Bluebonnet - Texas Triumph Register

Vol. 33, No. 3
News from the Texas Triumph Register
March 2014
March 2014
Farewell to Mike Vukelich
James Moore’s TR250 Restoration—Part 3
Don Carter’s Engine Rebuild Snippet
Larry Douglas’ March Madness CAR-tune
Dave Smith’s Wayne & Jackie Switzer Polar Bear Report
and much more…
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Inside the March Bluebonnet:
UpFront
Officers, Volunteers & Info
Copyright 2014, Texas Triumph Register.
The Texas Triumph Register
The Gulf Coast Triumph Association, Inc.
d/b/a the Texas Triumph Register (TTR) is an
organization of Triumph owners and enthusiasts
-dedicated to the preservation and continuing
enjoyment of the Marque. Membership is
open to all who appreciate automobiles
bearing the Triumph name. In addition to
monthly meetings, the club sponsors rallyes,
shows, road tours, technical seminars, and
social events.
Visit our website at:
www.TexasTriumphRegister.org
TTR 2014-2015
Officers and Volunteers
President
John Reynolds
281-804-5797
[email protected]
Vice President — Events
Dave Smith
713-410-9305
[email protected]
National Affiliations
www.vtr.org
www.triumphregister.com
www.6-pack.org
The Bluebonnet
Membership/Historian
Mike Hado
281.807.4780 (home)
[email protected]
Regalia
John Wakefield
713.690.5010 (home)
[email protected]
The Bluebonnet is published monthly for TTR
members. Members are encouraged to submit articles,
photographs, or other items of interest. TTR neither
endorses nor warrants any product or service
advertised herein.
Secretary / Newsletter Editor
Jeff Harris
281-469-7532 (home)
281-841-7728 (cell)
[email protected]
The information contained in this newsletter is for
educational and informative purposes only. TTR
assumes no responsibility for the correctness or safety
of the procedures; the reader assumes liability for
any risk, both personal and financial, in connection
with the repairs or modifications outlined in the
articles.
TTR Webmaster
Bob Pennington
713-726-9636
[email protected]
Working on cars can be hazardous if done incorrectly
or without the proper safety precautions. The
consequences of some mistakes can be dangerous.
TTR suggests that you consult an automotive
professional before attempting any repair or
modification with which you are unfamiliar or
inexperienced.
VTR SCR Coordinator
Clay Thompson
[email protected]
Editor’s Note: Cover Photo--Participants in the Wayne & Jackie Switzer Polar Bear
Drive arranged by Dave Smith line the staircase of the destination restaurant in
Montgomery. See Page 25.
We were saddened to hear about the passing of long-time TTR member Mike
March 2014
Vukelich.
See Page 31 for memories of Mike. Jeff Harris, Editor.
2
Membership in these national organizations is
encouraged. Visit their websites at:
Treasurer
Eric Schumann
281-370-5582
[email protected]
Page
The Texas Triumph Register is a local chapter of the
Vintage Triumph Register (VTR)/ Triumph Sports
Owners Association, which is open to all drivers of
Triumph motorcars; an area center for the Triumph
Register of America, exclusively for TR-2 through
TR-4A automobiles; and a chapter of the 6-PACK,
dedicated to the enjoyment, preservation, and
restoration of the Triumph TR250 and TR6
automobiles.
TTR Autocross
Page 33
VOLUME 33
NUMBER 3
MARCH 2014
IN THIS ISSUE
SPECIAL FEATURES
5
9
10
11
TR250 Restoration Part 3
James Moore
New TTR Website
Bob Pennington
Fundamentally Triumph
Fred Wagner
Amazing Nissan Engine
FoxNews.com
REGULAR FEATURES
From the President …
4
Two Little Bolts
Don Carter
Moss Motoring Challenge
Jerry Gruss
Polar Bear Report
Dave Smith
Farewell Mike Vukelich
DeRuiter / Hado / Wagner
13
14
25
31
20
Member News
21
Breakfast and Event CALENDAR
15
John Reynolds
TTR CAR-tune
Larry Douglas
Monthly Meeting Minutes
17
February Meeting Highlights
30
19
Next Meeting-Fred Wagner
35
12
22
Russ Seto
Traveling TR Breakfast Club
Fred Wagner
Regalia
John Wakefield
All Purpose Membership
Form
Technical Toolbox
Behind the Dash Access
Bob Pennington
25
25
3
5
Page
10
March 2014
Column
From the President …
Recently I was driving to New Orleans on I-10 in a driving rain storm. Since I
was driving my trusty Suburban it wasn’t so bad. The wipers were working at
full speed and the windows were clear of moisture. I even had the rear window
wiper going so I had a decent view of what was going on behind me. The
incident reminded me of how different it is to drive our Triumphs in similar
conditions. I recently had two really bad experiences in my TR-3A in conditions
of heavy rain. Strangely, both events occurred on the drive home from a
Saturday TTBC Breakfast.
March 2014
I would have loved to pull over and stop, but every
time I tried a stream of cars passed me on my right.
