The TR Register Noticeboard

Please feel free to send in your news and events to the TR Register and we can showcase them here, on the noticeboard. To get your news posted, email: office@tr-register.co.uk

Kenbworth Annual Classic Motor Show

And for those a lot further south don’t forget to book your tickets to Knebworth early. The TR Register will be visiting the THE 20th ANNIVERSARY OF THE KNEBWORTH ANNUAL CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW on Bank Holiday Monday 30th August, 2010. Last year we had over 100 cars there but exhibitors passes must be ordered by the end of July.

Visit www.classicmotorshow.com/classic-motor-shows-home-page.htm for information and to book your tickets.

Your TR on the Hill?

High quality images from the Standard Triumph Marque day available. Your car will be there!

Contact: Richard Dredge, Freelance motoring specialist: writing, sub-editing and research, photography and picture research/supply. www.richarddredge.com

Classic Car of the Year Competition

Classic Car owners across the UK are being invited to enter their pride and joy in a nationwide competition to find the Classic Car of the Year. The competition, organised by Classic Car Weekly, Classic Cars and Practical Classics magazines, offers a fantastic first prize valued at over £3,500 with over £700 worth of runners up prizes up for grabs.

It will be the public who decide the winner and the runners up of each category. The winning cars will then go on display at the Classic Motor Show at Birmingham’s NEC from 12th to 14th November where the overall winner with the most votes will be revealed and the grand prize awarded.

Further information can be found here www.ccoty.co.uk

SRW 992 and a successful test!

Well it had to happen at some time...

Since last posting a report we have been at Goodwood, Silverstone (GP circuit) and back to Goodwood. We have had everything but plagues of frogs and swarms of locusts thrown at us - we have experienced broken spark plugs and (very) dirty fuel which has meant that the TR3 has had to be transported back to TR Enterprises three times over the last month, the last time as we were so short of time had Steve and Mark from TRE draining the fuel tank and filtering 80 litres of fuel in the car park of a motorway service station, my job being to distract the “jobsworth” car park operatives and to buy the coffee.

So what about the successful test I hear you say? On the 29th, incidentally the birthday of my significant other, Linda (how I got permission to go out and play on that day) I found myself driving around on Dunlop “L” section racing tyres at a Goodwood circuit so wet I was sure that I overtook Noah on the Lavant Straight. The day was one in which only 5 cars were allowed out at any time, with no restriction in the time of your session. The conditions were so bad that for 90 minutes I was the only car running, my own personal Goodwood, it was a fantastic experience as I was able to find out the limits of my cars adhesion without fear of hitting another car. The session was red flagged when two Caterham Lightweights decided to test their grip, only to end up in the tyre wall!!! One up to the good guys I think!

My first dry runs of the year were again at Goodwood on Easter Monday in the Goodwood Sprint, we were against cars that had things like 5 gears; ABS and sticky tyres but we didn’t embarrass ourselves or the Triumph name.

I would like to thank all the people who have come and introduced themselves to me as we have been out, in particular Iain Fisher who travelled to Snetterton in the pouring rain in his immaculate 1957 TR3A with no roof on his car!!

Our next outing is at Snetterton Saturday April 10th - we are entered in the Classic Car Club “Classic K” challenge and we will be up against the usual suspects of MGB’ s TVR Grantura MK3’s “E” types et al. Come and support us, the practice is in the morning with the race first after lunch.

Stephen Skinner

SRW 992 and our racing preparation for Classic Le Mans

The countdown has begun, the Carpe Diem entry for Classic Le Mans is less than 100 days away and we all know if we are poorly prepared then that time will slip away far too quickly.

Saturday, 27th February was the first occasion that both I and my co-driver, Rod Begbie, have been able to test the car since its rebuild at TR Enterprises over the last twelve months. The weather was typically cold and wet and the winds that had devastated Europe the day before killing 50 people were still whipping across the Sussex racing circuit. Unfortunately the test day was very heavily subscribed and with 105db being the noise level of the day only five cars were allowed on the circuit in fifteen minute sessions. We had plenty of time to reflect on the adage that motor racing is “a lot of waiting around interspersed with short bursts of excitement”.

All went well with the first tentative runs, the grip on historic Dunlop “L” section cross ply tyres was low but still fun, the engine not happy running cool but as the weather warmed the car smoothed out.

