Canadian International Auto Show Supplement
Transcription
Canadian International Auto Show Supplement
T h e M a g a z i n e O f T h e T o r o n to T r i u m p h C l u b Spring 2012 On Vacation with TS2 Inside: Canadian International Auto Show Supplement Works Team TR4s • My TR8 • Fear of Driving? The Parts You Need To "Keep’em on the Road " contents ® Spring 2012 26 18 30 ® 24 Member Pages 36 From the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 From the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Club Hub . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13 Event Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14/15 Owner’s Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Activities TRavels: 2088 in TS2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-22 The Magazine Of The TOrOnTO TriuMph Club Spring 2012 On Ce le TS2 with g 50 Years of Sp Fast Service, Simple Ordering and Quick Delivery. www.VictoriaBritish.com 1-800-255-0088 FREE Parts & Accessories Catalogs Also Available For: ©2012 Long Motor Corporation, PO Box 14991, Lenexa, Kansas 66285-4991 2012 Ca nadian Internati onal Au to Show History! The Glory! Inside: Canadian International Auto Show Supplement FREE Parts & Accessories Catalogs for: TR2, TR3, TR4, TR4A, TR250, TR6, TR7, TR8, GT6, Spitfire of the TT C displa y at the re! itf n a ti br S1 TTheRIUMPH Vacation A review A supplem RAGT OP ent to Works Team TR4s • My TR8 • Fear of Driving? On the Cover A review of the TTC display at the 2012 Canadian International Auto Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S1-S16 Photo by Helen Critchley IS pring I 2012 Special Feature: Nothing to Fear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24/25 Historically Speaking: Where are the Works TR4s . . . . . . 26-28 Marque my Words: My TR8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30-34 Restoration: Six and Two Threes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36-37 Speke Easy Bits and Pieces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Special Supplement Don Elliott fording a 6” deep stream near the Welsh border on a sunny Sunday afternoon outing with the Stoke-on-Trent and the Shropshire TR Groups. Ragtop Features www.TorontoTriumph.com 3 from the editor SUBMISSIONS ADVERTISING Contact the Club’s advertising representative for details of dates and submissions. Submit ads as high resolution (min 300 ppi) PDF files, saved for print in CMYK format, fonts embedded, by E-mail to [email protected] The advertising year is from Jan.1 to Dec. 31. A copy of Ragtop is sent to all paid advertisers. 2012 ADVERTISING RATES Rear Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $500 per year Inside Front Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $475 Inside Back Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $450 Full Page Inside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $305 Half Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $185 Quarter Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $115 Business Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $70 Full colour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $115 extra Second colour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $75 extra Flyer Inserts . . . . . . . . . . . . . $190/issue (max 4 pgs) (All rates are for 4 issues, except flyers) [email protected] 2012 SCHEDULE Issue Deadline Mailed Spring . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 1 . . . . . . . . . End of April Summer . . . . . . . . . . . June 10 . . . . . . . . . End of July Fall/BCD Program . . .August 12 . . . Mid September Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov. 18 . . . . . . Mid December General Enquiries [email protected] Ragtop is published quarterly by the Toronto Triumph Club Inc. (“TTC”) and is distributed to its members as part of their annual dues. The TTC or the Editors cannot accept responsibility for the safe return of any submitted material. We will do our best, but accidents do occur. We accept no responsibility for errors or omissions. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the TTC Executive or Membership. Copyright © 2012 by the TTC. Non-profit groups may reprint articles from this publication, where the author has not reserved rights, provided we get credited and both the author and TTC receive a copy of the publication in its entirety. Distribution by Pillar Direct Marketing Services. Printed by Printwell Offset for the Toronto Triumph Club. Canada Post Publications # 40022175 Ragtop IS pring I 2012 “The Spring has sprung The grass is ris I wonder where my Ragtop is?” Yep, this really is the Spring issue, arriving just under the wire as we head into summer. It’s a bumper 56 pager, so I know you’ll forgive me the slight delay. Was it really 4 months ago that we were all at the Auto Show? It’s just been a blur for me since then and frankly, I was still on a high for most of that time (still am in fact). Our display continues to be talked about, putting our club firmly on the classic car club map. There is a 16 page souvenir review supplement in the centre of this issue for your enjoyment. It can be pulled out if you wish, but we couldn’t afford an extra staple to hold the pages together - so do so at your own risk! As you know, last year I missed every major event in the calendar, mainly due to work and my son’s wedding (Guess what? My youngest got engaged on Christmas Day, his wedding is February 2013... here we go again!). Anyway, this year I vowed to try and make it to as many events as possible, so I was at Ancaster in April, went on the brunch drive to Queenston Heights in May and Spring Fling in June (see summer issue for a full report) and, as I write this, I’m about to head out to the annual BBQ and then we’re off to the Finger Lakes for the 27th Canadian Classic. I hope to make it to Brits in the Park and Brits on the Lake too. Rosie got new chrome on her front bumper over the winter, just in time for the Auto Show, plus one or two of her other parts got the ‘bling’ treatment. Not gratuitous bling you understand - strictly in accordance with original factory specs of course. I must say I’m glad these outstanding items on my to-do list are now completed. The front bumper made me cringe every time I looked at it, which is why I used to have the bonnet open so often, to cover it up (honest Scott!). Unfortunately, my spot and fog lamp are gone now, but I might replace them with some Lucas ones down the road. I’ll shut up now, you’ve waited long enough to enjoy this issue, so ‘have at it’... I’m going to have a Guinness later to celebrate finally getting it finished! — David Fidler Photo: Dion Widrich Format: MS Word files are preferred. Send via email or on CD, 10Mb limit on email files. Send photos separately, do NOT embed in the text file. Hard copy submissions are acceptable, but not preferred. Graphics must be in major graphics formats, jpeg, tiff or Photoshop files. In Person: To the editor at the monthly meetings. Mail: 2421 Poplar Crescent, Mississauga, Ontario L5J 4H2 E-mail: [email protected] Shiny new chrome on Rosie’s bumper at CIAS www.TorontoTriumph.com 5 Obsolete Auto_MG&TRIUMPH AD2.pdf 19/02/2009 8:22:06 PM from the president Toll Free Order Line: ............................................. 1-800-265-7437 Customer Service / Technical Advice: ............ 1-519-337-3232 24 Hour Fax Line: ................................................... 1-519-336-5936 Website: ............................................................www.obsoleteauto.com Business Hours: ........................... Monday to Friday - 8 AM to 5 PM Executives President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Tushingham 905.830.9124 Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ian Parkhill 905.637.2034 Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew Grace 416.763.3824 Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Lindsay 416.233.7360 Director of Communications . . . . . David Fidler 905.829.9340 142 Kendall Street, Point Edward, Ontario CANADA N7V 4G5 Director at Large . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wayne McGill 905.847.5532 Director at Large . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scott Douglas 905.334.4020 Past President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Johan Aaltink 705.456.4276 MG & TRIUMPH Specialists Ragtop Magazine Editor & Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Fidler 905.829.9340 Assistant Editor . . . . . . . . . . . Terrence McKillen 647.202.8243 Distribution . . . . . . . . . Rod Jones - Pillar Direct 416.755.9494 Art Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael Cleland 905.873.7704 Advertising Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ian Parkhill 905.637.2034 David Fidler 905.829.9340 Club Photographer . . . . . . . . . . Larry Llewellyn 416.245.9217 Website Web Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Copping 905.827.6970 Website Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . David Copping 905.827.6970 Club Coordinators M Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scott Douglas 905.334.4020 Meeting Coordinators . . . . . . . . . Patrick Caria 416.562.1642 Y CM Clive Huizinga 905.884.2091 Interclub Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tony Fox 905.632.0479 Ambassador at Large . . . . . . . . . . Wayne McGill 905.847.5532 MY Regalia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dion Widrich 416.464.6057 CY Historians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wayne McGill 905.847.5532 CMY Frank Manning 905.643.2359 Volunteer Coordinator . . . . . . . . Chris Lindsay 416.233.7360 K BCD Sponsors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frank Manning 905.643.2359 Motorsports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Simon Rasmussen 905.853.2514 Where does the time go? It seems like it was only yesterday that we were at the Canadian International Auto Show proudly displaying the “History and the Glory” of the Triumph marque. For those of you that were not able to attend and those who want to reminisce, we have a special supplement in Ragtop to give you a first-hand account of this tremendously successful event. We are well into the driving season with the Ancaster Flea Market and Spring Fling events already behind us. If you haven’t had a chance to check out the events calendar lately at www.TorontoTriumph.com, you will see that we have many events scheduled throughout the summer and fall. I am really looking forward to the Canadian Classic this year, which is being held in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Dubbed the “Canadian Invasion Classic”, it combines our traditional “Around the Lake” summer drive and is once again being planned and organized by Clive and Jacquelynne Huizinga. Alex and Sharon McLeod will also be lending a helping hand this year. Remember, we organize these events for YOU, so please take full advantage of them. Get out with your Triumph and spend some time with your friends in the TTC. Hope to see you on the open road. Have a great summer everyone! Cheers, — David “Tush” Tushingham Marque Coordinators TR2, 3, 3A & 3B . . . . . . . . . . . . . Malcolm Taylor 905.880.0079 Alistair Wallace 905.627.2941 TR4, 4A, 5 & 250 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Lille 416.231.3092 TR6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fred McEachern 905.727.2987 Wayne McGill 905.847.5532 Request a FREE copy of the Sports Car Chronicle. Call: 1-800-265-7437 or 519-337-3232 Email: [email protected] GARAGE SALES! That’s right. Check out our annual Spring or Fall Garage Sales and browse endless deals. Spitfire-GT6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Don Johnson 705.721.1231 Each issue is packed with super deals on parts and accessories along with technical articles to help you do the job. A great resource for YOUR sports car! Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard and American Express British Car Day Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . David Sims 905-331-1496 Shipping: Canada Post and most courier services Ron Pincoe 519.941.0976 Stag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tony Fox 905.632.0479 TR7 & 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Larry Llewellyn 416.245.9217 Ron Etty 905.547.2419 Event Coordinators 27th Canadian Classic . . . . . . . Clive Huizinga & Alex McLeod Spring Fling 2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MG Car Club of Toronto Peter Mittler [email protected] Summer Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clive Huizinga 905.884.2091 Annual BBQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brian Clark 905.484.9091 Jack Willekes 905.820.0269 Fall Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Fidler 905.829.9340 General Mail/Membership Mail P.O. Box 39, Don Mills Ontario M3C 2R6 ALL TO PRESERVE AND DRIVE THE TRIUMPH Ragtop Mail & E-mail: 2421 Poplar Crescent, Mississauga, ON, L5J 4H2 [email protected] Ragtop IS pring I 2012 Photo: Andrew Grace C Browse the website www.obsoleteauto.com for updates on stocked parts and secure access to online ordering. The parts you need, any time or day. Get Out and Drive The Presidential Limo centre stage at CIAS www.TorontoTriumph.com 7 club hub TRF Is the World’s Greatest British Sports Car Company The Roadster Factory is large enough to be a major parts manufacturer and distributor but small enough to know our models very well, also small enough to offer very personal service to all of our customers. TRF is British Motor Heritage Approved, we are famous for high quality and reasonable prices, and we offer expert engine, gearbox, and rear axle rebuilds from our own shop, known as C.A.R. Components. Whether you show your car in concours events, enter it in competitive driving events, or drive it to work every day, you can do so with confidence, knowing that The Roadster Factory will always be here for you—on-line or just a phone call away. Subscribe to TRF’s E-Mail Newsletter Every week, twelve-thousand Triumph and MG enthusiasts in countries around the world receive an E-Mail Newsletter from Charles Runyan. The newsletter always includes wonderful offers on parts, shipping deals, and other TRF news. The newsletter includes links to current Web Site Specials and Weekend Features which change every week. To subscribe to the newsletter, please follow the simple instructions found on the TRF home page. Note that unsubscribing is also easy if you change your mind later. Join TRF Car Club Hundreds of customers of The Roadster Factory belong to TRF Car Club. The club exists to promote TRF Customer loyalty, and it includes $300.00 in gift certificates each year that you can use as cash to purchase parts. Dues are $100.00 per year, but you also get a parts credit in the amount of $100.00 every year after the first. You will receive a membership card and sticker. Beautiful club logo. Great T-shirts available. Please join on-line, or just phone the sales line, and ask to join TRF Car Club… Club Meetings by Terence McKillen March The March club event was held on March 27 at the GrandPrix Kartways at Downsview Park. There was a good turn out of members including a number attending for the first time. Following general club business, where David Fidler received a plaque for his work on the CIAS display, members were free to socialise or to partake in a few laps of the indoor circuit. April The April meeting was held on April 22 in conjunction with the Ancaster British Flea Market, the traditional beginning of the motoring year. The TTC table was a busy place for most of the day when many memberships were renewed and some new members were welcomed to the club. This year the weather was somewhat more accommodating which brought out more classic British cars and vendors than of late, although it was still breezy and cool for those outside. Inside, people kept warm and vendors seemed to be doing a brisk trade. Our thanks go to our booth volunteers - Chris Lindsay, Scott Douglas, David Fidler, David Tushingham, Alistair Wallace, Clive Huizinga, Ian Parkhill & Patrick Caria who kept customers serviced and happy. Special thanks to Tony Koski who donated 8 Hotwheels TR6s, which all sold and raised $16 for the club. • Diesel Engines • Gasoline Engines • Marine Engines • Race Engines • Vehicle Services The Roadster Factory Meeting up at Timmies in Mississauga May The May meeting held on May 6th, centred around a leisurely drive along the foot of the Niagara Escarpment from Clarkson/Oakville to the restaurant at Queenston Heights, just north of Niagara Falls, for an excellent brunch. The convoy comprised 9 TR6s, a TR8, a Spitfire and Robin Searle’s nicely appointed Triumph Stag making its debut after more than 12 months of sorting out. Enjoying brunch in the Queenston Heights restaurant • Parts Store • Complete Engine Machine Shop • Gasoline Injector Service • Engine Balancing & Blue Printing • Cylinder Head Porting & Flow Testing Winslow Delaney | Creative Solutions 416.871.2358 9 Forster Park Drive Oakville, Ontario Canada L6K 1Y5 [email protected] www.winslowdelaney.com 2338 Wyecroft Rd., Unit K5-7, Oakville, Ontario L6L 6L4 Tel: 905-825-2045 Fax: 905-825-0208 P.O. Box 332, Armagh, Pennsylvania, 15920, U.S.A. Telephone: (800) 234-1104 • Fax: (814) 446-6729 Internet: www.the-roadster-factory.com Your source for all your repairs Ragtop IS pring I 2012 www.TorontoTriumph.com 9 club hub Volunteers Needed for British Car Day British Car Enthusiasts Have Lost A Friend British car enthusiasts of south central Ontario lost a dear friend, a colleague, an acquaintance and a fellow British car owner with the passing of Warren Grant on February 9th 2012. Warren and his wife Pat, of 53 years, were equally involved in the many aspects of British Motoring. Warren and Pat have been members of the Toronto Triumph Club since 1992 when they joined the club shortly after arriving back in Canada. Warren and Pat had been in New Zealand for a period of time and just before returning to Canada in 1991, Warren purchased a beautiful blue 1971 Stag. The Stag (a right had drive version) was shipped back to Canada and has been a source of enjoyment for them ever since. Warren and Pat were also very Passing of David Pegg Pat & Warren Grant active members of the Victoria British Car Club out of Lindsay, where Warren had just concluded a two year stint as President of the Club in November 2011. Warren will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him with his warm and thoughtful demeanor. We belatedly acknowledge the passing last October 31st of long time TTC member David Pegg, after a long illness, he was 74. Dave held a number of posts over the years, including TR4 marque coordinator. He had been restoring a TR4A for the last 15 years, but sadly was never able to drive the finished car. His wife Marilyn continues to be a member and plans to keep the TR4A in the family. Dave will be fondly remembered for his kindness and good humour by all who loved and knew him. British Car Day is hosted annually by the Toronto Triumph Club, on the third Sunday of September. This year the date is September 16. The venue as always is Bronte Creek Provincial Park. 2012 will be the 29th Annual British Car Day and will celebrate the 50th Anniversaries of the Triumph Spitfire, MGB and Lotus Elan. Volunteers are needed - please contact Chris Lindsay, Volunteer Coordinator at [email protected] to volunteer your services. Regalia Store Now OPEN! Lots of fine TTC merchandize is now available at our new Club Store, just click on the link on the right of our homepage. We’re adding to the selection on a regular basis, please let us know if there’s something in particular you’d like to see? Many thanks to our Regalia Officer, Dion Widrich, for working so hard to set this up and doing a lot of the original car art. AUTO/MARINE SOFT TOP DETAILING KITS Don’t throw out your perfectly good but faded tops or covers just yet! Would you like a Brand New looking Cloth Top for under $100 ? Boat Canvas or Vinyl or Plastic Windows looking Tired and Drab? Europe’s #1 recommended Soft Top Care products for over 12 years ! WORLD FAMOUS RENOVO KITS TO THE RESCUE! • • • • • • • • Easy to use DIY Kits with Money Back Guarantee. Professional Results ! Ultimate Mould, Mildew & Stain Removal with a Formidable Inhibitor. Powerful, long lasting UV protection & an Unequalled Water Proofer. Easily clear scratched, yellowing and Un-Safe Plastic Windows. Revive original deep, dark, rich factory color of cloth or canvas tops. Brighten and Re-condition dull Vinyl tops, dashes and upholstery. All products Water-based and Safe for your “baby” ! Cloth tops, Vinyl tops, dashboards, motorcycle visors and screens, RV awnings, deck furniture, sail covers, radar covers, lifeboat covers, snowmobile seats, umbrellas, upholstery, ATV covers and anything else cloth, vinyl or plastic! Same day shipping! North American Distributor – Convertible Top Renew – Kelowna, BC, Canada Website: www.convertibletoprenew.com – Toll Free 1-888-697-0089 10 www.TorontoTriumph.com Ragtop IS pring I 2012 Ragtop IS pring I 2012 www.TorontoTriumph.com 11 Welcome New Members! club hub Name March Madness by David Fidler It was a Friday afternoon in early March and the weather forecast for Sunday 11th was sun and an unseasonably high 17C. A great day for an early season drive! So I fired off a quick e-mail to see if anyone was interested and Sunday morning at 9am, Andrew Grace, Dave Sims, Terence McKillen, David Tushingham and I were sitting in the Sunset Grill at Appleby Line/Dundas St. in Burlington, enjoying a delicious pre-drive breakfast. The bacon was nice and salty, but unfortunately so were some of the side roads, so I planned our route north to Belfountain in the Forks of the Credit Provincial Park, to stay on the main roads. Big difference in the temperature there and they’d had a large amount of snow a couple of days previous, so there was some melt water and salt on the roads. This didn’t deter us from blasting around the twisties in the park and ending up at the coffee shop for a well earned hot drink. It was a great morning and we all had fun, the salt washed off and our cars were put away dry, happy to have stretched their legs so early in the season. You don’t have to wait for an “official” TTC event, I strongly urge all of you to call your local TTC friends (you can find them by searching your city in the database on our website) when a nice day comes along and get out there and drive! K TOYOTA TO TRIUMPH p it ee LocationVehicle Name LocationVehicle Year Clara Miehm . . . . . . . . . . Toronto Jay Moszynksi . . . . . . . . Cambridge Christopher Nelson . . . . Toronto Henryk Oosterbaan . . . . Etobicoke Nick Panakos . . . . . . . . . Maple Roger Parry . . . . . . . . . . . Newcastle Lance Pedrick . . . . . . . . . Pickering Lino Pessot . . . . . . . . . . . Sudbury Bill Peter . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oshawa Paul Podesta . . . . . . . . . . Brooklin Pino Policelli . . . . . . . . . . Oakville Carmine Preziuso . . . . . . Orangeville Rajesh Ramlakhan . . . . . Markham . . . . . . TR6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1974 Sean Ratcliffe . . . . . . . . . Mississauga . . . . Spitfire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1979 Vince Reale . . . . . . . . . . . Woodbridge . . . . GT6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1968 Tricia Reitzel . . . . . . . . . . Kitchener Mike Roberts . . . . . . . . . Oakville . . . . . . . TR250 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1968 Len Sellwood . . . . . . . . . Port Stanley Barry Smith . . . . . . . . . . Scarborough Malcolm Stagg . . . . . . . . Oakville Keith Stewart . . . . . . . . . London . . . . . . . . TR3, TR4, TR6, Spitfire Mk3 . . . . 1957,62,75,70 Richard Summerfeldt . . Toronto Chris Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . Waterloo Mauro Tersigni . . . . . . . . Bolton . . . . . . . . . Spitfire 1500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1973 Roger Tipple . . . . . . . . . . Burlington Ben Tse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Etobicoke . . . . . . TR6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1975 Thomas Whalley . . . . . . Keswick James & Janice Whitehead . . . . . . . . . . . Kitchener Peter Whitehead . . . . . . Mississauga . . . . TR7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1975 Duncan Whitelaw . . . . . Ingersoll . . . . . . . Spitfire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1980 Dean Willers . . . . . . . . . . Toronto Martin Wood . . . . . . . . . Hilsburgh Ron Wood . . . . . . . . . . . . Oakville . . . . . . . TR6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1972 New Members from Feb 5, 2012 to June 19, 2012 Wet 5–Speed Transmission Conversions TR-2 through TR-6 Flat Tappet & Ethanol fuel problems Solved! •Reducesenginefriction •Keepspartswet&minimizes coldstartwear. •Increasescompression •Reducesenginewear,heat, noise&vibrationandfrictionin gearboxesanddifferentials •Removessludgeandvarnish fromengineparts •Withstandsfrictionalcontactup to200,000psi High Performance Additive for Engine, Hydraulic, Synthetic, and Gear Oil. TOLL FREE OFFICE CELL P.O. Box 6812, Pine Mountain Club, CA 93222-6812 Phone: (661) 242-1253 • E-mail: [email protected] www.hvdaconversions.com BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD CARS Day Distributing 176 Victoria Street Newmarket, ON L3Y 4E1 1-888-808-3185 905-898-3185 416-697-0891 Herman van den Akker Day Distributing Day Distributing 176 Victoria Street 176 Victoria Street 1-888-808-3185 905-898-3185 Newmarket, ON 905-898-3185 OFFICE Newmarket, ON 416-697-0891 L3Y 4E1 CELL 416-697-0891 L3Y 4E1 www.daydistributing.ca TOLL FREE 1-888-808-3185 TOLL FREE www.daydistributing.ca OFFICE CELL www.daydistributing.ca 12 Year Matthew Archer . . . . . . . Barrie Steven Bakker . . . . . . . . Brampton . . . . . . Spitfire Mk IV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1972 Chris Boychuk . . . . . . . . . St Catherines Rob Burchell . . . . . . . . . . Markham Bob Burgar . . . . . . . . . . . Richmond Hill Andrew Burpee . . . . . . . Ottawa Peter Butler . . . . . . . . . . Whitby . . . . . . . . TR250 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1968 Alan Campbell . . . . . . . . Belleville . . . . . . TR6, TR7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1976/1980 Jentry Chin . . . . . . . . . . . Toronto Robert Cirone . . . . . . . . . Etobicoke Roger Clarke . . . . . . . . . . Parkhill . . . . . . . . TR6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1976 Gord Cumming . . . . . . . . Hamilton . . . . . . TR6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1972 André de Goeij . . . . . . . . Waterloo . . . . . . TR6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1975 Ted DeGoey . . . . . . . . . . . Brantford Sean Doherty . . . . . . . . . Mississauga William Dronyk . . . . . . . Kitchener Peter John Dunlop . . . . . Caledon East Paul Dunnett . . . . . . . . . Utterson Kerry Dupuis . . . . . . . . . . Innisfil . . . . . . . . Spitfire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1974 Dave&jan Ertel . . . . . . . . Oshawa . . . . . . . . Spitfire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1972 David Freeman . . . . . . . . High Point John Gabel . . . . . . . . . . . Brampton Richard (Vince) Garrett . . . . Tiny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Triumph GT6+ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1970 Angelo Graham . . . . . . . Waterloo . . . . . . TR2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1955 Tony Graham . . . . . . . . . Beachville Kim Harris . . . . . . . . . . . . West Seneca . . . TR6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1973 Binny Jind . . . . . . . . . . . . North York Derek Johnson . . . . . . . . Mississauga Christopher Jones . . . . . Ajax . . . . . . . . . . . TR6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1974 Peter Jupp . . . . . . . . . . . . Burlington Zenon Koltalo . . . . . . . . . Mississauga Arthur Lee . . . . . . . . . . . . Aurora . . . . . . . . . Triumph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1972 Greg McCoy . . . . . . . . . . . Toronto Glen Mersel . . . . . . . . . . Milton Glenn Meyers . . . . . . . . . Fonthill www.TorontoTriumph.com Ragtop IS pring I 2012 Ragtop IS pring I 2012 Classic Car Insurance www.TorontoTriumph.com 877-922-3391 | www.hagerty.Ca 13 Membership Renewal Reminder events Events Calendar ad 2012 rizontal or vertical layout. For Full Event List & More Details Go To www.TorontoTriumph.com since 2005 at a beautiful riverside location at Britannia Beach Park - Lakeside Gardens. August 2012 6-PACK UK Car Day Greater Rochester Triumph Touring Club Sunday, August 26, 10:00 a.m. UK Car Day IV will be held at Riverbend Pavillion in Genesee Valley Park, Rochester, NY. No admission fee for spectators, reasonable entry for show vehicles. Classes for all British cars and motorbikes. Free concert with Paulsen, Baker and Garvey. Food by Webster Lions Club. See www.UKCarDay.com for more details. Brits on the Lake, Port Perry 19.06cm x 6.27cm Sunday, August 5, (TBC) 9:00 a.m. JULY 2012 Brits on the Lake takes place in the charmBrits in the Park, Lindsay ing downtown core of Port Perry. The Sunday, July 15 9:00 a.m. fourth annual show’s featured marque this Victoria Park is the setting for this terrific year is the MGB which is celebrating its show. If you have never been before, pre50th anniversary. pare to spend the day wandering through 16 Elrose Avenue Come out and show your Club spirit and the park and looking at a great display of Toronto, Ontario compete for the Nigel Shiftright Award SEPTEMBER 2012 British Cars. Brits in the Park is part of LindM9M 2H6 Canada rs, bikes, boats and planes… for the Club having the greatest number 6-PACK TRials, Niagara Falls Ontario say’s “Classics on Kent” car show. Stroll the (416)744-7675 ucks, tractors, trains. of entrants in attendance. (Possibly to be a Thursday, September 6 – Sunday, September 9 main street of tanks Lindsay toand see hundreds of (800)665-2665 two day event. Check website to confirm -Ed.) 6-PACK is a North AmericanClassic Cars, Hot Rods, Customs and Anbased organization dedicated rgesttiques selection of motoring books & motorsport videos on display. ar books a specialty: historical, pictorial & technical. to the enjoyment, preservation and restoration of the Triumph Ottawa All British - free parking – free mailing list -Sat 10am-5pm TR250 and TR6 automobile. The 401-PACK Sunday, July 21, 9:00 a.m. Chapter (Ontario and Quebec) of 6-PACK is This event is dedicated to showcasing and pleased to host the 2012 TRials in Niagara celebrating the complete spectrum of BritFalls, Ontario. David Fidler and David Tushish vehicles. It has been held every year 3 ¾ x 4 15/16 9.53cm x 12.55cm TRials 2012 Niagara Falls CaNada sept 6-9 Go flow Transport Books ingham are Co-Chairmen for this event. We would love to have a record number of TR250s and TR6s come out for this event. We hope that you can make plans to join us. Although this is primarily a Triumph TR250/TR6 event, we encourage all Triumph models and other marques to participate and come out and have some fun over the weekend. There is an established “Other British” category for non TR250/TR6 owners for any of those Transport Books ULTIMATE TRANSPORTATION PRODUCTS Cars, bikes, boats & planes... trucks, tractors, tanks & trains Canada's largest selection of motoring books & popular motorsports videos. British Car books a specialty: historical, pictorial & technical SY LANGER Phone: 416-822-0096 or 905-616-0421 Toll Free: 1-866-532-3630 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.a-professional-appraisal.ca Mon-Sat 10am-5pm 23 Markwood Lane Thornhill, Ontario L4J 7A6 Phone: 416-580-7327 Web: www.wheelwax.ca Email: [email protected] Date Steven and Anita Craib . . . . . . 2757 . . . . . . . . . Doug and Maureen Crane . . . . 2267 . . . . . . . . . Stefan Ekborn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4953 . . . . . . . . . Don & Louise Elliott . . . . . . . . . 1165 . . . . . . . . . Mark Gillies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2664 . . . . . . . . . Andrew Grace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2842 . . . . . . . . . Ken & Susan Grace . . . . . . . . . . 1121 . . . . . . . . . Warren & Patricia Grant . . . . . 1737 . . . . . . . . . George Harris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4958 . . . . . . . . . David Hughes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2919 . . . . . . . . . John & Joanna Lille . . . . . . . . . 1527 . . . . . . . . . Douglas G Long . . . . . . . . . . . . 2915 . . . . . . . . . John Luxon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4964 . . . . . . . . . Thomas McNaughton . . . . . . . 2905 . . . . . . . . . Fredrick Meyer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2830 . . . . . . . . . Lyal Moffatt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2835 . . . . . . . . . Bill Perkins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3212 . . . . . . . . . Helmuth & Brigitte www.autophile.ca Vorkoetter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2265 . . . . . . . . . Doug Webb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1418 . . . . . . . . . 