Two of us were discussing today when we first were 'bitten' by the Triumph
bug and was wondering how some of the others on the lists decided on a
Triumph vs another make of car. For me my interest in British sports cars
began back in 1968-70 in high school. I had a friend in Gladstone,
Missouri who's father rebuilt MG-TD's, MGA's and their family car was a
white 1960 Jaguar sedan. The basement and garage always had at least two
or three cars in pieces and as mechanical challenged as I was, he allow me
to help. After college (1973) I came home one summer and my brother owned
a black 1964 Spitfire with a white hardtop - after 'borrowing' it several
times I was hooked. I was working for the railroad in western Kansas and
had enough money to buy my first new car, so off to Wichita I went one
weekend and ordered a new 1974 yellow Spitfire through the British Leyland
dealer (this is when the Triumph ads had the Spitfire aircraft in the
background of the yellow Spit). Drove the Spitfire all over Kansas,
Missouri, Nebraska and Arkansas while railroading and got to be friends
with a yardmaster in St. Joe, Missouri who drove a GT-6 - what a running
breast this car was (probably when my six cylinder interest was kindled).
Got married in 1976 and traded the car on a Volkswagen Rabbit. Still the
Triumph bug was there so after the first two kids I found a red 1964 TR-4
and drove it as my daily driver for three years (part of the time in Omaha
winters). Last December I bought a '76 BRG TR-6 and have been 'content'
since.
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