After several tension-filled minutes I made it to
Beltway 8 where the well-marked road made
navigation much easier. I finally reached home, and
although it was only 10:00 am, I seriously
considered a large single malt.
I think there are two strong lessons in these
incidents. The first is personal. I think it is three
strikes and you are out. I now have two. You will not
see me driving my TR-3A in any more driving rain
storms. It really is not very smart. The second
lesson is that I, and many of us, neglect critical
systems on our cars like wipers and defrosters and
put our emphasis of keeping them clean and running
strong. I doubt few of us check and clean the
connections on our wipers, brake lights and turn
signals on a periodic basis. Most times we fix these
systems when they break, however, when and
where they break can have a devastating effect on
our safety. It is true that the safety and weather
related systems, especially on the early cars, are
weak and cannot stand up to the harsh climatic
conditions of the Gulf Coast, but keeping them in top
shape and adding better capacity where possible
can only help.
I am looking forward to participating in the Triumph
Tour to the Great Lakes in May. You can be sure I
will have a right side mirror in place and have
addressed the clunky blower on my defroster.
Further I will have checked the critical electrical
connections and tried to stem the flow of water into
the TR-3A’s passenger compartment.
Our little British cars are a fun hobby, but they
should never be allowed to put us in danger.
4
The next incident also occurred in South West
Houston. I was driving home from a breakfast
meeting in Meyerland when a really powerful
rainstorm started. I was trying to get on the Westpark
Tollway but missed the entrance and was traveling
down Westpark virtually unable to see. This incident
was actually worse in some respects that the first,
since the temperature and humidity were high and I
was traveling slower. Thus the rain poured in and all
the windows were completely fogged. Once again I
was traveling in the center lane and could not see
traffic coming up on my right. To add to the angst
the water was very high in spots and there was a real
danger of the car stopping in an active traffic lane.
John Reynolds
Page
The first occurred on the 59 Freeway heading north
at Airport Road. I was driving along at about 60 MPH
in a heavy rainstorm. I was mopping the inside of the
windshield to remove fog and wiping up the rain that
was pouring in from the leaking top and side
curtains. The wipers were not able to keep up and it
was very difficult to see the road. I was in the center
lane, and trying to keep up with traffic. I really wanted
to pull over and get off the freeway but I could not
see the cars coming up behind me. I had always
meant to install a mirror on the right fender but never
got around to it. Cars were passing me on both sides
and traveling much faster. Just at this delicate point
my windshield wipers quit. Now I really could not see
the road. This was as frightening an experience as I
have ever had. For many agonizing seconds I was
wondering if the TR-3A and I were going to make it.
Fortunately I closed up on a slow moving truck and
was able to make out and follow his tail lights. Finally
after several tense minutes the rain let up enough to
see the road markers. Once out of the rain and
safely home I pulled all of bullet connectors for the
wiper system, cleaned them and got the wipers
working again. I then vowed to put a mirror on the
passenger side of the car and try to limit the leaks in
the weather kit. I also vowed to inspect the blower to
see why it sounded like bolts in a tin can and did not
have the power to clear the wind screen. I also
vowed to lay in a supply of RainX to prepare for the
next rainstorm. Unfortunately, the weather cleared
and none of the above actions were accomplished.
Restoration
Report
James Moore’s 1968 TR250
Part 3
Quite a bit has happened since my last update; however most of it is of the slow, tedious
type.
Instruments
Previously, I had sent off my dashboard instruments to Nisonger Instruments to have them
rebuilt and recalibrated. As I bought a Dan Master’s wiring kit, and am planning on using an
upgraded alternator, I had them take a new Smiths Volt Meter (versus the old Ammeter) and
do a custom silkscreen on it to make it look like an original TR250 Smiths gauge. According
to Dan’s wiring install instructions, the Ammeter becomes useless once you upgrade to a
more modern Alternator, so upgrading to a Voltmeter is highly recommended. Also, while at
Nisonger’s I had them upgrade the Tachometer to be able to correctly take the input from my
Petronix electronic ignition. It took a couple of months to turn-around the instruments, but
they all look like brand new, have been recalibrated and the new Voltmeter looks identical to
all the other instruments. In short, a very nice job!
Seats - redux
If you recall from my last write-up, I was still waiting for the rebuilt seats from Triumph Miles.
They arrived before Christmas and have been recovered. The guys from Big Boys Toys were
able to turn-around the seats very quickly once I gave them the correct seat frames.
Body Work
Ben is still working on the fenders (front and back), the hood, doors and trunk, so nothing
new to report there. However, I did bring the car home once the tub was finished. I figured
Ben had about a month’s worth of work to finish before we could mate all the parts to the tub,
so I brought the car home so I could start putting it back together. I’ve made good progress
on getting the brake lines run, putting in some Dynamat insulation, getting the pedal box
installed, mounting all of the grommets and rubber plugs and mounting the Master Brake and
clutch cylinders.
The Engine
March 2014
Page
It took a couple of months for everything to flow through the machine shop, but – as of midJanuary – I have everything ready for the engine rebuild. I’ve helped on a couple of inline six
Datsun 240Z rebuilds, but this will be my first engine rebuild on my own. Should be fun, right?
