1969 Triumph 2000 MK1

[andyborris]

Tonight is the "official" premiere of the car, it's club night. Petrol in, tyres pumped up and I'm wondering how it'll be received.

I'm sure that for every person who likes it, there'll be one who "thinks that I've ruined a good Triumph"!

Such is life.

[andyborris]

Feb 6, 2013 9:15:10 GMT Paul H said:

Great car - always liked these Triumphs (can never make my mind up whether I prefer the Mk1 or Mk2 though*) & have been following your conversion with much interest :-)

*Mk1 currently, due to this thread!

It's weird, back in the late 80's and all through the 90's, I preferred the MK2.

But as I've "matured" my tastes have changed, prefer Jazz to Rock, French food to Italian and the MK1 to the 2.

Michalotti's design is purest in it's original form (IMHO!), before it was up-dated to keep up with changing fashions.

I've also been told that the two different models also drive very differently, the increased overhangs of the MK2 being felt.

Both models are still amazing, bangs of character and a bit of a bargain at the moment I think.

[vitesseefi]

Feb 7, 2013 18:29:55 GMT andyborris said:

I'm sure that for every person who likes it, there'll be one who "thinks that I've ruined a good Triumph"!

Such is life.

Don't take any notice of them - they'll be in the minority anyway ;D
I had a a fair amount of stick for what I've done to my Vitesse over the years, but much more positive comment.

Are you sure there is play in the rack? They do seem to feel a bit dead about the straight ahead and then load up as lock increases - mine does anyway. They are pretty easy to adjust - can even be done on the car, but if the rack itself is worn in the centre position it may not be possible to eliminate the play in the middle without making it too tight elsewhere.

I converted mine to "quick" by simply swapping the pinion for the 7 tooth Spitfire one (std one has 6 teeth) and re-shimming. Has usefully improved the pointy-ness but does make it rather heavy. Still feels a bit dead about the straight ahead but that can be lessened a bit by getting the tracking just where it wants to be. Also check all the column joints are good and clamps tight.

The rack is a simple affair - I reckoned you've already demonstrated more than enough skills to show you can do it. Chris Witor sells the shims and end bush....

Cheers

Nick

[andyborris]

Well, I wasn't lynched at the club meet. Even the one person who wasn't keen on the idea of a BMW engine in a Triumph was impressed with the actual install.

I had a drive of Charles Harrisons MK1 rally car.



(not me in the picture!)

This is completely standard, apart from Minilites.

This is a very successful classic rally car, with many class wins and gold medals to it's credit. It didn't drive very differently from my car really, just seemed to “run out of breath” when mines just getting into it's full stride.

After the work curing the bump steer, I was glad to feel that the steering in the rally car was as heavy and slightly imprecise as mine! 45 year old steering racks.....never going to be perfect!

Charles car is fitted with some very nice leather bucket seats from an Alfa, I think I may copy this, I understand that they're easy to fit and they are very comfortable.

These seats are very bucket in their shape, unlike the non-original MK2 vinyl seats in my car, which allow one's behind to slide like slippery thing on grease!

Still have to stop the exhaust banging slightly, the parts to fix are in the hallway as I write, just need some time.

Other then the above, nothing much to say really, car starts, runs well and I enjoy. ;D

[andyborris]

I fought the law and the law said “my father had one of these”!

(Apologies to all Clash fans.)

I've been finding reasons to drive the car, as you do. So I thought I'd treat the girlfiend and collect her from work in the Triumph (I'm just the best boyfriend ever, don't you think?).

So, I'm driving along the seafront because it's the quickest way out of town, it's also beloved by boy racers, who often get up to a speed of 20 mph between the speed bumps.

I look in the mirror and see a police car behind me and even though I'm a careful driver, even using the mirror occasionally and not a young person.

But suddenly for some strange reason, I'm 17 again!

So I drive carefully and the policeman follows me for about 2 minutes before the blue light comes on. I stop, switch the engine off, get out and ask the time honoured question, “Is something wrong, officer?

He points out the lowness of my exhaust system, “ it's only about 3 inches from the ground, the traffic police will have a field day with it”. I explain that the car was built on a tight budget and the exhaust is not quite as pretty as it could be. We chat some more, with questions about the fumes from the exhaust and “is it modified?”

Then he gave what's probably the real reason for the stop, “it's a really nice car, looks good. My father had one of these, when I was a kid, great car, he loved it”!

“Thank you” says I and then after a “take care”, he's in his car and on his way.

Which got me thinking (don't laugh), these Triumphs and the corresponding Rover 2000's were very aspirational cars when newish and if you could buy either (even if you had to stretch the budget), then you felt better about yourself.

And this feeling would obviously affect your family, especially when they rode in the car, leading to many happy memories in later life.

My son however, isn't keen on the Triumph. Oh well, sod him, he won't get it when I die.

On to more mundane matters.

I purchased a “slip over” fitting flexible to fit into the exhaust, I hoped this would remove the gentle banging I get as the engine moves. The type that fits onto a catalytic converter. Unfortunately, I found that it wouldn't “slip over”, it had been fitted with ends that are the same size as the existing pipework, not slightly larger.

And then when I re-assembled the exhaust system, the knocking had gone! So, a complete waste of money and I haven't managed to get a refund for the poorly made part yet!

Then a clamp on mirror, that was promised to fit, yet didn't, added to the waste of money.

I've also tried fitting a rev counter from a BMW, plan was to gut a Smiths instrument and fit the innards of the BMW, but I can't get the BMW one to work, once it's separated from it's circuit board! At least the BMW tacho was cheap at just a fiver!