07/14/12 08/01/12 07/02/12 07/01/12 08/01/12 07/28/12 07/21/12 08/01/12 07/26/12 08/05/12 08/01/12 08/09/12 08/09/12 06/21/12 07/02/12 07/24/12 08/16/12 08/01/12 07/09/12 Joerg Hess Car Care Langka - Professional Paint Chip Repair Manufacturer Approved Convertible Care business card ads DIY Power Bleeder for Brakes/Clutches P.O Box 633 Mount Forest, Ontario Canada N0G 2L0 British Classics Global Parts & Car Logistics TRADING Tel: Cell: Fax: Email: 519-323-4028 519-589-7901 519-323-2820 [email protected] www.bmciltd.com LOGISTICS Classic and Antique transportbooks.com www. 16 Elrose Avenue Retail Sales Tax Appraiser Licenced Mechanic Vehicle Restorer Toronto, ON M9M2H6 Canada (416)744-7675 (800)665-2665 [email protected] www.TorontoTriumph.com Renewal Member # Name Please go to www.TorontoTriumph.com and renew today! Valid as of June 19th 2012 DRB Motors Vehicle Appraisal Maurice Phil Law Bramhall 647-393-4856 free parking – free mailing list 14 29th Annual British Car Day Sunday, September 16, 8:00 a.m. Join us for the Toronto Triumph Club’s 29th Annual British Car Day at Bronte Creek Provincial Park, Oakville. More information can be found at www.BritishCarDay.com. with the transportbooks.com (Thank you if you have renewed since press time) who would like to participate in the annual car show, “Go With The Flow” - please see the 2012 6-PACK TRials website for all the details at, www.401-PACK.com. Ragtop IS pring I 2012 Ragtop IS pring I 2012 91 Rylander Blvd. Unit 7-142 Scarborough, Ontario M1B 5M5 [email protected] www.tlcappraisal.ca Hub 94 Automotive Consulting 45 years Classic Brit Specialist Wilf Eden Home 905-884-2001 Services include: Cell 647-226-9494 Mechanical consulting, minor mobile repairs, assistance with winter lay up, spring commissioning and pre-purchase inspection-all makes and models. www.TorontoTriumph.com 15 Pssst! Want Some Great Advice? owner’s manual Getting to know our members Tony grosso You could search big catalogues for the best price You could buy parts from various suppliers You could pay huge shipping and crazy broker fees You could be returning the parts You could... ...but why would you? 1565 Hwy 5 West, RR#1 Troy, Ontario, L0R 2B0 Toll Free 1-888-485-2277 Local: 905-627-9995 24hr Fax: 416-410-6479 E-mail: [email protected] Name/Owner: Tony Grosso Born: 1956 Location: Montevideo, Uruguay, South America Member Since: 1998 Triumph: 72 GT6 MK3 BRG (My legalized Go-Kart) Favorite place: My garage and the highway Favorite Movies: Bullitt and Le Mans Favorite Food: BBQ anything Hobbies: Antique car and motorcycle restoration, unless the soccer games are on TV Favorite people: My wife and kids, Steve McQueen and Terry Fox Favorite music: Beatles, Led Zeppelin and U2 Other vehicles currently owned: ‘77 Porsche 911S and ‘79 Yamaha XS650 vertical twin Past restorations: ‘54 Mercury Monarch, ‘65 Galaxy 500XL, ‘74 TR6, ‘72 TR6 Background: Tony grew up in Uruguay and learned to drive at the age of ten in a 1953 Bedford truck. His father owned a body and mechanical shop, so there were always lots of cars to play with. After moving to Toronto, he trained as a mechanic at Centennial College and served his apprenticeship at VW Canada. Unfortunately, in the early ‘70s there wasn’t much work in the dealerships, so he went back to school and retrained as a millwright. That took him to a mailing business where he spent 37 years. In 2009 he sold his business (Pillar Direct, they still mail out Ragtop - Ed) and retired at the age of 52. Little did he know then, that he would go 4 years to College just to end up fixing his kids and friends cars for free! We are your local source for quality parts and only stock the best. When you consider the benefits of friendly local service, no quibble exchanges, next day delivery or same day pick-up, plus great advice and customer service, British Auto Sport is hard to beat. Try us for your next project! British Auto Sport Toll Free 1-888-485-2277 Ragtop IS pring I 2012 www.TorontoTriumph.com 17 TRavels The author and TS2. Driving on the left side of the road was no problem. 2088 Miles in Photo by Mark Farrington TS2 By Don Elliott, Montreal It all started with a dream I bought my TR3A brand new in 1958 from one of the four Standard-Triumph dealers here in Montreal. I had saved my money while I was working in the shop and later on the drafting board at Pratt & Whitney, manufacturers of aircraft engines. At that time, they were building piston engines. I drove “TRusty”, my new TR for the next 14 years during which I rallied it extensively from 1959 to 1965. In 1972 with 83,000 miles on the clock, it was a very sad basket case. In 1987, I decided to restore it. That was when I joined the TR Register in England as well as the Toronto Triumph Club. It took three years to finish the body-off restoration. Between 1990 and this summer, I have driven TRusty a further 109,000 miles. I’m very proud of my TR and for years, I have dreamt of shipping it to England to drive it there and to visit some of my friends who are members of the TR Register, but it was not to be. The companies who insure 18 There were about 35 TRs including a beautiful dark blue Swallow Doretti, 40 Stags and almost 1000 other antique cars of all types dating back to 1902 at the Newby Hall Car Show held near Ripon in Yorkshire on a rainy Sunday in July. www.TorontoTriumph.com Ragtop IS pring I 2012 Ragtop IS pring I 2012 www.TorontoTriumph.com cars in North America would not insure my TR for a tour of UK and/or Europe and all of the insurance companies in UK would not insure my TR to tour UK, because I don’t own my prime residence in the UK, also the car would need to be registered in the UK. It was an unbelievable dilemma. In the spring of 2011, Mark Treadwell, Alec Pringle and Diane Pringle, also known as “the V8 lady” came up with the idea of offering me TS2 to tour the UK and to partake in the TR International Weekend. “What is TS2?”, you ask. It was (and still is) the 2nd TR2 ever built and the Commission Number (VIN) is TS2. The first two TR2s were hand built because the production line was not yet fully operational. TS 1 LO was finished in June 1953 (the L is for lefthand drive and the O means that it left the factory with the optional overdrive). It was shipped to Montreal where it was driven to Toronto for the Automobile Show held at the Canadian National Exhibition. The day after, TS2 was completed and was shipped to the Dublin Auto Show in Ireland where it was driven for 46 years. Then it was returned to England and restored to its former glory in 2001. This unbelievable offer of TS2 to me was confirmed by the executive of the TR Register and it took me less than 5 seconds to accept. My dream of touring England in a TR was about to come true. The dream in reality In July 2011, my daughter Catherine, who had been living and working in London for 11 years had just accepted a new position in Edinburgh, so I flew there to see her and to get rid of any jet-lag. During the next four days, I toured Edinburgh and then I took the train south to Didcot to pick up TS2. I had first seen it in about 1998, sitting in the garage at Didcot, before its restoration had started. What a thrill to drive this famous historic TR. That first day with TS2, I filled it up with regular petrol and drove to Market Deeping where I stayed the night with Phil and Andrea Jane. Phil had invited me to comment on his progress with his powder blue TR3A. The next two days were spent with 19 Photo by passer-by. The author standing next to the Triumph Monument on Herald Avenue in Canley on the site of the former Triumph factory. In 1996, Don suggested that a monument be built on the former site so visitors would know where the factory used to be. He attended the unveiling in 2000. Notice TS2 in the rear. my niece Liane and her family in Suffolk. Liane Elliott was raised in Mississauga and has lived in England for the past 22 years. Then it was off in pouring rain to Yorkshire for the Newby Hall Car Show near Ripon, where about 30 TRs from the local clubs braved the rainy weather. The TRs and the thousand or so other antique cars on display from all over the world were superb. Early the next morning, after three days and nights of camping in the rain, I packed the soaked camping gear into the TR2. It was still raining as I headed from the campground in Broborough Bridge to- The Heritage Center Museum in Gaydon has an extensive exhibit of almost every car ever built in the UK. Here we see TS2 neatly parked near the front entrance for all visitors to admire. After this photo, the top and sidecurtains were stowed in the boot for the next 17 days. The weather during the rest of the trip was sunny, but very cool. 20 Portmerion, a Mediterranian setting created by a British architect along the coast of Wales was the location where they shot the TV series “The Prisoner” starring Patrick McGoohan who used to drive a BRG Lotus 7 at the start of each show. It was here that the author met Andy and his 13-year old daughter Margaret - both fans of the series. Here we see Margaret dressed as one of the actresses from 1976 holding a huge balloon which played prominently in some of the films. She also kindly washed the bugs off TS2 with her father watching. She also checked the tyre pressures on Andy’s Morgan. wards Coventry and it rained on and off all day. Near Coventry, I stayed at a B&B where the lady in charge took all my wet things and put them up to dry. Then she went on line and found a store in Canley called “All Outdoors” and she told me to go buy a new tent! The next day I packed up and did just that. The store is located on Dolomite Road just off Gloria Circle and Herald Avenue where the Triumph Monument was erected and unveiled in 2000. Many of you may remember that I was there on that memorable day. I asked a chap walking by if he would snap a photo of me beside the Monument and to try to make sure we could see TS2 in the background. I also toured the Coventry Transportation Museum and www.TorontoTriumph.com toured The Heritage Center in Gaydon. This was my third time visiting Gaydon and I parked TS2 in full prominence at the front entrance, for all the other visitors to see. Afterwards, it was off to Chipping Norton in the Cotswolds for three days of camping. By now the sun was out and I stowed the hood and the side curtains in the boot. In fact, they stayed there for the next 17 days, the weather was so agreeable. That evening I attended the local Chiltern TR Group and met more new TR friends and renewed my acquaintance with Neil Hawtin. It was back in 1988 that I had attended a Guy Fawkes Night fireworks party in Neil’s garden in Kidlington just north of Oxford. (Guy Fawkes is famous for plotting Ragtop IS pring I 2012 to blow up the Houses of Parliament on the 5th November 1605, in a failed attempt to assassinate King James I and restore a Catholic monarchy, he committed suicide before he could be hung, drawn & quartered! - Ed) The day after, I drove to Cheltenham to ride the Gloustershire and Warwickshire steam train. Then in the evening, I dropped into the Glavon Group meeting near Dursley to renew acquaintances with members I had met in 1996 at the Glavon TR Weekend. Ragtop IS pring I 2012 The following day, I visited Ashley James to see his red TR3A before heading up to Shropshire where Simon Beresford took me in his TR6 (V8) into Wales to see the bridge-like aqueduct canal in Llangollen, used for narrowboats to cross a valley. We also visited the ruins of the castle in Whittington. That same evening David Somerville came by in his TR4 and we dined together at the pub named after Mad Jack Mytton. Both had invited me to come with TS2 the next day on a drive in the countryside with the Shropshire and the Stoke-on-Trent local groups of the TR Register. We drove about 100 miles in and out of Wales and forded a creek where the paved road at the bottom of the hill traverses a stream. The water must have been about six inches deep. The day after, I drove across Wales to Criccieth on the coast where my Grandfather was born on Castle Square just next to Criccieth Castle. I also took the time to find the tombstone of my Great Grandfather. The day following, I drove to Portmerion where they filmed “The Prisoner” starring Patrick McGoohan for the 1967 cult TV series. Then I drove north to Broborough Bridge for three more nights of camping. On the Friday, I drove to Harewood in Yorkshire where the RAC (Royal Automobile Club) supervises the Harewood Hillclimb. The TR Register had me listed for three runs with TS2 in the morning and three more in the www.TorontoTriumph.com afternoon. Early on Saturday July 30th, I arrived at the Yorkshire Showgrounds in Harrogate to enjoy the two-day TR Register International Weekend. It was estimated that as many as 750 TRs attended. It was the 50th anniversary of the TR4 and there must have been a hundred or more all parked together for a group picture. What a sight. After setting up my tent and touring the huge site, I met more TR friends, some whom I had not seen since I attended the unveiling of the Triumph Monument in Canley in 2000. There were driving competitions, a driving display where a new Mini slid all over the parking lot and drove up on a 45 degree angle with two wheel about four feet up in the air. There were many stands where you could buy new TR parts and also many stalls where they were selling used parts. Finally, there were Technical Seminars covering a vast array of topics. One of the huge halls held all the TRs, which were being shown for the concours competition. The TR Register has separate classes for each model of TR and any member can choose to enter his TR in the main “Concours” event or at the “Pride of Ownership” level. There seem to be more TR2s in Europe compared to shows in North America and there were very few TR3As seen at the Harrogate event. Everywhere you looked, it appeared like there were more TR2s and TR3s compared to the few TR3As which attended. Every TR owner who enters his TR in either of the indoor show competitions wins a trophy, a plaque or both. Even if their TR did not finish as a winner, each owner takes home a prize for having competed. One of the conditions that I accepted when I was offered the use of TS2 by the TR Register was to help with handing out all the trophies and prizes following the concours event. I was delighted to do this – just as I had done in 1992 at the TR International Weekend held at the Staffordshire Fairgrounds. After the IWE (as it is also called), I packed up my camping gear and drove southwest through the Peak District for one final night of camping. Then I spent the next four days about eight miles south of Worcester with another niece, Suzy Elliott who was raised 21 TRIUMPH The History! The Glory! Photo by David Somerville in Richmond Hill. It was while I was here that the starter in TS2 would whizzz and whirr, but it wouldn’t start. I called the TR Register who arranged the local towing service to take TS2 to The Worcester Classic Car Co. about six miles away where they installed a new starter and sent the bill to the TR Register office. The small pinion on the front end of the starter shaft had become Don at speed driving up the Harewood Hillclimb in TS2 the day before the TR Register’s Annual International Weekend. Harewood is in Yorkshire about 30 miles south of Harrogate. The original carbs and intake manifold are still installed. TS2 has better acceleration than my own TR3A and I would even say it was very noticeable. I feel it must be the cam that made the difference. The displacement is still at the original 1991 cc – like mine. I got 28.8 miles per Imperial gallon, using the lowest UK grade of unleaded petrol and I managed to easily reach 80 MPH on the motorways a few times. After these four days in and around Worcester, I drove TS2 back to the TR Register office in Didcot, a few miles south of Ox- ford and handed in the keys. Then Allen Forster, the manager drove me and my luggage plus camping gear to the station to catch the train heading back to Edinburgh. I spent these final days with my daughter Catherine and we took in several of the stand-up comedy shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Then it was back to Montreal via Heathrow on British Airways. All in all, it was a wonderful trip. It was a dream come true. Next year, the 2012 International Weekend will be back at the Malvern Showgrounds where it was held from 1999 to 2009. Malvern is famous for Morgan Cars being built there. ragtop Photo by Antony de Csernatony A review of the TTC display at the 2012 Canadian International Auto Show TS2 leading the International contingent with Chris Cunnington the Chairman of the TR Register holding the Canadian flag. There were over 50 TRs from overseas, mostly European and Irish. disconnected and it had fallen into the bottom of the bell housing. This was the only time that TS2 caused a technical problem in 2088 miles over 23 days. I feel that TS2 is a solid and very reliable TR, much as my own TR3A is. There are no squeaks in TS2, nothing was loose or rattling, the steering was direct without being heavy and it had no sloppiness at all. During the first few days of driving in the rain, quite a bit of water came in over the top of the windscreen and up the sides, because the sidescreens could not to be tucked in behind the chrome plate on the stanchions, as they should be to keep the rain out. But once the rain stopped, I drove the final 17 days with the top down and for me, the problem was no longer there. They told me that the engine had been tweaked. A mild cam has been installed. 