HARRY WEBSTER TRIUMPH SPECIALS TONY`S MODIFIED GT6

HARRY WEBSTER
TRIUMPH SPECIALS
TONY’S MODIFIED GT6
SPRING /07 AND THE TTC IS CELEBRATING 25 YEARS
RAGTOP
Executive
President
TR2, 3 , 3A & B
Gary Brown
519-942-9949
Vice President
Ric Allison
Marque Coordinators
[email protected]
Robin Searle
Malcolm Taylor
TR4, 4A & 250
Dave Goard
Past President
Chris Walker
905-335-0812
Fred McEachern
Wayne McGill
Brenda Campbell
[email protected]
Spitfire-GT6
Chris Walker
Mike Hale
289-242-5584
Allan Watt
705-458-1004
Ragtop Magazine
Editor & Photographer David Burman
Asst.. Editor
Brian Clark
Proofing submissions
Bill Alexander
Contributing Editors
Gregory Hertel
Simon Rasmussen
Adverising
Ric Allison
Distribution
Tony Grosso
416-755-9494
Interclub Coordinator & BBCI. rep
Malcolm Taylor
905-880-0079
Historian/Archivist & PR.
Frank Manning
905-643-2359
905-683-5107
[email protected]
416-745-8866
Event Coordinators
British Car Day
Glen Donaldson
Wayne Mcgill
416-385-1830
905-847-5532
Canadian Classic
Dawn and Rojer Elliot
Spring Fling
Willa and Jim Hopkinson
General Mail
PO Box 39, Don Mills, Ont. M3C2R6
Membership Mail
Ragtop Mail & email
112 Chestnut ave.
Hamilton Ont. L8L6K9
[email protected]
Ambassador-At-Large
Vacant
Web Master
Volunteers
Michael Hale
905-632-0479
P.O. Box1011, Cookstown Ont.
L0L1L0
Meeting Committee
Ken Jackson
Brian Clark
Helmut Vorkoetter
905 335-0812
TR-7& 8
John Broomer
Sub-committees
905-627-2987
905 847-5532
Stag
Tony Fox Sr.
Membership
905-655-7190
TR6
Secretary
Treasurer
416-971-7902
905-880-0079
289-242-5584
Vic Whitmore
[email protected]
Ric Allison vice@toronto triumph.com
Motorsports
2
SPRING 2007
The Ragtop is published quarterly by the Toronto Triumph Club
Inc. (“TTC”) and is distributed to its members as part of their
annual dues.
The TTC or the Editors cannot accept responsibility for the safe
return of any submitted material. We will do our best, but accidents
do occur.
We accept no responsibility for errors or omissions.
Opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily
reflect those of the TTC Executive or Membership.
Copyright © 2005 by the TTC.
Non-profit groups may reprint articles from this publication, where
the author has not reserved rights, provided we get credited and
both the author and TTC receive a copy of the publication in its
Sponsors
Simon Rasmussen
SUBMISSIONS
Format:
ʻOn discʼ is preferred for long articles. Word Files
are preferred. Typed submissions are acceptable.
Graphics must be scannable or in a major graphics
formats.
By hand:
To any of the editors at the monthly meetings.
Mail:
112 Chestnut Ave. Hamilton Ontario L8L6K9
e-mail:
[email protected]
ADVERTISING
Contact the Clubʼs advertising representative for
details of dates, and submissions. As a guide,
submit ads as camera - ready artwork by mail or
courier - addresses given above.
The advertising year is from Jan.1to Dec. 31
A free copy of Ragtop is sent to all paid
advertisers.(excluding free classifieds)
2007 ADVERTISING RATES
Rear Cover
$300 per year.
Inside Covers
$275
Full Page
$250
Half Page
$150
Quarter Page
$100
Business Cards
$50
Classifieds
Free
Photo Classifieds
$5 Process fee.
Flyer Inserts
$150/issue (max 4pgs)
2007 SCHEDULE
Issue
Deadline Mailed
Spring Feb 28
End of March
Summer May 31 End of June
Fall
Aug 31
End of September
Winter Nov 30
End of December
905-853-2514
24hr InfoLine 416-410-4TTC
Web Site:
www.torontotriumph.com
entirety.
Printed by Butler Printing for the Toronto Triumph Club
RAGTOP
3
Features
Activities
Harry Webster remembered
The man behind our cars.....................pg.22
Toronto Auto Show
Ric Allison is a poet too............................pg.7
The TTC. Scrapbook Page
Our members can post all club info
and TR news here................................pg.25
Meeting Madness
There are 2 new sheriffs in town,
Brian and Helmuth are now in
charge of meetings....................................pg.18
Triumph Specials
Simon looks at the world of custom
building Triumphs...................................pg.28
The British Isles Show
Our club makes a big impression
at the show...................................................pg24
Tony’s GT6 Modified
Our Tony is not afraid of a
challenge.....................................................pg.32
Colour Wars are Back!
This time in yellow...................................pg.42
Tech. Talk
Show ‘N’ Shine
Brian Clark hosts a new regular feature
with detailing and car-care tips...............pg.9
Pre-Purchase Inspection
Don’t get stuck with a lemon..................pg.16
On The Cover:
“Black Is Beautiful”
Marc Lawrence shot this perfect
TR-4 at British Car Day on his way
through town. ( see last issues piece on
coming for England to see BCD.)
4
SPRING 2007
W
ell here we go
for another d r iving season. I don’t
k now where all the time
goes; I had so many plans to
work on several car projects
and did n’t even get to one of
them.
Victor ia and I have just ret u r ned f rom ou r
vacation t r ip to the Philippines. W hile we
were there I had ou r 25 t h A n niversar y g r ill
badges made. I am ver y pleased with the
qualit y of work. We are hoping to get these
out to ou r members ver y shor tly. T here is
quite a bit of weight to the whole order of
500 pieces so I could only br ing back 52 of
them in my luggage. T he executive have decided that they will go to the f i rst 50 people
that renew thei r membership at A ncaster.
T his will also save the club some post age
fees.
The Incredible Photo Page!
Back again and more off the wall
than ever Send in yours...........................pg.35
The “Wedgetarian”
John Broomer’s new regular
tech. feature has all the help you
need for your flying wedge..................pg.13
The Prez Sez
Club Info
The Prez Sez
Gary’s been busy again...........................................pg.5
Editor’s Corner
We need spring now!...............................................pg.6
New Members
They are always welcome and this group is no
exception ..................................................................pg.41
Classifieds
Recycle, someone NEEDS your stuff!!!
Advertise it free!!!................................................ pg.46
Please check out ou r website there are lots
of activities plan ned for ou r 25 t h an niversar y year. T here are too many to mention now,
so please t ake a look and see if you can f it
in at least one if not more.
Don’t forget to do a complete check on
you r cars before heading out on the road.
Check the lights, brakes and all the oil
levels.
We look for ward to seeing you at an event
or on a d r ive. Here’s to a good su m mer and
safe d r iving.
n
Gary Brow
T han k you to the enti re executive team,
new and old for put ting together this year’s
prog ram.
A special than ks to Br ian and Helmuth for
work ing on the monthly meetings. We have
had a sig nif icant increase in meeting at tendance over the winter.
RAGTOP
5
The TTC at the 2007
Canadian International Auto Show
Editor’s Corner
I
s it spring yet? As you can see from my
latest photo I don’t have any snow tires
for my Spit project. I can’t wait until
those warm fresh spring days return. Lazy
days with lots of cold beer. That’s why we
put ourselves through all this isn’t it? I need
to get back up to the Walker Garage and
turn some wrenches on the Spit project. My
original deadline of this British Car Day may
have been derailed by a few health issues, but
that’s a long and boring story I’ll save for a
few unfortunates.
This winter Chris Walker and I stripped off the
body and power-train right down to the frame. It’s
actually not too bad, the rear of the frame rails
where some old repairs are needs cleaning up but
basically its ok. The engine had never been fully
apart as far as we can see and the block is good. The
crank will need to be turned and new cam and lifters
are required. This will be a great time to do a bit of
upgrading in that area. The head doesn’t seem to be
cracked but I will have it checked out and rebuilt to
be sure.
