Resurrecting a NZ built racing special

[hotrod1]

[hotrod1]

The thin fiberglass seat that was fitted to the car was mounted in with a self taping screw so something more substantial is called for from a safety point of view, a used alloy seat from a speedway car will fit the bill with a few modifications and will be able to be mounted mounted to the floor/frame with some race car mounting brackets. the wings at chest height will need to be trimmed back a bit and the headrest will need to be lowered and the padded cover is a little tatty so it will need a tidy up and some more padding but it fits in the rather narrow cockpit [42CM] and my butt just fits into the seat with my race suit on.

[hotrod1]

[Ray Bell]

Another three months on...

How's progress now?

[hotrod1]

Hi Ray progress has been slow on the race car as I purchased a vintage special for the missus and my daughter to use on sunny days and I need to get it up to scratch and safe for them to use this summer. I should be back into the race car in the next few weeks.

[hotrod1]

[Ray Bell]

That's understandable...

As long as the Wolseley badge lights up.

What's the makeup of the beast? Wolseley 4/44-based by the looks of things.

[hotrod1]

Triumph Herald with a hand built alloy body done in the 80s the only Wolseley parts are the grill and badges. I purchased it in CHCH 3 months ago and a few weeks later a guy joined my car club here in Waimate and it turned out he was the guy who built it, I guess its a small world. really only got it for parts but when the missus and daughter saw me drive it out of the shed on on to the trailer they fell in love with it. so making it safe for them to drive. but it has been really well done so mainly a little resto and a few new bits.

[Ray Bell]

I reckon that could be as much fun as the Clubman-type car...

Road use and all. Maybe whack a larger engine into it for even more fun? Period, of course, something with an alloy head around 1600cc in size. Sunbeam Alpine motor and box would do it.

[hotrod1]

That is tempting but this ones for the girls so 1200cc will be fine and safe for them we will keep it at our CHCH place so it will mostly be on the flat, no roof so sunny days only, I am in the VCC so we have plenty of runs and outings to go to.
If I looked at racing it I would need to upgrade the brakes, bigger engine, work the suspension, fit a roll bar, wider rims and tyres, harnesses, reengineer the rear suspension [I have rolled one hot Herald already back in the day] it would never end and I have the clubman car for track work and sprints, a Corvette for Drags and an unfinished 36 Ford hot rod for cruising and enough parts to build a Formula junior type car if I can find enough room to start building it when the clubman is done. so best the girls have fun with this one.

[Roger Dowding]

Not a Herald as one would know it - and yes we know that the original " T - Car " was based on a Herald chassis but what hotrod1 has is much more interesting..

" Year: 1965
Make: TRIUMPH
Model: HERALD
Colour: WHITE
Body Style: Saloon
Plate: FB3941
Engine No: GD54605HE
Chassis: 3G831317DL
Vehicle Type: Passenger Car/Van
Seats: 5
CC rating: 1,147cc
Fuel Type: Petrol
Assembly Type: Unknown
Country of Origin: Not known
Industry Class: PRIVATE "
" FB3941
Plate Type: Standard
Origin: NZ New
Used as: Private Passenger vehicle
Cause of Latest Registration: New
NZ First Registration: 01-Nov-1965 "

Good luck with this project too !!.
The Carjam page has a front on photo of the car - close up .. and small !! Your photo !!!

[Ray Bell]

I was thinking a Datsun 1200 engine would go in there easily and be a lot less trouble than the Herald unit...

Though it's not a 998cc version. But all the same, the Datsun would be easy and lighter and so on.

[GregT]

In NZ, finding a Datsun 1200 engine is now nearly impossible, They and a couple of other common small Jap engines went to SE Asia for forklift engines. By the container load.

[hotrod1]

Hi Roger yes an interesting little car I have been working on it in my driveway on sunny days and have had guys stopping going past to ask what it is. everyone loves it and would like to take it home. I have been calling it a kit car but it is more a one off special and it handles like a proper sports car. it was cheap to buy and I have spent about the same amount on parts to bring it up to a usable standard so the girls can have some fun.

[hotrod1]

The Wolseley Special is done got a Rego and WOF today so just some fine tuning as things pop up. its been a fun project and it go's pretty well for 1147cc and it handles like a sports car due to it being so light I guess . I will have it out of the shed here in Waimate by xmas and up to my Chch place for the missus to use so I can get back onto the race car. its been a while since I could work on it so I will not have it ready to race this summer but next summer will be my aim now. but happy wife happy life.

[hotrod1]

sorting out the bugs

[hotrod1]

Still not working on the race car had a few issues with the wee car the carb was flooding and I put this down to the electric fuel pump so changed it out for a new stock crank driven pump still the same issue and while waiting for a needle and seat for the single Solex carb I swapped what was left of my Herald $50 parts car for a set of twin Stromberg carbs and manifolds for the 1150cc engine so after a rebuild on the carbs I fitted them and due to the larger size the bonnet would not close without fouling on them, So I needed a few mods the intake was shortened by removing 30mm from the runners this got the carbs closer to the engine and only a small mod was needed to the bonnet to fit. just a few more small jobs and the car will be ready to hand over to the missus and I can resume work on the race car. No rest for the wicked.

[Oldfart]

It might be worth you acquiring new ethanol resistant diaphragms etc for the Strombergs, I have spoken with the distributor here in the UK, he advises it.

[hotrod1]

[hotrod1]

I have done very little to the race car lately due to work and family commitments and the fact that I have run out of room in my shed but I have managed to get most of the parts that I need for the rebuild and a set of used Weller Formula Ford wheel rims to replace the widened triumph rims that where fitted to the car these had been widened by using steel bands like they did back in the day they are in good condition but I would not trust them at speed.