If any RR's are at the Triumph Spares at Stoneleigh day on the 3rd of March, say hello if you recognise the car.

Have a picture.



I'd put more pictures on, but Photobucket isn't working properly yet!

[optimusprime]

Many yrs ago .. i was offered one of these 'free to good home' .. i was even given permission by SWMBO to have .... ( well she said if you must, so thats good enough in my book ... i like living dangerously)
But i never did anything about it.
And i've regretted it ever since.

Top job there.

[ian2000t]

Excellent build mate, saw your car at Stoneleigh! Very nicely done, missing my mk1 even more now...!

[ChasR]

Here are some shots of your car at Stoneleigh. The build of it looked better in the flesh :

[andyborris]

As you can see, girlfiend and I went to the Triumph Spares day at Stoneleigh, (thanks for the pictures ChasR, and you're right, more under-bonnet tidying needed!).



Never done this kind of thing before, my car on a club stand and talking to people about it, but it was fun, if very cold in the hall. Even the girlfiend was seen explaining the conversion, though she did confess to just reading the "about this conversion" sheets stuck to the windows, to people who were standing on the far side of the car and couldn't see them!

Meet a few people who'd only been names on here or the club forums. And the tea bar on the club stand raised £20 for Cancer Research.

Colin (along with Amanda, the club show organisers) had said that there'd be a lot of interest in the car and he was right, with most of the reactions being positive. I even saw a couple of people laugh out loud in what I assume, was surprised pleasure?!



Colin also showed a sadistic streak, by parking my car next to a beautiful 2 tone green car, which was just out of restoration, I did get my revenge, by letting him drive the car, then encouraging his dad to accompany him.

Colin's drive of the car consisted mainly of a few short bursts of speed, while his dad hit his arm in an effort to get him to slow down!

The engine is also taking to it's new home very well, even developing the traditional old English car oil weep, (it's only marking it's spot). The O-ring for the dip-stick tube must have been damaged during the fitting, it was pulled out and re-fitted many times. A new one and 10 minutes cured the leak.

Other then this, the car has been reliable and economical, returning around 35 mpg on the gentle drive to and from Stoneleigh, though that can change very quickly!

One thing the show and the green car did demonstrate, the need for some TLC for the bodywork.

So the front grille and headlight surrounds have been cleaned and it makes a small difference.







Wheels are next, to be sandblasted, (but not with sand!), painted and polished. Instead of black highlights, I'm thinking of doing the wheels in body colour?

Can anyone do a photoshop of the wheels with the black highlights swapped for body colour? I'm rubbish at it!

And the paintwork will be looked at very soon too.

[craj]

I think you are being harsh towards your car Andy, you hadn't had a chance to wash it even!

The drive was great even with Dad on board as the 'limiter', a very enjoyable and fast ride which also showed how well the car steers and handles in general. Well done mate it drives very nicely and I really enjoyed it.... a lot.
It was also very interesting for Dad as he owns a 65 mk1 2000 and a 96 E36 with the very same M52 engine.
If you are sticking with the S alloys for now, don't do the black bits in Valencia, it won't work IMHO.
With the narrow mk1 rear end back on the car you open up a whole new dimension in wheel possibilities via the internet. 114.3x4 pcd is used on plenty of Japanese cars, anything from a 240z or later 200sx to Hondas.(but you know that I'm sure)

Colin

[andyborris]

Because plan A is more work than I can handle at the moment and plan B is £100 a wheel, I went for the default option.



And on the car....







I guess it's the default choice for a reason!

And as a final touch, some Triumph globe stickers.



Colin, thanks for the kind words.

[fastblatt]

That's finished it off nicely.

[optimusprime]

Those wheels look great!
very nice job.

[ChasR]

Minilites may be a cliche choice, but they do work very well on a MkI IMO in addition to not offering the wobble/vibration factors that the Stag wheels can (Are there a set of GKN wheels out there which are drilled straight?; Working on a certain friend's Dolomite seemed to suggest no ).

Do you go for 14" or 15 in the end? I see you also gave the car a polish. Such touches as the above can add renewed vigour to a project IMO .

I echo Craj's comments regarding the wheel being body coloured where they are black. They either seem to work (but no better than if they were black) or they just look too out of place strangely enough (tacky maybe?).

No doubt there is more to come with this project . Well done for cracking on with it the way you have and well, keeping to time constraints.

[stewart528]

I've been loving this conversion for a long time and the Minilites set it off perfectly.
Keep up the good work.

[andyborris]

Thanks everybody.

Now wish I'd put the Minilites on years ago! Went with 14's, I prefer the larger 70 series tyre, both for the look and the ride/handling. Which is good, because I couldn't afford new 15 inch tyres!

And the interior mirror is now usable, that annoying vibration that made it unusable is now gone.

[mbheather]

I'm really impressed with the whole execution of this, exactly my sort of the thing. Those wheels are definately the icing on the cake !

[155ringman]

I've read through this thread previously and think it's great.
It's fantastic to see what can really be done on a budget and working properly. Minilites just set it off beautifully. Great job!
Must say that other restored car looks great too.

[el Presidente]

Wow lovely conversion, is looking like a real street sleeper!

[andyborris]

A pleasant surprise at the May pub meet for Canterbury Triumphs.

Unknown to me the girlfiend hatched a plan with Phil the Stag, who's a bit of an artist, a proper painter type artist.

And here's a poor quality photo.



As you can imagine, I was very surprised and lost for words (gobsmacked is the proper term, I think!)

So thanks Cat.