----- Original Message -----
From: <TRBILBO@AOL.COM>
To: <kaskas@earthlink.net>; <Gt6steve@AOL.COM>; <FOT@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, September 25, 1999 11:13 PM
Subject: Re: Racing in the Fifties and early 60's.
> Dear Kas and FOT'rs....
>
> Care to hear more? I was riveted. Kas, As you know when you signed our
team
> cars at Tustin several years ago (I was intent on that happening some
> day....Shelby owners have nothing on us now!!), Paul, Mordy, Steve, Chuck
and
> I literally carry your prep books with us to every track event (We had you
> sign those too!!). And to a man we've used your Competition manuals as our
> bibles for prep and without exception the E Ticket Triumph Team has a
> reputation for preparation, sportsmanship and finishing.!
>
> Oh, we could spend a lot more money (well maybe we couldn't....smile) but
we
> couldn't have more fun. With the local So Cal part suppliers and exporters
> sponsoring TR's with 92mm pistons, $1500 Quaife differentials and
fiberglass
> custom molded TR fenders, we (E Ticket Triumphs) race hard and finish and
> always have one or more cars in the top five in E, E1 or F
Production.....and
> we've done it for the most part with 87mm pistons (some .030 or .040 over)
> except the Spits and Steve's GT6 of course (or is that the way you've been
> catching Paul Steve?), real Salsbury limited slips,(OK one welded rear
end
> after we couldn't find parts for the salsbury), TR6 sway bars on the TR4's
> (nothing custom or heim jointed), and, until this last year factory alloy
> option magnesium wheels or TR6 5 1/2 steel rims. Our approach has
been....we
> come to race, to finish...and drive it back on the trailer (yes we all
have
> trailers as the California Highway Patrol has gotten fussy about cars with
> rollbars cruising PCH) and it's very satisfying to do it with a near stock
> displacement motor and run competitively in the upper quarter of all the
big
> buck cars. Hell, at times we've even had class winners...that's a real
grin.
>
> OK, ok,,,some of the team have moved up the preparation (and displacement)
> ladder and invested in some later technology to keep the TR grinning grill
> work in the front of the pack. And there is nothing wrong with that as
long
> as the spirit with which we race doesn't change.
>
> I ran SOLO II for numerous years with Cal Club (German Capri's and
Mustangs)
> and found the whole organization to be entrenched in the philosophy of
"Keep
> it simple , keep it clean (to interpret) and keep it fun" .... and as a
> Frisco Region SCCA member I just don't find that kind of attitude in
racing
> outside of Vintage today.So I loved your feel for the character of Cal
Club
> and hope more Vintage Race bodies can learn from the Cal Club tales you
tell
> so very well.
>
> I drive a Wimbledon white/Guardsman blue stripe 1965 TR4A in EP1 class
with a
> full interior, full chrome badging trim (although I do leave the bumpers
off
> but have them), all lights and fittings, stock displacement, SU carbs,
> non-overdrive, glass windscreen, even door glass rolls up, steel rims,
bias
> ply tire, lots of safe roll bar and safety equipment and still have great
> fun. And you can see my #195 glued to the rear deck of a Healey 3000 on
the
> page 80 photo of the newest Spring 99 Vintage Voice Magazine. (I have been
> accused or magnetizing the front valance and getting dragged around the
track
> but a certain quick Volvo but I say ...No flairs, no Quaife, no alloys, no
> regrets ...just grins ....and I am working on that front valance magnetic
> film material team....just give me another season to figure out how to get
it
> to work on all that front row aluminum and fiberglass).
>
> But before everyone thinks I'm out to drag Vintage Racing back to the
hands
> of the purists only, let me confuse you all further by saying this....as
long
> as there is respect amongst the drivers I drive with and an attitude that
> this is a gentleman's sport ....intense, hard racing yes, but respect for
> your fellow competitor's investment and a respect for his (and mine)
driving
> skills (which like any good sport that respect has to be earned ....and
can
> be lost ....and a few have) then I really don't care that the other guy
has
> put three times the money in his car to make it run like a striped ape.
For
> me racing is one car at a time (or a tite group of five if I'm
> fortunate)...and I love it when it gets reported like the bottom of page
81
> " The real race were these five guys in the pack who were wheel to wheel
for
> all 17 laps and changed leads every lap....and stayed clean the whole
race".
> Somebody noticed!! OK ...so the author drives a Triumph too (Thanks
Jerry).
> But that's the kind of racing that makes my grin hurt for weeks. That
means
> more to me than the fact that someone told me I'm leading the points for
my
> group for EP1 this year. I'd trade those "points" for one more five car
wheel
> to wheel race even if I was last place.
>
> Well the fate of Vintage Racing is certainly not in question, but I had to
> share my two bits in this fascinating chain. (One of the better this
> unofficial bastion of Triumphs has stuffed my email box with in some
time!).
> My only real wish for Vintage Racing is to be able to do more of it. Seems
to
> be a direct correlation between track time and retirement......6 more
> years........
>
> WOW, did I get off track!! (no pun). Apologies kind Kas. Your query was
'did
> anyone else want to hear more about the sixties?'. And with my grin still
> hurting from your last posting I have to ask..."Could we have more
please?"
>
> Wait...let me get another Guiness first...ok...I'm back.
>
> Respectfully submitted ...right honorable vintage Triumph #195 pilot ...or
is
> that Triumph #195 vintage pilot....both apply it seems.....
>
> Cheers to Vintage Racing and Vintage Drivers!
>
> Bill (and Joanne) Burroughs, VTR So West Rep,
> E Ticket Triumphs Vintage Race Team, Founder SCTOA
> 70 TR6, 69 TR250, 73 MkIV, 69 GT6+, 59 TR3A and two 65 TR4A
> Vintage Race Cars. Happy Motoring!!
>
> (Kas, any chance we could get you out to the track at the November Las
Vegas
> VARA Race?. The E Ticket Team would love to spend some more track side
time
> with you and have you explain how to keep this ol' IRS glued to the track
a
> little better. Second that motion Steve?)
>
>
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