Errr The Camshaft Won't Fit - Starting The Engine Build | Triumph Herald 13/60 Restoration | Part 25

[@HenrysGarage]

Very nice video - really good walkthough of the engine rebuild. I have found that I need the the rings on the piston ring compressor tool line up with the piston rings to make install as smooth as possible.

[@redfoxclassics]

Thanks Henry! Ahh yeah I see what you mean, that makes sense. Initially I just didn't have a feel for the force needed, it's a fairly sharp tap. I kept thinking of one of Chris Fischer's videos where he managed to trap and snap a ring on piston install leading me to be extremely gentle to start with.

[@andrewmcpoland9040]

The pitfalls of sourcing spares for old Triumphs. I think you have a late 13/60 block, without cam bearings fitted, so you needed a large journal cam. You bought a small journal cam, intended for an earlier 13/60 or mk3 / early mk1V Spitfire block. I'm enjoying this series... 👍

[@redfoxclassics]

Thanks Andrew, much appreciated! I think the 13/60 never had cam bearings fitted. I don’t think it matters exactly what started with which fitment though. The big take away for me is that for the 1300 blocks at least there was one bore size, and cam journals sized to fit directly in that bore, or cam journals sized to fit in bearings that fitted in that same bore. Which makes sense from a manufacturing point of view.

[@andrewmcpoland9040]

It doesn't help when previous owners have left their mark. My 13/60 was a pretty standard 'looking' vehicle when purchased. It actually had the bigger Vitesse/GT6 brakes front and rear (bonus)! It now sports overdrive, twin carbs, MX5 seats, etc., oh, and the same wheels as yours (which suit the 13/60 much better in my opinion). Ironically, having watched your video, a cam is what mine really needs.

[@redfoxclassics]

Very true. One of the 14 previous keepers of my Spitfire liked to force metric bolts into the UNF threaded holes (among other crimes!). The Dunlop style wheels do suit the 13/60 I agree, I'm going back and forth on whether I keep or replace them though as they're heading towards needing re-refurbising. Nominally you can do a cam change with the engine in-situ, but by the time you've stripped down that far there's always the risk of finding stuff you don't want to 'just' put back...