----- Original Message -----
From: Richard Seaton
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2001 8:21 PM
To: Web_disscusion List
Subject: This is a true story!!!!
6Pack Members,
I thought I might share an interesting story with the members which happened
to me over the weekend.
I'm in the process of restoring a '69 TR6 and need to acquire a few(?)
parts, trailing arm sections and other repairs to the frame, battery box, rear
deck, and a few other sheet metal parts. An overdrive would be nice too!!
Many of you know where I'm coming from. Some parts are specific to only a
'69. That's just a loose background.
Well here's the story, Scott, a friend of mine who has an MG and Triumph 650
is a rep for Columbia clothing and was on his home and stopped to eat at a
small restaurant and saw a MotoGuzzi motorcycle and was admiring it when the
owner came up. They started up a conversation, probably about motorcycles.
Then somewhere I'm sure Scott mentioned his MGA. Jim, the man on the
MotoGuzzi, mentioned he had a TR250 and TR6 that he tried to sell for parts ,
but had no takers and he hated to see the cars just rust away and wished
someone would just take them and get some use out of them. Scott told Jim
about me and the TR6. Jim gave Scott his phone numbers and said IF I was
interested to give him a call.
As soon as I was told the news I called Jim to find out more of these
potential (?) treasures. Jim told me the TR250 was wrecked, but had a good
engine and transmition WITH OVERDRIVE!!!!! He didn't tell me much about the
TR6, except that has was going to restore it, but lost interest when he hired
a man to sand blast it and he did a number on the hood. Jim didn't make any
promises about the condition of the two cars, but said if I wanted some or all
of them I was welcome to take what I wanted.
My TR6 is fairly complete, but one can't have too many spares, you know. So
I made the 250 mile drive w/ trailer to check things out. The TR 250 drive
line was what I was most interested in, because it's engine, carbs,
distributor, have more in common with my car than the soon to be recognized
"74 TR6. Jim took me out to the field to see the cars. The TR6 was to
closest, so I gave it a quick once over to check things I needed. The frame
trailing arms looked PERFECT, battery box.... perfect, even the rear deck was
perfect , well a little surface rust. It's frame had some surface rust on it,
but as far as I was concerned it was just what the doctor ordered for my car!
The 6 had now engine or transmition, but that didn't matter to me.
Now it was off to the TR250 for a look. OOOH, bad front end damage, with
lots of rust. The A type overdrive was there along with a complete motor,
carbs and all, even the Chrome valve cover which mine was lacking (cool!!!).
Jim then took me to a station wagon to show me some other parts he had. Gauges
for the 250, which are like the early 6's and a gas tank with a sending unit.
My sending unit was frozen up so I needed this also.
Jim had to go back to work, so I was left solo to pillage. First I went for
the trans, but had a slight obstacles, the seats. So I reached down for the
first one and pulled it right out of the car. WOW, I didn't know I was that
excited about the trans. Well a little rust didn't hurt either. Then out with
the next one, just as easily. I was having trouble getting the trans out when
Jim's son arrived to help. We managed to get it out while he pried up on the
motor and I pulled on the tail shaft.
After getting all I could from the TR250, I got the TR6 loaded up at about
6PM. Jim had just come in from work and invited me in for dinner. Damn, this
is too much!!!!! We ate a very nice dinner with chocolate pie. I had brought a
1/2 case of beer to show my appreciation, but Jim said he only drank about one
six pack a year and it would go to waste. So, I even got the beer back!!!!
Before I left Jim took me out to the garage and gave me titles to the TR250,
TR6, and a TR4A. I've got the VIN plates to the 250 and 6, if anyone wants to
purchase any of the three e-mail me. Also a 4A trans and a new TR6 steering
wheel.
It was just like I had a special order out there and by some freak chance
here it was on my doorstep for the taking.
One bad thing is that I can't bring myself to cut up the '74's frame to
repair mine. What a terrible problem to have? Any comments on using a non
original frame under my project TR?? I would prefer using the original '69
frame. Just one of those things, a '74 frame under a '69 body. I could sell
the frame to fund fixing mine. It will also be a good place to rest the '69
body while the '69 frame is being fixed.
Sorry, if this story was too long, but I thought people would enjoy it.
1969 TR6
CC27413L
Richard Seaton
RSH17@msn.com
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