I’ll let you know how things come out in my next report.
5
The engine had a frozen cylinder that took some time to get out of the block. Once I got it
apart I took the engine block, cylinder head, crank and pistons to Westside Performance and
Machine to get them cleaned, magnafluxed and machined. After they cleaned up the block
they recommended I go 0.20 over on my new pistons, so I ordered up some County pistons
from Richard Good, along with some Grant Rings. For the Crank, I bought 0.10 over Crank
and Rod bearings from Richard Good. As you can tell, I like Good Parts. I also bought his
Roller Rocker setup, ARP bolts for most everything, heavy duty bronze thrust bearings and
his Triple Manifold for my SUs.
Distributor
I sent my distributor up to Advance Distributors in Minnesota to have Jeff Schlemmer rebuild,
recurve and restore my original distributor. Jeff asked quite a few questions to ensure he
rebuilt it to suit my engine, so hopefully it works as good as it looks. It took about three weeks
from my shipping it to him to getting it back, so not bad in the big scheme of things. Jeff has
some very original thoughts as to points versus electronic distributors. He claims that he can
get more horsepower from using the points system that he has developed versus any of the
aftermarket electronic replacements on the market.
Restoring this old Triumph has introduced me to quite a few people with this attitude, which
(fortunately for me, I suppose) I find very refreshing. I had him include his points in my
distributor without thinking it out all the way considering I had Nisonger Instruments configure
my tach for an electronic ignition. I’ll initially try the points out in my car, but will probably
upgrade to an electronic ignition to allow my Tach to read correctly. More on this later.
Wiring
As I stated in my first report, I want to make sure my TR250 is a reliable runner. Dan Masters
makes a wiring harness that has thicker gauge wire and heavy duty relays which ought to
make for a more reliable car. Everything in the kit looks first class, plus the relays will take
quite a bit of heat away from the gauges and switches, so it’s a much more modern wiring
system while still retaining the look of the original Triumph wiring harness. I’ve just finished
running Dynamat in the car, so next on the list is running the wiring. It’s foot after foot of wire,
and I’ll let you know how it goes in my next report.
Surrey Top
One change of plan was my purchase of a Surrey Top from Rimmer Brothers in the UK. They
had a fiberglass backlight with Plexiglas rear window in their catalog, plus almost everything
needed to install it. I bought the backlight, the vinyl top, the bows for the top, all the rubber
gaskets and mounting hardware for about $1500. That was including shipping to the U.S., so
not too bad. The manufacturer sprayed the inside of the top with some grey flocking that
comes off like dog hair in the summer, but everything else looks very original. I’m going to put
vinyl on the inside of the top, so (hopefully) it will hide all of the grey flocking. Ben, my body
guy, had quite a bit of trouble taping up the flocking to keep it out of the paint. Not sure if it’s
an option, but if I was to order it again, I would ask them not to spray the flocking material on
the inside of the top.
What’s left?
I should have the engine rebuilt and the wiring completed by my next installment, so stay
posted. Same bat time and bat channel for those children of the ‘60s reading this article.
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Continue to next page for several photos. (Text and Photos, James Moore)
March 2014
Tub home for a few weeks of rebuilding before it goes back to Ben’s
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7
The brake lines and braking system are installed
March 2014
Dynamat insulation installed in preparation for running the Wiring Harness
Page
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Rimmer Brothers aftermarket Surrey Backlight
March 2014
e-TTR
New TTR Website
The Web Committee is pleased to announce the redesign of the TTR website and a new tool for
helping members stay informed about the events of the TTR.
The new website is at the same place the old one was: http://www.texastriumphregister.org . When
you go there you will see a fresh new design. Please navigate through it and send your thoughts and
suggestions for additional features to our webmasters Bob & Orit Pennington ([email protected]).
Over the next few months, there will be new features added, such as the ability to sign up or renew
membership via Paypal, the ability to purchase regalia on line, an addition to the Star Cars, where
there will be a form available for download to fill out so we can publish the stories of your cars.
In addition, we will be working with Jeff Harris, editor of The Bluebonnet, to integrate the website and
the Bluebonnet for additional features, articles and information.
As you go through the website, you will see a new heading called TTR Meetup. This is a new tool for
the membership - a social media tool called Meetup.com. It can be accessed through the website or
directly at http://www.meetup.com/TexasTriumphRegister .
This site brings a whole lot of new features to the club. Through Meetup.com, TTR will be able to
notify its members of upcoming driving and social events and allow the members to RSVP and get
pertinent information on the event. This allows the organizers to more easily know how many club
members will be attending, and aid them in planning for any meals, organizing group tours, printing
tour maps, etc. The website will send out reminders for each person signed up for an event, and
allows us to provide last minute information to our members. One of the really nice features is that you
can see all the events of the TTR in a regular monthly calendar.
