ctc77965o Posted September 16, 2012 Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 All, My TR4A is now registered & taxed, running problems (misfire) fixed and back as the car i remember driving 15+ years ago. These last few months I have only done a few Kilometers whilst I fine-tuned various bits. Then last week at 'short notice'I get a message from our regional car club, the MSVCR: Can I get the car to Singapore to support the driver's parade at next weeks Formula One grand prix?? So, Thursday is the big test, Singapore is about 700km from here, I need to be at the F1 track by 11:30 pm thursday night. Weather this time of year is ~32C with occasional torrential downpours... car is rust-proofed (Candlewax/linseed oil mix sprayed under side), wipers work, lights work, overdrive works...heater works (in the heavy rain I must demist despite the 30+ C cabin temp).... Keep an eye out for a dark blue TR4A registered PKR1967 at next Sunday's F1 driver's parade...... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Menno van Rij Posted September 16, 2012 Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 Wow, now that's a maiden trip! Please take A LOT of pictures. Pictures of the TR in that scenery will be great! Have a safe trip! Menno Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted September 16, 2012 Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 Great trip to do! Hope you enjoy it and pictures please. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted September 16, 2012 Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 Colour me green, Dave! Have a good trip, or as it's a theatrical expedition, blow a gasket. John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tony Millward Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 Tis indeed a long trip Dave. My wife and I were in Penang a couple of weeks ago and went to Georgetown. Absolutely love the place and the locals are great people. We will look you up next time we are there. Cheers Tony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
4Mal Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 take a good quality pen with you and get the glove box signed. I'm as green as my car. Have a great time. I'd like to add to my signature collection on the Autocourse 50th Anniversary book. I haven't got a new one for about 3 years now but have collected at various events : Cliff Allinson Mario Andretti Richard Attwood Rubens Barrichello Zsolt Baumgartner Derek Bell Jack Brabham David Brabham Ann Bradshaw Ross Brawn Tony Brooks Martin Brundle Bernard Cahier Ivan Capelli Eddie Cheever Christian Danner Martin Donnelly Piere Dupasquier Vic Elford Emerson Fittipaldi Davina Galicia Gowden Ganley Oliver Gavin Alan Henry Michael Heseltine Christian Horner Tony Jardine Stefan Johanssen Jan Lammers Geoff Lees David Leslie Jan Magnusson Nigel Mansell Pierre Luigi Martini Stirling Moss Jonathan Palmer Eric vd Poele Jo Ramirez Dave Richards Jim Rosenthal Elisio Salazar Michael Schumacher Bruno Senns Tony Southgate Peter Stevens Helen Stewart Jackie Stewart Paul Stoddart Danny Sullivan John SUrtees Keith Sutton Patrick Tambay Gabriele Tarquini Ron Taurenac Trevor Taylor Darren Turner Murray Walker John Watson James Weaver Justin Wilson David Coulthard Derek Warwick Jean Alesi Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mikell Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 Double wow, I've done the road trip both directions betweenn Malaysia and Singapore several times over the last few years - but never in my 4a which has remained firmly in UK. So envious of your trip, the roads etc in malaysia will make a superb run................seriously though, have you got 'added cooling' on the TR ? I think it could be a particular issue around Johor Bahru at the crossing - I've been in massive traffic congestion there with temps of 30+ for an hour or so of near enough static traffic - and that's without the F1 attraction for extra visitors !! Fantastic, enjoy - and pics by the zillion please..........my 4a is conifer green, and so am I !! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 Thinking about long trips to Singapore, anyone who hasn't might like to read "First Overland", the story of the Oxford & Cambridge Far Eastern Expedition that drove two Landies from London to Singapore and back, in 1955! It's a classic, not only the first, but the last to cross from India to Burma via the Ledo (Stillwell) Road, built in WW2 to supply the Chinese. http://www.amazon.co.uk/First-Overland-London-Singapore-Land-Rover/dp/1904955142 John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nigel Lay Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 Off topic - thanks for that John, now downloaded onto the kindle. Dave, have a great trip, only been to Singapore a few times (and stayed at Raffles before the 'make over', what a great hotel it was with it's faded splendour), fond memories. Nigel (with TS952) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ctc77965o Posted September 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2012 All, Yes, the overheating may be an issue, lets see.... totally standard cooling system & still running a dynamo...so no power hungry electric fan... I'll watch the gauge... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ctc77965o Posted September 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 All, well the car made it to Singapore without drama. Below is a pic of the car on the Esplanade show area within the F1 area.. Engine ran smooth, drove at about 65 mph, it took about 7.5 Hrs total travel with a break in KL ... no overheating, temp gauge sat at ~60% of FullScaleDeflection on most roads, when stuck in hot KL traffic (20 mins stationary at 30+C) it rose to 85% of FSD, but not in red a stabilised there . My rough calculations suggest fuel economy about 35mpg on the highway... Stopped-off in KL to take a look at a '66 4A that's for sale, a friend interested to buy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted September 21, 2012 Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 Well done Dave. See "Nowhere`s far in a TR!" Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SuzanneH Posted September 21, 2012 Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 Well done Dave. See "Nowhere`s far in a TR!" Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted September 21, 2012 Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 Great stuff Dave more pics please over the weekend if you have time? also if you find time visit the night zoo!!! yes I know but it is amazing Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ctc77965o Posted September 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 Video should go live in 15 mins or so.....gotta go to the pub... [/center] Quote Link to post Share on other sites