22 All the TRs that were shown at Harrogate were in one of the huge buildings for the Fairgrounds. In the Masters Class is the TR2 Francourchamp belonging to Patrick Van Houtven from Belgium where these unique cars were built. Notice in the side view that due to the rigid roof, that the door is lengthened for easier entry and the rear dogleg (quarterpanel) has been trimmed. The windows crank up and down with a simple crank and bicycle chain guides on sprockets. Since all the TRs assembled from kits in Europe were sprayed there, the colour, in many cases was not the same as the cars assembled in Coventry. www.TorontoTriumph.com Ragtop IS pring I 2012 A supplement to RAGTOP I Triumph Heaven t was late January 2011, a typical winter day in southern Ontario, 2 feet of snow piled up and minus 20C outside. Enough to freeze the spheroids off a non-ferrous anthropoid. Sitting at my desk in my nice warm home office, I must admit, the last thing on my mind was Triumphs or car shows. But this soon changed when I opened an E-mail from Jon Rosenthall, Classic Vehicle Event Organizer, for the Canadian International Auto Show (CIAS). Jon was asking if the Toronto Triumph Club would be interested in providing vehicles and volunteers for their 2012 “Classic Concourse” display area? Situated in the South Building of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and covering 70,000 square feet of Level 700, this area has previously played host to displays of classic Lamborghini, MG, Just one year (and about 3”) separate and Mustang cars etc., as tributes to the 69 TR6 and 68 TR250 as they nestle past classics, contrasting with the other onboard the trailer halls full of all that’s new and innovative. I was definitely intrigued and eager to know more. Ian Parkhill, Scott Douglas and I attended the 2011 CIAS in February to view what the Ontario Camaro and Firebird clubs had provided for last year’s display and to meet with CIAS executives, including the show’s General Manager Tom Tonks, himself a Triumph TR8 owner. We were stunned by the sheer size of the display area and the standard of the presentation. We chatted with the Camaro guys at their club booth and were pleased to Fasten your safety belt, and off we go! hear that their expectations for DF the event had been met and relationships with the CIAS executive had We reported all of this back to our been both productive and cordial. Our own executive and conveyed our comonsite meeting with CIAS, bore this out mitment to the CIAS folks shortly afterand we left the show confident that this wards. I was eager to volunteer to act as could work out very well for our club. liaison with CIAS, so I took the bull by S2 by “Just a quarter inch to the left and it will be perfect“ - Bill Flemming (rear left) and the CIAS ‘Heavy Gang’ in action DF the horns and decided to come up with a comprehensive plan to put together a show that was worthy of our marque. Little did I realize how much work I would have to do to make it happen! I have a few years experience of staging and exhibiting at trade shows, but nothing prepared me for the amount of work this project eventually entailed or some of the hoops I had to jump through in order to get what the club needed and to ensure that the display was top notch. Between reaching out for cars, keeping owners happy, sourcing covered transport (that was a whole story in and of itself!), rostering volunteers and dealing with PR & media, I occasionally felt like the proverbial rag doll. But let me say at the outset, I don’t begrudge a minute of it and the end result made it all worthwhile. Canadian International Auto Show Supplement David Fidler What went on behind the scenes Our display was to be split into three areas; 1. Restored and modified, 2. Rare and unusual, and 3. “The History Room” (in a separate large hall). Understandably, areas 2 & 3 were the biggest challenge. I had an ambitious plan to procure at least one example of every Triumph produced, pre and post WWII. As it turned out, the pre-war cars were nigh on impossible to get, because most are either in museums or private collections (mostly overseas) and many of them are “one-offs”. With a strict budget provided to the club by CIAS, shipping cars in from Europe wasn’t an option. The late model cars also proved very difficult to acquire (at least ones in show condition). I wanted an Acclaim, 2000, 2500PI, Dolomite, Toledo Canadian International Auto Show Supplement etc., but again they were too far away. A Mayflower and/or Renown proved equally elusive so, my original plan had to be modified a little. I eventually settled on going for a display in The History Room consisting of examples of every post-war Triumph sports car ever built and variants thereof. This was pretty much achieved, with the exception of a small mouth TR3 (I thought I had one, but when it arrived on site, it was actually a big mouth TR3A!) and I didn’t get a first year 1966 GT6. However, we had everything else, 17 cars in total, plus 3 examples of racing TRs, provided by members of VARAC, taking pride of place in the middle of the room. To help visitors understand the history of Triumph sports cars, I wrote a script which the folks at CIAS had professionally narrated by radio personality, Bill Hewitt. Visitors could listen and follow the story chronologically around the room and we saw numerous people doing this and received a few “thumbs up” signs as they left the room. For the rare and unusual display, I needed the assistance (and additional resources) of the CIAS executives. Through an E-mail blast to our club membership (past & present), I attracted the attention of David Freeman in North Carolina. He’s a Standard/ Triumph Ten enthusiast that just happened to know someone in the TTC who had kindly passed on my E-mail to him. Enthusiast is an understatement, David totally embraced the show and with very little persuasion from Jon and I, he agreed to bring not one, but FOUR Standard/Triumph Tens to Toronto (see followup story in Summer 2012 issue of Ragtop). Jon Rosenthall also came to the rescue and helped procure two Italia 2000s, a GTR4 Dové and, the star of the show for many people, a 1935 Gloria Southern Cross. Apart from our own Dave Roeder’s 1948 1800 Roadster, all of these cars came from the USA - as far afield as High Point NC, Perkasie PA, Long Island NY and Caldwell NJ. The rare model section was a big hit with visitors. The restored and modified cars were all provided by TTC members and ranged from a TR250 to a Herald Convertible, TR8s (4), TR6s (5), TR4 (1), TR3s (4) and a fuel injected Spitfire. Across all three sections, we had a total of 46 Triumphs on show. The largest ever indoor display of Triumph cars in North America, which included not one, but three, original unrestored “survivor” TR6s. Over 60 Triumphs were offered for display. The final selections were made in November 2011, based on our reS3 LL The 905 Band entertain in the Triumph display area LL Scott and Dawn Douglas pose by their 1976 TR6 at the Gala Head honcho Jon Rosenthall supervises the latest arrivals quirements for the three sections and also to try to get as many colour variations as possible. We wanted to get the look and feel of a 1950/60s Earls Court Motor Show in London, with the various models displayed in groups. Jon again came up trumps with some rather splendid Doric columns and arches, left over from a previous show, which were used in conjunction with raised platforms and plants to convey the exact feel I was hoping for... The Ritz meets British iron. All that was missing was a revolving turntable or two (and I did try!) Logistics Probably the two most time consuming parts of bringing this display together was rostering the volunteers to help man the display and planning the car transport to and from the show. Including press day, the show was open 10 hours a day for 11 days, I wanted a minimum of 2 people on the club booth and 4 people scattered around the various displays to assist visitors at any given time. In total 30 members volunteered their time, many were owners of the cars selected for display, but there were also several people who just wanted to be a part of the event and I can’t thank everyone enough for their tireless devotion to duty. Resplendent in our specially embroidered TTC/CIAS shirts, everyone made quite an impression on the visitors and show executives alike. Each day was split into three shifts of 3 or 4 hours duration, with some working all three shifts on multiple days. In the end, we averaged 8 people per day, so that’s 880 man (and woman) hours in total, quite a commitment! We had just three days prior and S4 Awaiting inspection, three of four Standard 10s arrive from North Carolina DF two days after the show to get the cars in and out. Bearing in mind they were coming in from as far as St. Thomas in the west, Peterborough in the east and Collingwood in the north and all points in between, it was a logistical nightmare. None of the big transport companies were really interested in our business and quoted some exorbitant rates to move our cars, I guess they had enough business already, moving in the flashy new cars for the major manufacturers. At the last minute, with a tip from Robin Searle (Google is your friend! Thanks Robin), I approached a small company called “Bull Pull Corporation” in Toronto, who have covered 5th wheel trailers and an experienced team of handlers. They proved to be a very efficient, cost effective and timely solution to the problem and I want to take this opportunity to thank Alex Hadi and his team for coming through for us. Often working from 4am past midnight and at one point they had four trailers zooming around the province. The fact that they got it all done, within budget and without any damage or major problems, is a real credit to them. Some cars were transported by other carriers from the USA or by their owners, so these had to slotted into the arrival pattern too and, with only street access to the MTCC, at certain times four or five trucks were parked on the road. This got the attention of the police, who were very helpful and directed traffic for us while we got the cars safely unloaded. Some traffic violations occurred (like driving down the wrong side of the road), but they turned a blind eye and were good natured about DF DF Scott McCoy spiffs up his low mileage ‘survivor’ 1976 TR6 while in the background Tush ponders adding a Spit to his collection it. Even some passers-by got in on the act, a real indication of the enthusiasm and interest Triumphs create. The cars were greeted with a huge grey door - loading bay #6. This was the entrance to a massive elevator, capable of holding a large truck and its load (up to 40 feet long). Unfortunately, we had to share this elevator with other exhibitors and a lot of time was spent waiting for it to come. Thankfully 2012 was a mild winter, so we didn’t get too cold, but it did prove to be a challenge time wise. We could get up to three Triumphs on at a time (or four of the Standard 10s!) so, once it did arrive things moved fairly quickly. Inside, Jon’s team of car handlers were there to push or drive the cars across acres of plastic sheeting (the entire MTCC is carpeted) to the staging area. Here, each car was thoroughly inspected before being taken to (approximately) its assigned display location. Those destined for The History Room, were held back until part of the stud wall was removed to allow access, because the doors weren’t wide enough for most of our cars (although a Spitfire will fit through, as we discovered with one last minute arrival!). When all of the cars were in position, the plastic sheeting was removed, the rope barriers and plantings were installed and the overhead lighting was adjusted. Things were really starting to take shape and the lighting made the cars “pop”. The final item before press day and the Gala opening night, was to set up our club booth in The History Room. I called on an old work colleague of mine for the loan of a portable disCanadian International Auto Show Supplement LL Tush and Fid suited up at the gala opening LL Don and Judy Johnson (foreground), Dawn Douglas and Lisa Vromman pose at the TTC booth during gala night play panel. He actually came through with TWO, complete with shelves and lighting (thanks Steve!). My purpose was to not only make our booth look professional, but to display posters and other Triumph memorabilia, kindly loaned by club members. I want to thank Tony Koski, Wayne McGill, John Lille and Frank Manning for the excellent materials and scale models, which the visitors thoroughly enjoyed seeing and talking about. The Gala opening was a splendid black tie event, complete with live music and excellent food and refreshments. In our display area we were entertained by “The 905 Band” a 16 piece band from Mississauga, who played everything from rock ‘n’ roll to soul and blues music, very appropriate and in keeping with our time period. As you will read further on, the show was very busy and our display had lots of traffic. So much so that on the Sunday we had traffic jams in some areas! It amazed all of the volunteers just how Canadian International Auto Show Supplement George and Fran Christie beside their 1962 TR4 one of two Triumphs George had on display many people had owned or still own Triumphs, how many young people came forward to tell us they were restoring TRs (mostly stalled projects their dad’s started) and the level of knowledge some had of our marque. One 11 year old boy, took me to school when he corrected me on a statistic I gave him, he was right! All of which augers well for their being future caretakers of our beloved cars. To round off my account, we come to the sad part when the show closed its doors to the public and the dismantling began. It was unbelievable how fast everything came apart, one minute we were working the booth, which had become a “home from home” for many of us, the next, the show staff descended like vultures to rip out the barriers, plants and lighting. In the blink of an eye, the glitz was gone and the cars DT were left standing; like actors after the final curtain. It was quite sad. A couple of hours later and the first transporters had arrived, the plastic sheeting was back down on the floor and cars began working their way to the elevator and out into the cool evening air. By midnight almost a third of them were gone and on their way home. Over the next two days, the remainder followed suit and I’m happy to say, that they all made it home without a scratch, back into the arms of their relieved owners. What follows is a photo essay of our display and accounts of members’ experiences at the show. But before you head off to enjoy those, here are some mind boggling statistics and results from our appearance at the 2012 Canadian International Auto Show... CIAS Canadian International Auto Show Statistics 317,268Number of visitors to the show over 10 days 51,000 Largest one day visitor total (Sunday 18th Feb) 880 Approximate man hours put in by our volunteers 183Total hours I spent at the show (and I enjoyed every one of them) 6Number of press, radio or TV interviews 43New memberships signed up from the show 3584 Kilometers driven by Bull Pull Corp 30 Show volunteers (see list on page S16) 36 Cars loaned by TTC members (see list on page S16) 40 Cumulative pints of Guinness consumed by yours truly after each show day! 2,000+Times we were asked where the exit was? S5 DT I A DREAM COME TRUE have to admit that the 2012 Canadian International Auto Show (CIAS) was as surreal as it gets for me. I’ve never used that word before, but in recent years I’ve heard it used a lot. I have another admission that should go on the record - the Toronto Triumph Club and its members have been my life saver. They have been major players in keeping my feet firmly planted, in the here and now. My thanks to all! Miss Penny Lane, for those who do not know, is my pride and joy. A 1977 TR7 Coupé in Corvette Yellow (makes her go faster), Penny has attended TTC events and made a great showing at many a cruise night; although less frequently of late (through no fault of hers; purely financial reasons). She has been, for the past six years, a source of pain, joy and expense. Only recently, an information-loaded member (Wayne McGill), explained to me the probable reason for the pain and expense. It seems, Penny’s build date was December 31, 1976 – a New Year’s Eve model! Slowly, over the years Penny has had her issues put to rest or at least hidden long enough not to catch the eyes of those involved with this year’s amazing collection of Triumphs at the Auto Show. I don’t question how Penny was selected, other than I’ve probably opened my mouth loud and long enough too many times. But I am over the moon to have been involved with this event. It is 10:30 at night on February 2nd and I