[TR] In some ways, Pretend your Randall?

[Paul Dorsey]

Andrew, I know it is me of which you speak.  I was the TR3 upstart asking
the fundamental questions.  Randall always answered them in a way that I
could understand the answer.  Regardless of the question, he always had a
correct answer.  The picture someone posted of him doesn't quite fit the
image of him that I created in my head.  I thought of him as a know-it-all
(who really did know-it-all) , a grandfather-esque figure for this group.
Can you believe I caught him making a mistake once?  One that I actually
got to correct him on, it was something simple like the color of wires or
something.  He quickly admitted the error.  Maybe "FT" admitted to me that
Randall seemingly knew it all, and I got a kick from talking to them. (ISTR
a little friction between these two.  Fred sent me pages of snail mail on
types of distributors for my 25D and I actually met him and some other
racer legend at Road Atlanta.  Thru this list, I got to correspond with
great people like Jack Drews and others, what great guys!  I can't remember
the name of the guy who rebuilt my oil pump for me.  The guy who braved
frozen temperatures to exactly tell me correct door gaps.  I never took up
Randall's offer to help me with my canceling mechanism with my steering
wheel- what great guys!  I guess now their up there in the 'great
race-track in the sky'.
I don't have the depth that all you guys have.  Randall always
gave out the kind and lengthy (if necessary, answers).  Like an ignorant
kid, seems like I boasted about the hardness of brass and I got a stiff
reply from someone else (I can't remember who), but, I can't really
chalk-up the almost abandoned TR3 project that I started something like 20
years ago to that.  I'm just too timid!
Why just today I got a distributor cap that I ordered from Moss for my
project.  (It's the second cap I've had to order for that car and I have
never drove it a single mile! Go figure? ).  I live near corrosion acres
and for awhile I thought of the rust I had kinda like a fine patina finish,
one that I would be proud to one day show off!  Sad to say, but maybe due
to age and having a head injury, my license to drive has been taken from
me.  However, I still dream, however, of fixing the tr3.  If I ever
re-start my project in earnest, you might have to bear with my stupid
questions, pretend your Randall!

Paul Dorsey- 60 TR3

<<


It made me think (again) about Randall.  If anyone had the credentials to
be arrogant or condescending, he did.  He knew more about these cars than
most of us collectively ever will.  Yet he was always kind and sincere.
Some of you may remember the individual a few years ago who was trying to
restore a TR3 and asked the most fundamental of questions:  Randall was
consistently patient and helpful while I am sure some of us rolled our eyes.



Maybe people are trying to assume Randall’s mantle as the TR guru.  Well,
it isn’t goin
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