General Chat for advice

[rvfrc45]

Hi All,
I have decided to get the sprint out of storage and get her back on the road.
First main job is getting boot floor repaired and I have got repair panels from club (seem very good)
When the car comes back I will be fitting new rear shocks and Springs and refitting all parts that I removed to keep labour
costs down. Ok I went to the classic car show and chatted to some nice people on the stand but after leaving I forgot to ask many
questions. So perhaps things have moved on in the last 4 years. 1) other than talking to (east kent trim supplies) has anybody
got to the bottom of the windscreen rubber situation. I have spoken to EKTS since and they are really trying to be helpful but it would mean a long drive to Ashford in Kent to see what profile rubber they stock.
2) I would like to talk to trackerjack about his brake conversion, being a ex mech I'm interested in doing this but would like to know what calipers (type, piston size etc) ventilated discs (was it golf gti) Brake hoses, were they made up and anything I can get my head around. Was it covered in any old dolly mixture of TDC mags that I missed.
3) Is there any benefit with a rear brake disc conversion as seen on the web. 4) After fitting new throttle cable has anybody managed to get the cable to stay clipped into the bulk head LOL. Came from Ri------s 5) where can I get a good vinyl roof fitted or kit that also does the rear pillars.
Anyway hope to get the old girl back before xmas and look forward to you very nice reply's
Cheers Gary ex Essex rep many ,many years ago PS who remembers DUXFORD..

[Mad Mart]

Hi Gary

3) Rear discs not worth it for a road car. Trackerjack front brakes defo.
5) Martrim for the vinyl roof (with or without seams) & 'D' pillar vinyls (I've just order some pillar vinyls myself).

http://www.martrim.co.uk/

[Carledo]

Trackerjack Jon has been having some health issues recently, we all wish him a speedy recovery! Until then the supply of TJ conversions may be a little curtailed!
The calipers and carriers used are Sierra, which are now getting hard to find but there are other Ford calipers and carriers that have the same dimensions. I have just liberated a pair from a scrap 1700 Puma that I had lying around and am going to try them on some hubs in the near future. I believe some Escort ones (mk 4, 5, or 6) will also do the trick The discs are Golf vents, 230mm IIRC redrilled, machined out in the centres and with the hub face thinned slightly. I had some flexies made by Goodridge to go between the standard imperial hose and the metric caliper. I have a couple of spare sets but they are not quite perfect in design (my bad) and require relocation of the support bracket to fit.

Kit as fitted to my Toledo





The Top pic shows the assembly fitted inside a Sprint alloy. You can also see my mod hose and how it needs to be mounted, not TOO far off original!

Steve

[Sundowner]

Just as soon as finances permit, I'll be buying some of these http://www.sprintparts.com.au/products. ... 480198.htm
At $725 (352 pounds), I'm curious to know how they compare in price to the Trackerjack product?
Cheers,
Rob

[Carledo]

I'm not sure TJ kits have a fixed price, I have bought 2, neither from Jon, 1 was £120 without calipers or carriers and the other was £180 with a pair of recon calipers and used carriers. This second set was obviously better value since the calipers are roughly £50 each exchange here.
From what I can gather, the Sprintpart kit is complete and ready to fit whereas the TJ kit needs the buyer to do some work on the retained original parts.
Since Sprintparts is already in OZ, it might actually work out cheaper to get their kit!

Steve

[rvfrc45]

So far so good and thank you for your information.
I also would like to wish Trackerjack (Jon) a speedy recovery.
Ok sprint parts disc brake conversion seem a good option as a quick straight bolt on and bleed and when you convert Ozzie dollars
into pounds it does not seem that bad, but I wonder about postage.
Thanks also on the vinyl info I will be giving them a call shortly.
Also thank you Steve for your pictures and yes the brake pipe set up looks good, that was always on my mind going from UNF
thread to metric if using ford calipers.
Ok that just leaves the front windscreen rubbers any more thoughts. As I said EKTS have offered me a rubber that is on the roll and
we all know what this means gluing the joint and hoping for the best. But the fact I have two brand new Ba-----s rubbers hanging up in
the garage means I have no confidence even try to fit them.
The reason I mentioned the throttle cable was that we all want to stop water getting into the cabin and if you cant get a cable to snap
into the bulk head tight we are all wasting our time. Just wish repro parts were made right in the first place.
Anyway rant over keep talking please. gary

[Carledo]

So far so good and thank you for your information.
I also would like to wish Trackerjack (Jon) a speedy recovery.
Ok sprint parts disc brake conversion seem a good option as a quick straight bolt on and bleed and when you convert Ozzie dollars
into pounds it does not seem that bad, but I wonder about postage.
Thanks also on the vinyl info I will be giving them a call shortly.
Also thank you Steve for your pictures and yes the brake pipe set up looks good, that was always on my mind going from UNF
thread to metric if using ford calipers.
Ok that just leaves the front windscreen rubbers any more thoughts. As I said EKTS have offered me a rubber that is on the roll and
we all know what this means gluing the joint and hoping for the best. But the fact I have two brand new Ba-----s rubbers hanging up in
the garage means I have no confidence even try to fit them.
The reason I mentioned the throttle cable was that we all want to stop water getting into the cabin and if you cant get a cable to snap
into the bulk head tight we are all wasting our time. Just wish repro parts were made right in the first place.
Anyway rant over keep talking please. gary

Gary, my comment about the Sprintpart kit was mostly aimed at Sundowner, who lives in OZ, so shipping will not be such a problem for him!

