[Fot] VTR is now involved with FoT at THE GLEN----Membership In VTR?

[Bill Sohl]

Comments interspaced below...

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <SMITH1127 at aol.com>
To: <don at carterdesignassociates.com>; <N197TR4 at cs.com>; <fot at autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 3:01 PM
Subject: Re: [Fot] VTR is now involved with FoT at THE GLEN----Membership In 
VTR?


> Aloha, Don, and the FoT. Don, I could not agree with you more on all of 
> your
> points. Out here in Hawaii, there is simply no place to race in any
> meaningful way. While I am very interested in racing and do own and 
> autocross  a race
> prepared Spitfire on a very small SCCA track in Hilo, my main  benefit 
> from my
> FoT membership is to "Lurk and Learn." You guys have helped me  in many 
> ways,
> and I appreciate all the information that flows from the FoT 
> organization.
>
> For what it's worth, I am hoping someday that FoT will officially  expand
> it's horizons to include, at least, a stated and real interest in 
> historically
> significant Triumphs--whether race cars or not. As many of you  know, I 
> have
> purchased the first TR2 built for the North American market,  commission 
> number
> TS1 LO (See Joe Alexander's e-mails about September's Watkins  Glen event, 
> and
> the July issue of Classic Motorsports). This car has never  been a trailer
> queen, and will not be a show car under my ownership, just like  it has 
> always
> been a driver under the ownership of Joe Richards. It is a piece  of 
> history
> restored to be driven, and will be driven here in Hawaii.
>
> Since there is no Triumph club physically based in Hawaii,

At one time back in the 70s and 80s there was an active Triumph club in 
Hawaii.
Linda and I were on vacation in Honollulu in '84 and we linked up with
the club as they happened to have a meeting the week we were there.    I 
seem to
recall one of the members was a guy named John Schrum.

> I'm faced with
> ginning up a local constituency that will enjoy this car along with our 
> family,
> and perhaps even some off island tourist or visitor interest in the car. 
> It
> would be great to have the support of a national constituency for vehicles
> like  TS1, in far away places like Hawaii, but how does one make the 
> choice among
> all  the Triumph organizations Don mentioned, and more? Which club or
> conglomeration  of clubs has a charter and mission statement that would be 
> best for
> TS1? It  would seem that every club should have room in its charter for 
> the
> celebration of a car like TS1, a Triumph for all seasons, and a  Triumph 
> for all
> persons interested in the marque.

With such an important vehicle as TS1, I'd recommend joining Vintage Triumph 
Register (VTR),
Triumph Register of America (TRA) and also the Antique Car Club of America 
(AACA).
While there may not be a specific Triumph club with a local chapter in 
Hawaii, odds are
there may be a local AACA chapter.

As to the charter/mission of VTR, ours has always been to encourage the 
ownership,
preservation AND operation of all Triumph automobiles.  If you ever get the 
chance to attend a
VTR national convention, you'll find we have a mandatory "driving event" 
requirement
for all vehicles entered in the concour.  That "requirement" was instituted 
back in 1981
and has been in place ever since.

> Yikes, now I've written a tome! Thanks for reading, and see you all in
> September at Watkins Glen.
>
> Much aloha, Robert P. Smith, Volcano, Hawaii

Linda and I will be at the Glen also with our 95% original 61 TR-3A.  We 
stay at
the nearby KOA campground.  The Glen is a great venue for the vintage races.
We have been going for about 10 years now and only missed a couple of times.

Cheers,
Bill Sohl
Past President, VTR 1983-1990