Nasties within the engine.

Ok, so while changing the engine bearings I noticed that the camshaft lobes looked a little iffy. So decided to remove the cam and followers. Very nasty (see below). Four of the lobes had worn almost completely away. Astonishing given that the car whizzed around Spa and Le Mans.

So have chosen to replace both camshaft and followers. Going to use the MK I triumph 2500 PI camshaft as it has a large lobe separation and reasonable lift. This will help what I have planned for the engine, but more of that later.

Heading off.

Ok so as the camshaft had to come out I also had to take the head off. I knew that he head had been off in 1988 but not since so as ever there was a worry about whether it would come off cleanly.
Firstly I removed the nuts holding the rocker gear down and removed it. I then removed the pushrods and kept them in order push through a piece of card.

Close examination of the rocker tips (see above) showed bad wear so will need some new gear. Next I undid the bolts holding the water pump housing to the head, these came undone easily and with some encouragement from a copper faced hammer the pump housing came off. Finally the nuts holding the head down were removed in the spiral pattern shown in the brown book. I then tapped around the edge of the head with the same hammer to loosen the head and lifted it off with the engine crane. The bores of the engine looked good, no sign of a wear ridge (see below).

Beginning the reassembly

Ok so a few months have gone by since my last post. Have not stood still though. 

Firstly the chassis has been completely stripped. Pretty much everything came off easily. Except the rear shock conversions which were tough to remove. Also discovered that the brake pipes were already copper, one less thing to buy. 

Last to be removed was the engine which was lifted out with a crane. 

The engine was checked over and timing chain and big end and main bearings changed. Also renewed the front and rear crank seals. 

Then the old chassis was cut in half (nasty) with the front half being retained for exchange with CTM who will make the new chassis.  

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New chassis was picked up from CTM at the beginning of December. Chose to have the chassis left in acid etch primer as am not sure about powder coating which can hide corrosion and cannot be repaired. See pictures of lovely new chassis below. 

Note it includes all the appropriate reinforcements that overcome known weaknesses in the Triumph chassis design (B, C, D and E in the image above). Colin at CTM is a great chap and his workshop in Southampton is a must visit. 

Once setup on jack stands the chassis was coated in two pack epoxymastic paint  which provides a tough yet pliable finish. Over this I painted smoothrite to make it look pretty.