4Mal Posted September 21, 2012 Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 Great photos Dave. As many more as you like. Have a great time Mal Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mikell Posted September 21, 2012 Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 Fantastic Dave, and it sounds like the TR ran beautifully - a real credit to you. Well done, and keep the pics coming if you can. This is one to remember. Mike. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Menno van Rij Posted September 21, 2012 Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 Brilliant, brilliant and congrats! Great story, great video. I agre with Stuart! Menno Quote Link to post Share on other sites
4Mal Posted September 23, 2012 Report Share Posted September 23, 2012 Absolutely great experience. How did the parade go and any photos. The car looks superb and runs beautifully. Well done. I love SIngapore and Malaysia, makes me think I need to book a holiday. hope the drive back goes as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Superaquarama Posted September 23, 2012 Report Share Posted September 23, 2012 Brilliant, Dave ! A few years since I did that same trip 'up into the federation' (do the expats still say that, I wonder ?) - co-drove to Penang in a Camry to bring back to Singapore a Karmann Ghia with aircon, which was used sparingly as it took so much of what little power there was ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ctc77965o Posted September 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 All, Well, the weekend is over and the car & driver safely back in Penang....almost without incident!! On the morning of race day we have to practice our routine, this means driving around the track a few times to get the car speeds & spacing right...some kind of amateur 'formation driving'. As part of that we had to sit on the grid, engines running, for 20-25 mins...simulating the wait for drivers etc (also a bit of a stress test, as actual racetime is far later in the day). Here's the TR getting a little Hot on the grid: In fact three of the cars expired under these conditions...a series one etype with a carburation problem (looked like diaphragm failed in SU HD8), an austin 7 (fouled plugs) and one other..i forget... We had time to take a few photos before our 'formation laps': Then, we hand around waiting for dusk & the official event...by this time the pitalne is busy with all the 'pit pass' VIPs and the grandstands filling up... we drive up to the grid and find our Grid Girl...I was driving Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi. One more gratuitous Grid Girls shot: Then the drivers join us & we quickly set-off.....the crowds can identify the drivers because the cars carry plain signage on the doors giving the driver's name, so there's a lot of shouting from the stands and the protographers..as well as the Marshalls. Kobayashi thought I was crazy to drive 700km in the TR, we discussed Monaco vs Singapore and he clearly felt that Monaco is too elitist and 'normal people' cannot attend...whereas Singapore still quite reasonable with many flights & hotel choices (See you next year, forumers!). Speed on the track was limited to 40km/h but the whole thing is over in 15 minutes.... then it's a slow drive back around 1 lap back to our little 'showground'... I'll post a video of the Parade lap in a short time. The drive back went quite fine, 7 Hrs at 110km/h with 2 fuel stops, heavy rain for the second half of the journey, the convertible top didn't leak, no water over the top of windscreen or doors...no steaming-up inside (i guess because of continuous motion/airflow). Outside of Ipoh, in heavy rain, I lost all power & coasted to a stop... a quick look under the bonnet showed the spade connector on the coil-dizzy wire had broken in half...2 mins with pliers and we were back underway..glad to get off the side of the freeway here, as there are many accidents...this one I passed earlier in the morning: http://thestar.com.m...7204&sec=nation Best of all, my careful calculation showed 39.9 Miles per (imperial) gallon ! Those of you who've visited Malaysia will know that the road quality is quite good, so this 1400km is not a big deal in terms of robustness of cars...but it's the heat & sunshine which sap the driver's strength (esp with No AC).... but still, as Stuart said, Singapore ain't far in a TR... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ctc77965o Posted September 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 I could work out how to post a google map, so here's a link: http://maps.google.com.my/maps?saddr=Raffles+Ave&daddr=Jalan+Bayu,+Tanjung+Tokong+Penang+Malaysia&hl=en&ll=3.365373,102.079468&spn=4.194078,7.113647&sll=3.37839,102.069485&sspn=4.194031,7.113647&geocode=FTyvEwAdlLkwBg%3BFeEfUwAd0pj6BSnvCvyvGMNKMDEUD6h0hLxQZQ&gl=my&mra=ls&t=m&z=8 or http://goo.gl/maps/LN5Er Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ctc77965o Posted September 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 (edited) Edited September 25, 2012 by ctc77965o Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Menno van Rij Posted September 25, 2012 Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 What a great story and the video is nice too. I think this story needs a place in the long standing history or all things Triumph. I would suggest that you write an article about it for TRAction! Thanks for sharing. Menno Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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