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Jun 26, 2014 18:59:51 GMT
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I know it's a bit on the small size, but here is the Triang 80 pedal car that I have just restored for my daughters 3rd birthday. It was her grans old car and hopefully will be passed down further generations. (ignore the stuffed baby elephant in the background, that's another story!) To here - Still a few details to complete, (like fitting the original steering wheel once it has been found again after house move), but good enough as a surprise to light up my daughters face on her birthday.
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Good work! Are you going to strip the engine bay back to bare metal? Seems a shame not to do a proper rustproofing job whilst you have best access. I know it will cost time though.....
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Jun 17, 2014 21:26:32 GMT
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So, I've been doing a lot of thinking about the car, and a lot of soul searching about the project the past week. I must admit this curve ball causes some real challenges but I have at least a short term plan. I have started to think that the numerous set backs that the project seems to come up against are a product of the car feeling a little unloved. I've ironically not really spent any time on the car myself even though I have owned it for 10 years. I guess it is a lack of confidence in what I can actually do, but either way, I think the car wants for some attention. I have decided to bring the car home, move the Triumph out and get the Olympic in the garage. There are things that I can do, and in the least, I can size things up and organise the remaining work myself, maybe with a number of specialists rather than a one stop shop. That way, I can find the right people to do the rewiring, the paint, the brakes etc. and tackle each job when funds allow. There is a lot of reassembly that I can attempt myself and it will be empowering to be more I control and more enjoyable too now doubt. Timeframes change completely but I can't afford to pay someone else to do everything so it seems the only option. Anyway, here are some random pics I took of the car yesterday when down getting all of the parts together. as you can see, still plenty to do, but about time I got my minds dirty......
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Single car thread response : nice
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Jun 11, 2014 19:04:22 GMT
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So, it's not been a great week where the Olympic is concerned. I was at the Bromley show, saw 2 Olympics, chatted to two of the longest serving club members and I started the week feeling pretty energised about the car. This week however I have discovered that the car isn't going to get finished by the current company who have been working on it. The company is going under and I need to organise to collect the car, and associated bits ASAP before the place is locked up. I hold no grudge about those involved, I know very little about the circumstances and have always been very happy with being their customer. Still gutted. I basically have a shell, bare aside from the new suspension, and a lot of bits. Hopefully, the remaining guy there can fit the new hubs so that it is a rolling shell, which will make it a lot easier to move. The reality is however that I have a car in bits, with the people involved in the disassembly and manufacturing of new parts now not able to finish the job. I have to find someone else to take the job on, or find storage and have a good think about what to do next.
If anyone can help with suggestions of an outfit that could be equipped to take on the next thrilling chapter, I'm all ears. We're talking; complete rewiring, fitting of engine and box, making up of new prop, fitting new pedal box and setting up all secondary systems. I miss details out for my own sanity. The paint and trim are the least of my concerns, as these can be tackled as standalone jobs, my main fear is how easily someone can pick up the work that is part resolved.
Jinxed?? Dunno, but this one sure is fighting me...... 10 years and counting. curse word.
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Jun 10, 2014 19:18:07 GMT
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Great write up! Still not managed to make it to this event even though I am a Brooklands member, so thanks for filling in the blanks.
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I'll take some pictures since it's been painted, all I have at the moment are the before pictures. It's actually a Triang 80 (very similar to the Centurion model) so of slightly different construction, without the rivets. It's not going to get to the standard if yours I don't think....
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What a fantastic present that will be! The white on the car is kind of an off white/cream (it's barely noticeable in pictures) but I was going to try and have the leather matched to that so a very light cream possibly with red piping?. I thought about a red seat but think it may look a little ott. Ha. I'm not actually sure how usable it will be, it's pretty heavy but I hope her face will light up when she sees it anyway. The 2 cars are even more similar then as I have used an off white for the wheels too, not an original shade, just what I thought would work with the red. I'm pondering a tan for the seat and steering wheel which normally works on full size cars anyway....
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Only just noticed this thread. Seems like we have been doing a very similar thing as I am trying to get my Triang project completed in time for my daughters 3rd birthday. Ended up with going with the same colour scheme too. I'll create a thread.... What colour are you doing the seat out of interest?
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Wow, not even aware of this event. Some really cool stuff (and some Corsas). still love the Imp, sure it was on Allycats a couple of years ago?
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It may help to state the PCD and diameter you are after too......
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Lowered P6 with Cossie power and Dolomite non Sprint fitted with Rover V8! Just 2 of the nice surprises in that lot. Cool.
