fitted.

Work have been clearing their postroom and one very strong bench with a lockable cabinet below had taken my eye, so Saturday morning, very early I went in with the trailer to pick it up.

It was still dark when I got home with the bench in tow. Fitting the two roller doors was reasonably easy except for the loading of the shutter into the side runners. Amanda and her parents helped with this along with the tensioning of the rear manual roller. The end result is that FRank and HOE now have a secure garage/workshop to be cared for and pampered in. Just the ceiling to go in and painting, lights, floor painting.........and then there is the rest of the extension to finish. It's looking pretty good so far though.



RBRR '14 plans B and C

Plan B for the RBRR in the event of problems with FRanK is Dad's mk1 2000 Cecil.
If we have to go to plan C we will use Dad's T6 (mk1 GT6 LeMans body).
I don't fit in that very well so we will really have to have exhausted all possibilities before we turn up at 'The Plough' next year in that.



RBRR '14 Team 78 preperation starts here......

In 2010 and 2012, we used HOE for the RBRR, for 2014 it's FRanK's turn. Figuring that it's never too early to start preparing for an event like this, back in September we started on new preparation facilities.

First thing to do was a good clear out. So after many trips to the tip and back, my work, Amanda's parents cellar and the loft the garage was empty. We had managed to squirrel everything away.



So then we knocked the garage down........carefully though, as we wanted to re-use as many of the rooftiles and bricks as we could. Then we handed over the reins to our next door neighbour and builder Kevin.



Along with some of his mates he dug holes, filled skips and layed concrete. Bricks and blocks were layed, drains re-routed and scaffolding arrived.

One of the holes was lined and bricked up, with a steel frame around the top, I'm sure this could come in useful in the future, not sure what for yet though.

This is how the 'facilities' were shaping up this morning, although I did help Kevin with some felting and battening on the roof after this photo. By this time next week the roof will be finished and the windows fitted. Roller shutters front and back will make everything weather tight and secure after that and then Amanda and I can start the interior fit out of our new bedroom with ensuite and dressing area. Time to make use of being an electrician and building services engineer.  

Once that is done, I can start on the cars' new room and then FRanK's preparation for next year's event. So in a roundabout way preparation had already begun before the entry form arrived from Club Triumph. Hope we started early enough!

New arches for HOE

After what seems like an age, we now have repair panels or full panels to give HOE a much needed lift in the bodywork department

The final pieces needed were repair sections for the front wings.

These will look great on the car with a new front valance, rear wings and new rear valance.

The sills were replaced (Stanpart full outers and Earlpart middles) just before the 2010 RBRR so I guess the panel gathering has been going on since then.

The repair sections have plenty of metal in them and I fully expect Pete Johnson (Yorkshire Triumphs) to trim them a bit before welding them in, they do seem to have a very good profile with the arch shape flattening slightly at the top as per original.

I am very pleased to have got hold of these...Cheers Phill.

So by the start of the 2014 RBRR HOE should be looking very ship shape.