Your Spring/07 Ragtop has some exciting new
features. Brian and Helmuth have become your new
meeting co-ordinators and will be doing write ups
on all the meetings for the Ragtop. What better way
to demonstrate to the members the calibre of our
meetings. If you are unable to attend a session this
will also keep you up to speed with the club.
John Broomer will be tackling a regular and long
overdo feature on the wedge cars. Be sure to read his
piece, its very detailed and full of useful info.
All the regular departments and picture pages are
back, better than ever, check them out. And Simon
has supplied us with two great stories of brave souls
who have put the torches to their Triumph’s and
created very some different machines!
Former Ragtop editor Bob Bieler does the first
part of a story on Tony Grosso’s modified GT6. Tony
is the man behind Pillar Direct the folks that make
sureyour Ragtop is always in the mail.
Don’t miss it!
6
SPRING 2007
Recently I received a email from a reader about how
much he enjoyed our British Car Day issue. Turns out he has
quite a history of racing MG’s and still races motorcycles!
The Ragtop hopes to do a feature on his story soon. So if
any of you out there still are waiting for your 15 mins. of
fame, here is your chance. Contact us at the club or email
me [email protected] and we will get your story in the
magazine.
Here is Les’s letter:
When I was asked to jot down a few words for the Ragtop with respect to our participation at the Auto Show I
was stumped. Do I write about the fact that we were less
than prepared, about the fact we had the usual trouble attracting volunteers to man the booth, or the long hours of
standing around the cars with only the “tire girls “ walking by once in a while to break up the day.
Can you measure the benefit of these types of public
displays? Was it worth the effort? The answer is yes. It
was worth it. Hundreds of people stopped to photograph
the cars or ask questions. It was an opportunity to share
with others our love of the cars and surprisingly there
was a great deal of interest by younger people. Fostering
interest in these cars with the next generation will help
ensure that there will be people to care for and promote
the Triumph in the future.
Dear Editor,
The show is over, aren’t ya listenin’
Outside the dome the snow is glistenin’
A horrible sight not happy tonight
Driving in this winter wonderland
A little snow, hey what’s the big fuss
My TR3 is wired my Lucas
It don’t like the wet, snow will be far worse I bet
Stalling in this winter wonderland
(Chorus)
In the dark I plowed into a snow drift
Not white and fluffy but all dirty brown
The snow shorted out my brand new starter
Oh… no man
The battery is beginning to run down.
Head lights, wipers and ignition
Not an enviable position
Alone in the dark with an ever-weakening spark
Misfiring in a winter wonderland
Finally home, I did conspire
As I warmed by the fire
Of sunnier things
Like classics and spring flings
And the odd trip north to Canada’s Wonderland
Just read the Winter Edition of Ragtop. As usual, it is a
really fine magazine - colour cover and, Lo and behold, a
colour centre spread of a field full of ........MGs!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now, don’t get upset, I’m not writing to complain. Rather, I
am writing to boast. What other club do you know of with the
tolerance and open mindedness to feature the “Other Brand”.
It is a tribute to the type of people who preserve and drive the
best sportscar in the world!! (No partisan feelings here!!)
Good on yer Ed!!
Les Campey,
Member #1531
Photo By Brian Clark
I can’t complete this with out mentioning the contributions of Brian Clark who displayed his beautiful 1973
TR6 and Glen and Malcolm for helping man the booth.
While standing around the booth may have been a little
tedious at times the drive home in the Triumph the last
night in a blizzard was needless to say nerve-racking.
Set to the tune of Winter Wonderland the trip home went
something like this….
( it’s actually okay to sing this out loud )
Thanks Les, but MG’s aside it was the best picture we had
that captured the spirit of the event. So get those Triumph’s
out and enjoy the spring when it does arrive, and if you have
something interesting , send it in.
David Burman
Ric Allison
Ric turns out to be quite a poet, soon the whole club will be
humming Ric’s catchy little tune.
editor
RAGTOP
7
SHOW & SHINE
We may not all be master mechanics
when it comes to taking care of our Triumphs but we all have to clean an polish
them to make them look the best we can.
This is usually one of the more enjoyable
chores of taking care of a vintage car and
there are many different procedures and
opinions on the best ways to make them
sparkle. This new section of the magazine
will concentrate on some time saving tips
and procedures to accomplish that sought
after sparkle and will the help of all members will become a regular section of the
Rag Top.
To start the section of in proper style
we contacted Meguiar’s who are an ongoing sponsor of the Toronto Triumph Club to
give us some tips on cleaning and maintaining automotive paints and bright work. It
is hoped that members will follow up and
assist the section by forwarding in tips
and ideas that can be passed on to publish in the magazine. Any tips or ideas
you may have and would like to share with
the club, no matter how small or how involved, for the article can be forwarded
to Dave Burman [email protected] or
Brian Clark at [email protected] There
has to be a ton of ideas out there that we
all do to when detailing our vehicles that
we picked up from various friends or shows
that can be shared with fellow members,
so how about forwarding in your favorite
tips for publication in the Rag Top.
Meguiar’s Tip of the Month
Paint Cleaners
- Always follow manufacturer
recommendations
- Always use least aggressive method
possible (NO RUBBING COMPOUNDS)
- Use correct method of application per
product (hand, orbital or rotary)
- Work one section at a time
- Work evenly and thoroughly, letting the
product do the work
- If one application doesn’t remove
defect, a second application is sometimes
needed
- Use separate 100% cotton terry cloth
towels or Mirror Glaze Ultimate Wipe for
wipe off of cleaners, they tend to get the
dirtiest
Member Tip
For cleaning aluminum wheels or any
other bright work, try the Magic Eraser
sponges from Mr. Clean or other similar
product.
Use them in the kitchen first and then
save them for duty on your classic. They
also work great for marks on the glass.
Brian Clark
8
SPRING 2007
RAGTOP
9
Motor Works
Br i
t ish
T ra i ned T echn ic
i an
s
Your total source
for Triumphs
������������
10
SPRING 2007
-Early or Late Models-Maintenence
-Engine Management
-Parts Supply
-Fuel Injection Service
-Carburetor Overhaul
-Electrical Diagnosis
-Body/Metal Fabrication
-Parts Fabrication
���� ����� ��� ������������
RAGTOP 11
Does your project need to be put in gear?
n
a
i
r
a
t
e
g
d
e
W
A new regular feature
e
h
T
By TTC member John Broomer
At British Auto Sport you will get the right parts to bring your sports car to top working
condition at a price that won’t make the veins in your forehead begin to bulge. Give us a
call or drop in and feel the energy and see the commitment to getting the job done.
Come out and see us at our
NEW location
1565 Hwy.#5 West, RR#1
Troy, Ontario, L0R 2B0
12
SPRING 2007
TOOL FREE 1-888-485-2277
Local at 905-627-9995
24 hr Fax 416-410-6479
E-mail:
[email protected]
RAGTOP 13
The Wedgetarian
O
riginally I thought “Wedge World”
but visions of Mike Meyers in a
basement kept me searching for another name. I struggled at least twenty-eight
seconds more to come up with a title for what
I hope will be a continuing column running
in the Ragtop.
It seems that we’ve reached some kind of turning
point in the history of the TR7/8 in as much as this
past October marked the 25th anniversary of production ending at the Solihull plant, recently we’ve had
a lot of the new members at our meetings standing
up and announcing that they are wedge owners and
there seems to be more interest in our cars in general. While I find it hard to believe that we will ever
get rich off our investment (not like those cursed
Hemi ‘Cuda owners) at least it appears that people
are starting to appreciate wedges and not just trashing them. Because of this, and, being tired of only
receiving solicitation for cheap Viagra from the
[email protected] mailbox, I thought it would
be nice to reach out and show how much we really
care about the often maligned wedge.
So what follows will be a miscellaneous rambling
of my own experiences, items of interest to the fraternity and so on. Before I start, perhaps I should
frame the context of my experience. I have a 1980
TR8 dhc, purchased in July, 2005 after a long (10
year) drought without a “fun” car. Previous to that
I owned a 1975 MG Midget (another maligned car,
it was rubber bumpered and harvest gold) for about
7 years plus a couple of daily driver Minis between
1983 and 1989.
