Fellow Listers,
Santa brought me some new tools for Christmas, as well as an excuse to slip
away to the garage to try them out. For the first time in months, the TR6
started! New rod and main bearings, thrust washers, complete clutch assembly.
including all actuating hardware, all U-joints and boots replaced. It's a
wonder it only took a couple of months. I used Victoria British for the parts.
Nice enough sales people, but many of the parts were just junk.
Maybe I spent too much time rebuilding Mercedes, but I have this belief that
new parts should actually fit. Front seals a full 70% larger than they should
be, clutch shaft taper pin hole drilled 1/4" off center (caused release
bearing to bind). Maybe I just expect too much. They did work with me on those
problems, though.
Somehow, I came up missing seven sump bolts. May have had something to do
with the hole in the bag I carried them in, when I took them to the parts
washer at work. I knew I had some SAE hardware in my 5-gallon bucket-o-bolts
left over from past AMC and Jaguar restorations. I decided to dump the bucket
on the garage floor, in search of the bolts I needed. One poured out right on
top of the 5-gallon heap. It turned out to be the only one in the whole
bucket. Guess I should play the lotto, huh? The bottom line is, I found enough
bolts in the end, it is put together, running, has good oil pressure, and
sounds good. Tomorrow should be a few more details, then the victory drive. Am
I excited? Of course!
Off I go to sleep, with visions of functional drivetrains dancing in my
head.
Jerry Cole
Lakewood, WA.
1972 TR6
" A gentleman does not motor about after dark." - Joseph Lucas
|