Tales from the workshop
Discussion
Yertis said:
I’ve spent the entire afternoon trying different ways of releasing the top nut from a damper, where some idiot in the car’s distant past has rounded out then split the collar into which a 7mm Allen key would normally fit. b
d. I’ve tried everything in my armoury but now I’m just going to cut the nut, the damper is scrap anyway. By contrast the near side damper was unmolested and took about two minutes. Not much of a story but is why apparently simple jobs can take ages on old cars.
Reminds me of an Audi 80 GT that I was asked to look at ,the complaint was knocking from the rear drivers corner and soggy handling.d. I’ve tried everything in my armoury but now I’m just going to cut the nut, the damper is scrap anyway. By contrast the near side damper was unmolested and took about two minutes. Not much of a story but is why apparently simple jobs can take ages on old cars.The shock absorber had been replaced at some point but not tightened up . It had rattled around enough to enlarge the mounting hole in the turret in the boot so that the rubber mounting bushes were about to punch through the hole .
New shocks ,bushes and welding in reinforcing plate to the turret .
bumskins said:
fking hell... have they literally laid a sheet of fibreglass over the top of the rusted-out original metal floors?!
Pretty standard for large numbers of unscrupulous workshops.king hell... have they literally laid a sheet of fibreglass over the top of the rusted-out original metal floors?!I have found very similar,brazing instead of welding, chicken wire covered in plaster and painted over , rivets instead of spot welds covered by sealant and underseal .
All of this on structural parts that could be pulled apart by bare hands .
I remember being asked to fit up an early MGB convertible ( Chrome bumper) that had been into the bodyshop for an insurance repair, rear 1/4 panel ,rear light and rear bumper .
Rear light fitted perfectly .
The new rear bumper needed assembly of the over riders which went ok then I tried to fit the bumper mounts . Oh dear !
The two irons were different shapes and it had an assortment spacers and washers that were originally on the car .
The un repaired side was a totally different shape ,the rear light on that side had a double thickness gasket and longer mounting screws .
I was told when I enquired what to do with it , just make it look as good as you can !
The customer was over the moon with the finished job , saying it had never looked level before, and was just happy to get it back as initially the insurance company were going to write it off .
It was another car that had all sorts of claimed modifications but it just had a fancy rocker cover , air filters and a couple of stickers all from a very famous tuning company .
Rear light fitted perfectly .
The new rear bumper needed assembly of the over riders which went ok then I tried to fit the bumper mounts . Oh dear !
The two irons were different shapes and it had an assortment spacers and washers that were originally on the car .
The un repaired side was a totally different shape ,the rear light on that side had a double thickness gasket and longer mounting screws .
I was told when I enquired what to do with it , just make it look as good as you can !
The customer was over the moon with the finished job , saying it had never looked level before, and was just happy to get it back as initially the insurance company were going to write it off .
It was another car that had all sorts of claimed modifications but it just had a fancy rocker cover , air filters and a couple of stickers all from a very famous tuning company .
The workshop has had a run of Triumphs in ,Stag ,TR3 ,TR5 and a TR6 . The TR6 among other things is in for new rear shocks , this is the final job on the list then it can go back to the owner .
Cars were moved around and the 6 was placed on the lift . The shocks had been ordered from a well known supplier of Triumph parts . Two boxes had turned up,that was a surprise. The boxes were opened, the contents were both different, neither of them were correct. The customer won't be getting his car back yet .
Even in the classic parts supplier world we seem to have people that rely on a digital screen rather than a guy with an old head full of knowledge and experience.
Cars were moved around and the 6 was placed on the lift . The shocks had been ordered from a well known supplier of Triumph parts . Two boxes had turned up,that was a surprise. The boxes were opened, the contents were both different, neither of them were correct. The customer won't be getting his car back yet .
Even in the classic parts supplier world we seem to have people that rely on a digital screen rather than a guy with an old head full of knowledge and experience.
Another E type into the workshop, had been restored at great expense over in the USA .
This one is actually pretty solid but anything that was awkward to remove was painted around.
Much of the chrome was just stuck on and things shaped with sealant and painted over .
Minor bonnet dents were just ignored and painted over .
I had almost forgotten about this one .
An amazing looking machine!
Based around a fast jet canopy and a V12 jaguar engine on Weber carbs.
Great imagination, very dubious engineering!
The engine and gearbox was mounted 18" higher than the axle and connected by a Gates belt without tensioners ,if that didn't unsettle you, the steering column connected to the steering rack behind you via a bicycle chain under your feet probably did .
We understand it was used in some promotion work for the Ordinance Survey.
Rumour has it that a relative of the original owner still has it .
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