strength test for TC

[frenchblatter]

It's not my week is it.

I may be getting a cctv clip of the following "incident"

I went to Bawtry today to get a new inner tube in one of the TC wheels. I went in the TC.

I found their place which is a unit in a place called Hudsons Yard, Hudson being a haulage company. I drove in and missed the sign for Longstone tyres so went to the back of their lorry park looking for it. When I got the the end, up a short ramp, I was told I'd missed it and to go back and turn right by the gate and go around the back of the buildings. I reversed and then turned to drive back down the ramp............. except I went over a 4 foot drop of the edge of a loading bay.

The car landed on the front wheels with an almighty crash followed a second later by the rear. The bonnet came adrift, one headlight fell out but didn't break, the front and rear number plates got bent up and the end of the exhaust is now about 1/4" wide. Other than that the car seems OK and drives as it should. The rad has moved back about 1/16". I'll get it up in the air tomorrow and see if there's any damage underneath, refit the headlamp, straight the number plates and cut the end off the exhaust.

Apparently this happens about 4 times a year as from the top the loading bay looks like it's the ramp you just drove up. It makes one wonder why Hudson's don't put a pole in the ground to stop others doing it.

I refitted the bonnet, and drove round to Longstone's and told them. They had heard the crash and wondered what it was. They made me a cup of tea and offered me "something stronger". They then helped take the headlamp reflector off and open the exhaust pipe a bit. They couldn't have been more helpful. They are a real bunch of enthusiasts. Doug has a Ford model A and a Frazer Nash being restored. He also has a few Lotus's like an Elite and an Elan. A young lad has an Austin 7 special which was 100 years old in January. He races it all over the country and made me very happy to see a youngster keeping our love of old cars going. They have a Facebook page with pictures of some of these cars if you're interested.

OK, I'm back now, going to have a large whiskey and then go to bed and stay there until Monday morning. I've had enough this week and won't tempt fate

Longstone's are asking Hudson's if they'll send me a clip of me trying to get a TC airborne. If they do I'll upload to my website so you can all have another laugh.

I've yet to get the car on the ramp to inspect underneath but the doors open and shut OK and it steers OK and no wheel wobbles so it seems that I've only to refit the headlamp, straighten front and rear number plate brackets, cut end of exhaust (it's too long now as it sticks out beyond number plate) and adjust rad to bring it forward about 1/16" and refit bonnet rear mounting. I HOPE

[Steve Simmons]

My goodness! Glad you're ok and the car stayed upright. That must have been quite a feeling suddenly dropping like that. Scary!

These are tough little cars indeed. I'm surprised mine is still in one piece after some of the things I've put it through. Got the front end off the ground at 50MPH on a logging road in the Cascade Mountains once. There was probably more damage to our spines than there was to the TC. Another trip over a 7,000-foot pass on a rough gravel track also comes to mind.

I think I would check the front axle straightness as well as a basic frame measurement, just to be sure. And maybe the rear axle stop brackets.

As for the lift, I never even get under one without the locks in place! I hope the damage to the MGB was minimal.

[SteveW]

Hi Norman, The important thing is that you are ok. Probably just as well that you must have been going fast enough to get both ends off, otherwise you would have done a real nose dive and could have gone through the windscreen or done a passable rendering of the closing scene in 'The Italian Job'! As Steve says, TC's (and you) must be made of tough stuff. I'll call in to see you one day once the current lockdown restrictions are eased.

By the way, I'm impressed that you can spot that the rad has moved by 1/16".

[frenchblatter]

Steve, It's easy to know it's 1/16", that's the amount the bonnet overlaps the edge

I'm in Alfreton on 26th May have a rolling road session at Peter Burgess. I'm seeing if I can meet someone else (with a B) for lunch so maybe, if you're free, you'd like to join in. I'm due at 0900 so should be finished by lunchtime. I'll let you know where we're meeting when he gets back to me.

[Steve Simmons]

That measurement concerns me, because for the top top move back it seems one of two things has happened.

1) The body has shifted forward
2) the frame has bend upward

I don't think the radiator stays could have bent, since nothing directly impacted them. I guess anything is possible though. We're in uncharted territory here. I will be very interested to see what you find.

[Ray White]

Norman. That is one scary story! You must be "all shook up"!

I have fallen off a loading bay before now...but never driven off one! Looking on the bright side, things could have been a whole lot worse.

I would be surprised if you haven't buckled the front wheels.!

[frenchblatter]

ray, somehow I think they've survived. I drove it home, about 30 miles and there's no wheel wobble, which I'd have thought there would be if they were buckled. I'll have it up in the air Monday morning so will see if they are still running true.

[frenchblatter]

Steve, it may be a bent chassis but if so I would expect the doors to be out of alignment and they're not (or don't seem to be).

I may have been lucky as the car was moving forward so the impact was more of a glancing blow than a direct drop.

[Steve Simmons]

Well just think what would have happened if it wasn't a TC. You would have landed directly on the front bumper and body work! And it probably would have gone no further.

[Mark McCombs]

Hi Norm,
I am glad you are ok.

One time I was driving my old BMW on the interstate in Cleveland and with no warning, the pavement dropped away about 6 inches where they ground it down with a paver. At 70mph, it was a hell of a wollop, my left driving light popped out of the bumper skirt and my windshield was cracked by a shower of rocks from the guy I was following.... All in the blink of an eye. Not 4 feet but it really takes one by surprise.

Regarding the 1/16 bonnet overlap, I suspect the tub shifted forward: As the forward momentum stopped, the mass of the tub probably shifted it forward if the tub was not at the most forward of the tub mounting slotted holes. If this is the case, I think you could loosen the tub bolts, run a heavy board under the tub and jack it up slightly with a trolley jack to 'float' it back a bit (I did this to get my tub aligned).
Let us know how you make out.
PS, recall the photo in tc's forever of Mike Sherrill rolling his over a guardrail....they are tough cars.




'

[Ray White]

I am also inclined to suspect that the body has moved forward on its 6 little BSF mounting bolts. (On my car they had been ripped out completely) The two brackets that support the bulkhead are very weak and are often found to have cracked. I had to repair/replace both of mine; they certainly would have not put up much resistance and might be worth inspecting. The two radiator stays, like wise, are flimsy and may have become slightly bent. I Think/hope you have got away with it. Good to see how rugged (unkind people say agricultural!) these super little cars are.

They certainly don't make 'em like that anymore!!

[frenchblatter]

I hope you're right about the body moving forward and not a bent chassis. I'll know tomorrow when I'm allowed out to play

My first thought was the rad had bent the stay bars as it was jolted back with the impact. I guess it could have been worse and maybe I was going faster than I though as the car kept moving forward after impact so it was a glancing blow rather than a straight drop.... see I'm forever an optimist

[frenchblatter]

I hope you're right about the body moving forward and not a bent chassis. I'll know tomorrow when I'm allowed out to play

My first thought was the rad had bent the stay bars as it was jolted back with the impact. I guess it could have been worse and maybe I was going faster than I though as the car kept moving forward after impact so it was a glancing blow rather than a straight drop.... see I'm forever an optimist

[Duncan M]

Norman-
Good to hear you survived the gravity test. You might want to get an X ray of that ankle...