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Jan 25, 2022 11:48:51 GMT
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Hello All, My first cars were Triumphs and I'd always kind of hankered for a two door Toledo, they had the Michelotti looks of the four door but with the more sporting lines and lighter weight. I moved to Finland 6 years ago, and was on the lookout for a Lancia Fulvia coupe as my next project, but then Covid happened and I couldn't get down to Italy to pick one up, not to mention the prices had rocketed in the time it took me to save some cash. Then on a marketplace website I saw a Valencia blue Toledo with the 1500 engine for sale in Finland. A quick google showed that this is the ONLY Toledo on the road in Finland, so I pulled the trigger, borrowed a trailer and went and bought it.  The car has been rebuilt over a period of three years by a very nice old boy, Mechanically it seems well done, and he has carefully repaired any rust that may have been in the car, but the bodywork looks a bit home made at close quarters. I had planned on bare metalling it, seeing what was under everything, but truth be told, as time has progressed ( I bought it last April) I'm not sure its bad enough to warrant that extent of investment, I can live with it for now. I used it sparingly over last summer, a few road trips here and there and wedding duties for our good friends.  There is some rear axle/wheel bearing noise to sort for this season, and the clutch to swap out. Which brings me to the big problem. Brexit has now made it a very expensive and slow game to buy all your parts from the UK. So everything needs to be carefully thought out. I ordered the wrong clutch initially, and by the time I'd returned it and ordered the right one, that £80 clutch ended costing me over £300. The intention is to get it running nice with a few additions in a road rally style this winter, and then investigate what the regulations in Finland will allow me to do as far as changing the drivetrain goes. There's a TR7 2.0 available but that will have to wait a while.  Swapped out the rear wheel bearings. The hubs were on so tight it took 15 tons in the press to break them free. Scared the bejeesus outta me.  The gearbox on these doesn't come out the bottom, you need to take the trans tunnel off inside the car and bring the gearbox out through the interior. So step one of changing the clutch is to remove the steering wheel and seats, a bit odd. Then after a little drift around the factory in the snow to make sure everything was working, I starting on getting it looking the part.  I fitted some bonnet pins and located the external battery kill switch in the bonnet grill attached to the steering column mount in the bulkhead.  Then I fabbed up some spotlight mounts from the bumper mounting position for the 9" Cibies and wired them in. Mat blacked the wing tops and the bonnet. I did try some A la Lancia "Triumph-Finland" lettering across the front but took it off again, didn't look right. Tow straps also fitted.  At the rear I fitted boot spring catches and a tow strap from the rear bumper mounts, and made some little cover panels and spacers to keep the springs the right distance from the body.  Started applying a few choice decals including the in period logo of our family business here in Finland. We will occasionally use the car for advertising.  Inside the car I started to fab up an auxiliary panel to house the internal kill switch and extra switches. It sits between the parcel shelf and the dash.  Just Yesterday I got here back from powder coating so fitted it up and wired in all the switches and labelled the front using a period ribbon label printer. I'm pleased with it, it looks rather smart. Now a few shots from outside, looking almost finished.      This winter I will still fit the twin SU carbs once I order the rebuild kit, and I will buy a Moto Lita wheel, (I already have the hub), some nice mud flaps, and possibly I would like to switch to the twin headlamp Dolomite front end if funds allow. I also bought some Lotus Europa wheels which have a similar look to the Italian "Cromadora" style i like so much which i need to refurb. The problem is, I have rather fallen in love with the steelies. That brings us bang up to date on the Toledo build, I hope you enjoy taking a look. |
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1971 Triumph Toledo 1500 Road/rally
1998 Peugeot 106 Rallye
2007 Volvo V50 T5 AWD "Sensible Daily"
1978 BMW R100RS Cafe Racer "Jägerbomb"
1979 Harley Davidson SXT trials bike
2018 Black Lab/Alsatian cross "Rocky"
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jamesd1972
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,921 
Club RR Member Number: 40
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Jan 25, 2022 11:53:53 GMT
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 A friend owns this ex-works car which I've driven but not unsupervised... Goes well and looks pretty good. Two door looks better for sure but I like the quad 5" headlights a bit more. Nice build, keep the updates coming. James |
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Jan 25, 2022 12:02:51 GMT
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Hiya James, yes I have to agree, I also prefer the four lamp dolomite style front end, and I plan on swapping over at some point soon. I just need:
N and P panels from the club
four lamp bowls
LHD 5 3/4" headlamps
pair of headlamp surrounds
probably a bit of wiring.
