Seven years after dragging it out of a pole barn in Sheboygan, WI, where it
had sat for 15 years, and 4-1/2 years after starting to work on it in earnest
and about a man-year each in labor for my partner (son Ryan) and I we got 1961
TR-4 CT511 back on a race track at Blackhawk Farms Raceway last weekend. The
event was the Midwestern Council of Sports Car Clubs (MCSCC) Drivers School
which I entered and for which Ryan crewed. There were 6 practice sessions and
a 5 lap student race on Saturday. We didn't do the Vintage/Historic race on
Sunday as we were both beat and the car had some cooling, brake and tire
issues. But we did make all 7 sessions on Saturday and I successfully
completed the school which was our goal. Overall the car ran well.
We think the car was raced from new and the almost total lack of rust on body
and frame when we got it seems to bear that out. We do not have any
documentation from 1961 to 1981 but we do have a MCSCC log book for the car
which shows that it was raced at Elkhart Lake and Blackhawk from 1981 to 1984
when it was sold to a gentleman in Elkhart Lake who stored it in the pole barn
until we bought it in the Fall of 1999. (MCSCC used this log book at the tech
inspection last weekend after assigning a new number to it.) That it was raced
for over 20 years was evident by the hard life it led. We found that it was
pretty beat up when we got into it. It was pretty rough and not exactly
meticulously maintained. The brake pads were held in by large nails that were
bent over at the ends. That's pretty indicative of how the whole car was. We
had thought we would just do some cosmetic clean up and bring it up to current
regulations and go. Wrong!! Probably a pretty typical restoration project in
hindsight.
We now have the Southwick rear axle, front aluminum hubs and light weight
steel flywheel as well as the Mark Weathers front axles, Ken Gilanders damper,
small belt pulley and water pump kit and Justin Wagner's valve cover gasket. I
mention this because none of this would have been possible had I not had the
privilege to belong to FOT. Without this group we'd still be fumbling our way
around trying to restore the car. And when we got it done it probably wouldn't
have worked very well or for very long.
Thanks to all of you who have offered advice and encouragement, both on line
and off line, over the years. You made it possible. Special thanks to Bill
"Damdinger" for nominating me to the group about 7 years ago. And a very
special thanks to Tony Drews and Uncle Jack. We've been pestering them with
questions off list for at least 5 years and they have always graciously,
kindly and promptly answered our questions.
Ryan and I are looking forward to the next phase, learning how to drive, run
and maintain the car. We found out last weekend just how much we have to
learn, especially me.
Thanks again, this is one heck of a group. And I really like the rules too -
none!!
Tim and Ryan Murphy
"Murphy's Law" Racing Team
1961 TR-4 CT511
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