Thank You

[Trevor S]

It will be 6 years in October since I purchased the sad remains of a UK long door TR2. Some of it was in boxes, and the rolling tub had no wings or front apron, no floors, no boot floor, doors had rotted back to short doors, no gearbox, fibreglass boot lid, fibreglass rear apron, lots of rot, filler, chicken wire and fibreglass padding holding the rear together, and TR4 brake & clutch master cylinders were fitted, and a TR4a engine. Original wicker trim had been replaced with black trim, then in a very poor state. Once it had become an MoT failure it looked like it had been rallied for a while before eventually being abandoned.

Anyway to cut a very long story short it has taken almost 6 years to get it back on the road, it having passed it's first MoT in 25 years this week.

At the risk of sounding like a luvvies Oscar winner I would just like to thank the various Forum members who have come to my assistance over the years with advice, parts, sympathy, and humour, and to the local ones who have given hands on help and their time, and helped me stop crying in my beer from time to time. You know who you are chaps so give yourselves a slap on the back.

Also a big thank you to the guys at Manvers Triumph who did all the skilful bodywork bits that I can't, and to the TRGB parts guys who let me spend hours in their parts loft looking for elusive bits.

Now to get some serious miles on it, as taking it to the MoT and back has really wetted my appetite for a bit of open top motoring (Just as well, as I haven't got a hood or side screens for it yet).

[stuart]

Excellent job. Well done Trevor.

Stuart.

[Bald Rick]

Been loking forward to seeing this for a while. Well done Trevor, it really looks good.

 

I suppose you will now have more time to spend on the Hurricane?

 

Tony

[Jersey Royal]

Hi Trevor,

 

Give yourself a big slap on the back too.

 

Very nice indeed, just what i was after

 

 

Cheers

Guy

[Menno van Rij]

Well done Trevor! And just in time! Spring and Summer are around the corner! Enjoy your car in good health!

 

Menno

[Andrew Smith]

Looking very good Trevor, will we see the TR2 at Classic Le Mans?

 

...........nice colour, what is it again?

 

Cheers

Andrew

[Wee Willy]

Yes, may I add my congrats Trevor....interesting colour....what exactly is it? well done indeed, Bill Piggott

[Pogo]

Well done Trevor - great looking car.

 

Spurs me on to get stuck into mine.

 

 

Roger

[TomMull]

Looks great from this side of the pond. Congratulations on your excellent work. Enjoy the car. Tom Mulligan

[Willie Felger]

Dear TRevver,

 

You Beauty! Congratulations on a truly superb result from a very low starting point. Well worth the years of sweat and tears.

 

Ignore my e-mail - I can see the number plate. Which one will you take to Le Mans - this beauty or the TR4?

 

Best regards,

 

Willie and the Pea

[Andrew Smith]

.............Willie and the Pea

 

Hi Willie,

 

Does this mean you know 'Freebie and the Bean' from the great 70s film?

 

Cheers

Andrew

Edited April 14, 2010 by Andrew Smith

[Trevor S]

Thank you all for your responses. Much appreciated.

As to be expected I had the usual spectrum of responses over the colour from those who liked it, those who said they liked it, but didn't, and those who didn't like it. A few loved the colour and a smaller few thought it was sacrilege not to repaint such a car in it's original colour. All are entitled to their view point but in my opinion the fact that it has been restored is what is really important, and a future owner in years to come can re spray it and re attach the front drum brakes and Lockheed rear axle,which I will keep with the car, if they so choose.

The colour is apparently PPG Rover Group Pale Primrose from 1966-71 code YL12. Primrose yellow was too creamy for my personal taste and Olive yellow, an original TR2 colour, was too vivid. I was inspired to pick the colour on seeing a German registered TR3 at Malvern a few years ago which looked to be the same or very similar.

Anyway I like it, and more importantly my wife likes it, as she wasn't going to become a restoration widow for the second time unless she liked the colour.

 

I'm afraid it won't be going to Le Mans Andrew as I want to get a couple of thousand miles on it before taking it abroad and the TR4 will still take it's share of classic driving time.

 

Anyway off to the local licencing office now to try and get it's taxation class altered so that I can get a tax disc. Historic status hadn't been invented when it was last taxed in 1982. What's the betting that there is a fee!!

[TR3BGeorge]

Beautiful job. What's a MoT ?????????????

[Trevor S]

Thanks George, Here in UK an MoT stands for "Ministry of Transport", which is an annual road worthiness test all cars have to go through once they are over 3 years old. I presume there is something similar in the States, although from what Menno says the Netherlands seems to have the most enlightened Government with respect to Classic cars and roadworthiness.

[Menno van Rij]

Cars older than 1960 only need a Dutch MoT (APK) once: when you put a licence plate on the car. Cars between 1960 and 1985, only need a bi-annual APK, newer cars every year. The government recons that the owner of a vintage or classic car treats his car carefully etc.

 

The cars ought to be checked carefully. APK stations are checked by the government regularly: every time a car is APK'ed, the workshop-owner has to fill in a online form and he has to wait for clearence: a government offical can recheck the workshop owner's work. When he scr*ws up three time, he looses his APK-license.

