Tuesday, 22 July 2025

She wants to tell me something


Over the past few weeks I have been using ‘t Kreng as much as possible to see how the engine and in particular the cooling system behaved. And on that note I took the car for a longer trip into neighbouring Belgium last Saturday afternoon and evening. This 370 kilometres overall trip turned out to be rather enjoyable. The car really came back to life again during this trip. And most importantly the cooling system looked like it was fully functional again. But after driving through some rather dark patches of forest I found that the temperature gauge had risen noticeably. My first thoughts were that this might be caused by the moist and cool air inside the forest, providing cool dense air to the fuel mixture and as such giving a leaner mixture. That wasn't really a satisfactory answer to the problem, but the only one I could come up with at that moment. Until I switched of the lights while coming out into the daylight that is! As soon as I flicked of the light switch the temperature gauge would drop back to its normal reading. So over the next few kilometres I did switch the lights on and of several times. And sure enough switching on the lights would increase the gauge’s readings. While the needle would drop immediately after the lights were switched of. And the clock also had a mind of its own, switching on and off rather randomly during the day!


It looks like the few years of idleness have had some impact on the cars electrics. So the first items to check will be the earth points and connectors of earth wires directly related to the lights and the light switch. This check can be combined nicely with a slightly overdue regular service. And of course use her more often! With that I already made a start, as I have covered well over a 1000 kilometres so far since fitting the new water pump. Which equals the mileage of the past two years together!



Thursday, 3 July 2025

Revised 1981 TR7 wiring diagram

Thanks to Howard for his permission to use his superb revised 1981 UK and European TR7 wiring diagrams in my blog (which is also my personal source of information when working on my cars). But most importantly a big thanks to him for taking the time to revise these from the slightly confusing original diagrams from the work shop manual!











Wednesday, 2 July 2025

Coast-2-Coast Run 2025; The aftermath

After Club Triumph’s Coast-2-Coast Run had finished I stayed for a few more days to visit two very fine historic aircraft collections; RAF Hendon and IWM Duxford. Time for a few pictures of these two superb museums. To start with two flying boats from the collection at RAF Hendon;


Inside the Short Sunderland MR.5.


A few details from the Supermarine Stranraer.

And a few pictures from the collection from the Imperial War Museum at the Duxford Aerodrome;

Hawker Hurricane Mk I R4118 (G-HUPW) the only airworthy
Hurricane to have taken part in the Battle of Britain

Fokker Dr. I Triplane replica

Blackburn Buccaneer Mk 2B

Mitsubishi Zero A6M5 cockpit

Battle of Britain hangar

Air & Sea hangar Duxford

Panavia Tornado GR.4 (ZA469 Royal Air Force – Marham Wing, coded 029)

Leyland Retriever L4410754 (General Montgomery's Office Caravan)

Air Space hangar 1