Barn Find Triumph Pi

[David Withers]

...I have had a lot of the unique fixings and other bits yellow passivated .... The clear passivate I've had good results, yellow however is bit hit and miss experimenting still in progress.

When my job included specifying zinc plated hardware and brackets etc in the 1970s into the 1980s, clear passivation was achieved commercially by passivating yellow followed by bleaching to clear (silver).

Yellow passivation was - and I expect still is - much more durable than clear passivation, achieving about three times the hours to corrosion in accelerated salt-spray tests.

For those unfamiliar with the technology, the zinc protects the substrate and the passivation protects the zinc.

[Tinsmith_Skippy]

Here are some of the items I have plated with the home kit. The problem encountered with the yellow sacrificial coating has been the adhesion. However since I have left the items over a long period of time the coating has hardened. So I think the 24hr period suggested until it can be placed in a mechanical situation is a little underestimated. I like the idea you can strip down small assemblies plate them and put them back together quickly. However you if take boxes and boxes of parts to the plater you get value for money over small batch quantities.

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

All good stuff!

[Tinsmith_Skippy]

Hello all just an update on the Pi

Refitting rear end.









hmm tricky little fix







Doh plastic first then put the handles on!



Headliner in still trying to workout the headache webasto.







Hopfully the suspension and engine will be installed over the next couple of weeks. Thanks for the comments. More updates following soon.

[Tinsmith_Skippy]

[Charles H]

Ross
Good to meet you at the weekend in Lincolnshire! Amazing quality of work as usual, HOWEVER I personally do not like the red trailing arms!!! Mine are all just covered in mud anyway, so could be any colour1

[Tinsmith_Skippy]

Hello Charles, it was good to meet you too. I totally appreciate that everyone has their own personal tastes and I can only blame my mispent youth reading Maxpower magazine when it was all about stainless braided silicone hoses and garishly painted suspension parts which has led to these misguided actions. I just couldn't resist the urge and buckled under the pressure!
Speaking generally about the cars originality, the trim code is tan brown which I believe may have even been half cloth half vinyl which would be virtually impossible to get secondhand and a re-trim would exceed my current budget. Over the period of the restoration I have managed to get chestnut brown, black and grey seats and I have decided to install the latter. The next debate I've had with a few pals is the gearbox which is the 4 speed manual non overdrive, which everyone has said oh you have, you should i install an overdrive box? Still debating that conundrum.
Anyway, when the car is all finished and the "get to know you period" is over, we will inevitably have to part ways. "Too many projects on the go" (I had to slip that eBay one in!). We have come to an agreement, you can keep your red bits and I'll have the silver and black parts back please.

[Alan Chatterton]

I like the red bits!!! All personal choice, however, no one can fault you on your workmanship. Top job you are doing there!!


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[Charles H]

Ross
The trim code will have a 'C' in it if the interior had the cloth faced seats. Personally I like the grey vinyl and have that in my Mallard blue PI. It was originally black inside! All down to an individuals taste. Most things are reversible anyway!
I would go for the OD box if the car is to be driven a lot. If just a show car then it doesn't matter quite so much. My rally car had no OD when I got it, and I think the 'box was rebuilt, but has not been used. Just sitting it the workshop. All up to you in the end.

[Tinsmith_Skippy]

Touch Down! Restored the pictures Photo Bucket Time I'll never get back and you want $400 dollars a year!