Page
Finally, the more members that join the Meetup, the more effective it can be for the whole club. We
ask that you check it out and sign up as soon as possible. If you have any questions, concerns or
comments, please email Bob Pennington at [email protected]. (Bob Pennington)
9
In addition to the organizing of events, it has a discussion board, where members can post questions
about their cars, share some British Humor, as well as share links that they have found useful, and
even start new discussions. Members can also post files that they have found useful over the years instructions, tips, articles from other websites, etc. Members can also post pictures, such as of their
cars, pictures from trips - either with the club or on their own. We look to this to bring a whole new
online presence of our club. Members can set up a profile for themselves for others to see, email one
another as well as automatically post events to an individual’s Facebook, twitter or other social media
you they use. It has many options and members can use as many or as few as you want because
these are all individual settings.
March 2014
Auction
Fundamentally Triumph
Update from the Mecum Auction in Kissimmee, Florida: A 1969 Triumph TR6 was auctioned off on
Tuesday, January 21, 2014. The TR6 was white, with a black hood and interior, and appeared to be
in very good condition. The car was reportedly built on January 1, 1969, and had been owned by
the same owner for the past 37 years. It had undergone a recent restoration, and came with the
original owner’s manual, new redline tires, and tonneau, boot and car covers. There was no
mention of overdrive transmission. It crossed the auction block and went home with a new owner for
the tidy, but somewhat low, sum of $12,500. (Fred Wagner)
Technical Toolbox
Have you ever had to change one of the controls or cables behind the dash and can’t reach it
very well? Either the space is too tight to get a wrench in or the nut is too tight to loosen with
your fingers. I ran across this trying to change out the choke cable on my TR4.
Then a moment of inspiration hit me. I loosened the cable from the carburetors, then slid the
appropriate size socket over the cable over the nut. I grasped the socket with a pair of pliers
and was able to easily unscrew the nut. This technique will work with many of the controls.
Page
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Another solution for many areas of the car is a new tool from Home Depot called a Pass
Through Ratchet Wrench ($19.95). This tool eliminates the need for 2 sets of sockets, regular
and deep sockets. The center of the ratchet is open so bolts and cables can pass right
through. (Bob Pennington)
March 2014
Technology
3-cylinders, 88 lbs, 400 HP
Nissan and its motorsport partner NISMO have revealed the
engine for its 2014 ZEOD RC electrified race car, which will
compete in this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, June 14-15.
The engine is a turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder putting out
an incredible 400 horsepower, but what’s more impressive is
that the engine weighs just 88 pounds, which means a human
is quite capable of carrying it (turbocharger and all), as NISMO
chief Shoichi Miyatani demonstrates.
The engine is code-named the DIG-T R and in addition to its 400-horsepower peak power
rating it also develops a maximum 280 pound-feet of torque--numbers that make it almost
comparable with some V-8 engines still on the market. At a ratio of 4.5 horsepower per pound,
the new engine even has a better power-to-weight ratio than the new turbocharged 1.6-liter V6 engines to be used in Formula One this season.
In the ZEOD RC, the engine will form part of an advanced plug-in hybrid drivetrain. Nissan
says the driver will be able to switch between electric power and gasoline power, and the
batteries will be charged via regenerative braking. Both the electric and gasoline powerplants
run through the same five-speed gearbox that transfers power to the ground via Michelin tires.
For every hour that the ZEOD RC races, Nissan says the car will be able to complete one lap
of Le Mans’ 8.5-mile Circuit de la Sarthe on electric power alone. This will make it the first race
car in history to complete a lap in a sanctioned form of motorsport with zero emissions.
(Source: FoxNews.com, 1/28/2014)
Page
A stock TR6 inline six cylinder
engine (2.5L) with all accessories
(starter, carbs, clutch, flywheel, etc),
weighs about 460 pounds and in
U.S. carbureted form produced
when new, 104 hp or 0.23
HP/pound.
11
By Comparison
March 2014
TTR CAR-tune
Car Part Quiz
Can you identify this TR part?
Page
12
See Page 21 for answer.
March 2014
Technical
Two Little Bolts
Well, there they lay, two little bolts that are no longer. They were good for over a decade of service,
spinning their little hearts out holding on to a slender piece of milled steel called a cam while trying to
calm down a fiercely rotating sprocket that was driven by a noisy double link chain. (the cam sprocket
had sheared the two bolts holding it to the front bearing of the cam, TRF Part No. 100500, two for
$0.45).
Yes, these two little guys held on as long as they could but finally had to give up when the turning just
got too hard. At least the end was quick for them, and even that was a blessing as it turns out.
So much for the obit of two little bolts. Had they not sheared while under power, keeping the car
running and oil pumping through the engine’s veins, the metal particles first pumped with oil to the cam
would have trashed much more than just locking-up the cam in the block. It would have gone on to the
crank shaft, main bearings, rod bearings and possibly ruining all the moving parts and perhaps most of
the non-moving block fixtures as well.
The oil pump was the first victim of the overheated, over-lifted, over durationed, and obviously overstressed lifters. It took the first hit of the metal pieces as they fell and washed their way to the pump.
As the lifters disintegrated more, the damage became fast and brutal, ending driving, for the time being
anyway, of what I thought was an almost indestructible modified street car.
