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My other hobby..... "Real Steel"


triumphfan

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I was asked to post some pics of my classic sports cars on here.

My 1972 GT6, owned for 8 years and pretty much original apart from adjustable suspension and mild engine mods. It stil has the original 2 litre six pot but there is a TR5 profile cam, some mild head porting and a 2" freeflow exhaust into twin back boxes, all in stainless. One of the first MkIII's that was fitted with the swing spring rear suspension. This eliminated the roto-flex joints with no detrimental effect on the handling. Not used very much during the winter months and lives in the garage.

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I also run a 1972 MkIV Spitfire, the running gear is heavily modified. This car is my daily driver and has been developed for 'fast road' use. Chassis is basically GT6, engine has been modified to 2.5 litre (loads of torque!) Fast road cam, balanced bottom end, stage 2 head. Gearbox is 5 speed from a Ford Sierra XR4i running through a modified propshaft to a Subaru diff. Uprated front brakes, standard rear, fully adjustable suspension for ride height and rebound.

Still need some rolling road sessions to fully sort the fuelling but weighing up the cost of going to electronic fuel injection and distributorless ignition. The car is not out and out quick by todays standards but is bags of fun and very driveable. She pulls like a train from 1000 revs in 5th ! Handful on wet roads though lol.

I have a 1/24 white metal kit of her which I built when she was still a 1300 MkIV

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I have a 1/25 model of a MkII GT6 but it needs a lot of work to make it look any good and I haven't been brave enough yet.

Steve.

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Hi Bill,

small world ?

I am presuming you are the same Bill from Rarebits?

If so, I have been an occasional customer and spoken to you at shows a few times (Stafford and Duxford I think)

Never knew you were a modeller as well.

I know what you mean about other peoples cars, I have always been favoured by the family for minor repairs and servicing work lol.

Now both my lads are driving I also have a BMW and a classic Mini to care for (never minded working on Mini's though, I have strong affection for the little buggers)

All the best, Steve.

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Very sweet, always been a fan of the GT6, but never found a good one when I've had the cash so brought MGB GT's instead (oops) anyhoo, really impressed with both cars, my mates a TR Nut and I spend many a weekend helping him restore his Spitty (he now has a TR7 soft top).

Enjoy them while you can!

Cheers

Col'

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Thanks Col'

I also like MGB's, two of my neighbours have B- GT's. I always remind them my cars are the roses between the thorns lol. The friendly rivalry between MG and Triumph owners should always be just that, friendly.

I have recommended MGB's to many people, especially the ones which ask to try my GT for size. I have had a laugh observing some more 'portly' potential owners trying to sqeeze themselves in mine at car shows.

My love affair with Triumphs started very early, the family's first brand new car was a 12/50 Herald in navy blue LFL 555F (sadly no longer with us) I still have an old photo of me sitting in the back with Dad posing in the drivers seat. I think that was 1967 so I would have been nearly 6 yrs old.

Going to show my GT6 off tomorrow at the BMC/BL rally in Peterborough, should be in good company with the other British cars on show.

All the best, Steve.

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I am presuming you are the same Bill from Rarebits?

If so, I have been an occasional customer and spoken to you at shows a few times (Stafford and Duxford I think)

Never knew you were a modeller as well.

One and the same.

The modelling background is how I came to market my own seals and gaskets, the skills and materials I use all come from modelling.

Give us a nod if you're at Stafford on the 18th/19th, there are a few other modellers on the Triumph circuit,

Cheers,

Bill.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Just came across this thread & I realise which Steve you are now Steve, seeing those beautiful Triumphs again - guess there's a big enough clue in your username!! Do you hear much from Andi these days?

Talking of classic Mini's, this is the new toy my son & I have just bought

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Its fully rally prepared with a Steve Harris 1293 running a 276 cam, stage 2 head & 45DCOE - dyno sheets show 101bhp. It's quite quick! We hope to have it out hillclimbing next season. I can't really afford it, but the missus gave me permission to use some of my inheritance from my mother, and as we only live once...!!! It's the first Mini I've ever owned, was always into Mk1/2 Escorts, but I love the thing to bits already. Even if things have already started to break (rev counter stopped working last night!)

All the best

Keef (aka Keith!)

PS - I've also got one of those 1/25th GT6's to do after you told me of their existence a good few years back (on SPC forum?), will get around to it one day!

Edited by keefr22
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Hi Keith,

yes, it's 'that' Steve lol.

The Mini looks superb (can I have a go) You may remember that I am a long term Mini fan, it is quite rare for me to go too long without owning one of the little blighters.

We currently have an 84 Mayfair which my youngest son is driving (and modifying!)

Yours looks smashing in red and black. Of course, the clubman front end allows all manner of engine options to be possible :analintruder: I have a resin clubman shell in the stash so may use your colour scheme on that, if I ever get round to it.

Saw Andi at Hinckley show this year. He is well and his usual self, seems to be having a go at all sorts of different stuff. Last time we spoke he was scratch building some beautiful railway rolling stock. He still buys the occasional car model but I don't think he has finished anything in a while.