I don't want to start on the screen rubber debate again, I have followed numerous blind alley on this! The simple facts are, there is only ONE screen rubber listed for ALL Dolomite and Toledo models, regardless of screen construction type, Triumph part number 904111. Despite ideas to the contrary, the toughened screen is actually THINNER than a laminated one, so there is no basis for the theory that a Baines seal works better on a toughened screen because it's thicker. The difference is only 1mm or so anyway.

My own single experience was so long ago that it hardly counts, I bought a BL numbered rubber from a BL dealer and fitted it to my '75 1850 without problems or leaks. I hardly ever fit windows anymore but I used to travel hundreds of miles (paid) to fit screen rubbers to MkII Zephyrs and Zodiacs for club members who were glad to pay me time and mileage cos they were a total b'stard to do and I was (and still am) one of only a handful of people in the country who knew how to do it right! Nowadays, I have a tame glass man who is MASSIVELY experienced. He reckons the Baines seal is OK so long as proper sealant in the correct quantities is used. Also not to buy or use one that has been stored for a long time in direct sunlight since (like tyres) this can make them deteriorate rapidly in use.
I have spoken to Chris Witor about making one in the new fangled material (can't remember what it's called) that he uses for T 2000 rear rubbers which have the same profile as both the Dolly front and rear ones. He sells the Baines one for Dollies and claims to have had no complaints, as do a couple of other suppliers I have contacted. I think this is why we are having trouble getting one made, people just point up the availability of the Baines one!
Chris seems ok about taking on making them but wants a "proper" one for each end as a pattern - which is a bit of a stumbling block as there don't seem to be ANY NOS BL ones at all left (front at least).

Steve

[rvfrc45]

Thanks Steve for you information and clearing up the issue.
Yes when I was working on all Leyland cars we used to put all our glass in without
problems. When I moved onto Volvo things started getting more difficult with stuck in
glass and using a large press to get the glass to the right depth.
This was ok till we started breaking the glass and it was then given to the specialists LOL.
Sorry I high jacked the disc brake conversation but I may contact them to see what the cost would be to
send to the Uk
Funny you talk about Zodiacs as there is one on a spit down the body shop having loads of welding done.
Anyway thanks for your time mate Gary.

[cliftyhanger]

Also check what import duty will be applied, info on the PO website I expect. At a guess, 20% vat plus a fee.....
Not insignificant!

[Jon Tilson]

Ive fitted a trio of Baines seals in recent years....

They are all crap...and only one didn't leak in the corners because it went with a zebrazone screen. All were split in the corners
within a year.

I'm sorry but even though its the only one available I dont think its fit for purpose - unless I was unlucky and just happened to get

a batch from a bad rubber mix. This is of course possible, but given that others have had similar experiences it would suggest not.

If Wittor T2000 seals are the same profile, surely all he needs is a tape measure.

Jonners

[GrahamFountain]

I still find it odd that none of the disk upgrade kits give the increase in effort, and no one seems to mind. I note the Sprintspares Ventilated Disc Brake Conversion kit does say it's a 50 percent larger pad area than the standard set. But, as has been discussed at length, that doesn't, in itself, have anything to do with effort. And at least one or two others gives the new disc diameter, which hints at the extra effort. I do realize that there're other reasons beyond increasing the effort from the brakes that matter, i.e. fade and unsprung weight. And there are cosmetic issues too, but that's for people who live under a different colour sky, as far as I'm concerned.

But for a road car, surely fade and unsprung weight are the lesser issues than what upgrade will make best advantage of the improvements in tire grip that are now available. You can certainly reckon on at least 10 percent better grip, even at standard tire sizes; and a fair bit more if you go to wider tires. So I would have thought knowing what the kits give would be important.

And all that's needed to get a very good idea of the level of upgrade any kit will give are a very few measurements off the existing set (some of which I have, but one or two I'm missing) and the upgrade: piston diameters, radius from piston centre to hub centre, and, for four pot callipers, the distance between the pairs of pistons, centre to centre. It would also be nice to have the distance from the outer edge of the disc to the outer edge of the piston off the standard set, but that's only relevant to looking at what increases might be got, if you are able to fully specify the upgrade kit, and so not likely to be important. The rest is a wee bit of geometry (using the intersecting chord theorem) and some algebra (solving a quadratic equation).