British Car Day
It was a beautiful day in September and another
great turnout in general with over 1,000 cars but
in particular for wedges. There were lots of 7s and
many 8s, seemingly more than last year (particularly
8s). My car was relegated to 2nd place for the second
year in row. I think only fresh paint will bring the
ultimate award to me. On the other hand, previous
cars were never even in the running so I can’t complain. I had the distinction of serving my volunteer
duty out at the main gate of the park waving all
the British cars down the road to the maintenance
gate. It started out slow but built and mid-morning
brought an onslaught of cars and best of all I got to
see all sorts of stuff rolling by.
What’s in your tranny?
While most of our
brethren (including 4
speed wedges), use gear
oil of some type in their
transmissions, for the
most part later wedges
with the 5 speed transmission developed for
the Rover SD1 use automatic transmission fluid.
Beware though that
early 5 speeds used gear
oil and while Leyland
records indicate a serial
number break where
they changed you should
double check what yours
has in it before topping up. In the event
that you are putting a
14
SPRING 2007
fresh transmission in your early 5 speed car you can
change it over to ATF provided the gear oil has been
thoroughly flushed out. Some of you may be surprised since ATF is so thin compared to gear oil but
this is now quite common in modern gearboxes. Of
course, BL didn’t change to ATF because they were
on the cutting edge of technology, it was because the
use of 75 weight oil in a transmission which had a
pump circulating the oil didn’t fare very well in cold
temperatures. After many complaints of hard shifting (or none) in chilly weather, and no doubt a bunch
of warranty replacements, the change cured these
initial issues. There are a variety of fluids available
which meet the original BL specification but it seems
that the consensus (from my sources, anyway) favours GM transaxle fluid (part no. 12345349) which
is a synthetic oil formulated for GM cars with manual transmissions.
to be fed through the circuit. Some of you probably didn’t realize that there are in fact two common
types of fuses and interchanging them can be very
bad for your wiring harness.
Our cars require International Electrotechnical Commission (“IEC”) fuses. Some of us have probably
used National Electrical Code (“NEC”) fuses. There
is a vast difference between these fuses in the way
they act and react to current. Briefly (and using a
35A fuse as an example):
IEC fuse:
•
•
Braking 101
Another well known issue the wedge is a propensity
to dive under braking. The rear brakes are notorious
for providing little of the stopping power of the car
due to the forward bias of the system as a result of
the proportioning valve being far to generous with
front line pressure. There are two ways to deal with
this. The first is obtaining a modified proportioning
valve from TS Imported Automotive in Ohio (www.
tsimportedautomotive.com) which is operated by Ted
Schumacher, a long time wedge enthusiast and racer.
A second method, for those not up to opening up the
brake system, is to install spacer blocks under the
front anti-roll bar mounts, which effectively changes
the relative position of the bar to the front lower
arms which in turn creates more resistance and reduces the dive on braking. A variety of well known
part sources can supply these kits.
Don’t re-fuse your Triumph what it is due
We all have either experienced or heard the stories of
unintentional smoke releases from our Lucas electrical systems. People just love to blame the Prince of
Darkness for all their woes. The following describes
why it may just be your (or a PO’s) fault after all.
Everyone is familiar with the automotive fuse. Little
cylinder of glass, wire strung between two metal
end caps that melts when we ask for too much power
•
•
will carry 17.5 amps continuously
will carry in excess of 17.5 amps for a specified
time period which is inversely proportional to the
amount of excess amps and then open (or “blow”)
or in other words will carry 20 amps for “x” time
and then open or carry 30 amps for “y” time and
then open (x being a greater length of time than y)
will open immediately at 35 amps
measures 5mm x 20mm
NEC fuse:
•
•
•
•
measures 0.25 inch x 1.25 inch (6.35mm x 31.75
mm) and explains why they just don’t seem to fit
right in that fuse panel
will carry 10% in excess of its rated amperage before opening (i.e., 38.49 amps)
will not open at anything less than 38.49 amps
(which is well beyond the capacity of the wire in
the wiring harnesses of our cars)
will make your wiring harness the fuse in the
circuit, or in other words, the wiring will burn
through in order to open the circuit to save your
fuse!
Feel free to now run out to the garage to see if you
have a ticking time bomb in your fuse panel.
Next time
Winkin’, Blinkin’ and Nod – does this describe your
headlights?
er
John Broom
RAGTOP 15
PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTION
Wilf Eden
Hub 94 Car Repairs
These Ragtop file photos serve
to illustrate Wilf’s point
Triumphs…
Built to be driven
If you are in the market for a classic British car, a prepurchase inspection is a must. As a mechanic with over
forty years of experience in the business, I’ve learned that
things that might seem obvious are neglected in the excitement of finding just the right car.
A pre-purchase inspection should provide a thorough
examination of both the structure and the mechanics of
the vehicle. This requires putting it in the air and removing the wheels. Examining only the outside, which is often the case, is not enough. You can repair anything if
the basic structure is sound but looks can be deceiving.
Not so long ago, a customer of mine brought in a TR6 for
certification. Before purchasing the vehicle he had an appraiser check it out. The report was golden. At first glance
this seemed to be true. It was a beauty. When I put it on
the hoist for inspection, however, it was a whole different
story. A cover-up repair job had been done on the frame
to hide serious deterioration. When I was checking it, I
put my ballpoint pen through the frame in a critical spot.
The front end and brake lines were in such poor shape
that in conscience I could not certify the vehicle as road
worthy. It would take far more than the car was worth to
bring it up to standard.
Some appraisers do conduct a thorough inspection but
obviously this is not always the case. A mechanic with
the experience and training to know vintage British cars
is your best bet. He will know immediately by the make,
model and year, what to look for. So, for your own protection, make sure that who ever is doing the pre-purchase
inspection knows these British cars.
A professional pre-purchase inspection will look at the
general condition of the vehicle. Is this a turn-key car, one
that needs some repairs or one requiring major restoration? It will determine how well the car has been maintained. If repairs or restorations have been done, the inspection will tell you whether these have been done properly. Over the years, I’ve seen repairs that were done so
poorly that it was impossible to make it right.
It will cost money to have a thorough pre-purchase inspection done but it is money well spent. Like any specialist, a vintage car mechanic wants reimbursement for
his years of training and experience. He may not be the
cheapest but you are going to get the job done properly. A
professional pre-purchase inspection will help to ensure
that you will be driving one of the finest sports cars ever
built in the condition it deserves.
16
SPRING 2007
Toronto Triumph Club 25th Anniversary
Drive Around Lake Ontario
Date:
This TR-6 was priced for sale in the average price range
for solid clean cars, externally it looked fine. It was however
hiding many serious and potentially dangerous faults. Shown
here are only two of the more then ten that were found.
Above: as seen from inside the left front fender well.
Front apron damaged in previous collision not properly
repaired, all other front sheet metal fit poor as a result.
Notice the rad hose clamp on the steering rack boot.
Below: as seen from underneath at the rear. Many patch
repairs to the rusty frame, making it weak and potentially
dangerous to an unsuspecting new owner.
Friday September 21 – Sunday September 23, 2007
(and possibly Monday September 24, 2007)
We will meet at the interchange exit #410 at Brock Road and the 401. At approximately 8:00 a.m. on Friday
and head clockwise around the Lake. The picturesque route will take us through Cobourg, Brighton on Hwy
#2, Prince Edward County and Kingston via Glenora Ferry. We will then take the Wolf Island Ferry to the
U.S.A. via Cape Vincent (we suggest you bring your passports). We are in the planning stages of some side
trips along the way.
We will overnight Friday in Sackets Harbour and continue the drive on Saturday morning at around 9:00 a.m.
We will stop Saturday afternoon in Canandaigua and stay overnight arranging a special dinner event that
night. The drive on Sunday begins with a drive through Mumford to Batavia and we will re-enter Canada
through Niagara Falls.
Once confirmed, we will provide you with the details to book your accommodation along the route as well
give you information on the scheduled dining locations and pit stops.
REQUEST FOR INTEREST
If you are interested in joining us on the drive (even if you are not sure),we need a general idea on numbers so
please complete below and submit this form prior to June 1, 2007 to:
Robin Searle
1016-424 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5B 2H3
Fax 416-977-5091 Ph[E] 416 971 7902
E-mail [email protected]
Yes [ ]
No [ ]
Address __________________________ City_________________ ON, Postal Code _________
Name ______________________ Passenger ____________________ TTC Member
Phone Number (daytime) _______________ Phone Number (evening)____________________
E-mail address __________________________ Car Make/Model/Year: __________________
Once numbers are confirmed, a more comprehensive registration form and details of the weekend will follow.
