I picked up "The New Triumph Guide" from an online used book seller
for around $7.
This issue, by Dave Allen and Dick Strome was updated by Michael Cook
in 1970.
This enjoyable pocket-sized book covers the development of the
Triumph cars from Buttercup, to the TRs, and through to the GT6.
My favourite section, though, is 'The Gendarme who goofed' - the
story of the 1958 Alpine Rally, from the perspective of Bob Halmi, a
photographer and sports-car driver. In just four pages you sense the
camraderie, adventure and thrills these cars brought their
entrpreneurial owners. With 58 starters - many private owners - there
were only 18 finishers of the 70-odd hour, 2,800 mile course, which
was flat for only one tenth of its length, and described as a
'nightmare of unpaved, twisting, narrow mountain roads where guard
rails were rare'. It must have been intimidating. Driving today in
the alps, with paved roads and guard rails everywhere, is still
'exciting'.
Six TR3s entered the race. Three comprised the factory team, three
were private owner-drivers, one of which was driven by a team of
women; Halmi of NYC and Dick Smth of Quakrtown PA, in a TR3, were the
only Americans.
The time trial was set on the road course at Monza. To avoid penalty
points an average of 90 mph had to be ahieved. Halmi led this secton
with an average of 100.7 mph, earning bonus points in the process.
After the time trial, Maurice Gatsonides (presumably in a works TR3)
was on for a Gold Cup having achieved two consecutive finishes
without penalty points. A third would win the Gold Cup. However,
after the time trial, a protruding rock took out the brake
hydraulics. Yet he resolved to continue the race by having his
copilot slow the racing car by pulling on the hand brake when
Gatsonides yelled "Brake!". In this way they'd negotiate the next
tight corner, then acelerate away. Afer one slow reaction from the
braker, the car ended against a bluff. Both were able to race another
day, though the Gold Cup was gone.
Halmi tells the story of running out of gas at 5AM atop a mountain,
and searching for gas to 'borrow' to finish the leg. They found none,
so freewheeled down the mountain, and the brakes held out! Then comes
the tale of the Gendarme, who allowed a local's Pugeot to enter the
course. Halmi collided with the Pugeot head on. To separate the cars,
they unbolted all the front end of the TR3 - wings, lamps, bumper and
grille, and left them stuck in the French car. Halmi tells that only
the radiator remained damaged, and they repaired this with a couple
of handfulls of cement. The delay took away a third-in class position
and they arrived at the finish just as the trophies were being handed
out.
Amazingly, each of the Trumphs from the race were DRIVEN back to
England. Triumph repaired and restored Halmi's car which was then
shiped out to his home in Connecticut.
I find it all the more amazing that this was just 50 years ago. Were
it that motor racing were that exciting and 'affordable' now, with
private owners having every chance of winning.
A few copies of the book, in varoius editions, are available online
for under $10.
Cheers!
Brian
Valley Forge, PA
1963 TR4 CT14455L
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