Graham

[Carledo]

I still find it odd that none of the disk upgrade kits give the increase in effort, and no one seems to mind. I note the Sprintspares Ventilated Disc Brake Conversion kit does say it's a 50 percent larger pad area than the standard set. But, as has been discussed at length, that doesn't, in itself, have anything to do with effort. And at least one or two others gives the new disc diameter, which hints at the extra effort. I do realize that there're other reasons beyond increasing the effort from the brakes that matter, i.e. fade and unsprung weight. And there are cosmetic issues too, but that's for people who live under a different colour sky, as far as I'm concerned.

But for a road car, surely fade and unsprung weight are the lesser issues than what upgrade will make best advantage of the improvements in tire grip that are now available. You can certainly reckon on at least 10 percent better grip, even at standard tire sizes; and a fair bit more if you go to wider tires. So I would have thought knowing what the kits give would be important.

And all that's needed to get a very good idea of the level of upgrade any kit will give are a very few measurements off the existing set (some of which I have, but one or two I'm missing) and the upgrade: piston diameters, radius from piston centre to hub centre, and, for four pot callipers, the distance between the pairs of pistons, centre to centre. It would also be nice to have the distance from the outer edge of the disc to the outer edge of the piston off the standard set, but that's only relevant to looking at what increases might be got, if you are able to fully specify the upgrade kit, and so not likely to be important. The rest is a wee bit of geometry (using the intersecting chord theorem) and some algebra (solving a quadratic equation).

Graham

I leave the sums to smart people like you Graham, life's too short........

Both the Trackerjack and Sprintpart kits have been hamstrung by the need to fit inside a certain 13" Alloy wheel! While I personally have no attachment to the GKN alloy, I seem to be in a minority of one! This choice of form over function means that no massive gains in effort are even on the table, what the kits do is more like improving the efficiency and reliablity of the effort available, notably by eliminating fade from overheating. I can say, categorically and from serious experience, that the TJ kit does this and does it well. I would say there is also an improvement in effort but this doesn't concern me as much as knowing the pedal will not disappear from under my foot after a couple of hard stops. The general addiction to the Sprint alloy, coupled with the restrictions imposed by the Dolomite shell also limit how much modern rubber can be used to upgrade mechanical grip and make full use of brakes with much more effort output than standard.
Basically, the kits available make the best of a bad lot, like the cabby said, "if I were you, lady, I wouldn't start from here!" Since we are here by choice, it is down to us to make the best of it!

Steve

[rvfrc45]

Hi all nice that comments are still coming in.
I must admit I'm no rocket scientist but I tend to go on word and mouth in many cases and I think
Steve has summed it up. I don't hang around and yes I have had the pedal dropping away also.
I have been talking to sprint parts in oz and been talking about prices.
Well yes its around $720 dollars but post is $300 dollars. so I make £362 for the conversion and £145 for the delivery.
Plus any tax that they feel should be added on this end. So the jury is still out on this at the moment.
Also Sprint parts are updating their conversion in 2016 to a 4 pot caliper and I have asked why and the benefit of that choice.
On a good note sprint in know in paint shop and I will be bring her home soon.
I have also order my vinyl form Martrim and that is being dispatched today £120 for roof material and D posts.
I also wanted to ask Jon about his B-----s rubbers did he get the chrome expanding trim to fit because I could never get in.
ok must go and thanks again for this debate cheers gary.

[Sundowner]

I notice that according to this thread, there is a problem with windscreen rubbers for Dolomites. Mine are fine, luckily.
I just went through all the fuss of replacing the front and rear rubbers in my Mk1 Zephyr, and as stated above, its a dog of a job.
I did find though, that rubbers aint rubbers. The one sold to me for the front screen was made in Australia, and although it does the job, it was easily the hardest to fit. Completey the reverse, the New Zealand made rear glass rubber was easy to fit and was of marginally better quality.
I have a couple of links here that say they can supply windscreen rubbers for Dolomites.
One's in Australia and the other New Zealand. If the NZ one is as good as the rubber for my Zephyr then maybe its worth considering.
Cheers,
Rob
http://www.scottsoldautorubber.com.au/T ... SPRINT.htm
http://www.basisnz.co.nz/Products/Windo ... 89%29.aspx

[rvfrc45]

Hi All,
Once again thanks for any info given.
So far should get car back from body shop on Saturday , I have seen 28 pictures sent to me and the work
looks good/excellent so I will recommend them if I'm pleased when I see the old girl.
The vinyl roof/D posts is being sent now from Martrim so that can wait to be fitted next year.
I have had a reply from Sprint parts and they are changing the calipers on their brake kits.
This is due to the fact that the calipers they presently use are getting very difficult to obtain. The new calipers are lighter and
will fit inside a std sprint wheel with out modification.
They also said the new pad size is 15% bigger than sprint pad. Once again this can wait till next year.
I have contacted the NZ firm regarding windscreen rubbers and trim and awaiting comments from them.
When the car gets back I have new rear gaz shocks and uprated springs to go on plus new stainless tailpipe that has been hanging up
on the garage wall for years.