Steve Dix < This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it wrote in message - snipped - I'll never forget the Haynes Manual for the Triumph Dolomite in which it was clearly written to remove the two bolts that attach the cam-chain sprocket to the end of the camshaft but to be careful not to drop them as they might fall into the sump or, worse still, onto the lower cam-chain sprocket. You can guess what I did!  Of course a more-sensible person would have stuffed a rag in the gap first, and Messrs. Haynes could have suggested that. The one thing I learned from the Haynes Strat book was the value of inside fingerboard-radius gauges for setting bridge heights. Chris Would that be the BL Twin-Cam engine, which had a habit of overheating due to the pulley being too small on the water pump? That was my introduction to engine-building, age 12, when I helped my father rebuild one from our SAAB.  Talk about being dropped in at the deep end. I vaguely recall that the Dolly Sprint had the twin cam engine and mine, the 1850 'High Line' (!) had a SOHC.  I also recall that an engine of similar design, perhaps even a copy, was used by SAAB.  My problem was a recurring cylinder-head gasket leak and, eventually, I committed the ultimate sin and glued the whole lot together!  Worked fine. Chris

 I also recall that an engine of similar design, perhaps even a copy, was used by SAAB. IIRC the engine in the SAAB 95/99 was licensed from Triumph but they had a different head. The old 92/94? had the Ford V4 from the Corsair and Transit van. Handy in the Tranny cause it was so short but not very smooth. Steve.

Not for nothing are they known in car circles as the HBoL (Haynes Book of Lies)... *laughs* I'd not heard that. Though I recognise the not-quite-the-right-model syndrome. TBH for the minimal repair work I've done on various cars over the years they've always been very helpful. Perhaps they are targeted more at my kind of level than someone who knows what they're doing... Though having said that, the pictures in my current manual have been used to identify mistakes a garage made in re-assembly, so perhaps they have a place for those who are _supposed_ to know too! J.

I vaguely recall that the Dolly Sprint had the twin cam engine and mine, the 1850 'High Line' (!) had a SOHC. Despite having 16 valves (I know cos I ground them all in) the Dolly Sprint had a single cam and an ingenious method of driving the valves. All the tappets were shimmed too - it took ages to rebuild.  I also recall that an engine of similar design, perhaps even a copy, was used by SAAB. IIRC the engine in the SAAB 95/99 was licensed from Triumph but they had a different head. The old 92/94? had the Ford V4 from the Corsair and Transit van. Handy in the Tranny cause it was so short but not very smooth. Steve. Tranny... gig-van... you see, it all comes back to guitars sooner or later Maybe Haynes will tell us how to shim the machine-heads, re-sleeve neck screw-holes, etc. Rog

Tranny... gig-van... you see, it all comes back to guitars sooner or later Maybe Haynes will tell us how to shim the machine-heads, re-sleeve neck screw-holes, etc. Rog It's a pity it wasn't any good. Maybe it's time Dorling Kindersly did The Big Book of Strats Seriously, is there anything worthwile getting in the same format (i.e. big colourful pics etc) ?

Tranny... gig-van... you see, it all comes back to guitars sooner or later Maybe Haynes will tell us how to shim the machine-heads, re-sleeve neck screw-holes, etc. Rog It's a pity it wasn't any good. Maybe it's time Dorling Kindersly did The Big Book of Strats Seriously, is there anything worthwile getting in the same format (i.e. big colourful pics etc) ? Take a peep at Amazon - some interesting-looking new Fender-related _title_s there. 'You-know-what' is coming... Rog