About to start a resto...need some info

[RONDAL]

It's euro...but not the kind many think of when the word comes to mind.

About to embark on a pretty ambitious full resto of a 1974 Triumph TR6.
Going to strip it down to rolling chassis (engine out, interior out, all parts off) and have the body worked on, dents taken out, and resprayed.

Looking for a shop in town capable of doing this.
Don't know if anyone has had any experiance doing this kind of stuff. We dont know whether it'll be easier to take them rolling chassis and let them strip the paint, or have it sand blasted ourselves. Basically looking to talk with a shop as to options and costs.

If anyone has any info it would be appreciated.

[BaggedGLI]

Re: About to start a resto...need some info

I have a friend by the name of tim woods in Cochrane that i have seen some pretty amazing restorations come from and custom metal work, ill try and dig up his number for you.

[RONDAL]

Re: About to start a resto...need some info

thanks colin.

we likely dont need any custom metal work, as we are keeping the original body, and any panels that are too bad off to be beaten out will just be replaced....beauty of old british cars is you literally can bolt on and off panels.

[VW337]

Re: About to start a resto...need some info

British Auto Specialists have painted alot of pieces for me and I've seen a few TR6's in there. Talk to Jay and let him know that I recomended him.

[VWSM]

Re: About to start a resto...need some info

Get ready to open your wallet..We do alot of Mechanical for these cars since we still have the tooling for them.
Go see Darren at SOS Paint and bodyshop for the cosmetics.

[VintageBMW]

Re: About to start a resto...need some info

Talk to Sean, at Vintage Coachworks in High River. Tell him Don sent you, and he will let you know what is the best approach for you to take.

He has done some work for me, and others I know, and the quality is fantastic. He truly is a dedicated craftsman, and a great guy to talk to.

http://www.vintagecoachworks.com/Site_1/Home.html

Tel : (403)770-9773
Address : Bay E 510 21 st S.E. High River , AB Canada T1V 2A7

[RONDAL]

Re: About to start a resto...need some info

This weekend brought about a lot of work. Got a ton of stuff stripped down and off the car, along with doing a compression test.
Its weird working on these old cars. A) everything is metal, which is awesome
B) everything is 30 years old and metal...so its all stuck together rather annoyingly.

We've got a lot out, now its engine time.















Check out the coolant overflow tank...hahaha. I want to replace with a gatorade bottle




Today I drained all the fluids and removed the rad, as well as did a compression test. Need to figure out what the numbers mean as its a really low compression engine at 7.5:1.


Goal is the Vancouver British Car Field Meet in late May. Driven out there...

Anyone know how to tune carbs haha. im scared.

[J-hop]

Re: About to start a resto...need some info

great looking project! I should ask my dad where he had his 70 240z done, they took the body off and had it on a rotisserie etc and did an excellent job.

What I know of compression tests is that, yes the number means something haha but its more important to be even across the board, I think my volvo ran around 7.5:1 comp and I want to say it sat at 150psi across the board after the rebuild.

edit: just looked and the shop manual for these is only $60 from bentley publishers!!

[AllGo'n'Show]

Re: About to start a resto...need some info

Awesome project, keep it up!

[RONDAL]

Re: About to start a resto...need some info

great looking project! I should ask my dad where he had his 70 240z done, they took the body off and had it on a rotisserie etc and did an excellent job.

What I know of compression tests is that, yes the number means something haha but its more important to be even across the board, I think my volvo ran around 7.5:1 comp and I want to say it sat at 150psi across the board after the rebuild.

edit: just looked and the shop manual for these is only $60 from bentley publishers!!

i got some weird numbers.
the thing has a bloody mechanical fuel pump, so unlike a VW i cant just pull the fuse and have the fuel cut out. So cause i was pulling the fuel tank anyway, i just yanked that out so there was NO way the engine was going to get fuel.

I did one compression test with the tank in, it did 130 across the board.

i then did one again after the tank was out, and it was WAY lower across the board, at 110. I dont know the reason for this, and im slightly concerned.

[BaggedGLI]

Re: About to start a resto...need some info

Looks dope.

Shouldn't you be wearing steel toed boots and not flip flops?

[VanDamage]

Re: About to start a resto...need some info

Amazing. I love TR6's.

[RONDAL]

Re: About to start a resto...need some info

Looks dope.

Shouldn't you be wearing steel toed boots and not flip flops?

pfffft. who does engine swaps and DOESNT wear flip flops haha

[J-hop]

Re: About to start a resto...need some info

i got some weird numbers.
the thing has a bloody mechanical fuel pump, so unlike a VW i cant just pull the fuse and have the fuel cut out. So cause i was pulling the fuel tank anyway, i just yanked that out so there was NO way the engine was going to get fuel.

I did one compression test with the tank in, it did 130 across the board.

i then did one again after the tank was out, and it was WAY lower across the board, at 110. I dont know the reason for this, and im slightly concerned.

yea that is odd, might want to look for someone with a leak down tester so you can determine where you may be losing compression.

[vee_dubbin]

Re: About to start a resto...need some info

Agree with the leak down test. Compression tests don't really tell you much other than if the cylinder is making compression. A leak down test is much more accurate and the results are better in terms of diagnosing. Nice resto and hope you have a lot of fun in the process.

Cheers.