by Chris Doble
Dianne and I have just returned from a driving trip to
Brisbane where we spent a lovely three weeks with our daughter Rachel.
Our sight-seeing included, The Mummy Exhibition, the South Bank,
Brisy River, the Gold Coast and the
Sunshine Coast.
I was sitting in my shorts and T shirt watching the Block on TV.
The temperature was 10 degrees and I noted the temp back in
Canberra was minus six with I suspect an even greater chill factor that was not mentioned.
Somewhat bored with the TV I was pondering what to do with tomorrows “freedom day” because Rachel was going to work and Dianne needed a rest from the travel.
An idea popped into my head.
Greg Tunstall Mechanical has advertised quite a lot in our magazine and has done quite a number of jobs for our club members. On the Thursday, I gate-crashed the Greg Tunstall Mechanical Workshop in Cleveland which is about 30 K south of Brisy CBD. I had no particular agenda, -just was curious to see what was happening in his Triumph world.
Here is Greg Tunstall. We had a lovely discussion about various Triumphs of interest including my TR5 and Max’s TR5. Being so rare Greg was surprised when I boasted our club has four TR5s. Greg invited me back on the following Monday to have a ride in a client’s TR5 that he has been adjusting and fine tuning the Lucas fuel injection on.
When I arrived back after the weekend I had to wait while the apprentice washed the car. While I was waiting a mechanic in the workshop commented that it is very difficult to see where any more money could be spent to improve this particular car. Greg put the value of the car at over $100,000 and reckoned close on that if not more had been spent on it. He didn’t say if that amount of money was spent with him and I didn’t ask.
Some of the specs I remember were: Bored out to 2.7 litres, Nissan E3 pistons, secret weapon- Greg Tunstall designed cam shaft, overhead throttle linkages, rewired with modern relays and fuse panels and up rated alternator.
The Bosch fuel pump was hidden under the left rear guard which allowed for extra cooling. An obvious additional advantage of this placement is the reduction of fuel fumes in the boot. The fuel pump had an extras heat-sink arrangement to help keep the fuel cool. Greg had built a close ratio gear box and fitted it to the overdrive. Datsun half shafts had been added to a limited slip diff. The suspension had been lowered by an inch and rear telescopic shockers had been fitted. Wheels were a bit wider at 205-65-15. Brakes were larger vented disks.
Creature comforts included a customised fully integrated air conditioner, head rests added to the original bucket seats and pump-up lumbar supports. As a passenger I can attest that the car drove and handled quite well. Obviously being a customer’s car it was not driven near the limit of its capabilities. The experience and above description does demonstrate what can be done if the resources are made available to the task.
Here is a photo of Dave Rogers’s TR6 metering unit ready for bench testing the flow rates.
Greg did tell me that he has been researching ways of combining modern electronic engine management systems with the Lucas fuel injection. A challenge he is looking at is how to reduce fuel supply at the lower rev range for street cars as distinct from high volume setups for racing cars.
Here is a photo of an electric power steering unit for a Stag. Greg said that it could be adapted to fit any English car and that it can be a lot cheaper option than fitting hydraulic power steering.
From Greg Tunstall’s I went to nearby Rabe Beach from where the ferries proceed to Stradbroke Island. A strong sea breeze was blowing and the sea was really rough. The sea gulls didn’t seem to mind the weather they just kept flying in squabbling over my lunch (fish and chips I tossed onto the beach) and flying out. I put a jumper on over my T shirt I think the temp was about 15 degrees by now being mid-afternoon. I spared a thought for those folk back in Canberra. Now I’m home. Hay we’ve passed the winter solstice and are travelling back towards the sun. Things should only get warmer – I hope so and soon.