 

All cars are checked according to their built date: my TR doens't have to confirm the modern day emission laws. The car needs to confirm the manufacturer's data of the year the car was built!

 

Yes, our government and classic cars go together very well.

 

Menno

[sidescreen]

Great job Trevor ! Wishing you many, many safely miles.

 

Hope to see her once, Malvern perhaps ?

 

Cheers - Raymond

[pfenlon]

Looking at the picture, it was obviously worth all that effort, another well done, for the sidescreen is a much harder one to conquer than the more

 

modern stuff, I sincerly hope you enjoy it, terrific car.

[Alec Pringle]

Heaven help us if we ever follow the Dutch APK system. Perhaps Dutch classic owners are more sensible than their British counterparts.

 

I've seen plenty of classics of all descriptions passing through the MoT bay over many years, and the average 'Dry Summer Use Only' owner is a prize clot - happy to spend hundreds or even thousands on cosmetics, peculiarly reluctant to accept the need for regular mechanical servicing and maintenance. Age takes its toll, as well as mileage. Use it or lose it, if the car isn't in regular use it deteriorates. Very few gleaming precious objects pass first time without remedial work. If it wasn't for the annual MoT the roads would be full of classic deathtraps.

 

Long live the annual MoT - one good reason why we have unrestricted useage of our classics in this country, and can modify them as we wish. Unlike most of the EU, EC, whatever it's called these days.

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

[TR3BGeorge]

Trevor, thanks for the MoT explanation. We have annual inspections over here, by STATE, so we will have 50 different requirements, and costs. During my working life, I lived in Virginia, and paid about $20 annually for inspection and $30 for registration. Then, I moved to Texas, who has no state income tax, so they get me $40 for an inspection and $55 a year for registration. No complaints.

 

Now, here is the beautiful option I have in Texas with an antique car:

 

1. Regular license plate: $40 insepction each year (including emissions) + $55 auto registration.

Now pay attention:

2. Classic Car license plate (minimum 25 years old): $40 inspection each year (not sure about emissions) + $55 auto registration. No limitation on mileage driven.

3. Antique Car license plate (minimum 25 years old): NO INSPECTIONS. $55 license plate good for FIVE YEARS. Mileage limited to official club events, civic events (parades, school events, etc), and routine maintenance mileage.

 

Now, is that a NO BRAINER, or what? With a 50-year-old car, EVERY TIME YOU START IT UP IT IS MAINTENANCE MILEAGE!

 

There is only one drawback: the Antique Plate does not allow vanity numbers (62 TR3B, 1962 B, TCF, etc, etc.) I figure that by having the antique plate, I save $410 every 5 years, which can be spent on the car rather than on inspections and registrations.

 

I wish that they would come up with vanity antique plates: I would gladly pay an extra $50 for a 5-year plate.

 

Sorry for the long explanation; I got carried away. Trevor, thanks again for "splaning" it.

 

The VTR South Central Regionals are next week, in Oklahoma City, OK. I am really looking forward to them, as they are my first "big Triumph event." I should meet some folks from the various forums on which I post.

[Dave Larnder]

Hi Trevor

 

Very nice indeed, Now get out and drive it! Hope you don't even need the hood and sidescreens, just a bottle of sun tan cream.

For general info, here in Spain, if you have Historic plates that all start with "H" ( mine is H2004 BBC) and your car is more than 50 years old it requires an MOT or ITV as it is called here every 5 years, if it is less than 50 years old it is every 3 years.It means that there is no annual road tax to pay in either case and insurance companies look on you more favourably. Now to get Historic plates the car must be as it was built, they don't allow mods even those that make the car more safe to drive or the fitting of alternators, R&P 4 branch bananas and even seat belts. When I took mine in for it's inspection they passed it on it's appearance and only weighed it first front then back and checked the principle measurements, length, width and height to scuttle, they do accept radial tyres though, but they must be the nearest size possible to the original cross plys

There is no restriction on annual mileage covered on any roads e.g. motorways

I am very fortunate where I live as I have 3 motorways near our house (but no noise) as what uses our ones per day would not equal what yours in U.K. would have every hour, and they don't speed trap here either. If they do in some urban areas, they allow you 20% over the speed limit before prosecuting you, so on the motorways the official limit is 120km/hr but 144km/hr is normal here. I always make a joke of it saying that the only thing a Spaniard does quickly is to drive his car like there is no tomorrow, the rest of the time it is "Manana" which we Brits take to mean "Definitely not today"

 

Dave

[vivdownunder]

Terrific job Trevor, and I'll bet it's good to have all the blood, sweat and tears of the rebuild behind you.

 

But I'm a bit intrigued........how did you work out when someone said they liked the colour, but didn't. ?

 

Were they shifty eyed, played with things in their pocket, hopped from foot to foot, walked away sniggering, or all four ?.

 

Anyhow, I hope you get many miles of enjoyment with it.

 

Regards,

 

Viv.

 

 

PS George.......only $55.00 for registration in Texas......lucky you !!!.

 

We get lumbered $612.50 per car, unless discounted club plates are taken, but not everyone can be bothered with the restrictions.