March 2014
Page
It’s easy to blame oil types or even our antiquated LB cars, but truth be told, this engine lasted 20 plus
years with very few mechanical issues. Driving it like a little old lady school teacher was not exactly
how it was driven either, so the majority of the blame really goes to … (drum roll here), “my foot!”
Sometimes I just can’t do a thing with it. (September 4, 2013, Don Carter)
13
Yes, there is something to the zinc and phosphorous additives to oil based oils and synthetic oil
products. For our flat lifter and roller engines it is a good idea to find a trusted brand to use and use
religiously. After seeing the damage to the lifters and the pieces of metal from them that spread so
quickly to the cam and the block that the cam runs in, anything that softens the impact of a cam on a
lifter is better than allowing regular oil to beat on them.
Event
Moss Motoring Challenge
Part of the Moss Motoring Challenge includes at least
25 stories, and I already have plenty. Crossing this
destination off provided at least one story.
Aside from the obvious lure of Prudence and I driving
around with the top down on a blistery cold January
day, there are other adventures to be had. I had done
my home work and viewed the best place to get a
good picture of the Anadarko Allison tower while
keeping the TR3 in view (thank you Google Earth).
Arriving in front of the building and stopping near the
"No Parking" sign, after the "No Vehicles Beyond This
Point" sign. I positioned Prudence with the car and
Moss flier, and ran down to the lower sidewalk and
started snapping pictures. I had a few taken before
the security guards arrived. It is against company
policy to take pictures from their property with their
property in the background.
That's my story, I'm sticking to it, and Wikipedia
is 'presently' correct. (Jerry Gruss)
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14
According to Wikipedia, the Anadarko Allison tower is
'presently' the tallest building between Houston and
Dallas. The Allison tower is a 30 story building. Next
to it, designed by the same architect to look similar but
not an exact replica, is the very recently completed 31
The Hackett Tower was
story Hackett tower.
designed with the first ten floors as car parking.
The next twenty one floors are office floors. I am
told parking floors are not as tall as office floors though I didn't measure them. The bottom line,
the 31 story building is actually shorter than the
30 story building.
March 2014
Treasurers Report
Sec/Editor’s
Report
Membership
Report
Regalia Report
Events
•
President John Reynolds opened the February meeting at 3:00 pm and
thanked our hosts, Penny and Karl Rettenmaier. Also, a big thanks for the
pot of chili simmering on the stove.
•
John gave an update on long-time TTR member Mike Vukelich who is
fighting lung cancer. Mike decided to enter Hospice care this week.
Please keep Mike and his wife Caryn in your thoughts and prayers.
•
Polar Bear Trip Report—John thanked Dave Smith for organizing “one of
the neatest road trips of recent memory”. There were 20 Triumphs and
about 43 folks who made the trip to Montgomery, Sam Houston National
Forest and then lunch at the Cozy Grape in Montgomery. John mentioned
how nice the restaurant was and how much he enjoyed visiting with TTR
member and Montgomery resident, Bill Parker.
•
John welcomed new members and guests Bob Horlander, Pete Benjamin,
Jennifer and Kelly Drake. Bob Horlander introduced himself by saying that
he once owned a 1960 TR3A. Bob also brought a selection of classic car
magazine to share with the club.
•
In Eric Schumann’s absence, Mike Hado provided the club with the TTR
treasury balance. The only expenditure in the last month was $200 to
Quantum for document publishing. M/S/A to accept treasurer’s report.
Contact Eric for specific details.
M/S/A to accept the last meeting minutes as printed in The Bluebonnet.
th
Send in your ideas, articles and suggestions by the 20 of the month.
([email protected]).
•
•
39 members present. Mike Hado reported 136 member families, making
TTR one of the largest British car clubs in Texas and in fact, in the country!
•
John Wakefield. New grille badges are available for $35. Contact John for
more info. Many other items also in stock.
•
Sam Jeffries gave an update on the Rockport area trip—22 folks signed
up.
Dave Smith is planning a Saturday morning tech session on wheel
alignment at Copperfield Auto, date TBD. Other upcoming events:
TTR Autocross, Saturday, March 15, at Houston Police Academy Track.
Contact Dusty Nicholson or Mike Hado for more info.
March 22: Hemi-Hideaway Museum tour in Brookshire, 1:30 pm. Let Dave
know if you’d like to attend. Lunch will be provided at 3:00 pm.
April 5: TTR Bluebonnet Drive. Tentative destination is Newman’s Castle
in Bellville.
April 27-30: VTR SC Regional Convention near Kansas City, MO.
th
May 16-18: 12 Annual Kastner Cup, Eagles Canyon Raceway, Slidell,
TX. Contact Dusty Nicholson for more info.
Great Lakes Tour-May/June. Contact Dave if interested in joining.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
March 2014
15
Opening
Monthly Meeting Minutes 1/11/2014
Page
ClubLife
New Business
•
Next
Meeting(s)
•
•
•
Summer Dinner Drive(s)
September 9-14: VTR National convention in North Carolina.
Falling Leaves Tour, October or November.
