The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Was intending to have a whole day today of fettling this.

Put the wheel back on, dropped it to the floor and started up to move it back so I could strip the interior out. Started fine and the banging/knocking that was there before seems to have gone. If it has, then it looks like the gearbox mount has fixed it.

That was the good news.

The bad was when I was trying to move it. No matter the gear or revs there was almost zero movement forward or aft. Clutch pedal I think is moving the mechanism though as it has a fair amount of resistance to it. Certainly full travel foot down makes some interesting and disturbing noises.

I'm kinda hoping that it's a hydraulic problem. Anything else I guess it's going to be an engine/gearbox out job. Something I really did not want to happen before I move. In-fact it won't happen as I will need to start packing my tools up potentially at the end of September and the car has to be movable in one piece. If that piece is on the back of a truck or drivable, it needs to move as one nonetheless.

Interior strip out hopefully this week and I guess the transmission cover is going to have to come off again too. It's been pointing nose up on stands for the last few weeks, so I'm hoping that the rear main seal hasn't been depositing oil into the bell housing and soaking the clutch.

Damn.

Spent the rest of the day driving my MGB GT instead. Which also decided to have issues, this time with its points...

After our buyer dropping out and having our house chain collapse for the second time this year, it's allowed me some time to get on this. Progress on this hasn't been helped either by after coming off my push bike and gaining some gashes into my elbow and knees.

Main job today was simply stripping the interior out. Pretty straightforward to do. Filthy under the carpet and it's going to need a good hoover.





Front seat wobbling became obvious why


Seat diaphragms are in pretty good condition. Interesting that this has the later seats with the person presence for the seatbelt warning light. This is too old to have this system, so these seats can't be original. Seat foam is shot though.


Carpet is threadbare and likely going to go in the bin.


Next up was to check what's wrong with the clutch and why I was barely getting any drive last time. I checked yesterday with the starter and it wanted to move. With the engine running it decided to start working ok but the bite point at the very top.

Removing the clevis pin led to the arm snapping into the pushrod


Double checked the length to make sure it was correct. Found a post by Alun on here that it's should be 9cm, so this looks good.


With no clear reason why it wasn't working, I put it all back together again. While doing this I bled the system by pushing the pushrod back in. In doing this it appears to have fixed it.

If you watch the previous video you'll see that the pushrod fully extended is much less far back as last time.


I think what happened is that I must have push down while having the bleed nipple open on the last bleed action I did. This led to a large charge of brake fluid left in the slave and moving the piston much further down.

It now engages the clutch bite around the top third of the travel. Still quite high possibly but should be useable. Clutch master doesn't look in super great shape at the pushrod end, so that may need attention in the future. However it works and I don't need to pull the engine just yet. A big bonus for me.

RMS definitely leaks though as the underside is filthy with oil.

As the weather was good I had the roof open. Unfortunately trying to close it led it to come off the plastic runners.



Not the greatest design on this. A bit of plastic that supposed to slide along. I gave the runner area a good clean down and spray with white grease. Works a bit better now. Probably could do with a bit of decent modern plastic which has less friction, like Delrin or similar.

Now the interior is out, I need to get on with some welding of that wing! With the house sale looking like it's going to be extended, it's awfully tempting to pull the dash too and get that behind dash area welded up. But one job at a time though, don't want to get carried away and not get this back ready for next spring/summer.

Set on the floor last night


A bit of grinder action


Then heatgun and scraper


Debating whether to get a replacement floor panel and cut the bits I need or fabricate something out of sheet steel.

Front floor section has a couple of holes in it too. Hoping not having to cut too much out the floor and loose structural rigidity.


This needs attention too. At the top of the footwell under the fresh air inlet


Bottom floor is the worst though. Swiss cheese

I’d bite the bullet and cut the full panel out and replace with the club panel.
That way you be sure you’ve got it all, and any place that might be thin isn’t going to crack, you can check the inside of the chassis rail too. Usually someone has used it as a jacking point. You can knock it out.
Great work going on there.

Had a good productive day today. A big day as finally put fresh metal on.

Started it by cutting even more holes into the arch area.



Then attacked with the powerfile.


Then made a card template and cut some metal for the jacking point box section


Clamped up the work and kitted up to start spraying sparks. Struck the first arc and ARRRRRGH SO BRIGHT.

Damn mask battery had gone flat and its now 4pm on a Sunday. Chances of getting a CR2045 battery are pretty slim. So rushed out to Toolstation (close at 5pm) and picked up a cheap mask.


Finally got down to welding. I'm no pro for sure but it seems solid.


Templated and then cut a piece for the wheel arch next and lined it all up.


Tacked


Welded. Didn't blow too many holes. Bit thin at the top but not terrible. Decent thick steel on this car.


Plug welded the rest and seam welded on the otherside


Otherside for penetration check. Quite happy it has gone through ok.