Costs will be for accommodation, fuel, meals and possible side trips only.
RAGTOP 17
First Toronto Triumph Club meeting of 2007
We began the 2007 season with our first monthly
meeting at the Toronto Aerospace Museum in
Downsview on Tuesday, January 16, with approximately 25 members in attendance. Considering the
weather, this was a better turnout than expected.
The topic of our meeting was car insurance; the
pros and cons of regular and classic/antique insurance. The speaker was our own Wayne McGill.
We are sure that our members fall into both insurance camps, regular or classic/antique.
On the surface classic insurance appears to be
the least expensive, although the restrictions that
come with it may not necessarily be what you have
in mind, as most of us like to drive our Triumphs
whenever possible. Taking liability insurance off in
the winter time may not provide the right coverage
for you either.
Wayne used some interesting examples to illustrate
what can happen if one selects the wrong insurance
coverage. Here’s one of them:
Someone who’s taken liability coverage off
for the wintertime, while his car was stored in
a farmer’s barn with 50 other cars. The farmer
allowed people to come in and start their cars occasionally. This person did, but unfortunately his
car caught on fire, the fire spread, the barn burnt
down.-----I am sure you can guess the outcome.
The moral of this example, speak with your insurance agent or broker. Make sure he / she is knowledgeable about the insurance options so you receive
the correct information on which to base your insurance decision.
I summary, this was a meeting worth attending.
Getting ‘cheap insurance’ may not always be the
right decision.
We urge you all to attend as many of our monthly
meetings and outings as possible. We’ll all win and
have a good time doing so.
See you all at the next meeting.
Your meeting coordinators:
Brian Clark and Helmuth Vorketter
18
SPRING 2007
Our 2nd monthly club meeting of 2007
As most of us hibernated during the last couple of
months, the organizing committee was wondering
how quickly our triumph club members would wake
up to anticipate spring, which is just around the corner, and in the process give some serious consideration to attending most, and in some cases all meetings and get-togethers we have planned for 2007.
We were off to a good start with our January meeting (25+ attendees), and were pleasantly surprised
about the increased attendance / participation in
the February meeting, which again was held at the
Toronto Aerospace Museum. The date was February 20, and attendance had climbed to 45+. This
included some ‘significant others’ as well as a couple
of visitors, who had asked to speak at our meeting
about a weekend tour through the Muskoka country
site. The planned event, titled ‘The Trillium Tour’
is June 1st to 3rd at the Delta Grandview Resort in
Huntsville. The presenter was Rob Tanner, and he
can be contacted for additional information at 705769-3263 or through the internet at rtanner@vianet.
ca. The event is planned as an annual event, and for
the inaugural one Jim Kenzie, who I am sure most of
you know from the Toronto Star’s Wheels section,
will be the guest dinner speaker.
Prez. Gary opened the meeting by giving his introductory speech, in which he outlined the evenings
agenda, which consisted of:
• Welcome to new and born-again club members and their reason for attending our meeting.
• Introducing the aforementioned speaker .
• A guided tour through the museum.
• A wine and cheese setup to loosen us up to
engage in conversations with fellow club members and guests.
It was a simple, but effective agenda. The museum
tour was excellent, as our tour guides, both of which
are volunteers at the museum, had the experience
and credibility to illuminate the otherwise stationary
objects with stories, facts and background information, which provided us with an appreciation of our
Canadian aerospace industry, both military and civilian.
A good time was had by all, and the plan is to have
a steady increase in club event participation. This
club belongs to all of us.
Our next meeting, titled ‘Dinosaur Warning’ is
planned for March 20th , and promises to be of interest to all of us. After all, our Triumph engines use
flat tappets / cams (my apologies for the less technical members), which suffer from the lack of specific
lubricant additives that are no longer present in the
modern oils that are formulated for the design of
PS. As you are reading this in the Rag Top, there is a
good chance that if you do not visit our website on a
regular basis, you will have missed the March meeting. To ensure that you don’t miss future meetings,
we would suggest that the club (Vic Whitmore) has
your email address, so we can send you a meeting
invitation a few days ahead of the meeting. Please
make sure your email address is current.
modern engines. We have invited a guest speaker
from ‘Pathfinder High Performance Specialty Lubricants, who will enlighten us on what the problem is
all about and how it can be prevented.
See you all at the March meeting.
Your meeting coordinators:
Brian Clark and Helmuth Vorkoetter
RAGTOP
19
March Meeting Write-Up
The March meeting was labeled our “Engine Lubrication” meeting and our guest speaker was Mr. John
Day from Pathfinder High Performance Lubricants.
The meeting commenced however, with a presentation from John Kersley and Randy Smith inviting
members to participate in the second annual Canadian British Classic Charity Run. The run will take
place September 21-23, 2007 and will depart Cambridge for a demanding 700 mile drive around southwestern and south central Ontario. Each team’s goal
is to raise $500.00 the charity drive. The money
raised will be donated to a very worthwhile charity,
the Canadian Diabetes Association. The run is limited to 50 cars so sort out your schedules and contact
their web site at www.cbccr.org for complete details
The idea of having an engine lubrication meeting
was to address the so called “Dinosaur Warning”
that has been recently been outlined in many articles.
The warnings have outlined many failed vintage engines with flat tappets due mainly to the reduction of
oil additives in the recently modified API rated engine oils. In an ongoing attempt to keep emissions
as low as possible and to prevent contaminating
catalytic converters, manufacturers have been putting tighter and tighter limits on how much phosphorous and zinc additives can be in a motor oil. Failed
engines have been reported both in the vintage car
hobby as well as the American muscle car hobby as
both sectors have flat tappet engines.
Engine lubrication and filtration is quite
an interesting and somewhat controversial
subject so you may want to check out the
following web sites for further information.
1./ Pathfinder High Performance Lubriwww.daydistributing.ca
cants
2./ Website On the basics of engine oils
www.bobistheoilguy.com
3./ Chart showing Triumph Spin On oil
filters h
nOnOilFilters.html
4./ Oil Filter Study comparing various
manufacturers filter
designs http://people.msoe.edu/~yoderw/
oilfilterstudy/oilfilterstudy.html
Oil is on all classic car owner’s minds these days. It seems
it may not be as good for our engines as it was in the recent
past. Look for more info on this slippery topic in an upcoming
Ragtop tech. article.
John Day of Pathfinder High Performance Lubicants was on
hand at the meeting to help the club understand more about oil
additives and there importance to classic car owners. See his
ad on page 42. photo’s on these pages by Mike Hale. Meeting
report by Brian Clark.
The machine that measures the friction of two
metals rubbing together and allows the oil additive
(ad pack) to make the oil even more slippery. In
this picture, the weights are about 3 times more
than without the additive = more slippery oil.
Below: The bar holds the test metal.
Look close you will see the wear on the
metal where the oil without the
additive caused the notch.
Mr. Day outlined the changes that have been made
to the new engine oils and that most modern oils
only consist of 10% additives in the base oil stock.
He demonstrated the shear strength of several oils
and how adding the Pathfinder additive package dramatically improved the oils shear strength without
modifying the oils viscosity. He outlined the differences between petroleum based oils and synthetic
oils and talked about the desired viscosity oils to use
in our cars. It was a very informative presentation
on an important subject to all vintage car owners.
22
SPRING 2007
20
RAGTOP
H
arry Webster, who died on February 6
aged 89, was a much-admired and respected automotive engineer whose team inspired the birth of successful Triumph sports
cars such as the TR2 family the Spitfire and
the Stag, and was also responsible for the
Herald, Vitesse, 2000 and 1300 family car
ranges; in the same period, he supported the
building of special cars which raced
successfully in the Le Mans 24-Hour race.
Although all these cars have
now become icons of the classic car movement, Webster
always insisted that this was
never the intention when they
were designed.
He once remarked: “Can
you imagine a product planning proposal of the 1950s and
1960s saying that: ‘Finally, in
making this proposal, I expect
to receive an avalanche of
greetings on my 80th birthday’.
