Tuesday, January 18, 2005


Under the bonnet Posted by Hello

Old and New Posted by Hello

Mabel and Mabel II.... Not sure about the names but this was the picture on Sunday afternoon with the 'new' 2000 pretty much complete and my wifes original 2500S looking a bit dejected and awaiting the scrapman. Although the body shell is not too bad on a UK scale, the rust had taken hold in the front wings and chassis rails and the boot floor was pretty sick.. proves that the late models (it is a 77 shell) rust more freely in Oz too...

Engine fitting

Me and Humph ram the new 2500 (ex-PI) engine under the 2000 using our tried and tested engine fitment method... sliding on an old baking tray under the sump Posted by Hello

Monday, January 17, 2005

Getting the wifes car up to Standard

Just spent the best part of 3 days cruising around in the new "2000" trying to run it in and fix all the inevitable quirks after building one car out of three.
Managed after some serious sweating to fit all the air-con... wish I had a airconditioned shed...35deg in the shade. Eventually tracked down the right drivebelt and just need to get some CFC friendly gas in it now...
Had a crappy hard to trace misfire caused by about three (I think) combining factors.... points closing up due to slightly pitted spindle, rotor arm hitting distributor cap... brass everywhere... and finally! a slightly AWOL 12V coil... all replaced or modified... just needs a final timing check and tune.
I think the BFZ needles recommended by Chris witor may be a little rich for a auto.. but time will tell... it's doing about 21-23mpg around town so not too bad

Friday, January 07, 2005


My mate Andy Miller 1969 Tr6 PI Posted by Hello

Another Triumph speed head... Andy actually gave me this car to look after for 4 years whilst he worked in London... I of course modded it a bit (with full permission) ... extractors, worked head and rebuilt all the suspension but otherwise it is standard 1969 Coventry spec. It even is mostly original paint wise which has got to be almost unheard of for a Red TR6!!

Unfortunately (for me) he returned to Oz to live, work and drive his TR. He is also in massive competition with Humph to go faster at all the club events

Chris McElroy guest driving Humph 1964 2000 Posted by Hello

Humph also has the geology afflication so spends half his lfe 400miles from Perth at a gold mine pretending to work and ordering go-faster bits for his Mk1. This was one such absence but good bloke that he is, he lent the Mk1 to long time buddy Chris and father Rob McElroy. Chris gave the car a good punt at this auto test but kept going the wrong way so lost time through penalties. His dad was older and wiser (he used to race and own ex-works MGA twin Cams) and went the right way to show his offspring how it's done! Only the second competition appearance for Jeff


Andy Hamilton TSOA WA TR8 3.9 injection Posted by Hello

A nice example of a TR8 (not sure if it's genuine but there are alot of ex USA cars in Oz). Andy Hamilton is a long time member of the Triumph Sports Owners association and does a lot to organize and run this sort of event. Goes quite well for a wedge but I can normally just about beat him with the Mk1.. although I'm probably a lot less gentle on the car. Andy also has a Red 5.7 De Tomaso Pantera for sunny days!!!

Tuesday, January 04, 2005


Only a few more hours to the pub... wish it was this sunny at Lands End every year... Posted by Hello

Triumphland in the Perth Hills. Posted by Hello

A photo taken in September when we were fixing 'Jeff' with Lucas PI as something to do at the weekend. It shows the extent of my Triumph shed that I have been dreaming of for years and finally purchased. (It came with a free house and garden too) . Dimensions are approx 2.5 Triumphs wide by 2.5 Triumphs long + a bit more so plenty of room for storage. Dels stag is hiding on the left complaining that it can't get out to play and the 2000 mk2 that I have just completed refitting with 2.5 running gear is just visible at the back (bootlid only)

Luckily the house was built with the help of an apprentice electrician and I think he practiced fitting lights and powerpoints as I have about 16 sockets and flouro tubes... a fantastic luxury... only issue is the heat in summer... some roof vents are on the shopping list

The story of Beast 2 ... aka Jeff


My mate Humph fitting injection to his Mk1 Posted by Hello

Pictured is Humph Hale long time Triumph enthusiast who is partly responsible for Jimmy Elliott driving the innocent looking MK1 2.5 PI in Classic and Sportscar for the last 5-6 years.
The UK 'beast' as it is affectionately known was originally owned and built by Hump with a fair bit of input from myself and brother Doug. The original car was a innocent 1965 2000 in cactus and black that Doug found unused in a Henley shed.

Anyway the stories of MMG909C are fairly well documented but the Ozzie twin named Jeff (he bought it off Jeff) is only just taking shape. Bought about 8 months ago as a very tired but running and legal 2000 fitted with a buggered Mk1 PI engine on carbs Humph is now trying to build the car up to a track day special using mostly my own cast offs.

So far he has fitted my old 2.5PI engine which was perfectly OK but I needed more power
He has also bought my old 7 x15 minilites which look just great. They just fitted with no wheel arch mods with 195/60 Tyres but you need a feeler guage to measure the rear clearance!

More of Jeff's old engine later... but CR2271HE is now in rude health after a major rebuild and running sweetly in our 1973 2000

Monday, January 03, 2005

Hello 2005

As suggested by Mr Tim Bancroft, I have offered to send in a few tit bits from this fair and pleasant land on the affairs of all things Triumphy in Western Australia.

Well it's Monday morning and I'm back at work at the gold mine after a busy weekend putting together the wifes 1973 2000 saloon. As is the Thompson way nothing is particularly standard but most bit were at least Stanpart. After a very hectic Christmas holiday the car is now capable of reaching the local chippy and boozer under it's own power. Just need to fit the Aircon and finishthe running in now so that Del is pacified and I can get back to uprating the suspension and brakes on the Mk1 competition car.

A brief spec list for the previously unadulterated 2000 are as follows:
Rebuilt Mk1 PI bottom end including x-drilled crank + 40".
Early PI camshaft
Flowed and ported 2500S Head 38mm Datsun inlet valves 9:1 compression
Sprint HS6's BFZ needles
Witor 6-3-1 Extractors
BW 65 Auto box
Reduction starter

Hoping for a bit more urge than the Ozzie spec emission strangled 2500S engine that we used to have. Sounds absolutely great.