Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Jim Walker]

Hi Rick. If it was not for the holes in the floor left by self tapping screws which held the carpet it would possibly have floated anyway.
There is no buoyancy in front of the windscreen, so two five gallon plastic containers occupied the engine space. Washboards were fibre glassed in across the door openings so the doors could be opened while afloat.
The car was weighed, wheel by wheel on the bathroom scales! Remembering that 1 cubic foot of water weighs 62.5 lbs and the same volume of air will therefore give 62.5 lbs of buoyancy it was possible to determine how much of the floor pan and plastic containers would be underwater. To get the anticipated level we had to add two more containers at the rear under the floor. We subsequently added several plastic four inch water pipes between the chassis rails to increase buoyancy sufficiently to carry a passenger. The inside of the car was filled with water to the anticipated water line to look for leaks and corrections made until there were none.
A hole was cut in the hatchback floor and a circular coaming made to keep water out. The engine dropped into that supported on a transverse beam with a fabricated steering control rod and tiller from the driving seat.
The trial run was amusing. Everything worked out fine until we tried to retrieve it on the slip-way. Trying to pull it out forwards was nearly a disaster. The single front wheel caused it to tip over. While we were struggling to get it out backwards with nothing to tie a rope to, a passer by exclaimed "It's ******* disgusting what people throw in the Canal these days!".
It probably sailed well over a hundred miles before we handed it over to the Dearne and Dove Society because new regulations for the restored part of the Chesterfield Canal made its use impossible. How do you get a Boat Safety Certificate and boat insurance for a Reliant?

Another amusing incident was when a Yorkshire Television Cameraman, trying to film the speed we were doing while riding/sailing with me could not understand why the speedo was not working.

Jim.

[Bengt Axel]

Welcome Jim.

The handlebars on the pre-unt Triumph - are they original?. From the photo they appear to be at an unusual angle

[Jim Walker]

WELL SPOTTED Bengt. THAT is only one of the'corrections'

The bike is a re-import from Malaya, where it was sent new in 1957. It has many modifications (cock-ups?), possibly because of spares difficulties.

The Nacelle fitted is from a 5TA and is too short. To make it 'fit' the front edge was set back, but covered by the inner lamp rim, and new holes were drilled to fix it. That made it only possible to fit the bars at that odd angle. A replacement 5T nacelle cured that.

Perhaps these facts will bother you more:- Most of the spokes in the front wheel, which terminate invisibly inside the brake drum edge have NO NIPPLES, but are bent at right angles at the end to retain them! The rear spokes have all been shortened by CUTTING and WELDING! The rear chain had a short (about 6 inch) length of wider and greater pitch chain crudely rivetted in with washers between the joining links to make up the width! On reflection, should I have put BENGT spokes?

There are many other 'corrections' needed, but none of those are safety issues. The photograph is as bought, but at a reasonable price.

Regards, Jim.

[Bengt Axel]

Welded spokes!. Go carefully Jim.

[Jim Walker]

I have NO intention of riding it until BOTH wheels are rebuilt. I will stick with my trusty 5TA also pictured. That, by the way, WAS a bathtub model, but there are some pre-unit parts fitted which I think look better.

Jim.