Don Elliott R.I.P

[Bill.P.]

Very sad to hear that Don had died....I knew him well and he stayed chez moi on a couple of occasions. An irreplaceable fount of TR knowledge.

 

This has set me pondering as to how many owners of sidescreen TRs there are remaining who have owned their cars from new.......besides Don, the only other one I know is a splendid NSW Aussie called Bob Slender, who has had his BRG 3A from new. Are there other contenders? To have owned any sidescreen TR from new would, by my calculations, mean an age of owner now of not less than about 75, and even that would pre-suppose that they could have afforded what was a relatively expensive car at the age of about 18.........to have owned a TR2 from new would mean a minimum age now of 80 plus. As an aside we do have in the UK a gent who has owned his Austin Healey 100 from new in 1954, and who is now nearly 89 although not in the best of health and no longer able to drive, John Wheatley of Worcester by name........ are there any TR2 owners who can match this anywhere in the World? Bill P.

[Andrew Smith]

Sad news indeed.

Met Don in 2011(?) at the IWE in Harrogate (same year he crashed TS2) and he was always very helpful, knowledgeable and a very pleasant chap in person.

RIP Don.

Cheers
Andrew

[Guest]

Perhaps we all could write our memories on the Obituary page. Surely, Don's family would like to read how he's remembered by us. Little chance they'll read it here.

[Bob Brennan]

Thank you Don for all you thoughtful replies to my newbie questions. You were an amazing help! You will be missed.

 

Bob Brennan

S. Freeport, Maine

[stuart]

Very sad to hear that Don had died....I knew him well and he stayed chez moi on a couple of occasions. An irreplaceable fount of TR knowledge.

 

This has set me pondering as to how many owners of sidescreen TRs there are remaining who have owned their cars from new.......besides Don, the only other one I know is a splendid NSW Aussie called Bob Slender, who has had his BRG 3A from new. Are there other contenders? To have owned any sidescreen TR from new would, by my calculations, mean an age of owner now of not less than about 75, and even that would pre-suppose that they could have afforded what was a relatively expensive car at the age of about 18.........to have owned a TR2 from new would mean a minimum age now of 80 plus. As an aside we do have in the UK a gent who has owned his Austin Healey 100 from new in 1954, and who is now nearly 89 although not in the best of health and no longer able to drive, John Wheatley of Worcester by name........ are there any TR2 owners who can match this anywhere in the World? Bill P.

Closest I can get is one of my customers who bought his TR2 when it was about 6mths old in 1955 and then took it off the road in 1964 with 150000mls on it. I restored it in 2004 and he still drives it today aged mid eighties

Stuart.

[Chris59]

Repose en paix Don, we will miss you.

[Mk1PI]

Very sad to hear that Don had died....I knew him well and he stayed chez moi on a couple of occasions. An irreplaceable fount of TR knowledge.

 

This has set me pondering as to how many owners of sidescreen TRs there are remaining who have owned their cars from new.......besides Don, the only other one I know is a splendid NSW Aussie called Bob Slender, who has had his BRG 3A from new. Are there other contenders? To have owned any sidescreen TR from new would, by my calculations, mean an age of owner now of not less than about 75, and even that would pre-suppose that they could have afforded what was a relatively expensive car at the age of about 18.........to have owned a TR2 from new would mean a minimum age now of 80 plus. As an aside we do have in the UK a gent who has owned his Austin Healey 100 from new in 1954, and who is now nearly 89 although not in the best of health and no longer able to drive, John Wheatley of Worcester by name........ are there any TR2 owners who can match this anywhere in the World? Bill P.

There is a chap in Perth, WA who's name escapes me at the moment who has had a TR3 from new.

[TS27004]

Replying to Bill.P

 

Regarding your question Bill of how many sidescreen TR owners have owned their TR since new.

 

Our club member George Roch-Perks in Co Cork has owned his Dublin assembled ckd July 1956 TR3 since new.

You may recall Bill that George & his wife Mary on their honeymoon in 1956 shipped their TR3 from Cobh (Queenstown up to 1922) in Co Cork to Canada & then toured Canada, USA & Mexico for 18 months in their TR3 before returning home to Co Cork with their TR3.

George & Mary are in good health & their TR3 resides in dry stables on their farm in Co Cork today.

 

Do you know Bill if there is a sidescreen TR owner anywhere in the world who bought their new 1st owner TR earlier than George?

 

Note; We have a 1955 TR2 here in Dublin that's owned by the daughter of the 1st owner. Although now in her mid-seventies she regularly uses her Dublin assembled ckd TR2 to go shopping in Dublin city centre.

[sidescreen]

Sad news.., brings me back to 2011 in Harrogate, where I finally met Don in person for the first time.

Another legend has gone... RIP Don!

My sincere condoleances to Don's family and all his friends!

He will be missed for his priceless knowledge and all advices which started with his first 1958 - 3A in particular ...

Best wishes to all.

Edited June 15, 2018 by sidescreen

[Dave Larnder]

Very sad news indeed, and this is the first time I have had the opportunity to add my condolences to his family.

My first entry in my archive page in my computer base, is in fact one that I received from him.

RIP Don

 

Dave