After a day in which everything that could go wrong, did go wrong - Wayne's
dissertation in driving his newly acquired TR3 was a veritable breath of fresh
air - and water leaks.
It reminded me of a marathon drive that Paul Richardson (the late Ken's son)
and I did in a 3A in 2000. While we didn't have to contend with the weather
that Wayne described - 'shattered' cockyx's's's's's were definitely on the
menu.
As many sidescreeners will testify, that's what happens when you drive on
genuine, original unreupholstered seats where the cushion has less padding
than when new. Towards the end of the journey and at 04.00 in the morning,
Paul stated that if I didn't stop for him to 'pay a call' in the town of
Woodstock, near Oxford - there would be an accident.
Woodstock was utterly deserted with blazing street lighting and I pulled off
the road in front of some shops and switched off. I decided at that point to
get out for a bit of a walk and stretch some tired muscles - but on opening
the driver's door, found it was impossible to bend my leg to get out. After
trying valiantly - and without success, the only option was to roll out of the
car and I soon found myself alongside said 3A, on all fours - facing the rear.
That action in itself had both of us in stitches of laughter - and the more so
when an approaching set of headlights came to a halt alongside.
Looking up through the tears of laughter, the first thing to greet my glance
was a highly polished door on which were the exciting words THAMES VALLEY
POLICE. The two occupants were quickly at either side lifting me to my feet
and once in an upright position, I heard the police radio saying, "control to
mobile four. Triumph sports car three sixer fiver juliet yankee alpha is
registered to British Motor Heritage near Warwick."
Jeez, those guys didn't waste much time!
Once they were satisfied neither of us had been at the wrong end of a bottle
imbibing its contents, they took it in turns to have a brief test drive - as
passengers.
Done some strange things in my life and given a good many demo drives in much
younger, faster and quieter Triumphs - but never to two bored policemen at
four in the morning in a car whose raucous exhaust was loud enough to wake the
dead.
Great story Wayne. Welcome to the utter delights of a sidescreen TR. You'll
have many more.
Jonmac
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