General Tech Cut Hole in Tunnel Cover for Access to Angle Drive?

[KVH]

Guys, I’d like to see how folks react. I need to access my speedometer angle drive on my TR4A with overdrive. I’ve removed interiors on my TRs somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 times. It’s a pain, especially when you’ve got a radio in the console. That, plus removing the dash controls, not to mention the seats and carpeting. Then, there’s the tunnel itself. Near 20 bolts and fasteners, snaps, all that. The hardest part for me is working around the plinth and controls, all just to get that console out.

So, why don’t I just pull the driver’s seat, fold up the carpet and cut out a piece of the tunnel for access to the angle drive, then fashion a new piece and glue it in with silicone? I doubt I’ll notice any more noise.

Maybe take the poll and let me know what you think. Hope I posted this correctly. Thx

 

[mezy]

Sounds like a plan to me. Probably not the first to do it.

 

[Sarastro]

When I bought my car, it had such an opening, but fortunately I've never had to use it. The cover seemed to be made out of a beer can, so it's pretty clear that the whole thing was designed by a PO. (Probably a beer drinker, too.) It seems practical, to me. I don't think I would ever do this, though, since all my beer is either draft or bottled.

Instead of gluing the cover on, though, consider using speednuts and screws.

 

[Hamish Racing]

Turn it into Swiss cheese.
Speedo drive
And then the other side
Oil level/filler
Solenoid access

 

[bobhustead]

is it not accessible from the underside?
Bob

 

[CJD]

It's definitely an option. I can never bring myself to modify a car other than bolt on changes that can be unbolted. Just me. I spent too many years making my car just like it rolled off the line in Covington.

 

[KVH]

No, not accessible with OD. It’s nicely tucked away above the exhaust, the transmission mount bracket and a few other impediments. I’m wondering what possibly went wrong. The cable isn’t turning, meaning it broke, or the angle drive broke. You may recall that Moss started adding a spacer and included a packaged “note” advising that the spacer is necessary to avoid binding. I guess they still didn’t get it right, or maybe my cable broke.

 

[KVH]

It's definitely an option. I can never bring myself to modify a car other than bolt on changes that can be unbolted. Just me. I spent too many years making my car just like it rolled off the line in Covington.

I know. My dad served in the Canadian Army on the Isle of Wight, and wanted never to see classic British cars modified to be other than stock. I remember the look on his face when in High School I replaced my carpeting with something truly awful.

 

[CJD]

I thought you may have been talking about your TR4. It's a shame something as simple as an angle drive causes so much pain. I assume that, unlike the TR2/3's that the TR4 has some obstruction that prevents just a curved cable?

 

[charleyf]

Does your speedo register smoothly?
If you are getting a bouncing of the needle there could be a problem inside the speedometer. Which could cause a broken cable or angle drive.
Charley

 

[auprichard]

I have a TR4 (not 4A) with overdrive and I don't use an angle drive.

 

[sp53]

I would bet the 1961 tr4 with over drive is just like a 1961 tr3 with overdrive. The tr3 uses a longer cable and makes a big loop for smoothness with no angle drive. Not sure when the angel drive came into play, but it sounds it would a place for the cable to bind.

steve

 

[Hamish Racing]

It's definitely an option. I can never bring myself to modify a car other than bolt on changes that can be unbolted. Just me. I spent too many years making my car just like it rolled off the line in Covington.

I bet a lot of the restored cars are considerably better than anything the factory or assembly plants produced. Thus hardly “Original”.
From panel fit to paint.
Why not make “your car” how “you” want it.

 

[jfarris]

56 TR3 with OD, I had constant problems with the angle drive. Original long cable has worked great for about 5 years now!

 

[Popeye]

I can’t find a good picture, however I cut a hole on the passenger side and fabricated a cover out of fiberglass. If I recall correctly, the new poly cover did not fit over the gear, so a hole/modification was required regardless. I taped a sheet of plastic over the gear, and made a plaster mold using quick-set plaster - I held it in place while the plaster cured. I tweaked the mold (made it deeper) to my liking, and laid fiberglass/epoxy.

(Initially I tried to modify the cover, ie bump out, with a heat gun, but was not able to do this precisely enough for my tastes.)

My experience with failing right angle drives: https://www.britishcarforum.com/community/threads/o-d-right-angle-drive-choices.128749/#post-1219023

 

[Rod-H]

Back in the late '70's I had a GT6 with overdrive and had the same problem. I used the same solution by creating a cover out of fiberglass and screwing it into the tunnel. I put weatherstrip around the edge of the cover and it worked just fine.

Rod

 

[RJS]

Hi
I have replaced my angle drive four times. All via the interior by folding the carpet back. So, I must assume the PO cut the hole to access it.

Separately, I initially thought my issue was poor quality angle drives and/or not adding enough spacer washers. After some deduction, it turned out to be a the odometer drive gear in the speedo head. It is plastic and had a tiny hairline crack in it. This caused it to bind on the drive worm gear every so many rotations - bad enough that it would snap the angle drive.

Got replacement gears here:
> Odometer Gears - WELCOME <
> Odometer Gears - Jaeger-Smiths - All <

Suggest you pull the speedo and spin it by hand by inserting a screw driver the back

Good luck

Bob

 

[CJD]

I bet a lot of the restored cars are considerably better than anything the factory or assembly plants produced. Thus hardly “Original”.
From panel fit to paint.
Why not make “your car” how “you” want it.

Exactly what I spent 5 years doing! It's now been on the road for 8 years and the only problem has been a blown heater core. Let's say it is as it "would" have roll out of Coventry if they had the time to do it right.

 

[Rockie51]

I had several Speedo cables break on my 4A and had the same problem of pulling half the car apart to replace the angle drive. I even bought an electronic speedo from Revington. It took some months to arrive so I bought a 2 piece gear box cover from Racetorations which comes with the inspection cover. I installed a new angle drive WITHOUT using the washer. I have done about 25000 miles since without the cable or the drive failing! So I have a surplus speedo with the correct glass for a 4A and I have not had to use the convenience of the 2 piece cover.

Good luck!

 

[KVH]

That “tunnel” looks awesome. I’m going to head that direction.