Does it stop?

[AndyA]

Tail end of summer 22, a friend of mine rocks up on the drive in a shiny yellow 1500. Wife hears the exhaust note and comes running out, declaring "I love it! You have to buy one of those!" and so, though knowing nothing about cars, I pick up a 65 plate MK1 roundtail spit. Winter's learnings usher in 2023, and the ensuing summer sees us through many picnics and social drives.

Tail end of summer 23, the spit continues to be a complete joy. We're at a car show. There's a parade of Triumphs for the centenary, and I'm following a natty TR4 and commenting to my kid how pretty they are. I take him around the various stalls after, and he finds a Dinky 4a. "You love these. You should buy one, dad!" so we do. The model comes home with us, the real thing lands on the drive within a month. I end the season as co-pilot in my first RBRR, in a TR6. The scenery is amazing but its bettered by some shockingly beautiful roundtail GT6s (de-bumpered rich yellow MK1, a front bumpered / bare bottomed cream MK2 with twin stripes). 

Summer 24, I'm back in the TR6 and on our first 10CR. The bloody roundtail GT6s still plague me. James is there with his MK1. Phil parks next to us at Maggiore in a MK2. I accidentally acknowledge "I love these. I should buy one!".

I lasted almost two weeks after getting home. 

I learned from my cycling days that the ideal number of bikes is n+1, where n is the number of bikes you currently have.

Is it the same with Triumphs? Am I ever going to be safe?

 

[AndyA]

And because this thread is worthless without pics, here they are:

[thescrapman]

It has been said you ask most Classic car owners what year the car is, you just ask Triumph owners how many they have.

I maxed out at 15, others I know hit mid 20’s.

Nobody just has 1 Triumph unless they are a bit odd.

 

[Tim Bancroft]

Andy,

Blimey, you seem to have it bad!

They are all impressive looking cars, can't decide which one I like the best.

I like the way you have early to mid Sixties Triumph cars. I have always thought that once BL got their teeth into Triumph post 1970, it all went downhill. My three are 69-70 cars for that reason.

Got to go for the GT6, but they are all superb cars.

As for the end of the madness, some are incredibly infected...though Colin, the previous poster is not infected, he is obsessed! 

I look forward to seeing the cars in person. TR or GT6 for the 2025 RBRR???

[AndyA]

Howdo Tim,

I'm definitely a mid 60s kind of boy. Malaise era wedges with kamm tails and non-functional ducts can't compete with chrome, low bumpers, and seam capping. 🙂 

Unsurprisingly, our mutual friend Coops was asking whether I'd do the next 10CR in the TR or the GT6. I suspect the answer has more to do with how much time he has to help me fettle and prep each vs any intent on my side. 🙂

I haven't ruled out taking both. Wife wants to come with next time, and the TR is her goto on the rare occasions I steal the daily. The views afforded if the weather plays along really demand a removable lid, so I suspect the TR would be our candidate. If I can sell the idea of joining to a neighbour (currently no Triumphs at all... what's his game?) the GT6 could make a show as well 🙂 

My immediate neighbour bought a Stag just after I got the Spit, and a TR3 when I picked up the 4A. It plays hell with Burlen's ordering system as they can't handle the idea that one post code now carries 5 Triumphs and two customers 😄

 

 

[AndyA]

On 02/10/2024 at 08:21, thescrapman said:

You ask most Classic car owners what year the car is, you ask Triumph owners how many they have.

I'm borrowing that. 😄

[Tim Bancroft]

Blimey Andy, you are a brave man introducing your neighbours to Triumph cars....

The usual limiter on the number of Triumph cars that one has is often down to the space one has....finding a barn near me that is owned by an enthusiast is causing issues for me!

[AndyA]

1 hour ago, Tim Bancroft said:

Blimey Andy, you are a brave man introducing your neighbours to Triumph cars...

Oh it’s my neighbour that’s brave. “Hey! You have a roundtail spit… is it easy to keep it going? My wife had one of them. She loved it. Can you still find them?” he says, before buying himself a stag. 
 

“MrsNeighbour does love that Spit. I wonder if I’ve got room for another project. The stag is kind of done and I want something to tinker with. Was the spit very expensive?” he asks, before buying himself a TR3a. 
 

Braver man than I. My other half loves the TR. She can drive the spit but the whole “no synchro in first” thing worries her. TR is much more of a  compliant brute. 
 

I may not have entirely mentioned that whilst the GT6 looks like the Spit, it has an all synchro box. 😄

[thescrapman]

Just fit an all-synchro box to spitfire. Problem solved.

[AndyA]

1 hour ago, thescrapman said:

Just fit an all-synchro box to spitfire. Problem solved.

That is not the problem I’m trying to solve. She already steals my modern every day for work as it is. Whats the point in working from home if I can’t say “hey! It’s sunny! Open top time!” 😄