Total I expect the conversion to cost £350 ish, plus postage and tax so about 500, that's a fair chunk.
If I can spring it this winter before the summer season starts again then I will try for it. Next step has to be the carbs, they are taunting me sitting there on the bench, as are the Lotus alloys. So much work, so little cash for toys, you know how it is!
That works Dolly is magnificent. In an ideal world I would find a rusty old Sprint and swap the drivetrain over. But as there are NO Dolomites in Finland and I have the only Toledo, that ain't gonna be easy!
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1971 Triumph Toledo 1500 Road/rally
1998 Peugeot 106 Rallye
2007 Volvo V50 T5 AWD "Sensible Daily"
1978 BMW R100RS Cafe Racer "Jägerbomb"
1979 Harley Davidson SXT trials bike
2018 Black Lab/Alsatian cross "Rocky"
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Jan 25, 2022 13:37:16 GMT
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Lovely car, Unless it's all you are allowed to fit I wouldn't bother with the 2.0 TR7 engine, they are heavy rough old things and the head gaskets are a nightmare (I got through 3 of them in 100,000 miles eventually went RV8), Saab did re-engineer the engine to fix the issues but I don't think much is interchangeable.
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Last Edit: Jan 25, 2022 13:38:05 GMT by kevins
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Jan 25, 2022 13:43:02 GMT
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Lovely car, Unless it's all you are allowed to fit I wouldn't bother with the 2.0 TR7 engine, they are heavy rough old things and the head gaskets are a nightmare (I got through 3 of them in 100,000 miles eventually went RV8), Saab did re-engineer the engine to fix the issues but I don't think much is interchangeable. Thanks Kevins, appreciated! To be honest I have the feeling that regulations will at the very best allow me to swap in an engine from the same range. It may be possible to argue the TR7 engine is close enough to the Dolomite motor. Otherwise it seems my only option is to buy an old dolly, fly home, strip it, crate it and get it shipped home. Whereas there is a TR7 engine currently available in country. So at this point it basically IS the only option available in Finland. It would prove a considerable upgrade in power to the 1500 and I expect I would use the Triumph for just a few thousand miles a year so three head gaskets in 100,000 years might last me 30 years! ;D |
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1971 Triumph Toledo 1500 Road/rally
1998 Peugeot 106 Rallye
2007 Volvo V50 T5 AWD "Sensible Daily"
1978 BMW R100RS Cafe Racer "Jägerbomb"
1979 Harley Davidson SXT trials bike
2018 Black Lab/Alsatian cross "Rocky"
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Pay day! Finally!
Ordered:
15" Moto Lita steering wheel
Twin SU HS4 rebuild kit
A few tarty upgrades including BL branded mud flaps and keyring because why not?
If I have any money after the daily life needs, then I will spill for the front ARB mounts too.
Jake is a very excited boy.
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1971 Triumph Toledo 1500 Road/rally
1998 Peugeot 106 Rallye
2007 Volvo V50 T5 AWD "Sensible Daily"
1978 BMW R100RS Cafe Racer "Jägerbomb"
1979 Harley Davidson SXT trials bike
2018 Black Lab/Alsatian cross "Rocky"
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Hi Jake, Good to see your posts here representing Triumph to RR, bookmarked  Cheers! Pete |
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Finally some news as the parts I ordered on payday start to filter through the Finnish postal service.  I spent quite a lot on this wheel (including nearly €70 import tax) but I always have the opinion that as the wheel is the main contact point between you and the car, it’s important. Moto-Lita are based at Thruxton which was my local race circuit as a boy, we would go there twice a year to watch the Touring Car races. They are hand made and beautifully done. Before:  And After:  The cockpit is ready for summer!  Just to show that despite my absence, I haven’t been lazy, I’ve been replacing the vulcanized rubber loom wrap I used when I built the bike with fabric tape, as the rubber just hasn’t lasted. The bike has also had a toothbrush and earbud level clean to get it ready for the national show next month.  |
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1971 Triumph Toledo 1500 Road/rally
1998 Peugeot 106 Rallye
2007 Volvo V50 T5 AWD "Sensible Daily"
1978 BMW R100RS Cafe Racer "Jägerbomb"
1979 Harley Davidson SXT trials bike
2018 Black Lab/Alsatian cross "Rocky"
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Looking good Jake, i love how clean that dash is. Alot less busy than a Sprint dash.