•
Make sure to go to the new TTR Website, the “Meetup” tab and register
your name and email address.
•
John Reynolds reported that the VTR 2014 convention hotel is already
sold out, but there are other nearby choices. Register early!
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
March 8:
April 12:
May 10:
June 14:
July 12:
August 9:
September 13:
October 11:
•
Meeting Adjourned at 3:30 pm. Minutes submitted by Jeff Harris.
Fred Wagner
Nena & Dave Smith
Lake Livingston Loop (Myers, Schumanns)
Patsy & Bill Papp
Louise Carter
M/S/A=Motion Made
Brandi & Dusty Nicholson
Seconded
Mike Woodward
Approved by Vote of Quorum
Richard Dicks
12th Annual Kastner Cup
Eagles Canyon Raceway
Slidell, Texas
May 16-18, 2014
Automotive Factoid
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16
Car advertising is big business.
Jaguar spent $6001 per car on
mainstream U.S. advertising last year. Lincoln spent $3357 per car sold.
Mainstream advertising includes radio. TV, newspapers, magazines,
billboards and internet media. The average ad spend per car is $763. At
14-15 million cars a year, that adds up to well over $11 billion dollars.
(Porsche Panorama # 678, September 2013, contributed by Len Myers)
March 2014
ClubLife
February Meeting Highlights
Photos: Fred Wagner
March 2014
Page
17
Left: Our Hosts,
Penny & Karl
Rettenmaier
March 2014
Page
Right: Dave
Smith previews
upcoming
events.
18
Above Right:
Mike Hado
gives the
treasurer’s
report on behalf
of Eric
Schumann.
ClubLife
Next Meeting
Saturday, March 8, 2014
9839 Vogue Lane
Houston, TX 77080
713-821-0582
Yack & Snack: 2:00 pm
Meet:
3:00 pm
Hosted by Fred Wagner
Map & Photo: Google Maps & Earth
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Come early for Fred’s signature (and secret) recipe chili. It tends to go fast!
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I-10 / Gessner Exit
March 2014
ClubLife
Member News
The “Homes” section of the February 16, 2014 Houston
Chronicle included an article by Heritage Texas Properties
listing their “2013 Best of the Best” realtors. TTR member
Ann Knoche was one of those recognized.
Congratulations Ann!
March Birthdays
Welcome New Members!
Kelly & Jennifer Drake, Taylor Lake Village
(Seabrook), TX, 1976 Blue Spitfire
Gill McCollin, Spring, TX
Craig Raymond, Pearland, TX, 1972 Wine
Spitfire and 1980 Red Spitfire
Welcome Returning Members!
(From 1999) Rob & Lisa Nicholls, Houston, TX,
1974 Yellow TR6
(From 2004) Jeff & Debbi Kappes, Sugar Land,
TX 1959 Red TR3A
Vance Neathery
Julie Roccaforte
Janetta Rodriguez
Brian Zuchowski
Chris Tsanais
Marianne Seto
Penny Rettenmaier
Doug Trapp
Lisa Nicholls
Fred Wagner
Jack Crutchfield
Dan Murray
Jim McAndrew
Sterling Johnson
Daniel Sonnenberg
Peter Mandelik
Mark Riesch
Jim Farrell
Leigh Bartish
Reggie Coots
Gordon Goodman
Bob Horlander
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TTR’s favorite CAR-tune-ist is Larry
Douglas and this beautiful Aston Martin
DB9 recently moved into Larry’s garage.
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(From 2007) Phil & Marilyn Yunker, Missouri City,
TX, 1972 Green TR6
March 2014
ClubLife Breakfast & Event Calendar
March 1
Skeeter's Mesquite Grill, 1553 South Mason Road. 281-398-9260
March 8
Triple A Restaurant, 2526 Airline Drive. 713-861-3422
March 8
TTR Monthly Meeting, Fred Wagner Hosts
March 15
The Egg & I, 21143 Tomball Pkwy (at Louetta), Houston, 77070, 832-717-7781
March 15
TTR Autocross, Houston Police Academy, See Page 33
March 22
Potatoe Patch, 2020 FM 1960 East, Houston, 77073, 281-443-3530
March 29
Midtown Bar & Grill, 415 W. Gray, Houston, 77019, 713-528-2887
April 5
EATS Mesquite Grill, 13813 Old Hempstead Hwy, Houston, 77040, 713-460-3287
April 5
2014 TTR Bluebonnet Drive
April 12
Humble City Café, 200 Main Street, Humble, 77338, 281-319-0200
April 12
TTR Monthly Meeting, Nena & Dave Smith Host
April 27-30
VTR South Central Regional, Excelsior Springs, MO, hosted by KCTC
Sept 9-14
VTR National Convention, Dobson, NC, hosted by TCOC
The Traveling Triumph Breakfast Club (TTBC) gathers around 8:00 a.m. and orders
breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Confirm breakfast location on the web the day before the
event. Thanks to Russ Seto for arranging interesting venues.
“Can You Name This Car
Part?”
Answer:
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Heater Control Valve, Part No.
