Are You Ready to Hit the Road?

With less than one month before the TR6 comes out of storage and most of my winter projects completed on the car last fall one of the last things to get ready is my roadside repair parts kit. For my daily commute during the summer I only carry the basics such as: spare tire, jack, lug wrench, flares, gallon of antifreeze & water mix, quart of oil, quart of GL-4 (per the Stagmeister) gear oil and brake fluid. In addition with the spare I have also added the following parts since they fit in with the spare under the cover in the boot.

Jumper cables, in case the push start doesn't work.
One radiator hose. Both the upper and lower are almost the same, one is shorter
Good used set of spark plug wires that were removed when the new set was installed.
Short lengths of 3/16", ¼", 5/16" & 3/8" fuel lines with clamps and some vacuum line too.
One used fan belt that was replaced with a new one.
A spare coil that was removed when I replaced mine with a Pertronix High Performance one.

This rounds out my list of items that I always carry with me. For longer trips I bring my toolbox and my TR6 spares parts bin that I made up. Otherwise, I keep both my toolbox and spare parts bin ready to go in my garage in case I might break down on the road. Then all I need to do is have my rescue party bring me these two items without them having to dig around my garage for the tools or part I need. With the parts I have assembled in my TR6 spare parts bin I feel I can repair on the road the most common breakdowns which I have compiled from my Snic Braaapp issues. My TR6 spare parts bin is basically one of the plastic organizers from The Home Depot with a handle. It is not much bigger than a power drill case but here is a list of the items that I have collected and keep for roadside repairs.

Spare thermostat housing (these crack easy) and a 192 and 180-degree thermostats with gaskets.
Extra lug nuts and studs front and rear. Guess I have just read about too many horror stories about wheels coming off cars at speed.
When I replaced the fuel pump on my TR6 I took the original and rebuilt it and now keep it as spare to my backup electric fuel pump (Could this be why I was labeled Most Anal Retentive in last months issue?)
Extra engine block freeze plugs. These are cheap and most can be accessed on the block.
Spare set of brake pads and mounting pins. Again these are cheap and can be easily replaced roadside.
Six brand new spark plugs, new distributor cap and a new rotor.
I gave up on the reproduction TR6 heater valves. They only last about a year or so I replaced mine with a manual ball valve from the hardware store. But I still have an extra heater valve and pipe just in case.
Extra light bulbs, fuses, electrical tape and wire. Mr. Lucas would be proud.
The original points and condenser set that I removed from my TR6 when I replaced them with the Pertronix Electronic Ignition. If it ever fails I can easily put the car back to the points and condenser set up. Yes, I have a feeler gage too. That Quackenbush homemade electronic ignition sounds like a good idea too.
The TR6 repair manual along with a Victoria British and Moss catalogs.
And finally I picked up at the British Car Parts Swap Meet a good used clutch master and slave and rebuilt them and keep them as spares. I also have an extra clutch hose as well.

These all may seem like overkill especially for someone who has a TR6 that for the most part has been completely restored. But I have had new and rebuilt parts fail out of the box so I don't take chances anymore. And these parts are not just for me; they are also available to any ISOA member on the road or British car owner as long as it's a Triumph.

In closing at the British Car Festival at MORE RAIN Valley last September as the rain began to fall the guy next to me from Dubuque Iowa started his TR6 up only to discover the steel fuel line was leaking bad at the front by the thermostat housing. I asked if I could help and said he could not find anyone with some rubber fuel line and clamps at the festival. Well he hadn't talked to me yet. I set him up with a short section of fuel line and clamps and he made the necessary repairs before the rain came down. Point of the story. Three months later a box shows up at my house full of different sizes of worm gear clamps and spools of fuel line. Turns out the guy owned an Ace hardware and this was his way of saying Thanks. Well, you're welcome Steve. Anytime.

by Ed "Krakatoa" Krakowiak