know Penny needs to be at her glowing best as a representative of the club. I heard through the grapevine some folks are getting their machines decked out in all sorts of chromed parts. I even overheard someone say, “I’ve varnished my wooden gearshift S6 LL Wot, no red Carpet? Miss penny arrives Larry and partner Jane all dressed up for the show most of her life. I will retrieve her from the exorcist (mechanic) on Monday (February 6th). That gives me until the following Saturday to get her cleaned up and sparkling for the big event. The mechanic was able to ward off the spell - with the lights working and Penny starting on cue, (twenty times the mechanic turned the key and she started) - least ways when the key was turned. Now, she was ready to get gussied up for the show. Detailing they call it, - Q-Tips, polish and sweat. No spot left untouched. Only hours left to go. In the four years that I have owned her, Penny has never been so pampered. The tires are sprayed, rubber bumpers spit Canadian International Auto Show Supplement Larry Llewellyn LL Miss Penny Lane taking her place among the greats knob and steering wheel”... I’m out of that league! Miss Penny has been running well, with one exception. The Prince of Darkness has waved his knarly hand over her and she hasn’t been able to shake his dark clutches. The headlights have for the past six months been possessed. At one point, they didn’t work at all. Then they worked simultaneously, winking at will, getting stuck in the up position, but only the passenger side one. Now they come on, but only one retracts properly, the other is stuck half way. However, it goes down in a few days, as long as it’s warm outside! Starting is another example of the dreaded Prince’s devilish trickery. When I went to turn it off, even with the key extracted from the ignition, the engine wouldn’t shut off. I removed the battery terminals to stop the engine. When the terminals were reattached, Penny would try and start again! Truly she is in need of an exorcism! Getting Penny ready for the big event has required her to spend time with the mechanic having a few minor adjustments made such as: the head light malfunction, and replacing the battery. Penny is leaking from somewhere on the passenger side. The wipers aren’t up to speed. Oh, she starts only when she feels like it - just a few minor things. Not to mention I’ve moved house and she is now dealing with an outdoor parking situation after being used to an underground/indoor environment for by polished, paint glistening and carpets vacuumed. All is ready for the run to the hallowed site - the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. However, Mother Nature decided to show us what February winter weather should really be like. On the Sunday, 2-3 cm of the white stuff fell. My hard work was going to go down the toilet, as I had decided to drive her to the show. Penny had to make her way, under her own steam down the 400 to the Allen Expressway, then south on Bathurst street and east along Front Street, all the while avoiding the spray thrown up by taxis, buses and street cars. I did my best to keep her as clean as possible. I had the radio turned to AM740 listening to the oldies - it was like beCanadian International Auto Show Supplement ing a kid again! Just me and Penny, with the excitement building, in anticipation of what was in store. I had visions of having to redo the makeover and thinking of the extra hours to get her back to her shiny presentable self. Getting close now, I called ahead to advise that I was nearing arrival. I was directed to Gate 6 and told there was a washing station on level 800. I was relieved to know I could clean her up before anyone would question why I was chosen to be in the display of show cars. There was the gate; a great grey wall loomed in front. The door opened and an elevator attendant beckoned me to drive in! I have never driven my car, or any car for that matter, into an elevator. Nervously, I moved forward, concerned about the clutch, the gas pedal, making sure all functioned properly. My feet didn’t exactly feel up to par. My insides were shaking. We made it in and then down we went - to the 800 level! Something is wrong! I questioned the elevator guide - down to go up! Then the door LL opened I was directed to the washing station. Phew, So far so good! Here I spent the next hour and a half cleaning Penny all over again. I must thank Peter Gilbert (an old high school friend) for showing up almost immediately. He came all the way from Whitby to my rescue. That’s how Triumph enthusiasts are, anytime, anywhere to support a fellow car buff. Together, we gave Penny the last once over, the exterior, wheels and body needing major attention. She had to drip dry before she was allowed back into the building! Now she was ready. Into the elevator again and up to the 700 level. Driving inside the building, on carpeting, covered in plastic into the staging area was weird to say the least. Penny was following part of the crew, who would soon take over for the final placement. One more inspection, like one sees at a rental car establishment; an inspector with a clip board walks around marking on a car silhouette to account for every nick, chip, scratch, and dent that was there on arrival. My sheet looked like a shot gun target! Riddled with circles (yet from afar none were really visible). “It’s a driver, what do you expect!” At that point someone chirped up “I just saw that car driving down Bathurst!” I rest my case. Then the crew driver took over. However, Penny wasn’t finished with her antics. She wouldn’t start. Dead! Not a sound! I said “Keep it up, I drove her here!” Then on the fifth try, the wonderful throaty sound of Penny’s purring was heard, like the proverbial kitten she is, was driven to her final resting place for the next ten days. THE HISTORY ROOM. What an honour! Miss Penny Lane taking her place among the greats: a Stag and a TR8, surrounded by TR3s, TR250, TR6 and GT6. Oh, proudly she sat waiting for the Gala and the world to see - my dream come true! CIAS S7 Rare Beauties Rare and unusual models Classic dash of ‘Roeder’s Roadster’ KS 1960 Italia - Corey Sherrman, New York AG AG 1963 GTR4 Dové Corey Sherrman, New York AG AG 1948 1800 Roadster David Roeder KS MC 1935 Gloria Southern Cross Dennis Mamchur, New Jersey KS 1961 Italia - Dave Hutchison, Pennsylvania AG MC AG KS AG AG From wreck to show vehicle in less than 3 months this standard Ten van was part of the four car display by David Freeman, North Carolina AG 1968 TR250 Hugh Munro S8 AG AG Canadian International Auto Show Supplement AG Canadian International Auto Show Supplement S9 T You, Me And Everybody’s Grandmother by Patrick Caria his year the Canadian International Auto Show came with much anticipation. The time spent on the exhibit floor surrounded by our gems just flew. It now seems like a distant memory. Although my Trixie was not a part of it, I was more than happy to be steward to some of her better-looking sisters. If the truth be told, I felt a certain pride in being a part of something so momentous as well as so important to the TTC. Given that I own a TR6 I thought my services would best be applied with the “sixes”. I did a little research prior to the show to prepare myself for the questions that would inevitably come: and many did. Several people offered anecdotes of their own, and I listened with great interest. There were stories of restorations from the ground up, questions on how to differentiate what were stock options and incredulity over the hard tops. Were they really six cylinders? How fast do these things go? Where do you get parts? Can you still get parts? (Fred McEachern is by now about as legendary as the marque itself!) I could go on and on. One elevenyear-old boy attending the show with his dad almost reduced me to tears. I Jolly Good Show Fid! By all accounts, the Canadian International Auto Show was a huge success story for the Toronto Triumph Club. We were able to put on a brilliant display of 46 cars that truly showcased “The History and The Glory” of the Triumph marque. We should all be very proud. If you were able to attend the show in person, or had a chance to see or read the various multimedia presentations offered, you will understand the size and scope of this undertaking. It was over a year ago that the TTC was approached by the CIAS Executive to see if we would be interested in participating in the 2012 show as the featured marque. After some discussion within the Club Executive it was decided to go ahead with the offer in the full understanding that this would become a mammoth undertaking. It was at this point that David Fidler offered his services and volunteered to be our CIAS Liaison and Planner. Much of the show’s success can be attributed to Fid’s leadership, ambition and dedication. With the number of cars involved, one can only imagine the daunting logistics and complicated arrangements involved. From selecting and sourcing the cars, arranging transportation, organizing and scheduling volunteers, liaising with the CIAS representatives, setting up the display and dealing with the media, among many others tasks, Fid did it all. Not only was Fid on the show floor for every hour of every day that the show was open, but he was there a week earlier, before the show officially opened, and for a few days after the show closed, to supervise the safe loading and unloading of the cars. Now that is dedication! On behalf of all the Toronto Triumph Club Members, thank you Fid for putting on a “Jolly Good Show”! David Tushingham President, Toronto Triumph Club S10 DT l-r Steven Craib, Larry Llewellyn and David Tushingham manning the TTC booth Voila! Our booth is ready in time for Press Day had started with them, as I did with all the others; “Hello, are you folks enjoying the show?“ Some would nod and keep on walking, others just needed an excuse to start up a good chat about old British cars. At first, both dad and son just nodded until I said, “Thanks for visiting our exhibit.“ Dad looked at me and replied, “Are you kidding? Wild horses couldn’t have kept him away” Dad went on to explain that although he had other commitments for the day, they were put on hold, because once his son got wind of the show he just had to come see his beloved TR6s. The boy finally dragged himself away from a thorough visual examination and I opened up with “So, what do you think?” The barrage of information that started to spew out of him went on for what may very well have been fifteen minutes. I would require several pages of this magazine to relate it all, if only I were not so thunderstruck by the amount of knowledge that he was bombarding me with. Some of it I knew, and some was… well, I would have to take his word for it. Did I mention that he was all of eleven years old? I extended an invitation and hoped to see them both at British Car Day on September 16th, as I hope to see all those people I spoke with at the show. If only half of Canadian International Auto Show Supplement DT DF er, flew off the car. Apparently, the knock-off centre-caps came undone! Of course there was extensive damage done, which dropped the price dramatically. (Warning: never tow a car backwards that has wire wheels, the knock offs will unthread themselves! - Ed.) But I digress! I thought the entire premise of this article had something to do with its title? The one thing that struck me most was the sheer number of previous TR6 owners out there that I, only one of many club volunteers, had the pleasure of speaking to. Was your experience similar to mine? Did every other punter out there own a Triumph or knew someone who did? If I recall correctly, there ‘Beige Shirts’ answering visitors was a gentleman who claimed questions - Patrick Caria right his grandmother bought one and Bob Craske left brand new in the seventies. People seemed quite genuine them show up, it will be one of our bigin their accounts, and I certainly have gest events yet! no reason to discredit their claims. On To share another memorable mothe contrary, I thought it quite heartment, there was one middle-aged couwarming that they all seemed to remiple that was easy to engage. The lady nisce with a sense of nostalgia, pleased was the gear-head and owned Amerito see so many wonderful working excan muscle cars. Her interest in British amples at the show. cars was there, but not enough to own I can only hope that the show had an one. She went on to tell me about her influence on present and future Triumph neighbour’s adventures with a Stag none aficionados to carry on with the legacy of them favourable, which led to him of a marque gone from the market place eventually getting rid of the car. This is for so many years, a legacy etched in the where the story took a sad turn. The day memories of so many. Let us hope that we he was to bring the car to an auction have inspired a new generation of classic “She“ would not start! In comes the towcar lovers to join in the quest to preserve truck that lifted the car from the rear. On and drive our beloved Triumphs. Perhaps the Motorway (British car, remember) in ten years time we will once again have some twenty miles down the road the Triumphs on the international stage for two front wheels, first one, then the oththe world to see. CIAS Canadian International Auto Show Supplement QUESTIONABLE QUESTIONS… By David Tushingham T he Toronto Triumph Club had great representation from its members at the Canadian International Auto Show. During the show, we had many volunteers on the show floor to answer any questions that the public had about the History and the Glory of the Triumph automobile. We had some great questions thrown at us that were Triumph related, but also had some that ranged from the mundane to the bizarre. Here are the top five questions by category compiled by some of the TTC volunteers who were front and center at the show on a daily basis. The Top Five Triumph Related Questions. 1.Do they still make Triumphs/What was the last year they were made? 2.Can you still buy parts for them/Where can I buy parts for them? 3.Are Triumph cars and motorcycles made by the same company? 4.How much does one cost/Are these cars for sale? 5.How much horsepower/How fast do they go? The Top Five General/Mundane Questions. 1.How do I get to the North Building/Where are the Exotic Cars? 2.How do I get to Front Street/How do I get outside? 3.Where are the washrooms? 4.Where are all the muscle cars/Where are the Cruise Nationals? 5.Do you drive these things? The Top Five Bizarre Questions. 1.How come you don’t have any Sunbeam Tigers on display? 