IT MOVES!

At last! The car now drives. I fitted the propshaft and everything was fine until I get to attaching the front flange with the gearbox flange. I could only get 2 bolts attached. The propshaft is too short! I'll need to make a spacer (another job for Brian and an opportunity to try out his newly-acquired lathe!) and get some longer bolts so it's not a total disaster. At least the car moves under its owm steam and I can drive it the short distance to its new resting place

Got it back!

Yep, I've got my propshaft back off Brian with new UJs and centre bearing. Once I've transferred a couple of brackets off the old propshaft it can go back on the car and it will finally move under it's own power and I can drive it the short distance to it's new resting place. That reminds me, I'll need to secure my "new" garage before I can start putting my stuff in. Just need to get hold of a key or have new one cut.

On the up

The UJs arrived in the post today. Well done Canley Classics! A superfast delivery. Anyway, I've passed then on to Brian and hopefully, he can work his magic and rebuild this propshaft. I was going to put some more petrol in the Toledo and fire it up but I've been too busy on the Web. I'll probably leave it until the car is ready to move under it's own power (once I've fitted the propshaft!) Once the car is drivable I can then think about getting it ready for the test. Once I have that all-important piece of paper then I'm laughing (or am I?)

Oh dear, not so good.

I left the propshaft at my mate's and he told me that things aren't so good. The UJs at the ends both need replacing. The centre one's OK but it has to be dismantled in order to fit the centre bearing so that one will have to be replaced as well. I consulted the parts catalogue (borrowed from the Club Triumph library) and all the UJs are exactly the same. I did some shopping around on the web and the cheapest was Canley Classics at £7 each so I ordered 3. I suppose I'd better look on the bright side. At least it will give my mate plenty of time to soak the UJs on the propshaft with penetrating oil so they should come apart easily by the time I've got my new UJs to him!

Time will tell...

I've got lucky!

Yes, somebody has offered me the use of their empty garage and better still it isn't too far away from the pub! I'll need to get the Toledo drivable first. I'm going to take the propshaft to a work mate and he'll fit the new centre bearing for me and all being well, I'll be cooking on the proverbial gas. I'm also going to my local Triumph Dolomite Club meeting tonight so I can tell fellow TDC members of my progress. I'll still enquire about renting a garage as well. I might want to add to my Triumph collection and garages come in useful for storing other stuff as well!

The Toledo is now living outside permanently. I've had to move it from where it was outside the flat (in the previous pic below) onto the car park but it is all right where it is. On a more positive note, I've received the centre bearing for my propshaft so I can get the propshaft ready to go onto the car and it will finally move under it's own power once again. Looks like I'll have to find a garage to keep my Toledo in. I was at the local TSSC meeting and somebody mentioned double garages for £5 per week so I'll have to enquire at the next meeting. In the meantime I'll get some filler and tidy up the bodywork and make it look a bit better.

We've had this camera angle before! Compare it to when I first saw her down in Aylesbury when I went to pick her up. She looks a bit rough around the edges but the body is quite solid for a 31 year-old car! I washed her just after taking these pics so she looks a bit better now!

I've had to vacate the garage because the new manager has some stuff she wants to put in there while she moves into the pub. I managed to drage the Toledo out so I thought I'd take some pics of her now she's out in the fresh air. She still starts up with a bit of help from a jump start but there's no need for any Easystart! I'm still waiting for that centre bearing for the propshaft.