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RE: Group 44 TR-8 in AutoWeek

To: "'Gregory Petrolati'" <gpetrola@prairienet.org>
Subject: RE: Group 44 TR-8 in AutoWeek
From: Tom Gentry <tgentry@execpc.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 1998 11:18:34 -0600
Cc: "'triumphs@autox.team.net'" <triumphs@Autox.Team.Net>
Actually, I remember when they raced.  They competed in Trans Am, then moved to 
IMSA when the SCCA (Trans Am) tried to impose weight penalties because they 
STOMPED the big American iron.  What I didn't realize prior to this article is 
that they still managed to take another Trans Am race by building up a lead, 
and topping up the fuel before taking the checker.  With a full load of fuel 
they made the required (heavier) weight.

According to the article, the first one was built on a TR-7 shell, the second 
one was built on a TR-8 "body in white".  The first is still owned by Group 44 
(Tullius?), the second was owned by one of the ex-Group 44 racers (Jenkins) and 
is being sold by his widow.  I don't have the article with me, so forgive me if 
there are errors here.

Now if only I could get those lotto number right...

Tom Gentry
Life is too short to drive boring cars!
'96 Ford SVT Cobra Mystic #1345 (mostly stock)
'72 Triumph TR-6 OD (highly modified)
'59 Triumph 10 Sedan (in boxes)


-----Original Message-----
From:   Gregory Petrolati [SMTP:gpetrola@prairienet.org]
Sent:   Thursday, December 03, 1998 11:13 AM
To:     Tom Gentry
Cc:     'triumphs@autox.team.net'
Subject:        Re: Group 44 TR-8 in AutoWeek

On Thu, 3 Dec 1998, Tom Gentry wrote:

> 
> FYI
> The latest AutoWeek (dated 12/7, I think) has a one page article about the 
>Group 44 TR-8.  It's the second of two cars, built from a TR-8 
> "body in white", and may actually be for sale.
> 
        I'm gonna go out on a limb, here... I know a bit about the cars 
        in question. I've acutuall drooled into the cockpit of one of the 
        pair. I believe they are TR7 bodies with V8 mills. The cars were 
        intitially built for the original Trans Am series which went defunct 
        about the time these beasties were ready to compete. I dunno whether 
        they actually turned laps "in anger" or not. With the flaired 
        fenders and REALLy fat rubber they are a treat for the eye.

        At the time these Trans Am "never was's" were being sold for
        50 "large" each (I don't know what he wants for them now). Boy 
        would one look great in my garage!

        Greg Petrolati

gpetrola@prairienet.org                         1962 TR4 (CT4852L)
        "That's not a leak... My car is just marking its territory!"
Greg Petrolati, Champaign, Illinois


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