Hi, guys
I watched a Heritage Certificate in the making today. Over the last year or
so, I've watched several thousand others having the same treatment and
thought little of it - but today was different. Just like you, I'd handed
over my sterling equivalent of 40 smackeroos and later in the morning looked
over Anders Clausager's head as the microfilm cassette for MG4305DL was
inserted into a more than battered film reader.
NO - it WON'T print, so don't even bother to ask when you write in for your
cert ! :-)
The motor whirred, as billions of Triumphs shot across the screen. The motor
slowed and was then inched along until a faded image staggered into view.
There it was - that oh so familiar production 'tally' card that sat under
the wiper blade of every Triumph that slowly trundled down the track - 'cept
this one said in the top RH corner MG 4305 DL. In my mind's eye, there she
was - all shiny and new, smelling of clean paint, upholstery glue and new
rubber. In the background, my mind's ear heard the whine of compressed air
wrenches and the metallic clankclank as each finished car with its engine
running for the second time (the first one was on the run bench and dyno in
engine assembly) drove off the assembly line over the steel floor plates by
the water test pen. On February 17, 1970 that same 'tally' would have been
on the passenger seat, the ink from the Final Inspector's stamp would still
have been damp to the touch. Now it was on microfilm. Just to make sure
everything was proper and correct, we inserted another cassette and checked
the original sales invoice to the supplying dealer. This is a normal HMC
procedure. There it was again and I marvelled at seeing the invoice to the
dealer in our pre-decimal coinage of 1417 pounds, 17 shillings and 9 pence.
On today's ROE to the US $ this makes it about $2339.28. One great wad of
money for one great wad of car. A car that when it was in production was
something I dearly wanted but was financially beyond my reach even with my
employee discount.
But I console myself.
Everything comes to those that wait - even if it is 29 years down the track
and I'm encouraged. IF I'd been able to buy this car when it was new, the
depreciation would have been minimal - most of them are being sold for at
least the same price today - and in many cases for far more than that.
There's now just one more thing to do - apart from the re-paint, superflex
rear suspender bushes, unleaded pump, recon metering unit and a raft of
other little tasks. As the injector pipes twitch and throb with the fuel
pulsing through them, it's depress clutch, engage first, bring revs to 4000
and feed in all that 135 horsepower down the driveline. Her back end will
squat down as if a great invisible hand had pushed down on the boot lid, the
rear wheels will splay out and the exhaust note will change from a gruff
rumble to a muted snarl. I guess the upchange into 4th gear will be at about
eighty and about twenty seconds later. Got to go to the shops tomorrow and
see if I can find a cassette of the Beach Boys for the original and still
working radio/cassette player. The preferred track? Need anyone ask - it's
"round round get around - I get around."
Yes, it WILL have been worth the wait.
John Mac
Book 1: http://www.toolbox.ndirect.co.uk/triumphbook
Book 2: http://www.toolbox.ndirect.co.uk/crocus
Triumph Over Triumph magazine: http://www.cyberware.co.uk/~chips11
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