Could do with a quick run over with the grinder to tidy up but it was getting late. So sprayed some red oxide over to provide some protection for now.


Still got to finish boxing this off and repairing the membrane then outer sill. Quite a few bits and pieces to make up this section.



This hole has got bigger at the top of the wheel arch too. Awkward piece that is part of the bulkhead into the cabin and engine bay. Will need a fire blanket shoving down here before I start welding, so I don't get stray sparks into the engine bay. Also has the bulkhead foam backed insulation I need to temporarily remove as that'll be a fire risk too.

oily66 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 13, 2019 8:20 am I’d bite the bullet and cut the full panel out and replace with the club panel.
That way you be sure you’ve got it all, and any place that might be thin isn’t going to crack, you can check the inside of the chassis rail too. Usually someone has used it as a jacking point. You can knock it out.
Great work going on there.

I keep debating whether I should or not. I'm trying to avoid mission creep on this car but I know if I cut the rusty bit out and only replace that, it'll bug me. Also if I want to replace the floor later, it means I have to remove all the carpets and interior again.

So I think I'll get that whole floor panel replaced. Especially as I reckon quite a lot of it is thin and will be a pain to weld if I just replace the rusty bit.

Anyone know how hard it is to get the dash out? I'm seriously tempted while I'm here to get it out and fix the channel under the windscreen that's rotted out too.

Great work SiC - looks good what you have done.

I've been carrying out exactly the same repairs on my Sprint over the last few weeks, and also had to repair the bulkhead piece you reference - quite tricky as it is quite a contoured shape.
All very common rot spots and I was replacing previous patches that had been fitted.

Keep the updates coming!

All the best

MC

Great progress SiC, keep the photos coming.

My dash is out at the moment. Not too difficult a job. Be careful of the underdash cardboard shelf thingy, its fragile. Also be prepared for the possibility of finding even more jobs to do...............

The other night I got on with templating and cutting out some bits to make up this front section.


Big thanks to @purplebargeken in lending me this bender. Made a much better job of it than me hitting with hammers on my much abused workbench.


Bits all cut out and ready


I had a bit of spare time, so I whipped off the dust cap on the front hub to see the state of the bearings. Should it be black grease? Indication of bearing failure?


Pulled the outer bearings out and they seemed ok. Timken branded, so possibly original or very least genuine. Seemed to run smooth enough though. Cleaned them up with a tissue and packed it all back in with fresh grease.

Tonight I got in with welding those bits on. No intermediate pictures as I just wanted to get it done tonight. Threw some black enamel on to protect it.



Need to drill a hole in the jacking point section so I can spray some rust preventer in it. Always awkward when you have to weld a box section in, sealing any access to painting it

Still got the inner sill piece to weld on next in this bit. Had a poke under the dash again and got showered on by rusty bits. I think one of the previously 10 owners must have threw filler up there and then lobbed seam sealer. Unfortunately now it's all very crumbly.

I think this will be the next bit I tackle. Dash will need to come out for it and possibly the heater box too. Also the windscreen will need protecting. Looks potentially an awkward job with a lot of sparks in the face.

This section is higher priority than the drivers floor. Short term I will cut and weld the small, bottom section where its turned to Edam cheese. Doesn't mean I'll never replace the drivers side footwell panel as a whole in the future, but it will buy me a bit of time in the meantime. I would really like to get it all done properly however I still have loads of other bits that need doing still. Not least I think there is a chunk of fibre glass hiding something on the passenger side wheel arch... :O

Matt Cotton wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:41 am Great work SiC - looks good what you have done.

I've been carrying out exactly the same repairs on my Sprint over the last few weeks, and also had to repair the bulkhead piece you reference - quite tricky as it is quite a contoured shape.
All very common rot spots and I was replacing previous patches that had been fitted.

Keep the updates coming!

All the best

MC

Yeah I don't doubt for a minute that they all do it. The other side of mine needs it too. Except I think the worst of it is hidden by a lump of fibreglass!

How did you shape that section? Looks bliming awkward to get the right shape.

It was tricky, especially the bit that tucks in around the mudshield lip.. I have found an old scaffold bar quite useful for putting curves in.

In the end I used 3 pieces and then joined them together. Once linished down with a flap wheel I applied epoxy primer, then some fibeglass filler over the welds to seal/try and blend!

It isn't perfect - but solid.

Keep eating the cereal... the cardboard is very useful!!


MC

It been nearly a month since I've done any proper work on this. Irritating heavy weather and working outside don't go together. Today though has been a dry and sunny day, perfect for getting on with this wing.

First jack the car back up. This led to an awful lot of water draining out of various areas. I need to get this back under cover before the worst of the weather hits. Need to move before that can happen...


Sanded back the enamel paint I put on to protect my work.