2.Will you remember me in your Will? (Looking at the Herald) 3.Are you guys part of a club? 4.What year is that black Rolls Royce? (Looking at the Gloria) ... and My Two Personal Favorites 5a How do you fit in that little car? (A guy looking at me and then my car) 5b What’s with that scruffy white car out there? (My TR6 was the only all white car in the show…) S11 1980 TR8 - Peter Bulkouski (VARAC) 1970 GT6 - Vince Garrett (VARAC) 1962 TR4 - Mike DeWeerd (VARAC) Photo: Joe Szilvagyi Triumph Timeline Post war sports cars from start to finish 1953 TR2 - Tim Body MC 1959 TR3 (submitted as a 3, but is actually a 3A) - Nick Palozzi 1960 TR3A - Alistair Wallace MC MC 1963 Spitfire 4 (MKI) - Neil Lovell 1975 Spitfire MKIV - George Christie 1968 TR250 - Brad Nelson 1962 TR4 - George Christie MC 1969 GT6 - Shawn Vromman 1967 TR4A IRS - John Lille AG 1973 GT6 - Tony Grosso KS 1969 TR6 - David Fidler MC 1973 TR6 - Wayne McGill MC MC 1976 TR6 - Scott McCoy AG KS MC MC 1977 TR7 - Larry Llewellyn 1980 TR8 - Tom Tonks 1973 Stag - Robin & Ria Searle 1974.5 TR6 - JC Millar Antiques Ltd. Previously owned by TTC member Gord Linkletter, a very low mileage unrestored car S12 ... another unrestored example MC KS MC Canadian International Auto Show Supplement Canadian International Auto Show Supplement S13 KS Hot&Stock Factory & modified Triumphs 1973 TR6 David Tushingham KS 1976 TR6 ‘survivor’ (rubber bumpers removed when new) Scott Douglas AG KS 1959 TR3A Chris Barnett 1960 TR3A - David Belluz KS AG 1976 TR6 with hardtop Mario Ervhalo 1973 TR6 Howard Rothblott 1974.5 TR6 (rubber bumpers removed) with hardtop Bob Craske 1958 TR3A - Alex McLeod AG AG 1960 TR3A - David MacKay 1977 Spitfire with TBI system Don Johnson 1963 Race prepared TR4 - Frank Manning S14 KS AG AG Canadian International Auto Show Supplement Canadian International Auto Show Supplement AG 1967 Herald Wayne McGill S15 AG 1980 TR8 - Ron Etty A BRITISH COMPANY SUPPORTING BRITISH CARS 1982 TR8 - Dennis Alsop KS 1981 TR8 - Brad Reynolds 1980 TR8 - Scott McCoy Our thanks to these amazing people and their beautiful vehicles... VOLUNTEERS Alsop, Dennis Barnett, Chris Boyd, Riley Caria, Patrick Craib, Steven Craske, Bob Ervalho, Mario Etty, Ron Fidler, David Fox Sr., Tony Garrett, Vince (VARAC) Johnson, Don Johnson, Judy Koski, Tony Lille, John Lillico, Craig Lindsay, Chris Llewellyn, Larry MacKay, Dave Manning, Frank McGill, Wayne Munro, Hugh Nelson, Brad Parkhill, Ian Roeder, Dave Sims, Dave Sims, Maggie Tushingham, David Vromman, Shawn Wallace, Alistair Warren, Peter Widrich, Dion OwnerCity The History Room Rare & Unusual Hot & Stock VARAC Cars PHOTOGRAPHERS KS - Keith Stewart (TTC) AG - Andrew Grace (TTC) DF - David Fidler (TTC) MC - Michael Cleland (Ragtop) LL - Larry Llewellyn (TTC) DT - David Tushingham (TTC) Cover Photo: Pavel Voronenko S16 Prov/StateModel FULL RANGE OF PARTS & ACCESSORIES PARTS PICKED FROM 1000’S OF LOCATIONS YearColour Tim Body St Thomas ON TR2 1955 Primrose Yellow Nick Palozzi Woodbridge ON TR3(A) 1959 Signal Red Alistair Wallace Dundas ON TR3A 1960 Ice Blue Collingwood ON TR4 1962 Signal Red George Christie John Lille Toronto ON TR4A IRS 1967 Maroon Brad Nelson Mississauga ON TR250 1968 Signal Red Neil Lovell Port Credit ON Spitfire 4 (Mk1) 1963 Black George Christie Collingwood ON Spitfire Mk VI 1975 Yellow Bolton ON GT6 1969 Maroon Shawn Vromman Tony Grosso Scarborough ON GT6 1972 Green David Fidler Mississauga ON TR6 1969 Signal Red Wayne McGill Oakville ON TR6 1973 Laurel Green Gord Linkletter Waterloo ON TR6 1974.5 Carmine Red Scott McCoy Peterborough ON TR6 1976 Inca Yellow Robin & Ria Searle Brechin ON Stag 1977 Signal Red Larry Llewellyn North York ON TR7 1977 Yellow Tom Tonks Toronto ON TR8 1980 Beige Vince Garrett Penetang ON GT6 1970 Race Car Mike DeWeerd Woodstock ON TR4 1962 Race Car Peter Bulkowski Hanover ON TR8 1980 Race Car Corey Sherman Long Island NY Italia 2000 1960 Black Corey Sherman Long Island NY GTR4 Dové 1963 Ice Blue Dave Roeder Toronto ON 1800 Roadster 1948 Maroon Wayne McGill Oakville ON Herald Conv. 1967 Yellow Dave Hutchison Perkasie PA Italia 2000 1961 Red David Freeman High Point NC Triumph 10 Saloon 1959 Burgundy/Cream David Freeman High Point NC Standard 10 Pickup 1957 Red David Freeman High Point NC Triumph 10 Estate 1959 Blue/White David Freeman High Point NC Standard 10 Van 1964 Blue Dennis Mamchur Caldwell NJ Gloria 1935 Black Hugh Munro Toronto ON TR250 1968 Blue Dave Tushingham Newmarket ON TR6 1973 New White Mario Ervalho Toronto ON TR6 1976 Carmen Red Scott Douglas Burlington ON TR6 1976 Tahiti Blue Bob Craske Dundas ON TR6 1974.5 Royal Blue Howard Rothblott Toronto ON TR6 1973 Pimento Red Alex McLeod Peterborough ON TR3A 1958 Green Chris Barnett Toronto ON TR3A 1959 Signal Red David Belluz Mississauga ON TR3A 1960 Maroon David MacKay Port Credit ON TR3A 1960 Signal Red Scott McCoy Peterborough ON TR8 1980 Beige Brad Reynolds Burlington ON TR8 1981 Green Ron Etty Hamilton ON TR8 1980 Silver Dennis Alsop London ON TR8 1982 Silver Don Johnson Barrie ON Spitfire 1977 Red Frank Manning Grimsby ON TR4 1963 BRG TOTAL 46 CARS Canadian International Auto Show Supplement CATALOGUES KS 75,000 SQ FT OF SPACE volunteers, Cars & Owners FREE SALES OFFICE STAG . TR2-8 . SPITFIRE . GT6 . HERALD VITESSE . DOLOMITE . 2000/2500 AUTHORISED PARTS DISTRIBUTOR Original Parts & Accessories ROVER SD1 . ROVER 75/45/25 MGF/MGTF . MG ZT/ZS/ZR ROVER 200/400/600/800 METRO/MINI . MAESTRO/MONTEGO LAND ROVER AUTHORISED PARTS DISTRIBUTOR Original Parts & Accessories RANGE ROVER CLASSIC/P38A/SERIES 3 DISCOVERY 1 & 2 . FREELANDER DEFENDER . ROVER V8 ENGINES Great prices! Great service! WANT A PROFESSIONAL PARTS SERVICE AT THE RIGHT PRICE? COME TO THE EXPERTS We stock MG Rover and Land Rover parts too. Rimmer Bros tick all the boxes: Competitive prices Great customer service Efficient mail order anywhere World’s largest Triumph stock Free catalogues Trade enquiries welcome Easy to use website PARTS SALES & ENQUIRIES Tel: 01144 1522 568000 Trade Enquiries: 01144 1522 567111 Fax: 01144 1522 567600 E-mail: [email protected] www.rimmerbros.co.uk Rimmer Bros. Triumph House, Sleaford Rd (A15), Bracebridge Heath, Lincoln, LN4 2NA, England. SALES COUNTER & VISITOR CENTRE VISITORS WELCOME We are open:- MON – FRI; 8.30am to 5.30pm, SAT; 8.30am to 1pm. BROWSE OUR CATALOGUES ON YOUR PC All our Catalogues & current Price Guides are available on one CD. Small charge is made to cover burning & postage. special feature THERE’S NOTHING TO FEAR BUT FEAR ITSELF T by Terence hose of us who drive a classic British sports car or indeed any car that is 30 or more years old, live in some degree of fear or apprehension that something could go wrong. If you are like most classic car aficionados you may well be closely attuned to your car’s mood, characterised by the unique noises it makes under various circumstances. We know and become accustomed to the combination of sounds that represent normality and, in their absence or in the presence of something unusual, we start to panic, as might a herd of zebra as they sense the ominous presence of a hungry lioness. In my 2011 Volvo, there are a whole host of sensors, gauges, lights and computer generated messages that continually monitor and adjust the performance of the car or tell me, for example, that the centre rear seat belt has been engaged, that the tail gate is unlatched or that the left side reversing light bulb isn’t working. I read recently that the central computer in the new BMW 6-Series Coupé (650i) is fed tens of thousands of data inputs per millisecond as it continually monitors the ABS, DST, DTC, CBC, DBC, or some other threelettered acronym, and all is displayed through heads-up (HUD) technology on to the windscreen. Clearly, car engineering has advanced amazingly in 50 years, but has at least some of the fun of driving been lost as a result? There is no longer anything left to fear – heck, the BMW will even apply the brakes if it senses it is getting too close to the car in front. Getting back to fear itself, I was often asked if I was scared when making my first solo flight as a pilot. The answer was unequivocally no, because of the progres24 PHOTO: Chuck Goolsbee Courtesey 6-PACK 2012 Calendar sive training and instruction in the theory and practise of flight prior to the Chief Flying Instructor signing off my log book for solo flight. Now, if there happened to be a strong, gusty crosswind on that particular day, then it might have been different! Even in the midst of a catastrophic event there often is no time for fear. Fear occurs when one has too much time to contemplate. This was fully brought home to me as a result of an experience in the mid-1980s when I was visiting a gold mine in Nevada. The open cast mine was being developed as two separate pits and together with a colleague, I was being given a tour of the “west pit” as, according to our engineer guide, a blast was being planned for the “east pit.” Well, our guide got his compass points mixed up and without warning the entire bench on which we were standing was blasted onto a lower level where we had been standing only minutes before. Fortunately, we were examining gold mineralization on the back wall of the bench at the time of the explosion and so were spared being blown into oblivion, however, a significant part of any explosion goes www.TorontoTriumph.com upwards and backwards and I can clearly recall standing there watching rocks and boulders, some the size of a small car, coming my way, all as if in slow motion. My feet never moved but my body seemed to sway from side to side in an attempt to avoid the approaching missiles. Thankfully, we all survived without injury but a few hours later on the way to Reno, my colleague pulled our rented Land Cruiser over at the side of the road and we were violently sick – the fear and shock had finally hit home after too much thought and discussion! The point is that if one understands the risks and the processes involved then the chance of something “happening” out of the blue is minimised and fear can be relegated to a backseat role and actually become a component part of the adventure. The same reasoning also applies to running a classic sports car. Some of this fear may be primordial, gained, as in my own particular circumstances, by an experience the very day I collected my TR6 from its previous owner. As previously related in the Spring 2011 issue of Ragtop, my experience was a cooling system failure and Ragtop IS pring I 2012 McKillen the blowing of the cylinder head gasket after only 30 miles of motoring, leaving me stranded quite a few miles from home. I know others have recounted similar experiences and we have probably allowed this fear to affect our ability to comfortably take our classic cars on longer trips. We are psychologically tethered by this experience even though we may have, as in my own case, virtually rebuilt our cars and know them quite intimately by this stage. As I drive along in my Six, it is not usually the Sixties on Six on Sirius XM to which I am listening, rather I am keeping an ear (or two) tuned to catch the first abnormal sound, my hands and feet are all computing vibration or other sensory inputs for something unusual, for any indication of pending trouble. I am also regularly scanning the instrument panel, a habit derived from my flying days, to ensure that the temperature, oil pressure and alternator are in positive territory and that no warning lights are glowing. By staying attuned to our cars we can hear and interpret what they are saying to us – who therefore needs a central computer as in the BMW 650i? Is there anything comparable to hearing and sensing that everything is running properly; the music of a well tuned exhaust note as the engine reaches its sweet spot on the power curve or the precision of a snappy gear shift or the exhaust burble as one executes a perfect down shift? As I drive, I will also be monitoring the normal groans, Ragtop IS pring I 2012 thumps, sighs, clicks, rattles and bangs made by the car – these are the sounds of old age mainly experienced when crossing over the likes of recessed manhole covers, or even tar filled expansion cracks and what passes for normal road surfaces these days! All of these sounds collectively add to the enjoyment of driving, even if a mental note is being made that it really is time to replace at least some of the rubber body mounts that have probably hardened or even completely disintegrated over time leading to some unwanted sloppiness between body and frame. As my friend and fellow Six owner, Colin Pillar, has stated on more than one occasion, the unreliability factor is part of the charm and the adventure of classic British motoring. Who needs the clinical reliability of a BMW? During the heyday of the British car industry, the typical English car owner, if not the entire British Isles contingent, were known as automotive tinkerers and tweakers (was that where the TT in the Isle of Man TT came from?) and I think that the car manufacturers presumed that to be the case and designed their cars to require constant adjustment and tuning. It was a Saturday or Sunday morning ritual, depending on one’s religious upbringing, to at least hand wash and wax polish one’s car. The more daring, but not necessarily more mechanically experienced, could be seen lying in their driveways or on the street under their cars while using the pavement (aka side walk) as a sort of ½-ramp to gain some ground clearance to facilitate oil changes and drive shaft/ transmission lubrication. Sometimes these aficionados, depending on their Monday to Friday status, would be seen dressed in boiler suits or coveralls while the white collared folk would be out in an www.TorontoTriumph.com old pair of cavalry twill pants and maybe a tweed jacket, perhaps even with a buttoned collar and tie plus or minus a cloth cap. Oh, the memories! This need to tweak is a constant presence with all classic car fans no matter what our ethnic background or the marque we favour. It seems to foster a closer relationship between driver and machine. The car somehow assumes a personality and is no longer just an inanimate object. Some of us even go so far as to attribute names to our cars – Rosie (gasp)! And some of us may even speak to our cars, beyond the expletives used when a repair job isn’t going exactly to plan! I can’t see doing that to a Volvo or a BMW which are, after all, just a means of comfortable reliable transportation whereas our classic British sports cars are a means unto themselves, created for the pure enjoyment and sheer fun of top down driving and that sense of oneness with nature and the open road. Franklin D. Roosevelt is credited with the quotation which prompted the title to this piece. In his inaugural presidential address of 1933 he states, “So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself - nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” In the spirit of Roosevelt, I plan to make 2012 the year in which I strike out on longer trips in my Six, cutting that psychological umbilical cord that has been restraining us to a 100 mile radius of home base, but like Linus van Pelt from Charles Schulz’s comic strip Peanuts, I’m not planning, just yet, to dispose of my security blanket. I’ll insist that Colin motors along side in his Six. Oh, and let’s not be too unkind to BMW – they do after all own the Triumph brand and one day may very well bring us a TR9. ragtop 25 historically speaking T his would seem to be a simple question to answer: England has a licensing system in which the plate stays with the car, and not with the owner, so as long as the car has not been scrapped and the plate withdrawn and reissued to a different vehicle, the identity of the car should be easy to trace. Indeed there are three powder blue TR4s in England registered 3VC, 4VC and 6VC- these must surely be three of the four team cars? In practice it is not that simple... First of all, these were competition cars in a sport which is extremely hard on equipment. One can readily imagine the three cars coming back from France after an event and being prepared for the next rally. One may need a new back axle, another needs a new bonnet, front wing and one door, the third has a bent chassis, and all need new clutches and brakes. (JeanJacques Thuner is reported as having said that the chassis of his TR4 was replaced five times in a period of two and a half years! This kind of damage is clearly visible in photographs of the cars after some of the events.) The quickest solution is to replace the car that needs the most work with a spare car that has already been repaired, and simply move the license plate over. Perhaps someone makes a handwritten note of the change in the shop log, perhaps not, perhaps the note is clearly legible, perhaps a cup of tea gets spilt on the log... the priority is to get the cars ready, not to keep perfect paperwork. The concept of “originality” is a difficult one to square with the history of most cars used in competition. A more useful concept might be “authenticity”- in other words a car which is presented in historically accurate form or to the correct period specifications. If a race or rally car has had the chassis and many of the body panels replaced because of accidents, and all the 26 What happened to the works TR4 rally team cars? major mechanical components rebuilt or replaced because of wear, then it is no longer original, though it may still have the same serial number and license plate. It may be fair to say the car has a continuous history or good provenance, and that it is rebuilt rather than restored, but it is not “original” in the sense of retaining most of the original components. Moving on 30 years or so we find that historic races and rallies have become popular and cars from the 1960s are now being used competitively again, prepared to the rules that were in effect when they were www.TorontoTriumph.com originally homologated. This creates a market for reproductions of original works parts and for TR4s, for example, brand new alloy body panels, 18 gallon gas tanks, and other items can now be purchased brand new. Many enthusiasts purchase these items for their own cars, and even paint them the same powder blue as the works cars to make replicas. The identities and histories of the actual four TR4s that competed as the Triumph rally team from 1962-1965 are quite difficult to trace and have been the topic of lively discussion. Ragtop IS pring I 2012 by Simon Rasmussen 4VC One of them, 4VC, stayed in England and has a continuous ownership history. It was sold to Gordon Birtwistle, a Triumph employee initially. Ian Cornish then purchased the car from Birtwistle in 1969, unaware at the time of its history. He used 4VC as a daily driver for some years, having the engine, gearbox and back axle as well as some body panels replaced. In the 1990s the car was rebuilt by Revington TR - an article in Classic Car magazine stated “Neil carried out a lengthy rebuild on what was little more than a pile of rust”. It is perhaps a “recreation” more than a restoration, and has had its commission number plate replaced, but this car likely has the best claim to being of historical significance. It is well known to members of the TR Register and is used on historic rallies in England. The other three cars