On Mon, 20 May 1996, Christian Simonsen wrote:
> My late great uncle bought this [TR4] near Langley Air Force Base in
66. > I rebuilt the car leaving it as I found it, only less tatty.
>
> At the TRF Summer party, I was accosted by some snotty folks talking
> down about how non-orignal and non-stock my car was.
Ah, yes, "Originazis" we call them. ;-) Folks who are so obsessed with
what they "think" is original that they spend obscene amounts of time
and money to round up five dry-rotted original Dunlop Gold Seal tires
and a pair of Lucas sealed beam headlights so that their TR3 is "as it
left the factory". Never mind that the tires aren't safe for holding up
the car, let alone driving, and never mind that Lucas sealed beam
headlamps are NOT, in fact, appropriate for U.S.-spec. Triumphs until
sometime in 1963 -- that's not important.
> It has a locking steering wheel column and a Becker AM radio(installed
> in a black vinyl covered mount). There is an ugly cigarette lighter on
> the fascia panel where the ignition switch is suppossed to be. The
> ignition switch is on the column, under the dash...
>
> A neat older gent, thought maybe a serviceman brought the "beastie"
> (thats what he called it) back from Germany. Cars needed to have
> locking steering wheels to be acceptable for import there. I like the
> locking column, with the exception of the cigarette lighter (the knob
> just doesn't match the others).
And the lighter knobs never did match the others back then. Any lighter
one would have found in a Triumph in the U.S. in the 1960s was probably
installed by the dealer. Either it was part of the optional AMCO
console, or it was by itself. Either way, most likely it was a CASCO
lighter, and the knob was whatever CASCO was using at the time.
Admittedly, it's probably more appropriate if the rest of the knobs on
your dashboard are from a 1965 Dodge Dart, but chances are it's correct
for the period.
Does it work? Does the steering column lock work? If so, I'd suggest you
leave them where they are and enjoy the car as a relatively unique
example of a non-U.S.-spec. car. Leave the "originazis" to fight with
Concours judges over the correct colour and consistency of the seam
sealer in the spare tire well.
Most importantly, IT'S YOUR CAR, and you can do anything you like to it.
We're not talking doing spoilers and ground-effects stuff on a
Duesenberg here. ;-)
Politically and environmentally correct nonasbestos shields in place and
ready for flames!
--Andy
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Andrew Mace e-mail: amace@unix2.nysed.gov *
* *
* Mrs Irrelevant: Oh, is it a jet? *
* Man: Well, no... It's not so much of a jet, it's more your, er, *
* Triumph Herald engine with wings. *
* -- The Cut-price Airline Sketch, Monty Python's Flying Circus *
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