Lined up the piece I did last month to seal up the inner sill


Tacked and seam welded


Then got the next bit shaped up and cut out


Welded and cleaned up


Painted. Ran out of black but found an old tin of hammerite but in white


Next up was tackling the hole in the arch. This is one of those jobs I know was going to be a massive PIA


Removed the insulation in the engine bay. This broke up pretty easily. I think this area has been welded up before and this insulation got a bit burnt up anyway.


This hole is clearly visible from the engine bay area too. TADIS


Inside I cleaned up the area ready for a patch


Welded the first patch in. This is in the drivers footwell. Not my best work for sure and a patch too. I couldn't get my head with the helmet on in the right place. Really could do with the column coming out so I could get closer. However it is solid.


Otherside still to do. I plan to soak this area in paint, seam sealer and rust proofing to slow it degrading. How long it last depends entirely how the car is used. If undercover and used on nice days, it'll last decades. If daily driven in all weathers and seasons, probably a couple of years.


The left of this, on the piece I put in, was actually a right angle. So I welded it up. This is even messier and I'm not happy with it. I'll clean it up with a grinder (if I can get in) and see what it's like. May use a die grinder to clean it all out an redo.


Hopefully the nice weather will hold this week and I can get the bottom bit of the front wing on! After that, it'll be finishing fixing that wheel arch hole and then fix up the floor.

Dash is currently out as I've found a rather nasty bit under the windscreen. Not sure I want to show that just yet - it's pretty bad. I can't weld that up really unless I have the windscreen out. That will have to wait till I move house first though. Windscreen needs to come out anyway as the window rubber is buggered and is letting water leak in at the bottom.

SiC wrote: ↑Sat Oct 19, 2019 10:52 pm It been nearly a month since I've done any proper work on this. Irritating heavy weather and working outside don't go together. Today though has been a dry and sunny day, perfect for getting on with this wing.

First jack the car back up. This led to an awful lot of water draining out of various areas. I need to get this back under cover before the worst of the weather hits. Need to move before that can happen...


Sanded back the enamel paint I put on to protect my work.


Lined up the piece I did last month to seal up the inner sill


Tacked and seam welded


Then got the next bit shaped up and cut out


Welded and cleaned up


Painted. Ran out of black but found an old tin of hammerite but in white


Next up was tackling the hole in the arch. This is one of those jobs I know was going to be a massive PIA


Removed the insulation in the engine bay. This broke up pretty easily. I think this area has been welded up before and this insulation got a bit burnt up anyway.


This hole is clearly visible from the engine bay area too. TADIS


Inside I cleaned up the area ready for a patch


Welded the first patch in. This is in the drivers footwell. Not my best work for sure and a patch too. I couldn't get my head with the helmet on in the right place. Really could do with the column coming out so I could get closer. However it is solid.


Otherside still to do. I plan to soak this area in paint, seam sealer and rust proofing to slow it degrading. How long it last depends entirely how the car is used. If undercover and used on nice days, it'll last decades. If daily driven in all weathers and seasons, probably a couple of years.


The left of this, on the piece I put in, was actually a right angle. So I welded it up. This is even messier and I'm not happy with it. I'll clean it up with a grinder (if I can get in) and see what it's like. May use a die grinder to clean it all out an redo.


Hopefully the nice weather will hold this week and I can get the bottom bit of the front wing on! After that, it'll be finishing fixing that wheel arch hole and then fix up the floor.

Dash is currently out as I've found a rather nasty bit under the windscreen. Not sure I want to show that just yet - it's pretty bad. I can't weld that up really unless I have the windscreen out. That will have to wait till I move house first though. Windscreen needs to come out anyway as the window rubber is buggered and is letting water leak in at the bottom.

Good progress SIC and good positive attitude.

It been nearly a month since I've done any proper work on this. Irritating heavy weather and working outside don't go together. Today though has been a dry and sunny day, perfect for getting on with this wing.

Over a month this time! We nearly got to the point of moving and then our fourth buyer this year pulled out. Basically her solicitor screwed around and she got confused then gave notice on where she was renting early and she panicked into a new rental contract. Now on our fifth buyer. Selling a house certainly isn't fun.

Anyhow I had a little bit of time inbetween rain showers to crack on a bit more. Wing still needs finishing by welding on the new section but it was due to rain, so I wouldn't be able to get paint on in time.

So instead decided to fix the worst of the drivers floor.


Cut out a hole e


Made a template



Matched template up with holes


Transferred to steel


Then cut it to suit. I need to figure a way of making decent holes in steel. A Dremel with a grinding attachment just doesn't cut it.


At this point it started to rain, so I didn't get a chance to pull the welder out. Hopefully tomorrow I'll get a chance to get done.

Also need to take some good pictures of the horror that is lurking behind the dash and under the windscreen. :S