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Re: VTR 99 Recap

To: Bob Lang <LANG@isis.mit.edu>
Subject: Re: VTR 99 Recap
From: Andrew Mace <amace@unix2.nysed.gov>
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 15:21:57 -0400 (EDT)
Cc: triumphs@autox.team.net, fot@autox.team.net
I'll keep this short for now. I mostly would like to 'second' everyone 
else's comments about Portland, NET, VTR99 and EVERYONE who attended!

Also, having just poked gentle fun at my friend Brad Kahler, I would like 
to publicly thank him along with many, many others for one particular 
incident. I ran the afternoon autocross session in the infamous Hardly 
Boys RaceSpit 4 (see Bob Danielson's web site). The course was a two-lap 
affair, and I was just beginning the second lap of my first run when I 
felt deja vu setting in. Much as my ill-fated attempts to compete in the 
car in 1996, the Spit began to sputter and gradually (rather quickly, to 
be honest) pretty much died completely.

Before I could even coast to an off-course stop, many folks came to push 
me back to the "paddock"! Great, but then that's kind of a necessity in 
autocrossing -- keeping the course clear of trash. ;-) But still I thank 
those folks.

What was so much more special to me, but yet so typical of VTR members 
and indeed pretty much ALL Triumph owners was the way about 10-12 folks 
ATTACKED the car in an attempt to determine and correct the problem. 
Folks armed with borrowed tools ranging from box wrenches to Swiss Army 
Knives (more about which in a moment) swarmed over the car almost before 
it rolled to a stop in the paddock.

Led by honorary Woods Brother Brad Kahler, it took almost no time at all
to determine that fuel simply wasn't getting to the dual SUs in any
appreciable quantity. In short order the blockage was traced all the way
back and determined to be in the pipe between the tank and the 35-year-old
Bendix (factory recommended competition) fuel pump. That line was off in
seconds and, while someone played "little Dutch boy" and kept the tank
from draining, Brad and others found a small compressor to blow through
the pipe. With the eventual aid of a white Swiss Army Knife toothpick and
that air, the unknown material was finally blown out and pipe refitted to 
the car.

That proved to be the problem, and the car ran its last two runs as it 
has not run in some time! At least not since just before we left for 
Portland, as the car had been behaving beautifully at home! Go figure. :-)

Anyway, my special thanks to Brad as well as Jack Brooks, Henry Frye, 
George Haynes and at least 7-8 others whose names I don't remember but 
who were just as instrumental in getting me running without my hands even 
getting dirty!

THAT is what makes it all so special -- great folks! I thank you all.

--Andy

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Andrew Mace, President and                *
*   10/Herald/Vitesse (Sports 6) Consultant *
* Vintage Triumph Register <www.vtr.org>    *
* amace@unix2.nysed.gov                     *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



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