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Looking good Jake, i love how clean that dash is. Alot less busy than a Sprint dash. Thanks my man, it's coming along. Yes the dash is quite a bit cleaner, but I'd really like a revcounter. Maybe later! How's the mean green machine coming along? |
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1971 Triumph Toledo 1500 Road/rally
1998 Peugeot 106 Rallye
2007 Volvo V50 T5 AWD "Sensible Daily"
1978 BMW R100RS Cafe Racer "Jägerbomb"
1979 Harley Davidson SXT trials bike
2018 Black Lab/Alsatian cross "Rocky"
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Looking good Jake, i love how clean that dash is. Alot less busy than a Sprint dash. Thanks my man, it's coming along. Yes the dash is quite a bit cleaner, but I'd really like a revcounter. Maybe later! How's the mean green machine coming along? 'Bruce/Kermit' (i havent decided which name i like yet...) is doing well, currently trying to stomach the price of engine bits so i can order some more. |
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Feb 10, 2022 14:43:13 GMT
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Man that's cool. Love a Tolly, love a rally car, love Valencia Blue. Ticks all boxes!
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Man that's cool. Love a Tolly, love a rally car, love Valencia Blue. Ticks all boxes! i've also seen videos of it drifting in the snow! weeeeeee |
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A few updates from this week, not too much as I’ve been focused on getting the bike ready for the bike show, which sadly got canceled yesterday. Well at least I’ll start the summer with a very clean bike.  So this week I received a notice saying my carb rebuild kit had cleared customs so in preparation I started breaking down the twin carbs I had on the shelf. Our powder coating line is spraying black right now so I started off with the filter box in the hope I could drop it off the next day for paint.  As you can see it’s pretty grotty and rusted so I took a wire wheel to it  And some rust killer to future proof it.  Finally I left the carbs in engine cleaner to soak some of the grot away overnight. And that’s this weeks updates dudes! |
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1971 Triumph Toledo 1500 Road/rally
1998 Peugeot 106 Rallye
2007 Volvo V50 T5 AWD "Sensible Daily"
1978 BMW R100RS Cafe Racer "Jägerbomb"
1979 Harley Davidson SXT trials bike
2018 Black Lab/Alsatian cross "Rocky"
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Feb 22, 2022 10:22:44 GMT
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Got the air box back from powder coating. Been feeling a bit rough this week after my booster so I haven’t done much on the fleet. Got the riveter out to reattach the BL plate  And while it was out also refitted the build plate on the BMW. In this picture you can also see the new black coloured brake lines and the new fabric loom tape. Looking smart.  Other than this I’ve just been toothbrushing the daylights out of the exterior of the carbs before I break them down and see how gacky they are inside. Peace ✌🏼 |
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1971 Triumph Toledo 1500 Road/rally
1998 Peugeot 106 Rallye
2007 Volvo V50 T5 AWD "Sensible Daily"
1978 BMW R100RS Cafe Racer "Jägerbomb"
1979 Harley Davidson SXT trials bike
2018 Black Lab/Alsatian cross "Rocky"
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Feb 23, 2022 18:23:30 GMT
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Hi Jake,
Pretty interesting to see a bike made in W Germany, a stark reminder for sure.