At the end of the second session Rod brought the car in complaining about a “fluffing” in the engine at the end of his final lap which led us to believe that the fuel gauge was not entirely truthful… so after putting in 20 litres of 105 octane fuel at a cost of £2:20 plus VAT per litre we were determined to make a better show on my next session. We can run the engine to a smidge over 7000 revs and so on a dry track I ventured out, only to find that the fuel gauge had been correct and that our issue was more troublesome than first suspected. Running the car through first, second and third gears changing at 6800 was terrific, in fact I spent more time looking through the side-screens than the windscreen as we drifted through the corners but putting the car into top once again brought the “fluffing”. Our fears were if the carbs were short of fuel from the pump then we could be running lean and being in danger of melting a piston.

Time to put the car back in the trailer.

I have spoken with Steve at TR Enterprises and he has agreed to look at the car prior to our next test at Snetterton. The car will have to go back on the rolling road, but I am confident that the fuel glitch will be resolved quickly and enable us to take the car to cold and windy (do you detect a theme here?) test in Norfolk later this month.

Timetable of testing prior to CLM

25th March - Snetterton

29th March - Goodwood

5th April - Goodwood (Sprint)

10th April - Snetterton

15th May - Silverstone

4th June - Silverstone

We are keen that any TR Register members that may wish to come and talk to us at any of these events will do so. We are delighted to own a part of Triumph history, and will be happy to show the car or share a tale of daring exploits on any occasion.

The photo is of Rod coming through the Chicane at Goodwood.

Stephen Skinner

PS Carpe Diem Classic Racing is the “brand” that Linda (my better half) and I run the car under – giving us an identity and a logo for overalls/shirts etc.

last updated 10.03.10[back to top]

PRESS RELEASE - Greenwood Exhibitions
Bedfordshire Classic Motor Show moves to Woburn Abbey

Bank Holiday Weekend, 2nd/3rd May. We are delighted to announce that the popular Bedforshire Classic Motor Show is moving to an enchanting new venue after 12 years at Old Warden.

This new venue, home to the Dukes of Bedford for over 400 years, will enhance an already successful show, with the added attractions of Woburn Abbey, deer park, 40 shop antiques centre and the world famous Safari Park.

Regularly attracting over 1500 pre and post war classics, the 2 day event is attended by thousands of enthusiasts, with autojumble, trade and club stands and childrens rides. The hotly contested concours prizes for the very best cars and clubs in show are awarded on the Monday.

For more information please contact Mike Kennington, Greenwood Exhibitions. Tel: 01527 871150 / 835223. Email: mikekennington@btinternet.com or visit the website: www.classicmotorshow.com

last updated 25.02.10[back to top]

WCR40 – Celebrating 40 Years of the London
to Mexico World Cup Rally

Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, 18th April 2010

On the 19th April 1970 nearly 100 cars left Wembley Stadium in London at the start of the toughest rally that has ever been held. The target was Mexico City six weeks later, with the cars scheduled to arrive just before the start of the football World Cup.

The rally covered 16000 miles at exceptional speed over some of the worst terrain imaginable.

To celebrate this amazing event a group of clubs – the Triumph 2000/2500/2.5PI Register, the Land Crab Owners Club International, and the Austin Maxi Owners Club, who between them represent five of the cars that finished in the top eleven places – have come together to put on a celebration of the rally which hopes to include as many of the original cars, competitors, officials, and team personnel as can be located.

To support the event owners of other cars from the marathons of the 1960s and 1970s, and original historic rally cars from other periods, are also being asked to contact the organisers so that they can be invited to attend which will make it the biggest ever get together of original historic cars ever to be held.

Owners of cars who have competed in the more recent ‘historic’ marathons, and classic cars used in historic rallying are welcome and should also contact the organisers if they would like to attend.

For more information please visit: wcr40.org.uk

last updated 25.02.10[back to top]

The Classic Motor Show.

The TR Register had a great Classic Motor Show and it was wonderful to meet so many Register members and people interested in TRs. As well as winning the Classic and Sports Car prize for best club web site Allen Forster's TR7 was featured on Stage with Mike Brewer and their was lots of press interest in the Coca Cola TR7 and Stephen Skinners racing TR3.

The Register stand was packed for the entire weekend and there has been a huge increase in new memberships during the month of November. So all in all a real success story thanks to all of you who manned the stand and all of you who visited and made the stand such a welcoming place.

Over 70 visitors took the time and trouble to fill in the 'guest book' and visitors came from as far as Cambridgeshire, Anglesey, Essex, Sussex, Lancashire, Durham, Doncaster, Kent, Ireland, and even Australia! Local Groups mentioned in the book were, Trent, Camb Followers, North London, Wensum and Shropshire. From those who filled in the book we picked a name from the hat and Mr Malcolm Butler has won a £20 gift voucher to spend in the Register shop.

Find out more about the website award here.

last updated 25.11.09[back to top]