that made up the team, 3VC, 5VC and 6VC had all been converted to left hand drive and exported to the United States in 1964 prior to being entered in the Canadian Shell 4000 Rally. (The conversion to left hand drive alone makes it difficult to determine the “correct” version of the cars.) These cars were registered in the US with Oregon plates; it seems likely the port of entry was in Oregon. Kas Kastner says he does not recall the circumstances, but speculated that American registration was required to establish legal ownership. After the rally they were apparently sold Ragtop IS pring I 2012 to a US Triumph dealer in New York State. Mike Rose wrote on the Friends of Triumph forum in 2002, “When I was in high school my father was a Triumph dealer. Since we were so close to Detroit (in NW Ohio) we had to drive to Detroit to Standard Triumph the importer and bring the cars back to Ohio, The building where Standard Triumph was located was several stories high and an elevator was used to bring new cars from the upper floors to street level where we took delivery after the paperwork was completed. Once, when I was wandering about the building I came across all three of the Shell 4000 rally cars backed against the wall in the rear of the building. They looked, quite honestly, like hell.” Two of the three cars may have been sold on and one kept for a while, parts of it possibly being sold to individuals wanting performance parts for their own cars. Russ Moore, a well-known Spitfire racer, added the following: “About 10 years ago there was what seemed to be a Shell TR-4 in a body/restoration shop in Syracuse NY. It had alloy panels and the fancy venting that gave it the identifying character.” Pat Onions, who entered his TR4 in the 1965 Shell 4000, mentions in his book that the roll bar of his car was purchased from a Triumph dealer in Rochester. “He had bought one of the “works” prepared TR-4s that ran in the previous Shell 4000 and invited us to use anything off the car we would need.” With these confirmations from primary sources we can be pretty sure of this part of the story. But there are gaps of several years when the cars were not licensed for the road and may have changed hands without documentation, so the history is untraceable. Here is what we can piece together of the history of 3VC, 5VC and 6VC: 3VC 3VC was apparently sold to a Rochester area Triumph dealer and then to a dealer in Ohio, (probably Mike Rose’s dad) who sold it to one of his customers. This customer apparently parted out the car, and many of the original components were sold. The www.TorontoTriumph.com remnants were found when the dealership closed in 1980, and were purchased by the owner of a race preparation shop in New York, a Mr. Julien. He supplied the necessary parts and rebuilt them into a complete car, which he sold in 1992, apparently taking a Mini in part payment. This car was later sold and returned to England. It has been rebuilt to original works specification by Neil Revington of Revington TR, but the fact that its commission number plate is not original casts some doubt on its authenticity. The car now belongs to a group, or trust of five individuals who share in its use, one of the five being Tony Sheach, who has competed in historic rallies with the car. 6VC In an article titled “Three of a kind” in Issue #27 of Triumph World, Graham Robson, who was the manager of the Standard Triumph competition department from 1962-1965, stated that “there were only ever four cars, and no fiddles with registration numbers”. But he also wrote “after the 1963 Alpine Rally, 6VC got a new bodyshell and a new chassis identity”. This car was also heavily damaged in the 1964 Shell rally in Canada, and was rebuilt again with another new chassis. The car was restored by Revington after being purchased in Wisconsin, but lacked the alloy body panels and longer, Vanguard boot hinges it should have had. Though this car may have the “heritage” of 6VC it is difficult to say in the normal sense of the word that it has the “identity” of 6VC! This car is owned by Neil Revington. Given the number of chassis that have carried this registration it is possible one of these will be found and built up into a car, possibly with some period works components, and its owner may claim it to be 6VC. 5VC 5VC was apparently retained by the Rochester dealer for his own use until about 1970 when it was sold to a friend of his named Dick Zwitzer, who continued to drive it until about 1976. It was then sold to a German 27 TRIUMPH AUSTIN-HEALEY JAGUAR ASTON MARTIN MERCEDES AUSTIN ALVIS BMW BENTLEY ROLLS-ROYCE SUNBEAM LOTUSVAUXHALL CORD TVR DAIMLER MG RALEIGH BRISTOL PORSCHE ANGUS-SANDERSON ALLARD MORGA L NER LANDROVER WOLSELEY RELIANT AUDI ARMSTRONG-SIDDELEY TROJAN INVICTA LANCHESTER MORRIS STRAKER-SQUIRE ARGYLL JENSEN Rally cars received rough treatment throughout their lives. Photo shows BMC 1100s being muscled though a muddy field buyer in 1994 and exported to Germany. In 1998 it was purchased by the current owner Carsten Conrads, who claims that about 6065 percent of the car is original, including the engine and Salisbury type rear axle with a 4.33 ratio differential. No less an expert than Anders Ditlev Clausager, the archivist of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, is on record in an article he wrote (refuting some of the points made by Graham Robson), that based on the percentage of original parts in each car, he felt that 5VC had as strong a claim to being “the real thing” as 4VC. (The Trust is the organisation which can research the original production data for cars built in Britain, and issue a certificate showing the date of manufacture and original specifications.) Marcel Chichak from Edmonton has done a huge amount of research into the Shell 4000 rally and has built a fascinating website detailing the history of the event. Several years ago he received an email from Germany asking him if he had the registration documents on 5VC, “You 905-953-0052 know, the ones with the commission number?” Alertly, he invited the sender of the email to provide the commission number of his car so Marcel could check it for him. Though there was further communication this information was not provided. It seems that having rebuilt three of the cars, Neil Revington is now acknowledged as the foremost expert on these cars. This enhances the credibility of the cars restored by him, and now based in the UK. www.lnerautomotive.ca We can only hope that Triumphs will not reach the value levels that have caused so much attempted fraud in the Shelby Cobra and Ferrari markets! ragtop Sources: Forum of the TR Register, U.K. Friends of Triumph Forum. Revington TR website. Shell 4000 Rally website- Marcel Chichak Photo collection of Jason Chinn. OAKVILLE’S CRUZE NIGHT Every Tuesday Night from 6 p.m. to dusk Hosted by Oakville Lions Club and Boston Pizza Dorval Crossing II, Dorval Drive & North Service Road in Oakville • Rock’n Roll DJ, High Performance Synthetic Lubricants • Door Prizes for drivers Dealer Cell: (905) 510-9437 [email protected] www.lubedealer.com/oils All proceeds go to local causes. European Classic Car Specialists Maintenance and Service Complete Mechanical Repairs Complete Electrical Repairs Parts New and Used Parts Fabrication Restoration of Body and Interior London Trading Post Fine English Countrywear www.londontradingpost.ca Spencefield House 189 County Rd 49 Bobcaygeon, ON K0M 1A0 Tel/Fax: (705) 738-1956 Open most weekends Sat. 10am-3pm Sun. 11am-3pm or by appointment 28 www.TorontoTriumph.com Ragtop IS pring I 2012 Ragtop IS pring I 2012 www.TorontoTriumph.com Bring Us Y • 50/50 Draw, Dream r ou 29 TR8 marque my words My U by Ron Etty - TR7/TR8 Marque Coordinator p front I have a confession to make - I have a mistress and like all good mistresses, she is much younger than I am - just turned thirty in fact. Heck, I’m over twice her age, but she sure makes me feel young at heart. And she is so pretty - my heart does a little flutter every time I see her. I get all tingly when she gives me that “look” when her big eyes pop up out of her bonnet. The funny thing about all of this is my wife doesn’t even seem to mind the “other woman.” This imaginary mistress is, of course, my Triumph TR8 and her equally pretty older cousin the TR7. When I first noticed the TR7 in the seventies, I was not immediately struck by its good looks. Despite being advertised as “the shape of things to come” or simply “the Wedge,” I preferred the classic looks of the older Triumphs better. But, over the years, this body style has grown on me so that I can now honestly say that I like it - a lot. The 1976 styling has finally become acceptable and was indeed the shape of things to come. Sometimes though, I wish the taillights didn’t look so clunky, but that is my only complaint with the styling. Harris Mann, chief designer for the TR7 project, had to focus his efforts with an eye to the American market. Because it was thought the Americans were getting ready to ban convertibles, Mann designed the TR7 with a T-top, similar to the Triumph Stag, and with a futuristic sloping front hood. Sadly, the T-top died on the drawing board in favour of the hardtop. Colourcoded bumpers were originally planned for the TR7, but the “ fits everything” black 30 bumper was the final choice of the engineering department. The “swoop” along the length of the TR7 was a later addition at the request of Triumph management. Likewise, the boys in the executive suite decided to make the TR7 feel bigger by moving the windshield forward. This little change from Mann’s design makes it impossible for the driver to see North American style stoplights without bending forward in the seat. Although I like the final design, I’m willing to bet a TR7 as originally planned with a T-top would have been a nicer car. A couple of rare TR7 models come to mind. A TR7 Sprint was used as a factory rally car. Only 60 of these cars were built with about 20 surviving. The Sprint used the 16 valve engine from the Triumph Dolomite, producing 127 horsepower (standard TR7s were equipped with the 8 valve Dolomite engine rated at around 100 horsepower). Another model was the TR7 Spider, distinctive with black paint, red striping and red decals. This car came only as a fully loaded convertible with air, stereo, alloy wheels, and the five speed transmission, selling in Canada for about $10,700 in 1979. The TR7 was always planned to have a V8 engine shoehorned under that sloping hood and in 1980 that is exactly what www.TorontoTriumph.com happened with the introduction of the TR8, advertised as the “English Corvette.” Sister company Rover purchased the rights to a General Motors all-aluminum 3.5 liter motor that GM had used in Buick Specials and Oldsmobile F-85s. This same engine block was used in Formula One race cars, with only a few modifications, by the Brabham team that won the 1966 F1 World Championship. The TR8 with original dual Stromberg carburetors developed about 130 horse power compared to about 100 for the TR7. Ragtop IS pring I 2012 Some TR8 models, mainly destined for California, had fuel injection and these cars were even faster, rated at about 145 horse power. The only other improvement to the TR8, over the TR7, was slightly larger brakes to handle the extra power. Many owners carry out engine upgrades, “souping them up” with the likes of modified camshafts, replacing the original dual carburetors with four-barrel Holleys, and modified pistons giving higher compression. My TR8 came with all of these upgrades and this car is easily the fastest Ragtop IS pring I 2012 I have owned! I know there are plenty of faster cars, but when you are sitting low to the ground with the wind blowing through your hair, you’re king of the road. Wheels and tires are another popular upgrade for the TR7 and TR8 models. The original 13 inch tires are getting difficult to find so some TR owners are choosing new larger “mag” wheels and coupling them to modern low profile tires. This keeps the circumference of the tire similar to original with a modern look. Wheel sizes up to sixteen inch are available. With all the new space behind www.TorontoTriumph.com those bigger wheels, an opportunity exists to install larger calipers and rotors. My TR8 has a tendency to overheat if sitting too long in traffic. Back in the early eighties, the only solution was to rev the motor while in traffic in order to cool the engine. Today, many TR7 and TR8 owners are opting to replace the old belt and clutch driven fan with a modern electric fan with adjustable temperature controls. This results in much better control of the overheating problem, and the two hundred dollar investment seems good insur31 ance against catastrophic engine overheating. I have purchased an electric fan and plan to install it in my car soon. Many TR7 and TR8 owners are opting for stiffer springs, adjustable shocks, and a new set of harder polyurethane bushings to improve handling. This is a six hundred dollar investment if you are able to do it yourself. I am in the process of making that decision, as my car seems to “float” at higher speeds. Many owners I have spoken to love the improved handling and the stiffer ride, but one enthusiast who did this suspension work hated it so much that he put the original equipment back on. This particular upgrade must therefore be one of personal choice. An excellent resource for these upgrades is a book by Roger Williams, entitled “How to Improve TR7, TR7V8 & TR8” (ISBN 978-1-845840-45-7 - Veloce Publishing - Ed.). Most TR8s had the 5-speed manual transmission, but Triumph offered an automatic transmission, supplied by Borg Warner, mainly to the U.S. market. In 1979, about 150 demonstrator models of the new 1980 TR8’s were shipped to dealerships across North America, most having automatic transmissions and all being coupes - no convertibles and few five speeds! Today, it is hard to understand this reasoning - trying to sell a sports car with an automatic transmission. My TR8 is a five speed and except for city driving when gear changing is frequent I have no complaints - BACK THEN WE WERE THE EXPERTS AT INSURING ‘57 CHEVYS even my wife enjoys the opportunity to drive the car. Before TR8 production was halted in 1982, about 2,750 cars were built. Only 352 TR8s were produced in 1981, all with fuel injection, and in 1982 only 69 were built - all of which came to Canada. Because of these statistics, I consider myself lucky to have acquired a rare car from a gentleman who knew all the details of the car, and who spent considerable time and money on it as well. It is not in perfect condition and will need repainting in the future. During the last year I have only had to do minor repairs based on things that were overlooked previously or improperly done, mainly wiring in the dashboard-clock, dash lights and heat gauge. I have also replaced the carpet and upholstery and installed a high-end radio. TR7s can be found today as “parts cars” or “handyman specials” starting at a very low price and their value can escalate easily to upwards of $15,000. A rare TR7 Sprint (the black one with the red decals) would likely fetch more than $25,000 in good condition. Because TR8s are fairly rare, I would guess that their value would start in the $5,000 range. There are so few TR8s around that finding a cheaper unrestored car as a fixer-upper is next to impossible. There are TR8s advertised on the internet for upwards of $25,000. Something to consider when buying a TR8 is the difference between a real TR8 and a TR7V8. There are quite a few TR7 owners who AND WE STILL ARE. Driven by Quality and Passion... A L O T O F I N S U R A N C E C O M PA N I E S S AY T H E Y K N O W C L A S S I C A N D A N T I Q U E C A R S . B E T T E R T H A N S TAT E FA R M . AND AS WITH AFTER BUT WE BELIEVE NO ONE KNOWS THEM ALL WE WERE INSURING MANY OF THESE CARS LONG BEFORE THEY BECAME CLASSICS. T H E W O R L D ’ S L A R G E S T C A R I N S U R E R , W E C U R R E N T LY I N S U R E W E L L O V E R S TAT E FA R M Y O U ’ R E A LWAY S S U R E O F G E T T I N G C O V E R A G E T H AT ’ S R I G H T T H E M O S T C O M P E T I V E R AT E S AVA I L A B L E . PERHAPS 120,000 O F T H E S E U N I Q U E M A C H I N E S . F O R Y O U --- A N D Y O U R C A R . A T S O M E O F T H AT ’ S W H Y S O M A N Y C L A S S I C A N D A N T I Q U E C A R O W N E R S I N S I S T O N I N S U R I N G T H E I R A U T O M O T I V E T R E A S U R E S W I T H S TAT E FA R M T H A N W I T H A N Y O T H E R C O M PA N Y . SO C A L L Y O U R S TAT E FA R M A G E N T T O D AY A N D Y O U ’ L L L E A R N T H AT J U S T L I K E S O M E C A R S , S O M E I N S U R A N C E C O M PA N I E S O N LY I M P R O V E W I T H A G E . ZENON KOLTALO AGENT 702 BURNHAMTHORPE ROAD EAST, SUITE 7 (CORNER OF CAWTHRA ROAD) MISSISSAUGA, ON L4Y 2X3 905-276-2440 FAX: 905-276-2450 [email protected] STATE FARM INSURANCE COMPANIES CANADIAN HEAD OFFICES: AURORA, ONTARIO L I K E A G O O D N E I G H B O U R S TAT E FA R M I S T H E R E . 