Again, thanks for the welcome. Will probably join the club in the very near future - spent enough this week... and after I've got the car home I'll have all the details. I noticed in the car's paperwork that there were several copies of the club magazine so the owners prior to the seller were presumably members. I normally join the relevant club if I'm driving something a bit different, usually a huge amount of knowledge and enthusiasm to be found there - whether or not I can add to that remains to be seen... Cheers for now, John.

Hi John

Glad to have been inspiration!

I find the TA a great touring car. Plenty of space and quick enough to keep pacevwith modern traffic.

There is a club run to southern Ireland in September cant wait for that let me know if you fancy it.

I am sure members will be more than happy to help out with any technical issues.

A word of caution about doors - they were not designed for doors and the fibre glass is not layed out carefully enough to stop the cut edges de-laminating. More resin may be required to seal the cut edges up properly.

It does weaken the body sides a bit too.

Happy motoring
Jeremy

Hi Jeremy, I’m surprised you had delamination. This is due to not enough resin used in the layup to wet out the layers.
My TC body resembled a jelly when I cut out doors. There are pics and details of how I made frameworks up to put the rigidity back in the articles section of the club.

Regards Mel.

Hi Mel,

It is quite bad in places - variable but I had thought of getting some resin to try and stick it back together.

I'll look at your pictures sounds like a good idea!

Cheers
Jeremy

Thanks for all the replies. I've now had a good look 'round the site (very informative) and have read the article on fitting doors - hadn't realised that so much work was involved; a lot of g.r.p. shells already have all the necessary bracing and hinge points ready installed. 'Think doors might have to wait until after I've finished the hot rod, 'bikes, cottage and garage...
Should be off to collect an overdrive set up this evening tho', so that and fabricating some sort of boot will take priority...
As for touring, thanks, I shall have to see what I think after I've driven it home at the weekend - who knows, that might be enough for me and there'll be a nice red TA in the "For sales" come Monday morning!
Cheers, John.
P.S. I'm in N. Wilts, just outside R.A.F. Lyneham should it interest anyone.

Hi John.
Welcome, from another TA owner. I built mine in 1989/90 and toured Scotland that year. I did, at the time, live in Lancashire, so the tour start was a bit closer than some owners. If you are planning a tour, make sure you have a hood. The day we travelled up on the M74 we had to pull onto the hard shoulder, because the rain was coming down so hard, the wipers could not cope. It did not stop the owners of two Green Label Bentley's, giving us a wave, as they passed on the opposite carriageway, soaking wet as they had no hoods. When the sun came out there was nothing better than driving up the West Coast, sun on the face, wind in the hair.
Good luck with the build/mod's
Mine is 1.8 Marina based, but if I can help with any info', I will try, as I am sure many other members on here will.

Thanks Ron, Sounds like Scotland is the place to take your TA! I've toured there in the past on a BSA 650 and more recently in my modded Spitfire; had a lovely time tho' I will admit to the Spitty coming home on a low loader... According to the other half Skye is the destination this year, six hundred miles from here.
Thanks again for the offer of advice etc. hopefully I will get to give the car a decent checkover this weekend. That is, of course, if circumstances stop conspiring against me and the "displaced polar vortex"* that could "paralyse the country"* doesn't get in the way of picking it up; hmmm...

*Courtesy of the Daily Express

Not far off a couple of thousand mile holiday then! Just make sure you go to Elgol. Fantastic drive and great view of the Cuilin range when you arrive. Making me jealous now.