The Blue Bullet FWD

[Purplebargeken]

Good work that man!

[David H]

Thanks Ken,

Here's the finished item - wish I could've used black rivets + washers but I'm too impatient.

I'm all leather-etted out now. I've had cheeky suggestions as to what to do with the leatherette I have left over but frankly its a bit too warm at this time of year for that kind of malarky

I just hope it fits now

[Purplebargeken]

Not too shabby at all. I might have been tempted to glue and staple it underneath. Nowt wrong with what you've done though.

[David H]

Cheers Ken,

I laid a couple of thin layers of packing type sponge (the sort that wraps electrical equipment) under the leatherette and spray glued it down, and cut the leatherette over-size folding it over the edges and heavy duty stapled it on the underside. Hopefully its good for another 41 years

I put the speakers in using a drill attached hole saw. Glad its sturdy as in my last three Allegro's the parcel shelf always fell apart!

[David H]

She lives! Yay!

Fitted the exhaust and filled up the cooling system yesterday.

And turned her over - only for her to go and start on me first turn of the key!!!!Yay!!

What a sweet engine! and smoke free.

All for about 10 seconds

Noticed petrol literally pouring out the bottom of the carb so had to shut straight off.

Carb now resides smellily on my bench at work.

I've posted a quiery on tech questions.

So a bit bitter sweet yesterday - glad that so far the engine seems good but sad that the carb is dicky.

Saying that, I suppose it would have come back to haunt me (the carb) when it gets finally on the road so its better that I get the carb known good now than later when its really inconvenient.

Cheers, a mixed feeling D.

[JPB]

Probably nothing more serious than a sticking float needle which would, 9 times from 10, seat itself after a good whack to the bottom of the float chamber with the heel of the hand.

Nothing to lose by trying, if it still won't seat, then take out the needle and check for a ridge around its sealing face.

[David H]

Hay hay hay!

The carbs now leak free! I replaced all the o-rings, cleaned it all up and re-set the jet height to a base setting.

Well it runs quite nicely now! I spent 10 minutes going round tightening up jubilee clips that were weeping so its all nice and dry now as its running. I'm surprised at how quiet it is for an OHV engine - my old A-series engines were always a bit tappety but not this one - its the first time I've heard it running and I dont know much about this Triumph engine - hope someone hasnt set the valve clearances too tight - althougth there isnt any chuffing or funny idle.

Doesnt feel quite as revvy as an A-series when the throttle is jabbed but we'll see - I know it needs properly setting up.

It burnt off quite a lot of surface contaminants for a bout 10 minutes and it seems exhaust fume leak free in the engine bay.

So far so good.

More later

[Purplebargeken]

[james_r_lucas]

Keep up the good work, seems like you are doing exactly the same things as I have done with mine / needs to be done

As for the Parcel shelf, mine needs doing, I was just going to do what you've done, but just varnish the ply to match the rest of the woodwork

And make some fancy speaker boxes to bolt to the shelf, so i can get better quality sound (the tweeters will be mounted where the ash trays are currently - And no, I'm not drilling holes in the original pieces of wood, I'm making Wooden sections, so i can drill holes without guilt)

[David H]

Thats a nice idea James, I like the thought of the varnished shelf - The ashtray tweeters sound cool

Yes, pods will make the speakers sound better - I'm gonna look in to putting backs on mine.

Just bought a housing for the stereo to go in - its the sort people use for caravans and motorhomes - not bad at 4-99. I'm planning to screw it up under the glovebox.

Just bought a pair of rear wheel cylinders and shoes to freshen up the back brakes - might treat it to some new return springs and I really ought to refresh the brake master cylinder seals as I dont know its history.

[David H]

Well, just to keep this thread up to date, here what I posted in the technical section:-

Hi All,

Well, came to strip and clean the brakes on the 1300 only to find that they are all seized on! Front and rear!