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Feb 28, 2022 11:04:48 GMT
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Yep Pete, this is a 1978 model bike and of course the wall came down in 1989.Hopefully it will stay down. Anyways, A new week, some more progress on the Triumph: Throttle and choke linkages before:  And after some love with the wire wheel and a lick’o paint:  Then onto stripping down the carbs, lost one float bowl screw to rust but managed to get the stub out.  The plan is to rebuild one before stripping the other so I can use it for reference as to where all the little doohickeys go. The plan is also to buy a ultrasonic parts cleaner today but that will contravene The Kitchen Rennovation so Don’t Buy More Tools act of 2022. Also finished the bike by painting the last two engine panels and baking them in the oven while the wife was out. Hence the kitchen renovation. At least doggo approves.  |
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Last Edit: Feb 28, 2022 11:05:14 GMT by jake899
1971 Triumph Toledo 1500 Road/rally
1998 Peugeot 106 Rallye
2007 Volvo V50 T5 AWD "Sensible Daily"
1978 BMW R100RS Cafe Racer "Jägerbomb"
1979 Harley Davidson SXT trials bike
2018 Black Lab/Alsatian cross "Rocky"
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An amendment to the Kitchen Renovation Act was passed and I was permitted to purchase my ultrasonic cleaner yesterday. Running home from work with my shorts and satchel through the snow, I got some time to set it up and clean up the first carburetor. It’s a lot less vigorous than I expected and needs a bit of time but seems to have done the job ok.  I rinsed everything off with clean water then hairdryer’d everything dry. Tomorrow after work I will start reassembly of carb number one. Additionally I painted the intake manifold and a few other parts in silver high temp.  All smiles here as the carb swap slowly goes forward. In other news, there is a small local motorcycle show organized not this coming weekend but the weekend after so while it’s not quite “the largest show in the Nordics” it’s at least something and I have not cleaned the bike so carefully for nothing. I even treated it to new grips to celebrate.  More riveting action to come this week. |
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1971 Triumph Toledo 1500 Road/rally
1998 Peugeot 106 Rallye
2007 Volvo V50 T5 AWD "Sensible Daily"
1978 BMW R100RS Cafe Racer "Jägerbomb"
1979 Harley Davidson SXT trials bike
2018 Black Lab/Alsatian cross "Rocky"
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The parts in that parts washer makes me look at my Dellorto 45s in the garage and wonder if i can restore them myself instead of spending £300 odd getting them done professionally.....
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Well hello ladies and gents, this is long overdue an update, despite the fact that very little with the Triumph has actually progressed. Priority was given to the BMW and getting it ready for its first show, a local event here in my city after the big national show got canx because of Covid. So at least all that scrubbing wasn’t in vain. Fitted her new Vans grips and sorted out a few little flaws in the electrics, balanced the carbs so she is running well and may even get her first run today after work now the roads are almost dry from snowmelt.  Opposite my bike is the show winner, a drag bike powered by two Harley twins. Some engineering. Then the fan on my daily, my Audi S3 has started making a hellish racket so I stripped out some of the dash and found where the fan sits, cleaned/lubed/greased it and it’s a bit better, and if that ain’t good enough at least I have the part number and I know how to replace it. Modern cars are terrifyingly complex aren’t they? There’s more tech under here than in the rest of my fleet combined.  Bathroom and Kitchen Rennovation Ltd. then took priority, as we agreed to help out some of our Canadian friends extended family who live in Zaporizhzhia, east Ukraine. Of course they can come and stay, but not with our house the state it’s in, broken old sink in the kitchen, no hot water or toilet in the main house… best get rennovatin’ as these dearies are arriving in four days! So all work on cars and bikes halts as we switch to 16hr days on the house. Bathroom before:  Three days later:  and in the kitchen:  Also three days later:  All with hot water and poop going where it should. Also of course rearranged the house so that they could have some privacy, including moving my hifi and a handful of records into the bedroom. Having my speakers in such a terrible position is the greatest sacrifice I’ve ever made for anyone 😂  Well, with the help of dear friends, we got the work done in time and our guests arrived on Sunday. Monday I was able to roll the Triumph out through the snow still on our drive and take our new friends for a ride.  I took them along when I went to the university to give a lecture. Now something about me: I flatly refuse to pay to park. Fortunately with some creative thinking, a complete disregard for law and order and the native love for rally cars I just left it here for four hours without any problems!  It’s not MUCH bigger than a bicycle, right? And a final shot of the car at work on the way home  The twin carb conversion will continue, as will the ARB install, I think we just need to see how much the cost of living goes up with a couple of extra family members. But it’s been an awesome month, perhaps not much progress on the Triumph, but some great progress in life! 😂 A few weeks back we also managed a quick work trip to Lapland, so we will leave you with a family shot testing the new dogsleds I designed. Love, peace and hair grease!  |
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1971 Triumph Toledo 1500 Road/rally
1998 Peugeot 106 Rallye
2007 Volvo V50 T5 AWD "Sensible Daily"
1978 BMW R100RS Cafe Racer "Jägerbomb"
1979 Harley Davidson SXT trials bike
2018 Black Lab/Alsatian cross "Rocky"
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