[TR] Fred Thomas/Friend and Mentor

Fri Mar 11 19:37:11 MST 2011

We have lost an Icon of the Triumph Marque with Fred's death.  He  
befriended me via email before my first VTR in 1999 in Portland, Maine  
and really made it possible for me to have the confidence in my car to  
drive it there from Denver.  I did my first autocross ever that year  
and I'll never forget Fred suggesting with a wry smile that I might  
want to ask what others were using for tire pressure after he'd seen  
me do a 360 trying to negotiate the slalom part of the course.  Then  
he proceeded to borrow an air pump for me to use before my next run.   
That's just the way Fred was...always helping people.

 From that moment to the last time I saw him at VTR in Valley Forge to  
talking with him last September, Fred was the one I always went to  
with my "stupid" questions cause he was always willing to explain  
anything.  After seeing his car in Portland I knew his standards of  
what a car should be was something I wanted to aspire to but would  
probably never reach.  That was confirmed shortly before the VTR in  
Richmond, VA when I talked to him and he told me he'd been busy waxing  
his frame (which of course was powder coated).  Fred was proud of his  
work pit that allowed him to work on the car without a lift or jacks  
and was the only person I ever heard of that had one in his  
garage....no wonder he could wax his frame.  Like many others Fred  
taught me to powder coat anything that wouldn't melt and provided me  
with everything from bulk powder to how to build a spray booth (he  
even sent me a lazy susan type swivel for it) and advice on  
preheating, boiling off residues, and timing the heating process for  
various metals.  That's just the way Fred was...always helping people.

I was hoping that he'd make it to Jekyll Island and he said he  
wouldn't miss it for anything when he emailed me a month before, but  
obviously his health wouldn't permit it or he'd have been there as  
there was nothing he loved more than to be around his car people.  I'd  
also hoped he make it out for VTR in Breckenridge this year as he and  
Dan Masters had done in 2001.  It was an honor to have their presence  
and cars parked in my driveway for a BBQ a few days before the 2001  
VTR and I've got some great pics of Fred and his beautiful 1959 TR3A.   
Fred always saved me a place at his table at the VTR banquets and I'm  
going to sorely miss that tradition this year.  That's just the way  
Fred was...always helping people.

Some folks may not know this but Fred was also a Spitfire guy and a  
Model A guy and was an expert with both.  I met a young man who'd  
acquired a Model A and didn't know where to start so I introduced him  
via email to Fred who proceeded to provide him with resources, advice,  
and encouragement.  He told him, "Keep me posted on your progress as  
well as any parts you may need"  That's just the way Fred was...always  
helping people.

Fred believed in driving his cars whether it be to the hardware store  
or cross country and he was an inspiration to many to do the same.  I  
know it gave him great pleasure to beat the trailer queens out for  
Best of Show honors and he had many of those.  No one was more  
deserving of the Charles McCartney Daily Driver Award and he was the  
standard for what that award stands for.  I know personally that he  
has helped many who have tried to follow in his footsteps.  That's  
just the way Fred was...always helping people.

Fred's legacy in the Triumph community (as reflected in the many  
tributes we've seen already) will outlast even the parts he's been  
responsible for getting powder coated and those will last a long long  
time.  Any ideas for honoring Fred at VTR this year and beyond would  
be welcome and I'll get together with Ronnie and Tom to make that  
happen.  So Fred I'm hoisting a Sprite in your honor...I'll miss you.   
I'm sure by the time we see the Pearly Gates Fred will have helped  
powder coat them.  That's just the way Fred was...always helping people.

With Fond Memories,
Bud Rolofson

71TR6 CC57365 (Good 6)
66TR4A CTC57806 (The Wreck-Almost parts)
66TR4A CTC57529 (The Project)
71F-250 Camper Special (Triumph Support Vehicle)
Z-50A Hardly Davidson 1977 Honda Mini-Trail Bike (Triumph Pit Bike)
levilevi at comcast.net

On Mar 10, 2011, at 6:02 PM, THOMAS FANSHER wrote:

> Fred's wife, Debbie,  just called to say that Fred died this  
> afternoon.
> He was still in the hospital and had started experiencing organ  
> failure a couple of days ago.  I was just a steady decline that had  
> started a couple of years ago.
> I don't have any details of arrangements at this time.
> He was kind of a controversial guy and you either liked him or not,  
> but his enthusiasm for Triumphs and those who loved them cannot be  
> disputed.  I know we'll all miss him and his valuable input to the  
> list and our lives.
> The home address is:
>
> 211 Commander Cove
> Stafford, VA 22554
>
> Tom
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