I've used my TR6 as an ONLY driver for the past two years. I had
rebuilt the engine 4 years ago, and several other misc things... It's
great! Think about the insurance money you'll save! I live in
Boulder, Colorado where things can get darn cold sometimes. It never
failed to start, (except when the starter wire fell off) and I drove
it to work in the snow a few times.
Having said that... I've always had an alternate for transportation if
I needed it. I can take the bus to work on those days when the roads
are REALLY bad. I've found this is really nice, and driving in that
kind of weather in *any* vehicle can be tiring. (Unless of course you
are in a land-rover offroad somewhere. :-) I can ride my bike if I'm
waiting for a part on backorder, which we all know happens WRT
british-cars. :-)
The worst time was when I blew the transmission up, driving up the
mountains. That really stunk. However, the shop that rebuilt the
trans had a loaner car they gave me while they fixed the trans. The
bummer part of this, is I would have fixed it myself if I had more
time. That was one time I wish I had more options. I now own a
motorcycle which helps in times like this.
My two cents. Do it. Keep some spares handy. When things break,
parts are usually days away. Have a fuel pump rebuild kit, at least
one if not two carb kits, waterpump & alternator, (unless these are
fairly new), uh... and other stuff that will break when you least
expect it. :-) You should already have all the manuals for your car.
If not get the Haynes AND Bentley manuals. Be willing to tinker when
necessary. Patience is something you should have an excess. In the
unlikely event :-), be prepared to make quick decisions about what to
do when something takes your car off the road for a bit. Find a shop
in the area you know and trust. (I wish I had done this when my trans
died...) Join a local Triumph club, they always know where to find
parts quickly.
I've typically found that once I've fixed/replaced something, it tends
to stay fixed. I really have enjoyed my TR as a daily driver, and am
glad that I'm doing it! If you try it, and decide that you're burning
out on the idea, you can always pick up a $500 beater car to get you
through the times...
Good luck on your decision!
-Scotty
PS I broke and exhaust holder last night coming home. It was
actually a relief to me, that such a terrible noise could be such
an easy to fix. Had I not had an alternate method to get to work
this AM (motorcycle) I would have had to fix it late last night.
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