Build update

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colinc
Posts: 41
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2019 2:02 pm
Location: Cambridgeshire

Build update

Post by colinc » Sat Mar 06, 2021 6:06 pm

This afternoon was pretty momentous. The Triking lives! You may wonder why I say that, well let me explain...

I went for a bare chassis build of my Type 4 after which I dismantled it again and sent everything back to Alan for powder coating - including my chassis mods of course. The all new hand-crafted engine wiring loom had been built and tested at this stage so I knew that side of things was working prior to dismantling.

Cut to mid December last year and the newly powder coated chassis was back in the workshop and on its build frame, the engine was on another frame I used to mount it whilst I gave it a thorough going over. So far so good but then disaster struck.

On the evening of the 23rd December the house and grounds flooded (long story cut short, its never happened before so totally unexpected and unprepared for). The results were pretty devastating for the house, the garage/workshop my Lotus (insurance write off) and the Triking components that were all neatly packed in crates waiting to be reassembled. The whole lot was submerged in about 0.5m of brown muddy water. Fortunately the engine and chassis frames were higher so they escaped.

Having cleaned, inspected etc all the flooded stuff I got everything reassembled leaving me wondering if it would work again - especially the electrics/ECU/wiring loom. Primed the fuel lines, checked for leaks and then hit the start button....It worked!!!

A few challenges along the way although it transpired the problems were caused some relays which didn't work reliably / at all and had to be replaced - took a while to figure out it was only the relays and not the ECU.

As I say, the Triking lives! (phew)

Spaniard
Posts: 80
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2018 1:06 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Build update

Post by Spaniard » Sat Mar 06, 2021 7:35 pm

So sorry to hear about the flooding. I have never been in your shoes so I can only imagine. Water damage can be so destructive. Glad to hear the engine and frame were spared. Would love to see some pics of the progress. I wish I could have done a bare frame build and then powder coat. There are always holes to drill and mods that you want to do and a bare frame makes life much easier.

colinc
Posts: 41
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2019 2:02 pm
Location: Cambridgeshire

Re: Build update

Post by colinc » Sat Mar 06, 2021 9:02 pm

Here you go, if you want anything specific just let me know.

One was when I set up the suspension (just a rough setup prior to putting on the ground to do it properly with body / interior etc, in).
The other was when I started the engine today. If you look closely at the front of the engine you'll see an oil pressure sensor. Thats not its final location!!
IMG_3206.jpeg
triking.jpeg

Richard and Pat
Posts: 778
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2018 2:44 pm
Location: Biggleswade

Re: Build update

Post by Richard and Pat » Sun Mar 07, 2021 9:19 am

Nice job Colin,
Looking forward to meeting up soon. I am about to prime and go for a start on three year build of T3.

Weg
Posts: 807
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2018 7:30 pm
Location: Huntingdonshire

Re: Build update

Post by Weg » Mon Mar 08, 2021 8:41 am

Good luck Colin, you have a little way to go yet but we may see you on the road this summer.

The mental trauma and sheer hard physical work caused by the Great Ouse doesn’t seem to have blunted your enthusiasm.
I suspect there may be a back log for MSVA tests so it may be worth getting booked up ready.
Just the wiring to sort out and pop the body on. :)
Tony

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