I'm 43 now, but got my first Triumph (58 TR3A) at age 14!
It was an abandoned, topless, non running, beat up basket case that had been
sitting outside under an oak tree for several years. I bought it for
$150.00. My Uncle was a LBC guy and talked my grandparents in to helping me
acquire it. My grandfather helped me get it back in decent running and
looking condition with a shoestring restoration. My grandparents lived out
in the country and there was a seldom used private airstrip and access roads
between the corn fields on the adjoining property. I learned to drive with
that TR3 on using the neighbors land like a private grassy road racing
course! By the time I had my license at 16 I was driving it with little aero
screens I made my self and a tonnue cover year around, sometimes sweeping
snow off the tonnue before I could unzip it. Now I would faint at the
thought of taking my current TR3 out if there was a hint of rain! That car
got traded off and back again in a series of many LBC trades in my younger
days. Ten Years later I had a very nice TR3A which was my last sports car
till now. I have a 59TR3A under restoration, and a 03 MINI Cooper to drive
in the mean time after a horrible 18 years of no LBCs. The hobby has
certainly changed a lot since 1974. There was no internet list to share
memories with back then. Have fun with that first Triumph and be good to it.
Don't sell it off frivolously, and most of all, be safe. Your guardian angle
may not be as accomplished as mine was.
Cheers, Curt Fisher
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