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Sabrina engines


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Hi Peter,

 

You pointing a finger at me ? :P

 

I don't recognise the parking slot, so presumably a meeting to which someone other than me brought the TR4S ? Maybe it was TR Prescott 1980 ? If so that figures, the V8 Lady and yours truly brought the TR8 in Ian Taylor's race truck, after the unsuccessful Le Mans attempt. I can't remember who brought 929.

 

Note the tax disc on the windscreen, the Willhire logo, and the single wiper . . . . in those days Roger, owner of Willhire, allowed his cars to be used :D This wasn't a precious relic, it was driven on the road as well as hammered on the track. The only caveat he ever gave me when demonstrating 929 was not to let the car down - as in, if you're going to bend it or break it, make sure it's going at full bore and not pussyfooting around.

 

Note too the size of the tyres, Dunlop L Racing as I recall (rather than RS5s), which weren't legal on the road strictly speaking, not that any of us really gave a hoot for that. Once on the road I was pulled over by a friendly traffic copper in a plain clothes chaser, not at all bothered by the tyres, the exhaust noise, or the fact that he'd been following me at over the ton - his only concern was the flames popping out of the exhaust on the overrun, in case that indicated an engine problem that required urgent attention . . . . he'd been following with windows open, enjoying the bellow !!

 

It wasn't that quick, a bit quicker than a good 5 or 6, albeit with narrower power band, but the exhaust note was loud and distinctive. Heavy to drive, in every sense, someone at Triumph must have had in mind Ettore Bugatti's remarks about Bentley making the fastest motor lorries in Europe, and decided to continue the tradition. I'd much rather have driven a lightweight E-type, DB4GT Zagato, or even a 250 Ferrari for 24 hours, they were all less effort than the TR4S.

 

A good picture though, brings back happy memories . . . .

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

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Hello again Peter,

 

929 certainly came to Donington when it was in the custody of Rod Leach, Nostalgia, although I can't recall if that was 1978 or 79 ? It was parked in the middle of the Melbourne Loop rather than against a fence, and it certainly didn't sport a Willhire logo !! It was with Rod for quite some time, until eventually Roger bought it - as it happens, for the same money that I'd offered (and which was declined) several months previously ! I think Roger bought the TR4S late in 1979 ?

 

I'm not convinced that your pic is Prescott, but I am pretty sure that it's not '79 Donington - and for sure it's when the car was in Roger's ownership, and not whilst still with Rod.

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

Edited by Alec Pringle
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Hello again Peter,

 

929 certainly came to Donington when it was in the custody of Rod Jolley, Nostalgia, although I can't recall if that was 1978 or 79 ? It was parked in the middle of the Melbourne Loop rather than against a fence, and it certainly didn't sport a Willhire logo !! It was with Rod for quite some time, until eventually Roger bought it - as it happens, for the same money that I'd offered (and which was declined) several months previously ! I think Roger bought the TR4S late in 1979 ?

 

I'm not convinced that your pic is Prescott, but I am pretty sure that it's not '79 Donington - and for sure it's when the car was in Roger's ownership, and not whilst still with Rod.

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

 

The cars in the parking lot would place it in the mid to late 70's. I wonder what is the red sticker on the windshield ?. It has a race track layout on it but it doesnt look like Le Mans and while all of the other stickers and tax disk have been removed, 929 HP still has that red sticker on its windshield today.

 

Stan

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  • 1 month later...

Another nugget from Charles at TRF:

 

 

I had talked for a bit with John Ames last evening. John lives in London, and he owns the Michelotti car known as the "Conrero."

 

 

The Conrero also has a Sabrina engine. John Ames is a world authority on these engines, and he has one sitting in his living room. John was telling me last evening that, although there are only a dozen or so engines, there are actually three versions of many components. The engines seem to have been mixed together at the factory after LeMans in 1961 at which time they came to the U.S. with all of the engines rebuilt, I think, and several extra engines. That means that some engines have street cams and some racing cams, some have large capacity oil sumps that hold about five gallons, and some have smaller sumps.

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