565755, first introduced in 1961 with
the debut of the TR4, and used from
TR4 through TR6 production.
(Randy DeRuiter)
March 2014
ClubLife Traveling Triumph Breakfast Club
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Photos: Fred Wagner
March 2014
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Events
2014 Regional & National
Underdog, Superman, Conventions
Batman and TR3s are all unsightly and less
April Bluebonnet:
powerful without their capes. As part of my unending desire to be on a further step
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VTR will sponsor a South Central Regional and National
convention in 2014. TRA and 6-PACK have national
conventions. All four events are within a reasonable
driving distance from Houston. Start planning!
March 2014
Events
Houston Area Shows of Interest
May 3-4, 2014
Lakewood Yacht Club
Seabrook, Texas
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May 2-4, 2014
La Torretta Lake Resort
Montgomery, Texas
Including Houston Classic Auction (Saturday) by Worldwide Auctioneers
March 2014
Trip
Report
2014 Wayne & Jackie Switzer
Polar Bear Drive
st
The 2014 TTR Polar Bear Run was held on Saturday, February 1 . Although the mild weather was not
appropriate for the event theme, it likely contributed significantly to the strong turn-out of TTR members. A
total of 42 members completed the drive and 6 more joined us for lunch at the Cozy Grape Wine Bar & Bistro
in Montgomery, TX (see Participants List). The car demographics for the drive consisted of 21 Triumphs and
5 lesser vehicles. Starting point for the drive was the Harris County Smokehouse parking lot in Tomball, TX.
The route encompassed an 80 mile trek to the north and northwest of Tomball and included driving through a
portion of the Sam Houston National Forest along FM 149, through Montgomery, TX and then several small
towns including Shiro, Richards and Dacus. The drive was not without incident as minor issues with a couple
of the cars popped-up. The first was a plugged fuel line on Larry Douglas’s TR6 at the “pit stop” in
Montgomery. There was plenty of advice on hand and fortunately at least two with the right answer to get the
problem resolved and the car back on the road. The problem popped-up again while waiting for the small
“scouting group” of approximately six cars to rejoin the main force after checking out an alternative route (i.e.
they missed a turn!). After our somewhat delayed arrival to the The Cozy Grape, the group proceeded to the
reserved patio area and enjoyed a great meal. After lunch, we gathered for an event photo as displayed on
this month’s cover of The Bluebonnet. (Dave Smith)
2014 Polar Bear Run Route Map
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Harris County Smokehouse
14239 FM2920 Rd.
Tomball, TX
281-351-4060
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Cozy Grape Wine Bar & Bistro
14340 Liberty St.
Montgomery, TX
832-461-9892
March 2014
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March 2014
Staging area at Harris County Smokehouse in Tomball, TX
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A gathering of Triumphs at “pit stop” in Montgomery, TX
March 2014
Recon (lost cars) group rejoins main force near State Hwy 30
Photos: Dave Smith
March 2014
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Official Polar Bear pin worn by Val DeRuiter
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Arrival to the Cozy Grape Wine Bar & Bistro
Trip Report
2014 W&JS Polar Bear
Lunch at The Cozy Grape Restaurant
Montgomery, Texas
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Photos: Mike Hado
March 2014
TTR Regalia
Ads
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For more information and availability of shirt sizes contact Regalia Master John Wakefield
(See UpFront page for contact info). If you have ideas or requests for new Regalia items, let
John know. See our website for additional info on TTR-logo shirts available through
Lands End on-line purchase.
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PARTIAL LISTING OF TTR REGALIA ITEMS
ITEM
$
LADIES HATS
12
GRAY TTR T-SHIRTS
15
NEW GRILLE BADGE
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MEN’S HATS
15
LICENSE PLATE FRAMES
20
HAT PINS
7.5
IRON ON LOGO PATCHES
5
TR-3 COFFEE CUPS
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March 2014
Farewell
Mike Vukelich
TTR member Mike Vukelich lost his courageous battle with lung cancer
on February 13, 2014 and with his passing we lost a valued club member
and dear friend. Well known to the TTR breakfast crowd, Mike was a
fixture at the Saturday morning breakfasts - it was rare to beat him to the
location even though he started his morning drive in his TR8 from his
home in Pearland.
Mike was also one of the FOGs, or “Funny Old Guys”, in our club who
took their Triumphs on trips well past the Houston boundaries. Mike
participated in many FOG trips, going as far south as Key West and as far
north as upstate New York to yell hello to our Canadian neighbors. Mike
was a member of the group who did the 4,302 mile tour of the Rockies
last year, and we are sure if he had been able to, he would have signed
up for this year’s Great Lakes tour.
Originally a Western Pennsylvania native and tough ex-Marine who
served in Vietnam, he was often seen proudly sporting his Steeler regalia
and at Christmastime he always brought an ample supply of Polish nut
rolls to share with the TTR folks, having made every single one of them
himself.
March 2014
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More than the cars, Mike was an active and friendly member of the club,
his quiet demeanor well suited to simply having a cup of coffee in the
morning, talking cars, and sharing a few laughs with friends. Our
thoughts and sympathy go out to his wife Caryn and his family. He will be
missed.
