CAR
#Triumph-2500TC /
#Triumph 2500TC /
#Triumph-2500TC /
#Triumph-2500 / Triumph /
#Triumph-2500-Mk-2-Saloon /
#Triumph-2500-Mk-2 /
#Triumph-2000-Mk-2 /
#Triumph-2000 /
#1972
RUN BY Greg MacLeman
OWNED SINCE June 2017
PREVIOUS REPORT May 2018
Having been without it for months on end while the car was away at the bodyshop, it’s nice to finally be able to drive the Triumph – even if the experience is far from where I want it to be owing to the sloppy drivetrain.
It’s also nice to be able to work on the car – something I’d been missing almost as much. The road to a tuned Big Saloon is well-travelled, and one of the first modifications many make is the exhaust. I followed suit and forked out for a full stainless-steel sports system from Chris Witor. As well as it improving the car’s aesthetics, I’d hoped the fruitier soundtrack would drown out some of the 2500’s more concerning noises, but I had to wait to find out. I devoted a Saturday to the task of removing the old system and fitting the new, and all went smoothly until I got to the centre section, which fouled on the gearbox crossmember. Spirits were raised by my wife Laura, who lent a helping hand, but even taking a breather for a soup supper on the back seat and returning with fresh eyes didn’t make a difference, and we eventually gave up.
Various Facebook groups have been a big help while working on the car, and this occasion was no different: after I uploaded a photograph, Steve Radley and David Harvey pointed out that the crossmember was on the wrong way round, with the indentation for the exhaust on the opposite side – and that the car was fitted with an earlier A- rather than J-type gearbox. Another day was spent jacking up the ’box and turning around the crossmember, plus fitting a set of SuperPro polyurethane bushes, before attaching the rest of the exhaust. Though by now properly hung, it still clanged against the crossmember so the following weekend I changed the soggy engine mounts for new reproductions. This proved a battle, but eliminated the worst of the rattling. On my way back from driving Julian Grimwade’s 1934 Norris Special for last month’s issue, I called in at ’box and diff specialist Hardy Engineering in Leatherhead, where Bill Hardy gave me a tour of the facility. He also took a look at the spare diff that came with the car and found it to be in excellent shape, with original machining marks clearly visible. All it needed was new oil seals and to be cleaned and re-shimmed, so I left it with him and hope to have it back in for the Reader Run to Le Mans in July.
Determined to make the most of the sun, Laura and I took the 2500 to The White Bear at Fickleshole. All went well until we lost overdrive on the way home, followed by indicators and horn, all accompanied by a burning smell. “Do you think it’s coming from outside?” asked Laura. “Yes…” I lied. The unhappy marriage of J-type loom and A-type ’box is the arguido, but what I know about auto electrics could fit on the back of a napkin and I’ve made no more progress than popping five fuses and scratching my head.
The day before Drive It Day, I popped to Botley Hill Farmhouse, which holds a meet on the third Saturday of every month. It was great to see some local classics, and the car seemed to get plenty of attention. Mine, however, was grabbed by a ’1952 Jaguar XK120 that had spent its early years in Nairobi, and sounded incredible as it peeled out of the event – drivetrain clonks conspicuous by their absence.
THANKS TO SuperPro: 01823 690281; www.superproeurope.com
Triumph saloon lines up alongside Vitesse and MG Midget at Botley Hill Farmhouse in Surrey, with Rover P5B Coupé behind. Engine mounts allowed excess movement. Rear bench the perfect place for a picnic. Old bushes substituted by SuperPro items. New sports system replaces pea-shooter. Spare differential was checked by Hardy Engineering and should only require light fettling.