Initially non the wiser (I knew the brakes were a bit tight but just thought it was the back ones needing a clean up) I jacked up the rear, wheels off, drums off, adjusters backed off okay, to be greeted with nearly new shoes and what looks to be be fairly recent cylinders - so far so good. There was a fair bit of dust in there but nothing serious so I took out the shoes and cleaned everything up. I started to waggle the wheel cylinder back and forth in its slot and noticed that they were a bit "loose" hmm, it looks like the previous "installer" had "forgotten" to fit any cylinder retaining clips. Never mind - I'll order some up thought I. Anyhow, I put the drums back on and adjusted them up with the adjuster - both sides - checked the hand brake - okay.

I lowered the car down and drove it back and forth only to find that the brake still seemed like they were binding - very strange! Jacked the car back up to find the drums had gone tight again. I backed off the adjuster even more till the wheels spun and checked that the handbrake cable was loose and not sticking. Lowered teh car down and ran it backwards and forwards pressing the brake only to feel them bind again. Leaving the car suspended now, it seems that even with the adjuster fully retracted the brakes will still bind when the brake pedal is pressed and released.

That was Saturday lunchtime. I mulled it over for the rest of the day thinking that it was probably weak shoe return springs coupled with the missing cylinder clips (although the cylinders do move easily)

Anyhow, I thought I'd look at the front brakes - just to get an idea of what I'll need to freshen them up only to find that they wont release either. I can only just rotate the wheels by hand by heaving on them (I'm a fairly big bloke)
So, It looks like I have a problem with the master cylinder.Has anyone seen this problem before and know what it might be? I suppose a set of new seals for the master cylinder cant hurt but it says in the Haynes manual tht the "bypass parts" must be kept clean. Is it this arrangement that allows brake pressure to drop when the pedal is released? I removed the master cylinder lid to see if any pressure was building up but that made no differenc.
Thanks in advance, David

[David H]

Thanks to all who replied to me on the subject of siezed brakes!

It seems the consensus is collapsed brake pipe flexis and possibly gunk in the master cylinder.

Its looking like £45 delivered for a set of 4 brake flexis. I think they're oem as well so not too bad I suppose.

Thanks to all who replied to me on the subject of upper ball joints!

I had a feel up behind the front wheels to see if I could detect the bolts on top of the joints and ta - ra! they are the rebuildable ones! yay and thrice yay! Thanks for the ebay link Nathan! Thats going to be a massive saving for me over buying new ones

Dont think I'll get much done this weekend as saturday I'm off around Leeds for a lemonade or two (drinking during the day...whatever next) and Sunday its looking like Pickering Steam rally. Cant decide though wether I should go to the Pickering show or the Driffield show the week after AND the Northern Dolly Day. Phew I'm never going to be in at this rate lol!

[David H]

Well......

I've removed the master cylinder and I'm in the process of re-sealing that.

I jacked the car up and disconnected the brake pressure feed from the master cylinder. The wheels front and rear are still locked. Okay - its probably the brake flexis so I slackened off the bleed nipples on the rear brake cylinder and the front caliper only for this to make no difference either!! noooooo.....

So I'm thinking now, that (thanks to a friend of a friends advice) that maybe the incorrect brake fluid has been used in the past and swelled all the seals in system thus preventing the calipers and cylinders from relaxing when the brake pedal is lifted.

This is the front drivers side caliper - one pad has a different backing plate to the other and is thicker and both pads have seen a flatbladed screwdriver by someone - probably trying to free the brakes off. Also the piston dust covers have had some screwdriver action lol!

Does anyone know if Herald calipers are the same? I think Canley do re-conned calipers for not too much money.

[Purplebargeken]

Try Big Red for calipers (I think).

[David H]

Thanks Ken, I'll check them out!

I need a new brake master cylinder!

Found some corrosion on the bottom of the cylinder

If anyone knows of one going spare - I'd happily hand over some pictures of the Queen.