tr7triumph.com

How does one regret the indiscretions of youth?

In July this year I developed tinnitus, probably as a result of standing in front of PAs at too many rock concerts and playing my discman/ipod too loud too often.

The outcome has been that I no longer enjoy using my sprint toy as a daily driver. It is just too loud and for around an hour after driving it I suffer intensified tinnitus that is almost impossible to block out.

I realised this was one of the factors affecting my motivation in tackling the V8 projects I have underway. The first thought was "let's make the new one really sound proof" - hence my post on the topic a few weeks ago.

Today I decided it would be better to just buy a new daily driver and I stumbled upon a 1995 Range Rover HSE 4.6 on ebay for less than half of retail book value.

Of course, this means I will sell the sprint toy. It has always been a distraction from the other projects so maybe farewell is the right move. It has been substantially improved while I have owned her, so now is probably right time to find someone else to care for her.

Here are some pics of the new daily driver I will collect next week:

Very sad to hear. Ancient Chinese saying: You can't sail a ship up a duck's arse. In this case your ship is the Sprint & the tinnitus is the arse.

Good luck with the mobile armchair.

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To do list:
Upholstery/Motor/Gearbox/Suspension/Brakes/Carb/Tyres../Gearbox/Cam+Motor/Paint
Done......./done./done....../done......../done../done/done/redone.../under way.../under way

Shame you have to sell the Sprint ...

<center>
<font color="blue"><i>1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
1981 TR7 DHC (not very well known yet, but back on the road)
Also a 1980 TR7 DHC, 1980 TR7 DHC FI, 1981 TR7 FHC</font id="blue">
<font color="red">http://tr7beans.blogspot.com/</i></font id="red"></center>

Owen,put the 4.6 in the sprint and buy some earplugs - problem solved!
alright,i'll get me coat..........

This thing is good for tinnitus at 150 watts,just ask my neighbours!

See ya. Paul

Owen, dont sell it, just put it in storage for a year or 2.

I've had tinnitus for 8 or 9 years. From the drivers seat I can
barely hear the 7, large bore sports exhaust, & the 8 is not loud,
twin 1 & 3/4 sports system.

My friendly neighbours tell me they hear me burbling past, & the 8
sounds frantic, down a drag strip, from outside, watching.

So mate, stop worrying, you'll be too deaf to hear it soon enough.

Hasbeen

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Hasbeen</i>

...So mate, stop worrying, you'll be too deaf to hear it soon enough...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
That's what I call sound (what's in a name) advice [:D]

<center>
<font color="blue"><i>1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
1981 TR7 DHC (not very well known yet, but back on the road)
Also a 1980 TR7 DHC, 1980 TR7 DHC FI, 1981 TR7 FHC</font id="blue">
<font color="red">http://tr7beans.blogspot.com/</i></font id="red"></center>

Tinnitus, eh? And here I though the universe was singing to me.



TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra

It is FI, it is.

The universe is singing to all us silly old f4rts, with our beloved
7s. How could it do otherwise?

Hasbeen

The Tinnitus is a nightmare. At best it is the universe singing softly; a white noise which I can put out of my mind by concentration on the real world in front of me. But at worst, it is the roar of a 747 on approach or the bellow and howl of an awesome malevolent gale at sea from which I have no escape or relief. It wakes me from sleep, many times most nights.

The worst aspect of Tinnitus is that even after going deaf to the outside world one still suffers the affects, as the noise one hears is not real sound. Even though tinnitus may initially be caused by an injury to the ear, ultimately an auditory pattern is established in the brain.

I am only 44, but the audiologist and ENT say it is not that unusual to develop the condition at this age as a result of injury to the auditory system. They both say the condition can be managed so that it has minimal impact on day-to-day living and suggested I monitor my activities and identify what exacerbates it.

Having followed their advice it is obvious that the Sprint with its single 2&1/4 inch exhaust, tiny resonator and small muffler, has a big affect. As mentioned, for about an hour after driving I experience nearly the worst of the condition. This affects my concentration and mood at work; something I cannot afford.

I know I could quieten the Sprint down, but this seems like asking a girlfriend with really sexy legs to wear a long wollen sack of a dress all the time. And I don't think this would solve the problem as there is a lot of wind noise from the sunroof, doors and windows. Further, putting more effort and expense into the Sprint delays and distracts me from progress on the other projects, which have already suffered too much from procrastination. I decided I needed a new daily driver.

