[TR] In some ways, Pretend your Randall?

[andrew uprichard]

Paul:  great to hear from you and know you are well. If ever you decide to re-start the TR3 project, there are a bunch of TR owners on the list who be happy to answer your questions.  Go for it!!

Andrew

 

From: Triumphs <triumphs-bounces at autox.team.net> On Behalf Of Paul Dorsey
Sent: Saturday, August 15, 2020 2:04 PM
To: Triumph list Team.net <triumphs at autox.team.net>
Subject: [TR] In some ways, Pretend your Randall?

 

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

 

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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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