After all, I was only doing my
job.” advertisement
Henry George Webster was
born on May 27 1917, and
educated at Welshpool County
School. Aged 15 he was apprenticed to the Standard
Motor Company in Coventry.
After spending six years in
Standard’s aircraft engineering
operation as an inspector during the Second World War, he
returned to the chassis design
department in Coventry in
1945 and rose rapidly through
the ranks.
By 1948 he was chief chassis
engineer, and from 1952 was
responsible for the design and refinement of the Triumph TR2
sports car which, along with its successors, was a great sporting, commercial and export success.
Having become director of engineering in 1957, Webster assembled an enthusiastic team which produced a series of charismatic new models to near-impossible development schedules,
even though investment finance was always very limited.
It was Webster who discovered the mercurial little Italian
stylist Giovanni Michelotti in 1957, signed him up as a consultant to Standard-Triumph and ensured that a new generation of
Triumphs would have much more flair than their ancestors.
SPRING 2007
Webster (a fast and enthusiastic driver) would often drive
from Coventry to Turin and back in a weekend to confer with
Michelotti about future products.
Because Webster was so successful with his new products,
and could always convince his bosses (Alick Dick until 1961,
Stanley Markland and Donald Stokes thereafter) of their
worth, that generation of new Triumphs showed much innovation. In 1959 there were several types of new Herald, with a
taxi-like turning circle. The 2000 saloon brought real refinement to the middle-class sector, while the TR5 was the first
British sports car to have fuel injection as standard equipment.
At the same time Webster’s team produced TRS racing
sports cars which won the Team Prize at Le Mans, and later
developed sleek, very fast little
Spitfires which also won their
capacity classes at Le Mans.
Webster was director of engineering at Standard-Triumph
for more than a decade. After
the formation of British Leyland he was moved to Longbridge to bring order to the
faltering engineering operation
at Austin-Morris.
But his six-year term was
hampered by a lack of corporate vision and by industrial
action, so in 1974 he moved on
to become group technical director of automotive products
in Leamington Spa. He retired
in 1982, then was chairman of
SKF Steel UK for five years.
A modest man, Webster
was astonished to become an
icon of classic car enthusiasts.
Three years ago, when the two
oldest TR2s of all were reunited, he was enormously proud
to have them parked outside
his house at Kenilworth for
commemorative photographs
to be taken.
So popular was he among
his former colleagues at Standard-Triumph that a thriving appreciation society was founded
in his honour.
He was appointed CBE in 1974.
Harry Webster married, in 1943, Peggy Sharp. She and their
daughter predeceased him.
23
Michelotti’s sketch of Barb indeed shows many similarities
with the earlier proposal, but translated into a four-door, sixlight scheme. The first full-sized model of the car produced by
Michelotti looked remarkably similar to this rapidly produced
sketch. The tail was lengthened, and a “peak” was added over
the rear window (by Standard-Triumph) at the insistence of
Harry Webster
A pre-production Triumph 2000 undergoing final testing at
MIRA in the months leading up to its launch
At left Michelotti:
his inspired designs
remain as timeless
examples of the some
of the finest sports
cars Britain produced
Above: the TR-3, below: the TR-6, and nothing can top
the interior of the TR-4, but these beauties really need no
introduction in this club.
Above, a clean MK111
Spitfire
left the famous “m”
on the bonnet latch.
RAGTOP 21
T
he Toronto Triumph Club participated in the British Isles Show from
March 2 through 4th 2007 at the Toronto CNE grounds. Attendance to
the event was heavy and the three Triumphs and Austin Seven were very
well received. Much interest in British Car Day and the cars themselves was
expressed by those in attendance. Many of the crowd remenised about the cars
that they had owned back in the U.K. when they were younger and many of the
younger people were quite taken by the cars as they had never seen cars quite
like these, having been brought up with modern cars. The club members who
staffed the booth answered many questions about the cars and British Car Day
and distributed flyers to the attendees. It is expected that the interest shown will
generated an increase in attendance at British Car Day year in September.
Cars on display left to right:
Ric Allison’s TR-3, Gary Brown’s Austin 7
Wayne McGill’s Triumph Herald and TR-6
Inset photos and text by Wayne Mcgill
Excellent turnout for the show,
fun with the Coronation Street players,
and a big bear hug!
centre spread photo courtesy of William C. Smith
24
SPRING 2007
RAGTOP 25
ages-The T TC Scrapbook P
and Stuff
News, Rambling, Info
The executive would like to thank all members
who provided answers and comments to the questions provided in early March. The results were very
favourable and well thought out and with a response
rate of almost 14%; the data should provide the executive with great opportunities to improve on how
the Toronto Triumph Club works for its members in
the up-coming years.
The questions were related to membership renewals, Ragtop publications, the TTC website, monthly
meetings and special outings. To ensure that the
process of handling all of the data in a professional
manners, it will take time to analyse and format into
actionable items that the executive can review. Once
this has been done, a formal report will be published
with the overall results and action items. Hopefully
this can be accomplished for the next edition of the
Ragtop.
Thanks again for all the positive comments and
especially the prompt returns of the survey. We are
looking forward to a great and successful 2007/2008
season.
Seek and ye shall find
Joy Rainey reports on last weekend’s Beaulieu International
Autojumble
In association with the MG Car Club of Toronto, the TTC presents
Like all the best sales, an orderly queue starts to form
several hours beforehand. Equipped with shopping trolleys,
canvas bags or anything capable of carrying large items,
thousands of car restorers and collectors are waiting in joyful
anticipation of finding a rare part or bargain. When the gates
open at 10am, the throng quickly dissipates, disappearing into
avenues of almost 2,000 stands spread over 17 acres in the
Hampshire grounds of Lord Montagu’s Palace House, home of
the National Motor Museum.
It was here at Beaulieu, back in 1967, that the great British
autojumble was born, with just 80 stall-holders present at a
one-day event. Who would have thought that, 37 years on,
it would be one of the
biggest events of the
year, held over two days
and attracting almost
30,000 passionate
motorists from around
the world?
Spring Fling 2007
As seen in the
London Telegraph:
Wayne Mcgill searching
for bargains on one
of his numerous trips
across the pond.
Allan Watt
Parts
Sourcing
By Tony Fox
I visited a parts business in NY State recently, just east of Rochester. It’s named British Car Parts
and is in Macon NY. It blew my mind to see the inventory of British cars there, they claimed to have
600 cars and I could believe that claim. Rows of TR7s, probably 30 to 40, MGB’s galore, Metropolitans (a few) Healeys both 3000’s and Jensens. A good size row of Marinas and Minis in the Austin
section. The list goes on to the odd ones such as Minors, Jaguars, various including E Types and
even a ZB Magnette. I haven’t listed all the different makes and models there but I bet there is one
of most cars from the 1950’s through 1970’s. It would be nice to have a photos of the area but the
weeds were too high to really see the cars from an overall view. If you are interested in visiting give
a call and I’ll direct you there. I must warn you though, it is hard to find and the track into the field is
muddy and rutted and around a quarter mile long, but if you need that long sought after unplated
dubrey end flange this could be your final stop.
Friday to Sunday May 25-27 2007
In beautiful St Jacobs Country
www.stjacobs.com
Dust off your vintage Brit, cool off your spring fever and come join hosts Willa and Jim Hopkinson for some
roaming and socializing in a wonderful part of Southwestern Ontario!
Friday evening – top off your spring evening drive to Waterloo with refreshments in the Spring Fling Hospitality Suite
Saturday morning – experience the spring breeze in your hair with a drive through beautiful St Jacobs Country and the rolling farmland of Waterloo Region, ending with lunch followed by Participants’ Choice judging
of our British classics
Saturday afternoon – continue with a leisurely drive through the country back to the hotel to relax by the
pool, or cut out for some browsing in the unique shops in the Village of St Jacobs or the nearby colourful
Farmers Markets or Outlet Mall.
Saturday evening – reunite with your Triumph and MG friends at our delicious Spring Fling Banquet at the
hotel
Sunday morning - Sleep in, get up early to sneak back to the Sunday Farmers Market, or join our entourage
headed for the Wings and Wheels Heritage Festival at the Toronto Aerospace Museum at Downsview Park
www.torontoaerospacemuseum.com.
