Bob Evans's Journal

In response to Al (Falkon's) post on old models I dug out two I could not part with. A 1/8 scale Monogram Jag E-Type coupe that I did when I was 15 or 16 and a 1/24 scale Monogram die-cast metal MG-TC that I did in my 20's. The glue is letting go on both and they will have to be refurbished if I keep them. The plan is to put them in a glass case in my garage.
Bob
Feb. 05/12

Jan. 15th and I've spent the day in the garage pulling more bits out of the engine bay and prepping for detailing by sanding and degreasing. Geoff, forum member, friend and TR7 owner dropped by and helped pull the brake booster. The work is tedious but will be worth it in the end. There is a little surface rust and as can be expected, a couple of small holes in the battery tray area. A patch will be fabricated and MIG'd in there. No further sheet metalrepair is required.

Now it's Winter and the car is once again partially disassembled. I lost the Summer, such as it was (crappy weather til September) but I did get the diff and trailing arms out, replacing bearings and seals in the diff and installing a drain plug. Got the TA's rebushed and added Goodparts adjustable brackets. Along with new wheel cylinders and mounting kit, installed Goodrich braided brake lines, rebuilt brake adjusters and painted everything, replacing old nuts and bolts with shiny, new Grade 8 stuff where needed. Also did a refurbish and cleanup/paint of the spare TR4 gearbox, adding a new cross-drilled clutch shaft arm, new dowel pins, shaft bushes, throwout bearing and sleeve and all gaskets. I got the car on the road for the first drive Aug. 31st and put it away again in October. I've now removed the bonnet, the interior and most of the bits keeping the engine and gearbox in the car and will pull them after Christmas. After detailing the engine bay and the remainder of the underneath I will reinstall the rebuilt engine with that TR4 box, new clutch and pressure plate and new steering rack. Not much left to do!

Looking a little less sleek now. That's the diff on the floor next to the car. Having completed the trailing arm stud repair I wanted to replace the T/A pivot bushings so dropped the T/As and the differential to replace the diff axle shaft bearings and oil seals and the pinion bearing and oil seal. Got all that out on the floor last night along with most of the stock SS exhaust system and am currently trying to press out the old bushings and install the new. The plan is to degrease, pressure wash and paint the T/As and reinstall with the new wheel cylinders and SS braided brake lines. The hardest part of the job is getting the old bushings out but TR buddy Steve ('74 TR6, '64 1/2 MGB and '80 RHD Mini) has a jig made up of threaded rod and various large washers, sockets and pieces of pipe. Need to get her back on her rear wheels so I can pull the engine. Also need to get back at it and stop wasting time writing about what I have left to do. :0) Pic attached.
Cheers,
Bob

Been a long time since I posted but have started to get busy again. Completed the ZS carb rebuild, put a bypass valve kit in one of the carbs on the car and the first Spring drive showed a marked improvement in the idle for sure but no noticeable difference in performance in the tired old engine. Also acquired the long-awaited single hoop driver's side roll bar and installed the new passenger-side bullet mirror. The real work then began and I just finished Heli-coils on the trailing arm studs. Anybody who knows TR6s knows that the studs invariably get stripped due to over-torqueing on an inherently poor design - steel studs screwed into aluminum trailing arms. Used an installation kit from Rick Patton of Patton Machine in Brunswick, Maine that worked very well and made for a very professional and correct repair. Rick also has a site devoted to his personal resto of his own TR6 for which he fabricated a supercharger and electronic fuel injection among other mods. Some of this stuff he sells through Patton Machine and although I haven't bought anything but the trailing arm kit I sure would like to have some of his other toys. Tomorrow I will drop the trailing arms to replace the pivot bushings and the diff to replace the side axle bearings and seals and the pinion bearing and seal. The reinstall will include new rear brake wheel cylinders and braided stainless brake lines. That will take care of the rear of the car and then the engine comes out for the install of the completed, rebuilt unit. To go with that I've recently received the polished alloy valve cover and Falcon stainless steel sport dual exhaust system among other good stuff so a busy 3-4 weeks ahead.My last post indicated a Monza exhaust and header but forum veterans all agree that the Monza is too loud and mild steel construction is not good value compared to the Falcon SS. In addition, Kas Kastner's opinion, who knows if anyone does, is that the later TR6 exhaust manifold is very efficient and not much is to be gained with a header so a change was made.Very, very busy time ahead and time is getting short but what did not get accomplished this Winter must now be done to enjoy the upcoming, short driving season. When more progress warrants I will post a few pics but attached one with the roll bar laid in for test fit. Happy motoring to you all. As my old man used to say about my "other' TR, "she's a mean, cantankerous little beast but I sure love her"!Cheers.

Been a long time since I posted but have started to get busy again. Completed the ZS carb rebuild, put a bypass valve kit in one of the carbs on the car and the first Spring drive showed a marked improvement in the idle for sure but no noticeable difference in performance in the tired old engine. Also acquired the long-awaited single hoop driver's side roll bar and installed the new passenger-side bullet mirror. The real work then began and I just finished Heli-coils on the trailing arm studs. Anybody who knows TR6s knows that the studs invariably get stripped due to over-torqueing on an inherently poor design - steel studs screwed into aluminum trailing arms. Used an installation kit from Rick Patton of Patton Machine in Brunswick, Maine that worked very well and made for a very professional and correct repair. Rick also has a site devoted to his personal resto of his own TR6 for which he fabricated a supercharger and electronic fuel injection among other mods. Some of this stuff he sells through Patton Machine and although I haven't bought anything but the trailing arm kit I sure would like to have some of his other toys. Tomorrow I will drop the trailing arms to replace the pivot bushings and the diff to replace the side axle bearings and seals and the pinion bearing and seal. The reinstall will include new rear brake wheel cylinders and braided stainless brake lines. That will take care of the rear of the car and then the engine comes out for the install of the completed, rebuilt unit. To go with that I've recently received the polished alloy valve cover and Falcon stainless steel sport dual exhaust system among other good stuff so a busy 3-4 weeks ahead.My last post indicated a Monza exhaust and header but forum veterans all agree that the Monza is too loud and mild steel construction is not good value compared to the Falcon SS. In addition, Kas Kastner's opinion, who knows if anyone does, is that the later TR6 exhaust manifold is very efficient and not much is to be gained with a header so a change was made.Very, very busy time ahead and time is getting short but what did not get accomplished this Winter must now be done to enjoy the upcoming, short driving season. When more progress warrants I will post a few pics but attached one with the roll bar laid in for test fit. Happy motoring to you all. As my old man used to say about my "other' TR, "she's a mean, cantankerous little beast but I sure love her"!Cheers.