1971 Triumph Toledo - Project Cheapskate take 3?

it does look good for grp!

That black un looks like Dan Browns car, now sporting an S13 turbo lump. I'm assuming the coilovers you got are adjustable for ride height? Fixed ones for a Sprint will sit too high on a 2 door, go on, ask me how I know!

You have to be very careful lowering a Dolomite/Toledo, Dans car (or mine) are pretty much on the limit of what is practical. More drop than that and you'll be grounding the subframe and exhaust on every little bump and ripping the sump off. I get the odd unavoidable but painful graunch from time to time even so. As I said, on the limit! I actually replaced my hex nut sump plug with a recessed Torx one to save a few more mm and lessen the risk of a grounding ripping it out! A mate with a similar Carlton sump on his Redtop powered Sprint did actually succeed in ripping the plug out, which has made me rather paranoid about it!

Ooooh exciting! That’s a big tick getting all the welding done.

The engine is in!

Well, its resting in the bay but at least I know what I need to change to get it where I want it.





Now I just need;

a front bowl sump (CVH or Escort/Fiesta 1.8 Zetec should do it)

to knock up some mounts

a different gearbox (don't want to modify the type 9)

maybe a different exhaust manifold (or at least I need to modify the ine I have...)

Simples...

Slow but steady progress (if only I wasn't still working and wasn't a farther I'd probably be finished by now!)

Engine and gearboxes bolted back together, just need to get a new release bearing as old one a bit tired then can bolt them together.





Also started tweaking the front frame. Original mounts removed and new plates welded on for the new mount location. Once I get the motor in can weld the brakets on. Need to turn up some mounts for the rear and feont adaptors as am changing to a solid mounting and raising frame up closer to body a bit (should help to keep rack angles closer to standard with the lowered suspension.





While I'm waiting on the release bearing am getting the other items that'll neew to go off for powder coating done. First making the suspension adjustable and removing some of the compliance.

Just need to chop and weld this lot

Little more progress, adjustable links done. Now to get the engine mounts done and then ship a load of stuff off for powder coating.

I don't like to play the critic after all that hard work, but I really don't like that TCA! You DO know that the bracket that supports it (and the upper wishbone arms) is shim adjustable to achieve what you've done here?

And the front tie bar is still badly worn at the front end where the bushes go. Rob Macgregor at Sprintspeed actually MAKES adjustable versions of this tie bar for not stupid money. With the bush support bit completely renewed.

Sorry, I missed the last couple of posts or i'd have told you sooner!

On the upside, the rear tie bars are ok, though I can't see a lot of benefit to making them adjustable!

If you are going to polybush the rear trailing arms at both ends, i'd recommend you box in the trailing arm at the rear end where it kicks up to meet the axle, these have been known to crack and split here on hard used and hard bushed track cars. Alternatively, the track oriented guys at the TDC (me included) use a polybush at the rear end of the trailing arm and a new stock rubber one at the front end. This gives a necessary bit of twist compliance to the arm and doesn't really make it any sloppier than poly.

Steve

Being largely a cheapskate myself, I understand your philosphy! In a set of famous words, "i've been doing so much with so little for so long that i'm now fully qualified to do anything with nothing!"

And though i've been smitten lately with "Binky's disease" (anything worth doing is worth overdoing and then doing over because you aren't happy with the first try) I try not to lose sight of the KISS principal!

If the factory in their infinite wisdom (!) gave me shims, i'll use them and if I spend an extra £60 on a proven product that uprates something that would need to be repaired or replaced anyway, i'll take it! Time is still money, even if that translates as brownie points from SWMBO for doing the gardening!

I'm a bit of a lazy engineer, I don't really go for changing things unless I have to, I'd rather try as is and only alter it if it's proven unsatisfactory. So the Carledo is rocking absolutely stock shimming and non adjustable tie bars with it's near 2" drop! The lowering has definitely increased the front camber angle which is good, the castor seems unaffected, turn in and self centering is spot on. I guess this actually translates as "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

I can't see that dropping the body over the subframe will have a negative effect on rack angles, every part of the steering and suspension that matters, is attached to the subframe. In fact, doing it this way gives you an instant effective 3/4" drop so you only need 1" lowered springs to get a 1.75" lower body! Clever! One thing you MAY need to do though, is shorten the intermediate steering column to allow for the rack being closer to the body.

Steve

Looking really good! I need to modify my Toledo drag links and rear axle control arms in the same way. Lolly gives too much compliance still and I need to dial in a bit more front caster. I look forward to seeing this finished

Chris