So this was the logic that had me browsing cheap luxury cars for sale on ebay last Thursday. The Range Rover was a no-reserve auction and I placed only 1 bid that was calculated at 6% of the RRP for this car new 12 years ago. I was amazed to win - it all feels right.

I am going to swap the 4.6 out for one of the 4.0 engines that I have. So one of the Wedge V8 projects may ultimately end up as a 4.6. (Although, I have just bought most of the kit for a 4.0 rebuild so the first V8 wedge will still get that ahead of a rebuilt 4.6.)

I do think selling the Sprint is the right decision as I own 4 FHC's and the cash from Sprint would help accelerate work on the other three. But, I imagine it may take time to sell so I will put it in storage and use it when I feel the need.

So now it is time to focus on getting these three wedges back on the road:
1.ACG362## - a truly beautiful shell, the one I will keep forever


2.TCG1154## - the one to build for club sprints and other events


3.ACG364## - a replacement Sprint perhaps, should I ever get there



Owen

Hi there.

I'm not being funny here - but can you not wear ear defenders or a skid lid? Wold that help?

Shaun

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12691409@N08/

I have tried ear plugs and these do help. I will be using these when participating in club events in the future.

But this is not a solution for day to day driving. I think I will be happy in my roving arm chair, ranging across the city most of the time.

And when I need a blast I will fit the plugs and jump into the wedge, the Sprint until she's sold, and then the Blue Streak V8 once she is finished (must set a target date).

Owen
PS - For those of you that use ipods with ear-piece head phones: be kind to your ears and keep the volumne down! Don't end up like me.

<font face="Comic Sans MS"><font size="2"><i>Doing my best Quasimodo impersonation:</i> "THE BELLS!!!!.....THE BELLS!!!!"
I too have tinnitus and have had it from when I was quite young I'm 47 now. Caused by too much exposure to noise working in places like steel mills, shipyards, power stations, and other heavy industry.
I find it's worst after smoking wacky tobaccy. No I don't indulge but gave it a go many moons ago and couldn't stand the affect on my tinnitus. Grog can stir it up too, as can load music.
I find if I go to sleep with the radio playing softly it helps.

Now Owen i'm not trying to play one-one-upmanship games but just to make you feel better at least in the knowledge that it could be worse, tinnitus my well be the least of my worries as in my working life I've had heaps of exposure to asbestos, zinc chromate, radiation and all manner of delightful toxic chemicals so who knows what other work related health problems my be in store for me in time. [xx(]

Now as for the Rangie, I think it's a great idea! Just think of how many Triumph bits you can rescue stuffed into the back of it! and how good it will be for towing a car trailer loaded with a TR needing the good home you can provide!



</font id="size2"></font id="Comic Sans MS">

80'Triumph TR7, 74'Jaguar XJ12 , 73'Land Rover (Ford 351. V8),
'89 Ford Fairlane
85'Alfa 90, 69'Ford F250.
76' Ford F100
I sold the '61 International AA120 to a mate.. he hasn't paid for it yet!
The Volvo 760 and one of the alfa 90's have passed on RIP! (Rust in Pieces!)

Sorry for being flippant Owen, I can see yours is no joking matter.

Mine is there, all the time, but is not a real worry, or much of an
annoyance. I can't decipher high pitch voices too well, & if 2
people speak at once, [or soneone talks over a radio, or TV] I can't
decipher either voice.

Its a good excuse to avoid those dreadful family gatherings, where
every one talks over everyone, all day.

Have you tried any of these white noise treatments. I had some tests
by an ear specialist a while back. They fed white noise into
earphones, then fed other sounds over the top, in increasing volume,
to test when I could hear them.

For about 36 hours after this, my tinnitus was gone. The specialist
will not say if these treatments work, but I think they may. If mine
was as bad as yours, I think I'd spend the dollars, [about $100 I
think] & give them a try.

I had some info on them, but in a fit of tidiness, my wife threw it
out. She works on the theory that if something has not moved in the
last 3 days, its junk. I must remember to move more often, or I'll
be next.

Hasbeen

What's up with you Aussies? Is it just a coincidence that all 3 of you have it?

************************************************************************
To do list:
Upholstery/Motor/Gearbox/Suspension/Brakes/Carb/Tyres../Gearbox/Cam+Motor/Paint
Done......./done./done....../done......../done../done/done/redone.../under way.../under way

Peter, apart from the fact that we work & play harder in Oz, so age
a bit younger, it's all the cops fault.

If they had started enforcing our very sensible exhaust noise
limits, 20 years earlier, none of this would have happened to us
poor petrol heads. Damn cops!!!!

Hasbeen