Real life anecdote: high-LBC content: non-technical
SUMMARY
Apparently, *everyone* owned a Triumph or an MGB at one time or another.
BACKGROUND
I'm nearing the end of my second week of daily driving on the rebuilt
engine; *no trouble*, only edged over 185 in traffic snares during
Denver's week of near-100 degree weather.
NO TROUBLE... TILL YESTERDAY
Returning home, the red light comes on and stays on. Pull over, shut
down, open the bonnet, and... the generator is loose, wedged between the
frame and the exhaust manifold. No sign of the three bolts that should
hold it on. Nothing seemed out of sorts till it fell off, either, and I
do a daily visual when I check the oil each morning. So I set the
generator in the car, confirmed the loose belt was still moving the
water pump, and drove a few miles to my local hardware store.
YOU TOO?
So I'm in the bolt aisle, and a young hardware store employee arrives
and asks "Is that your TR? What year?" I say it's a '62, and he says
"I'm restoring a '62!" His job is to carry heavy items to customers'
cars, so I have him carry the three bolts out to the TR4. He explains
that his dad rolled the TR4 while a college student, and has hauled it
around for a couple decades. Now the car is his... to restore: full
frame-off. Those of you worried about the future of our marquee, one
more teenager carrying on. Well, hopefully, not carrying on but rather
driving carefully. <g>
While we're reattaching the generator, a guy pulls up and tries to trade
his cadillac for the car (former Fiat owner), then a dude who used to
street-race MGBs. I've had several biz cards left under the wipers, and
most gas fill-ups involve meeting a former Triumph owner. How many of
these cars were made? <g>
--
Steven Newell
Denver, CO
'62 TR4
|