I must catch up with him soon so I will be sure to send him your best regards.

I am attending the Nat's for the whole weekend this year, first time in ages. Stay in touch and we can catch up over a cuppa if you are there.

Cheers, Steve.

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Course you can have a go if your ever down this way Steve! I saw those resin Clubbie shells on e-bay, and always intended to get one but never got around to it. So of course they're now like hen's teeth! So it looks like it'll have to be a scratchbuilt conversion on one of the Tamiya kits I have in stock! The Mini is a little dogeared under that glossy paint, but it is a competition car & seems basically solid, so that's all we're really bothered about. Needs some minor final prep work before hopefully getting out on some sprints & hillclimbs next year. My son has signed up to do an evening class in welding, so that should help! But it's staying with an A-series engine, I've never been a fan of putting other manufacturers engines into classics (like vauxhall red tops into Mk 2 escorts - grrrr!! :D ) - what we'd like if we ever could afford it is a Harris 1380 with an 8 port head. I think that would be quick enough, as it only weighs about 600kilos (& if we run in modprods we can take out the passenger seat, take off the sumpguard & bumpers, & fit a fibreglass boot & bonnet, so that should shave a few more kilos off. Then there's the diet for both of us....!!)

I'm glad to hear that Andi is well & still modelling, & I would be grateful if you would pass on my regards to him. I bet that railway stuff he's building is superb!

I'll also be at Telford all weekend again with IPMS West Glamorgan, so we shall definitely have to have a catch up!

Keith

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It's a date then Keith.

I wish your son well on the welding course. Make sure he doesn't tell anyone if he gets good at it or he will spend every weekend welding up other peoples cars! I eventually learned how to say no lol

Hope your Mini proves to be competitive and remember, keep the oily side down !!

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Nice Triumphs (and mini!) - I have a 1971 Mark IV which is our daily driver/family car. Alhough it's more like weekly driver if I'm honest. No thrilling mods but it's still fun, reliable and relatively cheap to run. My dad bought it from an amateur restorer about 15 years ago now, he's still got his name on the papers (unwilling to let go!) but it's been in our garage for the last 8 years or so because he didn't have anywhere to put it.

Evidence of daily driver status: it does sterling work carrying oversize loads of modelling supplies. And trees!

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Sorry I don't have any beauty shots to share :(

W

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And trees!

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That's brilliant!! Who needs a van??!!

Hope your Mini proves to be competitive and remember, keep the oily side down !!

That's about all I remember from when I last competed about 35 years ago! Just have to put it into practice now...!! I think it'll be rather more competitive in my boy's hands than it will in mine. I'll be happy if I can just keep beating myself by getting quicker each run!

See you in November then Steve.

Keef

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Nice looking MkIV there Will.

I must admit to having had some unusual loads in mine, one of the benefits of having no roof.

My Spit would return nearly 40 mpg on a long run before I modified it. I would be lucky to get 25mpg now so there is a heavy trade off.

Still, no road tax to pay so I off-set that against running costs.

I like the back panel in black by the way. Thought about doing that on my GT6 but it would be hard work to put it back to red if I don't like it. Hmmm.....

Regards, Steve.

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I like the back panel in black by the way. Thought about doing that on my GT6 but it would be hard work to put it back to red if I don't like it. Hmmm.....

What about one of those new fangled vinyl 'wraps' Steve? I have to admit I don't know much about them, but from what I've read they appear to be easy to apply & then remove if need be? I could of course be talking complete rubbish....!!

K

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What about one of those new fangled vinyl 'wraps' Steve? I have to admit I don't know much about them, but from what I've read they appear to be easy to apply & then remove if need be? I could of course be talking complete rubbish....!!

K

Unfortunately, vinyl wraps ARE very easy to apply (BADLY) and extremely difficult to apply (WELL)

I've seen both.

The 'good' ones look like an amazing paint job.

The 'bad' ones (usually home-done) look like poorly applied sticky-back plastic!

There are companies who will do it for you for between £1500-£2000 but for that you get an awesome job.

I have a Jaguar XK8 that I'm contemplating having wrapped in full blue/orange GULF racing livery.

The best bit of £2000, but for that I get a 'paint job' and graphics that would cost around £4000-£5000.

And it's REMOVABLE when/if I want to sell my car.

BTW.... Lovely Spitfire and GT6!

Roy.

Edited by roymattblack
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  • 4 weeks later...

Applying wraps to a full size car is about like doing it to a model kit. It can be done well or done badly. Usually if the vehicle is slab sided it can go well enough. On a vehicle with a lot of little curves, it could be a problem unless the wrap is custom designed for that particular car or the person applying it knows how to modify as needed.

When I used to do SCCA Solo II autocross with my car (i.e. closed course timed lap set up in a large American parking lot with traffic cones), my 1.9L Focus hatchback was typically in the same class as some MGs and Spitfires. There were two Spitfires I raced against. One was pretty good, but the second one had this annoying habit of breaking during its lap. One time its parking brake got stuck on in the middle of a sweeping wide turn and it produced a fair bit of tyre smoke. I've always loved the looks of the little Triumphs though. Nice cars!

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