Rootes Cars Restoration Service

Not a Rootes vehicle in the workshop this week ...but a 1947 Ford Pickup Truck.

1973 Triumph TR6 Restoration.
We left things yesterday lunchtime with the engine and gearbox out of the car.
Next job after a spot of lunch was to remove the gearbox and clutch unit from the engine.
... If I had managed to get the crankshaft to turn it would have made things a lot easier when removing the pistons. The crankshaft can be turned and the bolts removed from the small ends then each piston removed easily.
I had to persevere but got them all out.
Just as I thought it was number six piston that had stuck in the bore not allowing the engine to turn.
Water had been left in the engine during storage and caused condensation with rust developing.
Some light rust had developed on the underside of the piston and in the bore. It had stuck solid. Has it damaged the bore.? Will the block be scrap.?
Once all of the pistons had been removed the offending piston and cylinder bore could be clearly seen.
It is important to keep everything that is removed in numerical order so they can be reassembled correctly. i have seen engines dismantled and the parts just thrown in plastic tubs or cardboard boxes.....NOT GOOD.
With pistons removed I could now turn the crankshaft freely by hand and clean and check the small end journals. I will measure these with a micrometer to see if they are still in the correct tolerances.
I then honed out the cylinder bores with a special tool comprising of rotating carborundum stones , this makes the bores clean once again. I can now measure and inspect these for any signs of wear.
Things are looking good.!!
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Please note....for health and safety reasons no friends or small animals were used in any of the work you can see depicted. All work carried out by one person.
I knew after 35 years of sitting dormant the engine and gearbox would need stripping down and rebuilding to make it useable and reliable , but it would have been nice to get it to turn over whilst still sitting in the car. And perhaps running.!!
... It refused to turn or budge by hand so I decided to pull it out.
All of the pipes, cables, connections and ancillaries were removed.
The engine and gearbox were now ready to be removed.
There are two ways to remove an engine and gearbox....either from underneath or hoist it out over the top. To remove a big lump like this from over the top really needs two people...one on the hoist and the other guiding it out of the engine bay.
As I am working on my own ( billy no mates ) I decided to drop it out from underneath.
I used the hoist to lower the gearbox onto the workshop floor. I then moved the hoist to the front of the car and lifted the front of the engine. I then managed to push the car back enough for the engine to sit on the floor. The lift was raised with the car leaving the engine and gearbox sitting on the workshop floor.
It was then lifted with the hoist and moved out of the way.
Next job is to strip parts off the engine to see why it will not turn.
Now one thing I hate is a project being held up in one way or another......so just like every Blue Peter episode we watched as children I have another engine and gearbox under my desk ready to fit and use if required.
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NOT JUST ROOTES VEHICLES OTHER MAKES AS WELL.
1973 Triumph TR6 Restoration.
Work day number 1 ...June 4th 2018.
... We left off last time with the car being hot pressure washed to the underside and the engine bay. It was then put in the workshop to dry off.
When I viewed and collected the car the engine had frozen and could not be turned by hand.
It sat here for a few months with a special freeing agent i make up poured into the cylinder bores to try and free off the stuck piston rings but this did not seem to work.
A special attachment was made and bolted onto the front crankshaft and a large steel bar attached to try and rock the engine back and forth.
Has the engine been left with water in the block all those years and the cylinder bores are rusty.? Is the crankshaft rusty through water and damp getting into the sump.?
Only one thing for it...take off the cylinder head and look at the condition of the cylinder bores.
The fuel injection system and other ancillaries were removed and other items disconnected.
The cylinder head bolts were loosened and removed in the correct order . To make removal of the cylinder head easier the studs that are left exposed along the exhaust side need to be removed.
A simple trick is to mig weld one of the nuts onto the top of the stud and then straight away whilst still hot remove it with a socket and large ratchet bar,with luck it should come undone. Once the studs were removed it was easier to loosen and remove the cylinder head.
Good news.!!!
There is no water damage to the cylinder bores.
But as can be seen cylinder number six still has the magic mix sitting in its bore which means this piston has no side clearence in the bore and is likely to be the stuck piston.
I then decided to remove the oil sump. Luckily Triumph designed and fitted the engine so the sump pan could be removed with the engine in situ....a lot of vehicles need to have their engines removed bercause the front crossmember is in the way.
As can be seen after sitting for 35 years the old oil has congealed into a thick mess. This is one reason why you should never try and start up an old engine that has stood for years without draining or cleaning out the oil sump. And then filling with good clean oil.
Next job is to unbolt piston and conrod number six from underneath from the crankshaft and see if it can be freed off.
More to follow.
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I enjoy working on all makes and models of classic vehicles.
Just like this Triumph Herald .
Saturday morning this car was sitting in a garage not being able to be used.
... My friend Chris took up my offer of the ...Buddy Assisted Workshop Clinic.... I recently mentioned.
We needed to go through the car from front to back sorting out lots of small issues.
As the weather forecast was so awful I suggested we carry out the work this weekend. I collected the car on my trailer.
We worked on the car into late Saturday evening enjoying a few beers before we called it a day.
Sunday morning we started work again finishing all the jobs in the late afternoon.
The car is now ready for its MOT Monday morning.
Clutch master cylinder and slave cylinder renewal. Front valance brackets repaired. Indicator flasher unit. Re-alignment of front bonnet. Removal of worn out seats, fitment of new straps, foam cushions and new horsehair backing. Fitment of underlay and carpets. Re-fitment of seats. Removal of wheels and brakes cleaned and adjusted. Fuel tank removed and cleaned. Underside waxoiled. Electrical components checked and repaired. Engine serviced. Lots of other small adjustments etc.
In just two days the car is now usable once again.
Chris has seen the proper condition of the car first hand, the condition of its components and above all learnt a lot along the way.
He has now gone home to have a lie down no doubt.!!! .
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Humber Sceptre MK1. 1964.

Hillman Minx Californian 1956 rescued from Harrow North London.

Triumph cars find their way into the workshop as well.

When a Vintage or Classic vehicle arrives with us it soon becomes part of the family.
No matter its value or status.
It becomes part of the daily landscape I see either in my workshop whilst improving the vehicle or in its place of storage.
... You soon become used to seeing the vehicle every day.... just like a piece of art.
So when we decide to part with one of our vehicles the purchaser may check out the vehicle from head to tow but we like to know where and what will happen to the vehicle in the coming years.
It is not uncommon for us to decline an offer if we think the future may not be good for a vehicle.
We also have updates from time to time from the new custodians telling us how they are getting on with their vehicles and photos of the outings the vehicle receives.
It was time to part with our little Hillman Husky after having so much fun with her.
As you can see from the first photograph she is going to a very good home.
I have been told she will live in a seperate garage next to the house.
The person in question had a Hillman Husky as his very first mode of transport when he learnt to drive, so for nostalgia reasons decided it was time to rekindle his younger self by owning one.
I am contacted on a regular basis by representatives of important clients asking for vehicles. They send out a knowledgeable person to view a vehicle then ask me to arrange the delivery.
You may well also see this Hillman Husky in future film or TV work as the new owner also has a fleet of over 30 vintage vehicles kept at the large county estate that he sometimes hires out.
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I am proud to organise and sponsor these events.

She takes to the road after years sitting in storage..