Register NOW using the insert enclosed with this Ragtop, or go to www.torontotrimph.com to download or
print a copy of the registration form.
THEN, book the hotel ASAP. Rooms are limited and the hold on our block reservation ends on Friday April
13. Ask for our special Spring Fling 2007 rate of $145 + tax.
The Waterloo Inn and Conference Centre
475 King Street North, Waterloo, ON
Reservations: 1-800-361-4708, 519-884-0220
www.waterlooinn.com
See you there!
Another celebration of the Toronto Triumph Club’s 25th Anniversary
26
SPRING 2007
RAGTOP
27
Triumph Specials.
by Simon Rasmussen
F
or most of us, driving a Triumph is an experience quite different from using a modern car;
there is more direct feedback through the steering wheel and pedals, the car is agile and
responsive, the sounds mechanical music.
But for some this is not enough. They
may have a desire to personalize their car,
even to create a unique statement of how
they feel a sportscar should look and drive.
This may mean replacing mechanical
components, or even designing and building custom bodywork.
Triumphs are especially suited to this
type of modification because their separate chassis design means the existing
body can be removed and replaced by
something completely different. While
“specials” were created in the 1950’s and
1960’s usually as an inexpensive entry to
motorsports, some modern specials are
more like works of art.
The TR6 based special shown in these
photos taken by Alan Meyers of San Diego, California. The bodywork was created over a period of about 10 years by one
of the employees of a customizing shop,
Moal Coachbuilders of Oakland California, as a personal project.
Various influences can be seen in the
aluminium bodywork, but the theme is
clearly similar to competition cars of the
1935-1955 era, especially some of the Allards, or possibly Mercedes Grand Prix
cars.
(Photos and information provided by
Alan Meyers.)
28
SPRING 2007
RAGTOP 29
Another Triumph Special.
T
he car featured in this article is owned by the husband and wife team of Jeremy and Yve
Rivers Fletcher, and is used in hillclimbing competition, a traditional motorsport event.
The name Rivers Fletcher may sound familiar; Alec Rivers Fletcher, Jeremy’s father, raced at
Brooklands, and was one of the “Bentley Boys” who achieved such success at LeMans in the
late 1920’s and early 1930’s against the French Bugatti team. He was also an associate of Malcolm Campbell, later knighted for his world speed records on land and water, and was involved
in motorsport as a journalist and documentary film maker.
Jeremy very kindly sent an email describing how the car was created, together with several pictures.
The basis of the special was a rusty GT6 whose
body was discarded. The centre section of the chassis was then cut out, with the front and rear sections
welded up into a “ladder” style unit, to which tubular
hoops were welded for strength and to support the
bodywork.
A TR6 engine converted from fuel injection to
carbs was installed about 18 inches further back,
using a shortened propshaft. The steering rack was
modified using universal joints an special pieces
unique to the car, such as the gas tank, had to be fabricated.
The fiberglass and aluminium body is from a
“Wheatcroft Classic” racing car, basically a style
similar to single seat racers from the 1950’s.
Early testing showed the handling to be “really dangerous” until the rear suspension was replaced with a
live axle setup from a Reliant Scimitar, which solved
the problem.
The entire project took a year to complete; the car is
shown in action at Loton Park.
ussen
Simon Rasm
30
SPRING 2007
RAGTOP 31
Tony’s GT6–
slightly
modified
Many of you may know Tony Grosso, as he had
been the treasurer of the club for several years and
his company; Pillar Direct Marketing, mails the magazines to the members each quarter. Tony has restored many cars over the years, including a ’73 TR6.
That project was really assembling 1 car from 2 donor cars. He as also done many other restorations of
North American classic & antique cars, so it should
come as no surprise what he is up to with his latest
project… a slightly modified GT6.
The $52 dollar question was: “would the Celica 20R
engine & transmission fit under the hood and body of
the GT6 without too many modifications”? (read be-
The 20R engine seemed like the prefect swap for
the GT6 powerplant. At 280 lbs, it was far lighter
than the original 450 lbs. stock Triumph engine. It
also puts out 120 bhp (stock), but can be taken up to
180 bhp.
The 20R 2200cc engines were the most popular
US Toyota engines. For 20 years, 1975 to 1995, these
motors served as U.S.Toyota’s dependable workhorse
engine. These engines powered the popular Celicas
until 1985, and the unbreakable Pick-up models used
these engines until 1995 (in commercial models).
The engines are OHC design, with hemispherical
combustion chambers. The cross-flow head was very
efficient, short of a 2 or 4 valve (per cylinder) twin
cam. The long stroke provided a lot of torque at a
tween the lines, don’t touch the hood). This question
would take a while to be answered, as the ‘car’ was
sold to Tony in pieces, (bits & pieces, several trips of
bits & pieces in fact). At least it made it easy to measure things, as there was no body to get in the way of
all those (weeks & weeks) of measurements & chin
scratching. After many drinks & expert opinions, all
indications were it would fit quite nicely, with sufficient room for the existing pedal box and foot well
area, battery box & wiper motor, radiator, etc. In
fact, the only visible modification to the body can be
reasonable RPM range. The engine responded well
to all the tuning tricks.
I
’ll start this article with a
disclaimer to all Triumph
purists…. Read no further.
But for the rest of you, please
read on.
32
SPRING 2007
Tony had been working on building a Lowcost
7, a ‘build on your own workbench from ‘plans’ in
a book’, Lotus 7 replica car. Having completed the
frame and sourcing a drive train courtesy of a 79
Toyota Celica, Tony decided to abort the Lowcost 7
project before it turned into a Highcost 7, in terms of
time & money. Seems he had a few other things on
the go, as he was having a 2nd story put on his house.
So when a GT6 body & chassis became available at a
reasonable price, he jumped on it. He’d always liked
those cars, and this would be a way to get one.
seen only when the hood is open, as an inch & a half
of material was removed where the engine meets the
body/firewall shelf. Inside the car, this is concealed
by the dashboard.
In 1985 Toysport raced a 22RE Toyota Celica GTS
in the Macao Grand Prix. The original plan was to
use an 18RG, but since the vehicle had US serial #’s
they were forced to use the U.S. engine the 22RE
(similar to the 20R). They qualified at the last minute, and started the race in the last half of the grid.
At the finish the Toysport Celica placed 3rd- behind 2
BMW Motorsport prepared 6 cylinder BMWs! This
is the highest finish achieved by the 22RE in international racing competition. Can you imagine how
well this drivetrain will propel a GT6, that is 1,000
lbs lighter than the Celica.
RAGTOP 33
The Incredible Photo Page
The carbureted engine develops 185-195 HP. The
secret is in the torquey characteristics of the power
band. The limiting factor of this engine is also its
strongest point. The long stroke limits RPM capability to about 6200 maximum, but the bottom end will
take a lot of abuse. The crankshaft is forged.
Wayne McGill
really likes this
page and never fails
to find interesting
stuff!
I always though I
wanted big Mudder
tires on my Spit
but now I’m not so
sure.
Below we see what
he would like to
do with his smart
car. Do any club
members have a big
rig tractor the can
lend him?
At right is a cool
Spitfire pickup...
cutting torches
required to copy
this one.
But now the neat part, the stock 4 cylinder 20R puts
out 20% more horsepower than the existing GT6 engine, and it is 200 lbs lighter. Engine & transmission
placement within the GT6 frame can be further back
behind the front wheels vs. the stock engine/tranny,
so weight distribution will actually be a little more
balanced front to back. That extra power will be delivered through the existing GT6 differential & rear
axles.
On a warm winter day, Tony
had a few friends over to trial
fit the body & hood, while the
engine was in its final position
mounted on the frame. It took a
couple of tries to figure out how
much, if any cutting was required to have the body & hood
where they should be, and after
a little trim, everything lined
up as it was intended. Now that
question has been answered, the
real work begins.
Because the transmission is slightly wider than the
GT6’s, the inside of the frame was trimmed slightly
and reinforced with 1/8 inch plate steel welded to the
outsides & bottom of the frame. As well, a couple
of cross-member brackets were bolted on underneath
the transmission.
The body was removed, and
the frame will be completely
disassembled, blasted, treated &
painted. A custom drive shaft
will have to be manufactured, to
match up with the Toyota transmission and the Triumph differential. New brakes,
suspension bushings & seals will be installed on reassembly.
