EPaul21988@aol.com wrote:
>
> In a message dated 97-07-21 10:54:42 EDT, jacad@CAM.ORG (Barry Shefner)
> writes:
>
> << One needs the concourse competition as an incentive to "preserve the
> breed". In another 10 years, chances are slim that you will see very
> many side curtain cars still on the road driving. The concourse cars
> give folks something to strive for when looking to restore their cars
> and the fierce competition ensures that those perfectly restored
> concours cars remain in tip top condition.
> Perhaps there should be a new category introduced for those cars that
> are restored strictly for show and those that are restored and used for
> driving purposes or perhaps one for totally unrestored cars that have
> been best perserved.
>
> If one wants to attract more participants, one needs to make the event
> more interesting. Perhaps more tech talks or scheduling a marathon
> complete or partial rebuild of a "basket case" car during the 3 day
> event. >>
>
> Barry,
> Thanks for your reply. I know you are correct that there will be very few
> sidecurtain cars on the road in the future, There are very few on the road
> now and it is too bad. As I said I can admire your efforts at building and
> maintaining a concourse car, and the clubs certainly should contribute to
> supporting these efforts. I just want to be sure you understand that I do
> not have an attitude towards concourse cars.
>
> Personally I think they should be used, especially the sidecurtain cars.
> They don't have a lot of appeal as sculpture for me, but at 2,500 RPM up to
> redline in second gear they are a blast. The only way you truely experience
> the appeal of these cars is on the road, driving, hard. This is what they
> were built for and bought for .
>
> Once all the sidecurtain cars are 'done' tech sessions will be unnecessary,
> except as spectator events. Striving toward that ideal will be in terms of
> buffed bolt heads, and flecks of dirt, smears of grease and such. There
> won't be any real restoration left to be done, and repair won't be needed
> because parts won't be worn. Parts will begin to dry up again. Who is going
> to manufacture parts for a market with no demand? As parts become scarce the
> cars will be driven even less !
>
> I think you should look on your accomplishments in concourse as badges of
> honor. I hope that you are now driving your car and accumulating more
> badges of honor, and great stories to tell. Here's the stone chip I got on
> the way to theSteamboat Springs Vintage Race when the gravel fell off a
> truck in front of me. Here's where I kissed that concrete wall on Halloween
> eve and bent the bumper. There's the stain on the Tonneau that appeared in
> Sacramento during Triumphest. Then there's the time the distributor began to
> fail coming out of Needles Calilfornia, and when the fuel pump rod worked
> it's way loose on a day run to Taos.
>
> There's a cycle to all developments and changes. When there were NO perfect
> Triumphs because they were all being used up, yeah we needed to preserve
> some.
> Maybe now the clubs are doing a disservice to the breed by placing too much
> emphasis on perfect concourse cars. Maybe it's time to find some way to
> support using the cars more. Personally I don't seek recognition for owning
> a nice car. I like to work on them, drive them, look at them and hear the
> stories about driving them. I intend to actively use up my 59 TR 3 while I
> restore the TR 2. Maybe I'll even enter the TR 2 in a concourse when it's
> done, but only once ! I don't expect to win because , while it will be
> period, it won't be factory original., with red wire wheels, top and
> sidecurtains and a Judson Supercharged TR 4 engine under the bonnet. Hey
> I'll take you for a ride if I ever get it to a National meet!
>
> Bob Paul - Old use em or lose em.
> TS45738L"O" With the stone chip, bend bumper and stained tonneau.
> TS7280L Coming together slowly.
Bob,
I happen to share your veiws concerning the fact that these restored
cars are to be used. When I restored mine, I did it not to have a
"perfect" car but one that I could be proud to drive and one that would
be as reliable as it was originally meant to be (which is to say
somewhat reliable)
I did the restoration for pure enjoyment not to have a "trailer Queen to
take out 3 times a year at regional or national meets. I did it with the
full intention of driving it on as many occasions as I could and the
best proof of that was on my very first drive I drove it 220 miles to
VTR 96 in albany. It has never been trailered and never will be unless I
decide to take it 3000 miles across the country as this I believe is
simply too long a drive for my poor back to withstand:} I have about
3000 miles on the car and I enjoy driving it immensely and cannot
comprehend the attitude of some other concours participants who simply
want to show off a museum peice. I will; do my best to maintain it as
correctly as possible and to show it at every possible occasion. I
happen to enjoy the memories it envokes from folks in their mid to late
50's for whom this car envokes happy memories of either owning one or
wishing that they did own one at some point in their lives. Many happy
stories have been recounted to me and that makes me feel great.
As for my share of triumph breakdown stories have I told you about when
I practically broke down and cried when my front wire wheel passed me on
the highway service road on my first test outing with the car (worn out
spline) or how's about the electical fire under the dash (caused by a
shorted wire) or that I have come home twice on the back of a flatbed
(seems like it never breaks down getting to where I'm going only comming
home) or that I installed my exhaust system backwards ( caught it before
the car hit the road) or the half dozen brake line leaks that occured
that spilled brake fluid on my new paint....or the old style tar top
battery that overcharged and ruined the paint around the battery
box.....oh yeah let's not forget 3rd degree burns I recieved to 3
fingers on my right hand from boiling hot undercoat that I was removing
during the restoration. These are the ones that quickly come to mind. I
happily recount them for these are "good" memories and I look forward to
many more. An outing with my car is an experience....call it an
adventure and I am hardly ever disappointed. It is a labour of love and
it is never ending and all consuming. I simply loved doing the
restoration and I am having almost as much fun driving it and
continually tinkering with it.
You are very wrong about the tech sessions, there are many folks out
there that are willing to try to keep these cars on the road for as long
as possible, they simply need to be shown how to do it. I myself take
every opportunity to respond to questions about how to fix problems.
Many of these questions arise at shows when people are looking over my
car and say "hey I didn;t know that this went there" or "how can I get
my so and so to work". It's all part of helping others get the most
satisfaction out of their cars. It makes no difference to me whether the
guys car is shiny as new or an old beat up relic that the licence bureau
wouldn't allow near the road.
I get alot of folks who ask me "why drive it after all the work that you
put into it?" My answer is simple cause I enjoy it and why restore it
unless you are going to use it.
Maybe I'm the exception to the rule but that's how I feel, and sure when
you get that TR2 up and running please take me for a spin PLEASE DO! I
promise not to tell you what mistakes you made for authenticity and I
also promise to congradulate you on your acheievement of having
preserved another early Triumph for posterity :}
Good Luck
Barry Shefner
59 TR3A OTS 57675
jacad@cam.org
|