32 www.TorontoTriumph.com Ragtop IS pring I 2012 have put the V8 motor into their cars, bought the TR8 decals, and converted their TR7 to a TR8. Done correctly, these are wonderful cars, but if you are paying for a TR8 and want a TR8, check the VIN number carefully! Based on what I have read, people I have talked to and my own knowledge from working on my cars in the past, here are some things I would look for if purchasing a TR7 or TR8: 1) Try to buy a later model TR7 with the five speed transmission, early models with the four speed transmission were said to be problematic 2) On both 7s and 8s, check for warped heads or head gasket damage by looking for white smoke out the tailpipe or water in the oil. Doesn’t happen very often, but it will be expensive if it does 3) On both 7s and 8s check the electrics carefully - it seems many electrical issues on these cars end up being difficult to diagnose and expensive to repair 4) The radiators on these models seem to be the lowest point on the car - check for “road rash” to the bottom of the radiator, especially the welds on the bracket supporting the radiator 5) Rust damage frequently occurs where the rear suspension is attached to the body (behind the seats, under the floor) 6) The turrets at the top of the front springs/shocks are another weak spot to be examined carefully. Race/rally cars always support these towers with a brace. 7) Keep a close watch on the temperature gauge, especially in stopped traffic and on hot days. There is an excellent Buyer’s Guide on the WorldWideWedge website at (http://www.team.net/TR8/ TR7-TR8-BuyersGuide.html). Before I purchased my TR8, I was looking for a sports car from the fifties or sixties, something with a wood dash and a bonejarring ride - a “real” sports car. But then came the opportunity to buy the TR8 - forget the wood dash, this thing had a V8! I just had to have it, testosterone on the loose! The “shape of things to come” is now in my garage and I now appreciate that really cool styling. My TR8 has been super reliable and a genuine pleasure to drive. Cruising the back roads on a beautiful sunny day, with the top down, oldies on the radio, alongside my favourite girl now this is indeed heaven!! (Ron Etty is joint marque coordinator for the TR7/8 models within the Toronto Triumph Club. He acquired his 1980 TR8 in late 2010, his first experience of Triumph ownership. The car is equipped with 4-barrel Holley carburettors, a competition cam, and fancy pistons giving a 10.5:1 compression ratio. Ron admits that “it is really fast.” - Ed.) ragtop Ragtop distribution provided by: J.D. AUTO SERVICES • Bulk Mail Service • List Management Josip (Joe) Dukova IMPORT, DOMESTIC & SPORTSCARS 301 Rexdale Blvd. Unit C, Etobicoke, Ont. M9W 1R8 TEL: (416) 746-1048 • FAX: (416) 746-9935 • TRIUmph • mG • LOTUS • JAGUAR • SAFETY & E-TESTING 34 • Letter Shop Services • Order & Product Fulfillment N Rexdale Blvd. Martin Grove BRITISh CAR REpAIR ShOp (416) 755-9191 www.TorontoTriumph.com Ragtop IS pring I 2012 restoration I Six and Two Three’s Part 9 t has been a little while since my last update… as a matter of fact it was a little over a year ago in the 2011 Spring Issue of Ragtop. Man, how time flies! I can’t believe how long it is taking me to complete this restoration. Don’t get me wrong, I am no less motivated to get it done than I was in the beginning and I am still having a lot of fun working on this project. My first full restoration project of my ‘73 TR6 only took me 14 months to complete but then, I didn’t have a fun, two seat roadster to drive in the summer months! Last spring and into early summer was a little difficult for me personally as labour issues at work and potential strikes at some of our facilities across Canada kept me away from home, in a management support role. Having another TR (or two!) can also throw a wrench into best-laid plans. As always, at the beginning of the driving season, I do a thorough inspection and follow up on some of the items on my “to do” list. The TR6 had some carb and other minor issues that needed attending to, so the TR3A would have to wait. I didn’t really to get to work on the by Engine bay bulkhead hole repair, before and after David Tushingham TR3A until I had some spare time towards the end of June and into early July. The first thing that needed to be tackled was to weld the new rear valance back on. I decided that it would be much easier to invest in a spot welder to do this job rather than use my MIG welder. Kijiji can be your friend when looking for lightly used equipment and I found a good heavy-duty spot welder and timing unit for a great price. This proved invaluable to replace all of the spot welds that I had cut out around the spare tire opening. It was also great to re-attach a new front driver’s side body to frame mount that was rusted beyond repair. The new floors that I installed did not come with cage nuts affixed, so new and improved cage nuts were purchased from Macy’s Garage and welded to the bottom of the floor pans. For me, most weekends throughout the summer are dominated by one British Car event or another. I have driven my TR6 to these events without any major issues for the past 4 years. Unfortunately, this came to an end last July on my return trip from Ottawa having travelled to the 26th and complete a rebuild. Fortunately, my wallet was spared as I found that the culprit was a faulty/worn switch on the transmission top cover that was jamming the gear selector shaft. Long story short, the TR3A didn’t get touched again until late September. I was getting tired of seeing the TR3A in state of disassembly for such a long period of time, Test start temporary dash set-up. Great use of an old milk crate! Putting the panels back on to remember what the car looked like! Front body to frame mount, plug welded prior to grinding Rear valence repair test fit 36 Canadian Classic. I limped back to Newmarket, after a quick stop in Lindsay for the “Brits on the Lake” show having lost 2nd gear. Over the next two weekends, my focus was to remove the transmission Rear valence finished welded www.TorontoTriumph.com Ragtop IS pring I 2012 Ragtop IS pring I 2012 so I decided that I would put all the body panels and windscreen back on to make it look like a car again. This in the end was a good exercise as it served to motivate me to continue onwards with renewed vigor. I continued to work with the welding to close panels on the rear of the car and made progress on patching holes on the wheel well arches and inside the body tub. At one point I counted the holes that needed to be filled inside the body tub… 36 if you must know! Without a doubt, the single most motivating factor for me thus far in the project has been getting the engine started. www.TorontoTriumph.com When I bought the car it wasn’t running, although the previous owner stated that it was running before it was parked. At the end of December, plans were made to try and see if I could get it to fire. As I needed some assistance with wiring the car to test start, I asked Scott Douglas to give me a hand and he graciously accepted. With Syl Demers on fire extinguisher duty and John Morton in attendance for moral support, we cranked it over and despite our best efforts, we could not get it to start. We definitely had spark, but were having issues getting fuel from the carbs into the cylinders. After a couple of days troubleshooting, changing the intake manifold and rebuilding the carbs, I finally got it to start. First time that it had been running in about 9 years and it was like music to my ears. A great way to start the New Year. I still have some welding to do, but I am almost ready to hang up the MIG and pick up a paint gun. That’s right… I have decided that I am going to learn to do some bodywork and paint. Over the winter, I purchased a new Turbine Spray Paint unit (again off Kijiji) and have been doing research on paint and body ever since. Kevin Tetz has a great 5 disc series available for purchase called “Paintucation” that I highly recommend. Great resource for a bodyman/painter in the making. I have been prepping the tub for interior painting and have been media blasting in my garage over the winter months. Very effective, but also very very messy. I hope that by next report, I will have the body primed and if all goes really well, it might even have some paint on it… watch this space! ragtop 37 Speke Easy by Terence Y O U PA I D H O W M U C H ? McKillen A speakeasy was a high-class establishment that offered food and entertainment as well as alcoholic beverages in the United States during the 1920s Prohibition Era. In the context of the Triumph Motor Company, Speke, derived from the Old English ‘Spec’, meaning ‘brushwood’, is a suburb of Liverpool located adjacent to the John Lennon airport, which during the 1960s to mid-1970s was the main production site for some of Triumph’s saloons (not the speakeasy type), the TR7 as well as body pressings for other models, including the Stag. It had the infamy of being the most inefficient assembly plant in the UK with absenteeism rates of up to 25% on any given day. W This new column will focus on Triumph and other classic motoring tips and trivia. Readers are invited to forward comments and ideas to [email protected]. hat a great driving season we had in 2011, especially in the autumn with its unseasonably mild temperatures. I don’t know about you, but I continued driving my TR well into December, actually until the day after Christmas. I even managed to sneak in a top-down outing as late as December 3. Mind you, the 2011 season didn’t start off too pleasantly as all who made it to the Ancaster British Flea Market on April 17 will attest. The heater that I had rebuilt over the previous winter ensured that I was fairly toasty inside my Six even if those selling their wares outside froze off their proverbials. My driving season actually started a month previously, on March 19, giving me a full nine months of classic motoring before deciding to call it quits for the year. D o you suffer from poor panel gauge illumination at night? Gauge illumination can suffer over time with deterioration of the reflective white paint on the inner surfaces of the gauge and the green filter into which the bulb holder is inserted robs much of the transmitted light from the original 2.2 watt screw-in bulbs. Some people have had success removing the green filter material and repainting the white inside area of their gauges but there is a simpler solution at hand. I recently fitted 1.2 watt (1/2 the power consumption of the original bulbs) 70-Lumen E10 screw-in LED bulbs in my panel lights for an astounding improvement. The advantage of these bulbs is the huge improvement in luminosity at a significantly reduced wattage, contributing to less heat generation over, for example, halogen bulbs. These five-sided LEDs are sold in pairs for about US$3.50 a pair (total 38 cost to replace all panel gauge lights is under $15) and they screw in to existing bulb holders. I ordered mine directly from a supplier in China, however, Fred McEachern at British Auto Sports now has them in stock. N ot many people know the history of the TR10 model produced from 1957 to 1960, however, those of you who were able to attend the recent Canadian International Auto Show now know the answer! It was introduced by Standard-Triumph to some export markets, including the United States, following the success of the TR2 and TR3 roadsters. However the TR10 was not strictly a Triumph model at all, but a rebadged Standard 10, of which saloon and estate variants were available. It’s a good thing that the TR range never extended beyond 1981 after the TR8’s demise, otherwise the chronological order of the numbering system would have been upset! Over the years Standard rebadged other cars as Triumphs for additional cachet in selected export markets. W hen reinstalling your engine sump and gasket, it can often be difficult to keep the gasket in place while trying to get the bolts started. To facilitate easy reinstallation, consider manufacturing two studs to act as a guide in holding the gasket in place until the sump can be presented and bolted in place. Once four bolts are in place the studs can be removed and the remainder of the bolts torqued to specification. H oning out cylinder sleeves or scraping gasket gunk off the engine block can cause www.TorontoTriumph.com a good deal of dirt and other particles to fall through on to the crankshaft bearings. A simple method of keeping things clean is to use an old compression ring to hold a Jcloth at the base of the cylinder which can then be lifted up and out of the way when finished. If you use J-cloths or Scot towels to block oil and coolant ways in the engine block while working on the cylinders or pistons, be sure that you recover all of the pieces. It has been reported that such pieces of cloth have subsequently been found floating in the radiator coolant! A re you a half-full or a half-empty kind of person? Regardless of your outlook on life, the question of whether to keep your gas tank completely full or nearly empty isn’t an easy one to answer. During the regular driving season, some people are of the opinion that it is best to keep as little fuel as possible in the tank, stopping for gas before setting out for a drive, and adding just enough for the planned journey. After returning home, they add fuel stabilizer to the remnants and hope to minimise any gasoline problems. Others keep the tank completely filled in order to reduce the surface area of the gasoline exposed to any humidity. Absorption of water by the ethanol in E10 gasoline occurs whether or not the tank is vented. The moral of this story, at least from a phase separation perspective, is to avoid the use of gasoline with ethanol, which means, at least in Southern Ontario, using Premium (91 octane) gasoline or to make more regular use of your classic car. Further information on this issue was contained in an article entitled Ethanol and Octane Ratings published in the Fall 2011 issue of Ragtop. ragtop Ragtop IS pring I 2012 If you don’t mind paying too much for your parts, there is no need to read any further. If you would like to buy your parts at the best prices in Canada, read on. Drakes’ British Motors can supply any part from the Moss catalogs at the most reasonable cost to you. But, don’t take our word for this. The next time you need something, send 1970 Triumph TR6 This is a very nice TR6 that lived its entire life in California. No rust or body damage before we had the paint redone in original Jasmine yellow. New bumpers, sill chrome, windshield and trim seals were fitted throughout and the suspension and complete braking system was rebuilt. The engine had been previously rebuilt and runs great, so we just did a tune up, added new belts, hoses and fuel pump. We also added a fully rebuilt overdrive and the wire wheels were refinished complete with new hubs, chrome knockoffs and new Coker redline tires. The complete interior was replaced with all new correct reproduction components and is the original light tan, we also fitted a new Robbins top with the correct reflective strip. This car is one small step away from being called a full top to bottom restored vehicle, it looks stunning and runs and drives as nice as it looks. $22,500 us an email for a quote. We will get right back to you with a price. Many TTC members are already believers. Get in touch for a quote – [email protected] We are also a Canadian distributor for Dayton Wire Wheels. 1974 Triumph TR6 Californian TR6. No accidents, no rust, paint is nice with only minor defects, on a beautiful, straight body. New front & rear bumpers, stainless trim rings and tires. Tan interior has new seats, panel kit, dashtop, sunvisors, tan Robbins top, retractor seatbelts and windshield and seals. Engine is strong with electronic ignition and the overdrive transmission was rebuilt two years ago. 4 tip Ansa exhaust system. Front end rebuild including bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends, and steering rack boots & at the rear new differential mounts and trailing arm bushings. Hydraulics all redone with new clutch and brake master, slave cylinder and hoses. $16,600. Drakes’ British Motors Inc. (250)763-0883 Ph., (250)861-8051 Fax, email [email protected] 2286 K.L.O. Road, Kelowna, B.C., V1W 3Z7 WWW.DRAKESBRITISHMOTORS.COM Next to the warehouse is a garage full of British cars. And our co-workers often commute in theirs. We put these cars to work every day. When new parts are developed, we test them. If a part is returned, we’ll bolt it on, analyze it, and work with the manufacturer to make it right. If we are not happy with a part being on our cars, we wouldn’t think of selling it to you. And, just to make certain you are satisfied, we stand behind our parts with the longest warranty in the business. Call us. We’d love to send you a free catalog. 800-667-7872 www.mossmotors.com