This is Liv Haasper’s 1967
MKIII Spitfire and “Nugget”
New member Harry DeYong was keen enough to send in
these two interesting photos. Below is a puzzler, a yield sign
in the remote regions of the Yukon. And on the right a “white
knuckle” road with a huge rock overhang in the south east of
France. I don’t see a “danger falling rocks” either.
This is expected to be multi year project, so I’m
sure you will get to read about its progress in future
issues of the Rag Top.
Bob Bieler
34
SPRING 2007
RAGTOP 35
36
SPRING 2007
RAGTOP 37
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38
SPRING 2007
RAGTOP 39
NEW MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL FORM
PLEASE LIST YOUR TRIUMPH CARS
Date:____________________________________________
Name:___________________________________________
Spouse:__________________________________________
Address:_________________________________________
City:____________________________________________
Province/State:____________Postal Code:____________
Phone Home: (
Work:
(
Fax:
(
)___________________________
)___________________________
)___________________________
e-mail:__________________________________________
Model:_________________________________
Year:___________________________________
Commission No.:_________________________
Model:_________________________________
Year:___________________________________
Commission No.:_________________________
Annual dues are $35.00, due on May 1 every year.
Payment may be made by cheque or money order (Canadian funds),
payable to the ʻToronto Triumph Clubʼ.
If you wish to pay your membership fee with your VISA card, please
complete the following.
VISA NUMBER: _________________________________________
EXPIRY DATE: _________________________________________
NAME on CARD: ________________________________________
SIGNATURE: ___________________________________________
PLEASE DETACH AND MAIL YOUR APPLICATION TO:
AL WATT MEMBERSHIP CHAIRMAN
PO BOX 1011, COOKSTOWN, ONTARIO. L0L1L0
40
SPRING 2007
David and Lorraine Rice
Barrie TR6
1973
George Moncur
Hamilton
Kieren Smyth & Claudia Cuttress
Etobicoke
Nicholas and Jennifer Hope
Campbellville TR6
Dave and Kathryn Penn
Oakville
SPITFIRE
Looking
Harry and Liz Deyong
Mississauga
SPITFIRE
1975
Greg Wellings and Jody Peirson
Caledonia
SPITFIRE 1500 1980
John and Kay Verdone
Guelph TR3B 1962
Doug and Michelle Barclay
Milton TR4
SPITFIRE 1500 1981
1963
Looking
TR4A 1967
TR6
1974
The TTC. is pleased to welcome these new members and
their wonderful cars to the club.
New members are critical to our
survival as an organization and
we thank them for their support.
Club Meeting Ideas Required
In and effort to bolster meeting turn outs and to make the meetings as interesting as
possible for next year we would like some membership feedback on meeting topics and
outings. The meetings that have traditionally drawn the most support in the past are
either social events like the BBQ in the summer, or organized outings like the welding
seminar for example.
If you have any topic ideas that would be interesting to the club we would like to hear
from you. If you have a particular skill you would like to learn about, let us know so we
can source out either the information or arrange for a company or specialist to put on a
seminar or a facility tour. The more ideas we have the better we can formulate an interesting line of events for the upcoming meetings.
Please forward any thoughts or ideas to Brian Clark at [email protected]
RAGTOP 41
Standing Strong in the Colour Wars
I
’ve thoroughly enjoyed the colourful rantings
and ravings of Club Brown’s inimitable Captain
over the years. He takes a lot of good natured abuse
about his colour-challenged gem, and as can be seen
from his contributions to the Ragtop, really knows
how to feed it back. Personally, I’ve never been one
to get fussed about colour wheels – they don’t hit the
road!
However, his recent Ragtop rave “We Will Never Surrender” went just far enough to jolt even the pacifist in
me into action. He’s picked on a lot of colours in the
past, but when he dragged the beauty of Yellow into his
rant, I could no longer sit by on the sidelines. I had to
jump into the fray. That’s the way wars spread. (Yellow
is what white becomes on it’s glorious transformation to
BROWN, hence we accept you as an honourary member
of club brown!)
Brown envy though, is not a wide spread virus as far as
I can see. I strenuously object to the Captain’s presumption (dream?) that, just one example - our wonderful and
loyal NY TTC supporters Bob & Dot weakening, and
infecting their beautiful yellow wedge’s new paint job
with a brown stripe could be construed as indication that
Team Yellow as a whole is about to summarily break
down. Team Yellow has not, to quote Captain Brown,
“…joined forces…” with him. One does not constitute a
trend. We have Churchillian resolve too!
You see, the bright fresh Mimosa Yellow gets its colour
and name from the beautiful wild flower of the same
name, native to southern France. It conjures up images
of a lovely girl in the breeze-brushed meadow – maybe
even doing an ad for another famous Triumph trade name
(and, it is said, another of the Captain’s favourites!).
This, surely, is a much more pleasant mental image than
some of the connotations of brown.
I can assure the reader and all honourable members of
Team Yellow that the only way I can imagine a brown
streak on my shiny Mimosa fenders would be if I got too
close while passing a livestock transport on the 401!
I do confess his impeccable specimen (the Spit, that is)
has long been the envy of keen Triumph owners for its
mechanical perfection and spotless condition, if not its
colour!
K
Rubber Ducky #1069
p it
ee
W et !
John R. Day
Day Distributing
176 Victoria Street
OFFICE 905-898-3185
Newmarket, ON
FAX
905-898-7629
L3Y 4E1
CELL
416-697-0891
www.daydistributing.ca
 RYCON - 1
 TRIJET
 TROPIX #2
 MULTI-SPRAY 2
Oil Fortifier
Fuel Additive
Extreme Grease
FARMING

RACING
MANUFACTURING

TRUCKS
HYDRAULICS
RAILWAY
42
SPRING 2007
Penetrating Lubricant



CARS
MARINE
INDUSTRIAL



CONSTRUCTION

FLEETS
LOGGING
COMPRESSORS
RAGTOP 43
For Sale: 1975 TR6: French Racing Blue:
$29,999 CDN / $25,999 US
Background:
Electrics:
The car has had numerous
upgrades, following the “Triumphtune Pluskit D” specifications as well as performance
upgrades outlined in the “Kas
Kastner Performance Manual”.
While maintaining a stock appearance, power has been increased to ~160hp. When the
car goes to the British Car day
(Bronte, Ontario), it always
receives a “top 3 in class”
placing (~75cars in the class /
‘73+ Rubber bumper).
Triumphtune: Re-curved distributor; Piranha Electric Ignition; TT 8mm Silicone spark
plug wires; Lucas “Sports”
coil.
Exhaust:
Triumphtune: Stainless exhaust with twin 24” oval silencers (mufflers), TT Headers
(6 into 2) that have been “Jet
Hot” coated.
Service:
The regular service, and many
of the upgrades have been performed by Phil Allen, of BritCar,
over the past 10 years, and he knows the car inside and out.
Engine:
The engine was rebuilt John at BVR (British Vintage Racing).
Triumphtune (TT): Tubular push rods; TT “Fast Road 83” camshaft; TT Lightened Cam Followers (lifters); .30 Over pistons;
TT: Competition 16 row Oil cooler (5/8” unions) with TT braided Aero-quip lines and thermostat.
Cylinder head:Shaved, Ported and Polished (10:1 compression per Kaster specs). Triumphtune: Air flowed valves
(larger intake valves); TT Competition Valve Springs & TT Aluminum Valve Caps; TT Bronze Valve Guides.
Carbs / Fuel system:
Triple Weber carbs (3 x 40 DCOE) with 16mm Short Ram
Stacks; 3 K&N 1.75” filters; (& 3 spares); Many spare weber
Jets, Emulsion tubes (~50 pieces in all). Triumphtune: “Aeroquip” fuel lines; “Filter King” regulator, “Pacet” electric pump
44
SPRING 2007
Suspension:
Rims: Panasport 15x6 / Tires: Pirelli P6000 (95% tread remaining); Brakes: Wilwood 4 pot front calipers; Triumphtune: Vented
brake rotors; “Aero-quip” Braided Brake Lines; Spax (adjustable)
FR & RR shock TT conversion; Competition springs (std height),
TT Solid aluminum steering rack mounts; ADCO sway bars: 7/8”
front / 5/8” rear with Urethane bar mounts and end bushings
The items listed
above are complemented by
many other beautiful parts. I have
owned the car for
close to 20 years,
but other cars in
the garage have
necessitated the
possible sale of
Bluey. The car has
been treasured and
pampered during
this time, and is
now looking for a
new home.
www.autophile.ca
��������������������
�����������������������������
Contact:
Mark Armstrong (Oakville, ON)
cell: (416) 471-5613 (5-9pm)
[email protected]
RAGTOP 45
Classifieds
1972 TR6
Emerald green with black interior. Never (intentionally) driven in the rain, stored winters.
