Listers...
Yesterday I commented that it might be nice idea to help Dan Master's
out with the cost of repairing his TR6. A number of folks e-mailed
their endorsement.
Some background for those who missed it:
Dan had apparently lent out his fully restored TR6 to Leon <sorry I
don't know your last name Leon> to use on tour of the east coast
during his stay here the U.S. I confess I don't know the details of
how this was arranged....I only caught wind of it by reading Leon's
posts as he charted his progress.
At some time during the trip the bonnet release mechanism failed and
Leon was unable to check vital fluids, in particular the coolant which
was being lost in small amounts each time the car was shut down.
During most of the trip <as far up as Canada if I read this right> the
gauges indicated everything was OK until Leon got to within a few
hundred miles of Dan's house. At that point the car finally
overheated and Dan went to retrieve it. Hope I've got most of the
story straight. :-)
Anyway...reading Dan's initial report yesterday, the engine has
virtually no compression on several cylinders. The beautiful paint on
the bonnet and fender now has a 4 inch gouge where an over-helpfull
gas station attendant tried to pry up the stuck bonnet. Dan also
needed to cut a 3 inch hole in the bulkhead to release the stuck latch
assembly. Well...*this* part is just a regular TR6 service procedure.
:-)
So after reading this a couple of thoughts popped into my head:
"Hmmm....is Dan covered for this kinda damage? Would the engine be
covered? Dunno but I'd tend to doubt it. Perhaps the paint work, but
is he looking a serious deductible here and does it really pay in the
long run to make a claim...? "
Then I'm thinking...
"Now Dan said he was retired, right? Well maybe he's rich! Yeah,
that's it...he's a rich retiree! Hmmm, no....he *can't* be
rich...he's a Triumph owner. :-) "
So then it occurred to me that Dan might start wrenching on this thing
himself just to get the car back in the condition it was in a few
weeks back. And that would take a serious bite outta the time he's
allocated for the V8 conversion.
An THEN I realised the really *scarey* part. That he just might
hafta' cut back of the time he spends on the Triumph and Spitfire
lists!!
You know...this is where you guys ask a question like "I just bought a
brand new "NOFAILGOFAST ELIMINATOR" high output ignition coil but I
don't know how to hook it up"....and within about 30 minutes you get
complete, detailed, step-by-step instructions covering every possible
make and model of Triumph since you never mentioned what kinda' car it
was for. :-)
BTW...I'm not trying to set some kind of precedent here where we all
chip in to fix everybody's cars. <actually, I wouldn't mind if you
folks would like to finance the restoration of my Spitfires...I'm
easy! > What I think I'm seeing here though are some very unusual
circumstances. I figure Dan's has given us, oh....$316,000.00 of
free, personal, immediate, *expert*, technical advice over the last
few years. I mean...these are not off-the-cuff one liners. Each
response is a veritable treatise, throughly researched and accurate.
Try getting *that* from Microsoft tech support. <g>
And now he goes and offers up his fully restored TR6 for so a fellow
lister from abroad can tour America in the proper Triumph tradition.
A rather magnanimous gesture, I would think.
Someone jump in here and stop me if I've got this all a$$ backwards.
:-) :-) :-)
So okay...here's my proposal: For anyone who thinks they've benefited
from Dan's presence on these lists... We find an envelope. We find a
stamp.
We write Dan's address on the front and we put a dollar or two into
the envelope. We mail it. Done.
I realise you're not supposed to send cash in the mail. I recommend
this method because if we make a big deal outta this <and you're like
me, a MAJOR PROCRASTINATOR> it'll never get done.
I remind the list once a week <for those who missed it> for four weeks
and then it's over. No finally tallys.....No endless begathons.
After a week or two Dan gets a flurry of mail from Listers he's helped
in the past and he feel's a LOT better about being a Triumph
enthusiast. Even if he only gets a few dollars to spend on a new
headgasket.
So lemme know what you guys think...perhaps I'm off base here and I'd
like to hear from you if you think this is inappropriate for the list.
Cheers!
Tom O'Malley in Southbridge Massachusetts
'74, '77 Spits
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