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It's tricky to try and understand user behaviour but I think a few real, valid reasons have been posted. Some are outside of the control of this forum obviously. None of these should be ignored though, change or die...... I personally think it worth trying to encouarge Show/events threads to appear in their own stand alone section. Increasing discoverability is pretty simple but effective.
I love show threads but stopped posting my own. Why? Same reasons, lack of interaction, the pain of Pbucket and actually just less available time in my own life to spend creating a quality one. Hipocritically I actually love a good show thread, as much as the readers rides, themed type threads, so wish there were more created. If I am being honest, I find less of interest on here now, and have done so far the last couple of years. Not sure if I can pinpoint the core reasons. Maybe too many classified ads, too many threads that make me feel old, because they are clearly about 'scene' rather than uniqueness and yes, the threads of a single car from somewhere else from the interweb that just remind me of flicking through mediocre car mags in whsmith that are difficult to love because they don't tell a story. Most of this I just put down to me getting old and grumpy and I'm not sure if in reality, the mix of stuff has changed, as much as the types of cars that get covered on here are just less and less interesting to me, as they tend to get further and further away from my retro era. Also, I get more and more pleasure from classic racing events now but these just don't seem to resonate on here. This brings me back to probably the core reason why I stopped posting show threads. The stuff I take photos of, that is interesting to me, doesn't necessarily stike a chord with so many others on here. For example, at the last Goodwood breakfast club, my car of the day was a perfect open top Austin A35 but I would second guess most on here would be left cold by it. In the spirit of getting involved though, I'll give it another go and try to pull a thread together to the next cool event I go to.
The day people like Seth and Luckyseven stop posting up their great photos and write ups of events I think we really are in trouble!
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Last Edit: Jun 6, 2014 20:21:27 GMT by alolympic
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Have you guys thought about making it via advance application? That way you can ensure there is an interesting mix of cars, rather than just whoever gets in the queue first? Partly selfish reasoning but for example, I can only come for the day and unlikely I could get there early enough...
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I can't decide if I prefer the Mk10 or the XJ6. Love the shape of both but the Mk10 seems more of a breath of fresh air. Quality results either way.
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May 28, 2014 18:19:32 GMT
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Make sure the quieter cabin will offset the extra weight. Sound deadening stuff is heavy as well as expensive, which can affect economy and acceleration. Once I removed it from my Toledo, I'm not sure how much noisier it actually got. On my first Dolomite, I added loads of the stuff and it just meant I became more of the wind noise around the quarter lights so didn't bother again.
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May 21, 2014 12:47:13 GMT
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I actually think this here Forum provides a really good opportunity for you. How? One of the most important things is obviously having/finding interesting content that you can write in your own style. This forum is littered with hundreds of interesting characters, with interesting stories about their interesting cars. Another important thing is feedback. I think the most important thing to do is understand your customer, this goes across all business, but in this sense, I mean understanding your (potential) readership. A big part of building that understanding is receiving direct feedback, listening to it and adapting to it. If you like what you do, but it doesn't seem to land with your customer, it won't reward. I work on one of the countries Top 10 websites and we place a huge amount of effort and money into getting insightful feedback from our users. Without that, I dare so we wouldn't be Top 10. So, on Retrorides, you have subject matter and an interested audience who will give you free feedback. See where I am going? Start on here, write some articles. I would start by writing some magazine style features on peoples rides. I would suggest writing up on event coverage but I fear that in some ways you will find it difficult to better luckyseven on here, who to me, is the one of the most entertaining writers working on our hobby, across the web or print, amateur or professional.. You write, people will give you feedback. Listen, adapt, and write some more. Writing in the printed media won't offer this same level of free, direct feedback so seize the opportunity.
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May 20, 2014 12:32:09 GMT
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Start with a blog....
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You don't have to guess with oil. Your car would have had a recommended viscosity rating from the manufacturer. That is a start at least, but of course oil technology has come on a long way. A semi synthetic multigrade will flow from cold much better than a multigrade mineral oil which would have been original, for example. You may want to get an oil with high levels of zinc too. The 2 oils you mention are quite different, I would suggest calling the technical team at Millers oils. I did that only last week and it was really helpful.
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May 14, 2014 21:48:55 GMT
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i'm looking for retro/classic, max £1800. rather spend less. whats about guys? cheers chris. Have you seen the For Sale section? That has cars.....for sale. You can go through the adverts yourself and everything
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Last Edit: May 14, 2014 21:49:24 GMT by alolympic
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