Annette, my lovely Seafoam 79 504D passed her first Maine safety inspection
with flying colors last night! Yeah! Many comments from all the mechanics
on how they hadn't seen such a nice one in years, and evidently it took
about four of them together to figure out how the lights and horn worked -
he, he, he! I warned them, and left my cell phone number in case they
couldn't figure it out. This was at Sears Automotive.
Anyone want a complete set of original 1979 vintage sealed beam headlights?
I swapped in a set of Hella's, as the originals where roughly 1.25
candlepower. I have a "little black book" where the previous owner noted
every cent ever spent on the car - including every time he filled the car
with fuel - no mention of the headlights ever having been changed - amazing!
I was having a weird turn signal issue - they were automatic, i.e. turn the
wheel and the turn signal turns on! Convenient and annoying in equal
measure. I took the wheel off and there was this long spring wrapped around
the steering wheel shaft and connected to the turn signal mechanism. I
sprayed it with some lubricant. Now they are not automatic anymore, but
they don't self cancel either. Should they? I totally don't get how that
arrangement is supposed to work. Not a big deal, my Triumph doesn't have
self cancelling indicators either.
I also had to replace the passenger side steering rack boot. I managed it,
but in case I ever have to do it again, does the post that the power
steering ram attaches to come off? I managed to stretch the boot over it
with a long screwdriver and much swearing, but there has GOT to be an
easier way - I was sure I was going to rip the thing, and I soaked it in
boiling water first.
Also as part of the rack boot install I had to separate the tie rod end on
that side. How do you know when it is back together correctly? Is it
supposed to "snap" into place? I have the nut as tight as it will go, but I
am semi-certain that there was more of the bolt sticking out of the nut before.
Next up is to replace the heater fan - shudder - looks like I get to spend
Saturday doing that.... Luckily the one I picked up at the junkyard works
great.
A tip for those in the Northeast - VIP Discount auto has a terrific
loan-a-tool program. Free too! They just take a deposit, and you get the
tool for five days. I borrowed a tie rod separator. They have all kinds of
useful stuff. I wish I had known about it last month, would have saved a
bundle on some things I bought while working on my Triumph.
Thanks for any and all advice
Kevin Rhodes
Portland, Maine
92 505 SW8 Babbette
85 505S TD Claudette
79 504D Annette
74 Triumph Spitfire Freddy
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