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Mike and his wife Caryn also enjoyed our local club runs, most recently
the Christmas Lights Tour as well as the Falling Leaves Tour and the
annual Bluebonnet and Polar Bear runs. A TTR member since 2005,
Mike started in the club with a Carmine Red TR6 (subsequently lost from
a broadside incident on a FOG run, after which he was affectionately
labeled “T-Bone” Vukelich), a French Blue TR6 which he transferred over
to his cousin and namesake Mike Vukelich, and finally his Platinum TR8.
Mike Vukelich
6/12/45--2/13/14
Our friend and club member Mike Vukelich
passed away recently after a short but
intense battle with cancer. Mike was a key
club member who enjoyed our events and
was a fixture on our long distance tours. I
got to know Mike pretty well during our
2013 Triumph tour to Mount Rushmore.
During our numerous chats over cocktails
or coffee I learned that Mike was a combat
Marine in Vietnam and saw more action
than he cared to discuss.
March 2014
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I will miss his warm smile and firm hand shake. Our hearts go out to Caryn and the family members who have to
bear the loss of this fine man. (John Reynolds)
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I also learned that he dearly loved his country and most of all Mike loved his dear wife Caryn. Mike was beyond
the strong silent type; I think he was one tough hombre. He was unflappable in any circumstance including car
problems 2000 miles from home. I do think, however, he tensed up a bit while riding with me up Pikes Peak in
my TR-3A. Perhaps he did not like sloppy driving.
Track Event
Autocross
When: Saturday, March 15, 2014, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Where: Houston Police Academy, 17000 Aldine Westfield Rd, Houston, TX 77073
Cost: $20 / driver
Come out to the track and join us for a fun day of spirited driving in your Triumph! No matter how
experienced or inexperienced you are at racing, I promise it’ll be fun and safe. If you’ve never
raced before this will be a great way to get started with no pressure, no awards, just fun. Cars will
race one at a time on an open track so there is no need to worry about running into anything,
except maybe an orange traffic cone. Our club has rented the curvy road course for the day so it’ll
be Triumphs only. Lesser cars may be allowed to run time permitting.
There will be a basic tech inspection to make sure your car is safe... so make sure your battery is
strapped in, brakes work well, wheel bearings are tight, and seat belts are in good shape. You
may also want to empty your trunk and cockpit of loose items before you arrive. We’ll provide
helmets in case you don’t have one, you just show up and drive. Cost is $20 per driver for as
many runs as you want in as many cars as you want—time permitting.
If you want to volunteer to help buy supplies ahead of time, set up the course, grill hot dogs, run
the timing equipment, etc., email Dusty at [email protected]
Course set-up will begin at 8:00 AM, volunteers needed. Drivers meeting and track walk will be at
9:00 am. First car out 9:30 am. This will also be the debut of our new electronic timing gear.
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Jim Wortsman, aka “Bumperless in Houston”, autocrosses his 1954 TR2 at the
Galveston VTR National Convention, October 2012
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We have the track until 4:00 pm so come all day or just for a few hours. Recommended list of
things to bring: hat, tennis shoes, folding chair, sunscreen, snacks, non-alcoholic drinks. The
club will provide lunch (hot dogs) and water. See ya at the finish line! (Dusty Nicholson)
March 2014
Misc.
And, Finally …
Happy 25th Birthday to the Mazda
Miata, perhaps the perfect “British
Sports Car”?
Mazda sold more than 920,000
copies as of December 2013.
The car debuted in 1988 with a
MSRP of $13,800. A 2014 Sport
model lists for $23,720.
A
retractable hardtop model is also
part of the range.
A new model is rumored to be in
the works for model year 2015.
(Hemmings Daily, 2/10/2014).
TTR Webmaster Bob
Pennington thought
this
“project
car”
might be of interest to
Mike Hado or Jerry
Gruss!
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Triumph sold 94,619 TR6 cars during the production run from 1969 through 1976.
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Automotive Factoid
March 2014
JOIN
Texas Triumph Register
All-Purpose Membership Form
The TTR meets the 2nd Saturday of each month. For more information, contact Mike Hado (281.807.4780).
We look forward to meeting you!
New Membership
Check one:
Renewal
Update
Member’s Name:
Birthday (month/day)
Spouse’s Name:
Birthday (month/day):
Street (or Mailing) Address:
City:
State: _____
Home Phone:
Work phone:
Zip:
Cell:
E-mail Address:
Triumph ownership is not a prerequisite for membership; however, if you do own any Triumphs, please tell
us about them:
Year
Model
Commission No.
Color
Condition*
_____ ___________ __________________________________ _________ ________
_____ ___________ __________________________________ _________ ________
_____ ___________ __________________________________ _________ ________
*O = Original, R = Restored, B = Being Restored, P = Parts Car
Dues: $30 per year per family. Make check payable to the Texas Triumph Register
(P.O. Box 40847, Houston, TX 77240-0847). Your cancelled check is your receipt.
March 2014
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_____ ___________ __________________________________ _________ ________
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