Professionally maintained, now leaking oil but
not burning any. Solid body with no rust. Shows
extremely well with sparkling new chrome and very
good paint. Interior in great shape, all gauges work.
About 105,000 mi. No time to drive – 4 times each
of the past 3 summers. $11,500.Scott 416 254-5973
sg@boomart
1962 TR4
Rarer “ white dash - straight axle” version. The
car is in very nice shape and quite reliable. Just
returned from a week in New England and the car
ran great. New tires and Panasport rims, new top,
recently rebuilt transmission (has OD), re-cored
radiator, re-lined fuel tank, solid engine and drive
train, seats and interior recently re-upholstered,
gauges rebuild, up- graded Weber side draft
carbs,roll bar and many other repairs and upgrades.
$16,000.
Ric Allison cell (416)2725004
1979 TR7
Convertible fairly solid car in need of top and
interior work stored for many years 1500.00 obo.
Contact Mike (519) 456-8309 Woodstock or
[email protected]
1976 TR7
Coupe for sale for 2500 or trade for interesting
old car. Located in Pennsylvania. Car came from
California so body is very restorable. Orange in
colour, has a sun roof, not roadworthy. Now needs
restoration. Email [email protected]
1975 TR7.
Why restore when this one’s ready to go! 1975
TR7 coupe, 4spd,1owner, 41000 original, rust-free
floors,trunk,engine compartment, etc. Everything
works. Starts runs great. Undercoated in 1975.
$2400 certified Ron (705)357-3433 E.of Newmarket.
More pictures available upon request.
1980 TR7
Spider60,000 miles. Rebuilt carbs, spin-on oil
filter adapter. Runs and drives. Seat covers ripped.
Included is a rebuilt 1980 Buick V6 and John’s of
Dallas Conversion Kit (minus springs). $2,500.00 or
BO. Located in Buffalo, NY area. Buyer is responsible for shipping.
Email if interested at [email protected]
1974 TR6
6 cyl-4 spd. /dual Stromberg’s; Signal Red ext. with
blk. int.; new paint, tires, msc. trim; exc. body with
no rust on frame and body; exc. mech. and running
cond.; all instruments functional; good oil pressure; original South USA car; needs carpet and top.
Asking $ 9500.00 O.B.O
Call 519-367-3108
1962 TR4
Complete car, unfinished project. Indoor stored for
20 years. Much work done including sandblasted
frame, rebuilt suspension, many other parts new
in box: wiring harness, brake discs, moss standard carpet kit etc etc. Body is solid but panel fit is
very poor. Has a TR3 rear axle and TR6 rims. Last
started engine 6 years ago. Spare engine long block.
Growing family means I have no time to work on
it. Car is located in Dundas, Ontario. $2,500 OBO.
Will not part out. Email [email protected]
for questions or more pictures.
1972 TR-6
Sapphire blue on shadow blue ( very rare
colour)new carpet by Diamond Trim new tonneau
cover by Diamond Trim new front Pirelli tyres new
gas lines 2005 complete tune up stored indoors (will
keep until spring of 2006 mileage around 46,000
original (the car is covered for the winter so exact
is n/a) good solid car top in good shape Call Brent
@ 416-676-3013 or office @ 905-953-9995 x 102 or
email [email protected]
1979 Spit-6
Please be kind to my baby..........1979 Spitfire. This
car is a cross breed... 79 Spit & 73 GT-6. The body
is a Spit and the frame and drive train is a GT-6.
Once featured in the Ragtop magazine. Red on
black, approx. 60,000 miles . Boxes and boxes
of spares...doors, engine block, carbs, manuals,
gauges, etc..... I have owned the Spit 6 for approx.
12 years. It has been a great car and everyone in the
T.T.C. have been great too . I have just lost interest. Will sell cert., or uncert. I will store until nice
weather too . I am open to all offers. Please call Ken
705-737-0069 (Barrie)
1980 Triumph TR7
Convertible 106,983 kms - 3rd owner - never winter
driven 5 speed - new tires - cd player - mechanically
sound No rust but needs a paint job to be really nice
Fun to drive and runs well. More pics available - car
in Montreal area Asking $5500.00Call Joe (514)
808-7105 or email [email protected]
1965 TR4A
Complete for Restoration Stored inside last 10
years, partially stripped down. Brand new convertable hood, 4 extra wheels and replacement hood.
Body and Chassis in fair condition. All brightwork
present. Engine running when it went into storage.
$2500.call Trevor @ 905 727 4009
1975 TR-6
Good condition 60,000 miles,
red/black interior
new CD. player installed
asking $12,000. obo.
Call Peter White (905) 732-0058
For Sale: Rover V8
Carbureted in excellent running condition. May
include transmission. Reasonable offer.
Don Turnbull 416-652-1785 Toronto.
1970 Spitfire
MkIII Triumph Spitfire Maroon
The car is finished and ready to go $5800.00 Cdn
certified.1300 cc engine, original configuration
Twin SU carbs Rebuilt brake and clutch master cylinder and rear trunions New tires and brakes
75500 miles Call 519-421-9045 or
email [email protected]
1967 (Late) TR4A
Red with black interior. Rebuilt engine,
transmission, overdrive, SU’s. new body panels,
doors, rocker panels, gas tank, upholstery,
wiring, electronic ignition, chroming, and
newly polished grill.
New drive line, bearings, seals, universals, brakes,
stainless steel pistons in callipers. Many upgrades.
Widened original spoke wheels
with BFG 215X15 tires.$15,500.Tel:905-356-0566
or Fax: 905-356-1281.
1959 Triumph TR3A*
BRG, red interior, great condition, fully restored 10
years ago, all original drive train, will send appraisal
and pictures on request. $16,000 obo. Located near
Lindsay, Ontario.
Contact John (705)-357-3565
or email [email protected]
1974 TR-6
Turn key beauty ready to drive. New body paint
and interior, detailed engine, red line tires, rebuilt
carbs, new exhaust and lots more. This car runs and
drives exceptionally well, check this one out before
buying any other. Bright red, asking $16,500. Call
416-658-6408 or e-mail
[email protected]
Heritage Coach Trimming
9659 Winston Churchill Blvd.
Brampton Ontario
L6X0A4
call John for an appointment
905-456-7575
Items for a TR3:
-Transmission - $275
-Rear axle - $100
-Clutches - $100
-Also, an engine stand - $100
-Contact : [email protected]
1975 Triumph TR6. It is Burgundy, has a roll
bar, am/fm Pioneerstereo as well as original
radio, Very good mechanical condition,
solidframe, vinyl roof perfect. Has 122,000
miles. Third owner have allrecords. Call 905985-0989 Ask for John. *Price $8,500.
Small truck load of TR-6 parts
-excellent hood, rt.frt. fender, 2 non OD.trans.
-2 driveshafts,2 steering racks,2 front susp.w/brks
-2 complete rear susp.with brks & drive-shafts
-2 prs. blk.seats, eng. block, head miscel eng. parts
-box early OD.parts, 2 pr strmbrg w/man.&linkage
-exht. man, gauges, wrg.harness, blk boot cover
-new air dam,tail & park lights some lenses
-rad & some hoses,2 rockershaft assembly.
-call Murray Schreder 519-336-1743 Sarnia
-$600.00 prefer to sell as one lot
The Classified section is provided FREE to all members or non members for PRIVATE sales only. Ads will run for 2 issues only, if you
wish to renew it will have to be re-listed. To place an ad send all the details to the Ragtop mailing address or via e-mail to the Ragtop
address at the front of the magazine. Regular adveristing rates apply to larger submissions.
46
SPRING 2007
RAGTOP
47
SPRING 2007