Right then, Karl at KD Triumph checked over my Estate yesterday. All was going well until we got to the chassis, but more of that later.
Bodywork: No major rot in the body panels, and the 13/60 bonnet is in near mind condition! Doors are good, back wings good, tailgate good, bulkhead okay, valances good. All the floors are good with the exception of the passenger footwell, although this will be one of the last parts to be welded. The roof is also in great condition.
Bodywork: No major rot in the body panels, and the 13/60 bonnet is in near mind condition! Doors are good, back wings good, tailgate good, bulkhead okay, valances good. All the floors are good with the exception of the passenger footwell, although this will be one of the last parts to be welded. The roof is also in great condition.
Interior: The interior is in amazingly good condition, considering that the car hasn't been used for around 10 years or so. It's blue (shadow?) with black carpets. It also has the original dash board that is uncracked and not sun damaged at all.
Mechanically: Engine runs and pulls extremely well, again with consideration that it hasn't been used for 10 years or so. Gearbox is a bit lumpy and reverse is a bit hard to find, but no more so than other cars I've driven. Brakes didn't bite too well, but once used with force and they were biting well. There was no noticeable noise from the diff, prop or half-shafts. Steering is a little hard to judge for reasons I will go into.
Not your usual Herald, as it's a Powder Blue Estate, and I can't say I've seen many of these ever. Also as far as I know it is an original 1971 Powder Blue Estate, so must have been one of the last I guess. A quick check on the DVLA shows it was first registered on 01-05-1971.
Now onto the chassis, or lack of it.
It's not the worst horror story ever, but equally hardly a fairy-tale.
It's not the worst horror story ever, but equally hardly a fairy-tale.
The side-rails are a bit gone, as are the front riggers and tie-rod rigger. It's because of the tie-rod rigger that steering is hard to judge as the car is a bit wobbly. The main-rails aren't too bad but may fail an MOT in a year or so, so they will also be plated up well, although in time a new chassis will be sought and bought.
All in all it's a very decent car that is let down by it's chassis, which all in all is not a particularly hard repair to make.
Roll on those black Revolutions, Spit 1500 + Overdrive, lowered, nice 'zorst pipe and a good radio.
Will it be done in time for the Historic Counties? Who knows, I can but work and work and work.
All in all it's a very decent car that is let down by it's chassis, which all in all is not a particularly hard repair to make.
Roll on those black Revolutions, Spit 1500 + Overdrive, lowered, nice 'zorst pipe and a good radio.
Will it be done in time for the Historic Counties? Who knows, I can but work and work and work.
Thanks again to KD Triumph for the inspection, advice and a nice cupper on a cold day. You can see their webpage at www.kdtriumph.com .
