BUSTING BRAKES

In an attempt to improve braking I have fitted Mintex brakepads to the fronmt of the Spit. To avoid glazing of the pads I decided to bust the surface of the disc.

So caliber of, and start rubbing with rough sandpaper. The disc have a slight blueish/brownish tint which dissapperar after a little rubbing with grit150 sandpaper.

Ideally disc should be machined, but time is short, havent got the hardware for it and really didn't want to disturb the bearings.

After a while (10 minutes each side of disc) disc had got the right slightly rough surface, and all the miscoloration had gone - clear silver!

Next find pads - mintex at the left, Countys finest at the right (500 miles wear on them)

I fitted the anti squeel shims, and slammed the entire bit together.

Job done.

Daniel R. (aka SpitmkIIICPH) came by and dropped off a much needed lift. It is more rusty than rysty, but will hopefyllu clean up nice and work. A lift is defo needed. I can't get under the car anymore. I say it's because car has been lowered - some says it's because I am getting old and fat!

Anyway - here is the solution. Just needs a lot of care and grease/paint/slight repair

Round Denmark Reliability Run

Do not forget this years Round Denmark Reliability Run.

http://rdrr2009.blogspot.com/

Anyone interested can mail me direct at nikolaj.blomberg@gmail.com for more info

It's the weekend 18-20 september.

1250 miles in 36 hours.

Cheers

Fooling around with ignition coils

A few mates and members of the Danish Triumph shared my interest in finding out - what is unside an ignition coil, and is there any significant difference in power output of traditional oilfilled coils vs modern dry coils

We made a simple test bench from an old distributor and a battery. Looked like this




Next step was to test the coils: an unipart coil, a lucas sports coild and a modern dry coil

The very scientific test was to experiment with how long a spark the coil could draw, and look at color and "fatness" of the spark.

In action it looked like this



There was no doubt that the modern coil supplied the longest and warmest spark. In second came the lucas sportscoil, but only marginally better than the Unipart coil. I doubt there would be any difference in car - at least not any that would justify the extra cost!

Now to the fun part - take the coils apart (boys will be boys...)













There was no big difference between the coils. The lucas coil had more windings, but basicly same construction.

Great way to spend an afternoon with good friends :-)

Going down with 0.00000197285353535 MPH

Or in other words - I managed to install a rear lowering block on the spit. What I thought would be really simple (still that naive yes!) turned out te be a 4 hours task. The rear suspension being a swing spring does not make matter easier....

I loosened the spring - lifted it a bit and tried to place the lowering block on top of the diff. Then putting the spring back on. Fiddle with diff studs (long type). Hmmm, something was defo wrong... Toiook me about one hour to figure this out. Thought I just had the studs misaligned.

First I found out that either the spring were to wide, or the recess in the lowering block were to narrow. Either way - they didn't match :-( Fettled a bit with a file, and in some 15 minutes it was (theoretically) suitable to go on the spring.

Back to the car - try to put the #¤%#/ bock on again. Turns out that either the stud on the spring isn't properly centered - or the hole in the lowering block is to small.

Block out - find the file - enlarge hole. Another 15 minutes gone. Swear a bit. Drink a cup of coffee.

Back to car- hooray. Block fits on spring. At this time I was easily distracted, so when a mate came by I took a break.

One hour later - back to block. Now the challenge were to get the studs past the block and down into the diff housing.Not easy as the block is shorter ythan the diff, so there is really nothing to go by.

Eventually I had the spring/block and diff holes lined up. Studs went in fairly easy. Then washer and a nylock. Voila - car is now half inch lower - in just 4 hours - which makes car going down at the terrifick speed of 0,00000197285353535 MPH. ;-)

Progress

Surprisingly amount of progress last night.

Task one: fit shorter springs and adjustable shocks to drivers side - only managed passengerside last week before I ran out of time. Was easy. No complications. Undo lower shocker bolt and lower trunnion. Remove old shocker and spring. Relase spring. Steal top hat. Fit the new spring and shocker. Admire ;D

Impressed by myself I started to removed radiator for the next task: Undo pulleynyt in order to rectrieve pulley so I can put the triggerwheel on it. Radiator itself was pretty easy to bolt of. But the hoses was as glued on. After a fair amount of swearing it all came of :)
Next, the pulleynut itself. Tried turning it - no luck. Stuck on tight. Well done when engine was assembled last year.... Next move - let the starterengine free it. Worked like a charm ;D A few good wack with the starter and it spun of.

As I was obvoiusly on a lucky streak I went to the rear of the car with a lowering block in mind. I had forgot the block itself at home, but thought I could undo the spring. Usually not a funny task. But - both spring bolts came out nice and I could undo the 4 nuts on top of differential. Everything is ready for next week (where I better remember lowering block!!)

All in all a very good evening in the garage. Spring is coming - depression is taking off. Life is good (knock on wood)