Did you use your Triumph this weekend?
We did (the wife and I), but that's not unusual as we have no other form of transport. Clare continues to pile the miles in her 2.5 (ex 2.6 MKIII proto), and I am currently tootling around in our 13/60 estate. Popped out yesterday with the youngest to one of those new breed high street pet superstores to get the guinea pigs a garden run.
Perhaps I just hadn't noticed before but it seems to me that drive anything remotely old/interesting, and people are starting to stop and stare? Number two daughter has started to notice this and she's only nine years old. Perhaps it's because modern motors are so bland and samey (even the expensive ones) that one tends to stick out in anything remotely different? To my mind this is a recent phenomenon, and it seems to be so prevalant that when I first started to notice I started to get a little paranoid! You know the sort of thing, people stop, stare, point, then you assume something has/is falling off! Other car owners pull up behind you when you park and make a bee line for you, assume road rage incident in the offing? Group of youfs wanders over, hide mobile phone, you know the sort of thing! Or perhaps you don't, nicest bit of weather we have had for a long time and I don't recall seeing another classic car on the road for weeks? It's a shame but I think 95% of classics cars are now nothing other than high day and holiday motors. True you might spy a glut of one make or other on the road on route to a club day, but that's an exception these days. Perhaps we (the few) should start yet another Triumph club (the movements so fractious another wouldn't hurt!) for those of us who use our Triumph's come hell or high water, and refuse to fall into the convenience trap of the modern blandomobile! Think about it, how many miles a year do you do between MOT's in your Triumph, if it's less than say 3,000 miles, consider selling it to someone who will make more use of it. Most importantly be seen out there on the road promoting our cars, and keeping the marque in the public eye, keeping the traders interested in making the parts, and bringing in the next generation into the fold. You aren't going to do that pitching up at the odd tired old one marque day once in a blue moon!
Perhaps I just hadn't noticed before but it seems to me that drive anything remotely old/interesting, and people are starting to stop and stare? Number two daughter has started to notice this and she's only nine years old. Perhaps it's because modern motors are so bland and samey (even the expensive ones) that one tends to stick out in anything remotely different? To my mind this is a recent phenomenon, and it seems to be so prevalant that when I first started to notice I started to get a little paranoid! You know the sort of thing, people stop, stare, point, then you assume something has/is falling off! Other car owners pull up behind you when you park and make a bee line for you, assume road rage incident in the offing? Group of youfs wanders over, hide mobile phone, you know the sort of thing! Or perhaps you don't, nicest bit of weather we have had for a long time and I don't recall seeing another classic car on the road for weeks? It's a shame but I think 95% of classics cars are now nothing other than high day and holiday motors. True you might spy a glut of one make or other on the road on route to a club day, but that's an exception these days. Perhaps we (the few) should start yet another Triumph club (the movements so fractious another wouldn't hurt!) for those of us who use our Triumph's come hell or high water, and refuse to fall into the convenience trap of the modern blandomobile! Think about it, how many miles a year do you do between MOT's in your Triumph, if it's less than say 3,000 miles, consider selling it to someone who will make more use of it. Most importantly be seen out there on the road promoting our cars, and keeping the marque in the public eye, keeping the traders interested in making the parts, and bringing in the next generation into the fold. You aren't going to do that pitching up at the odd tired old one marque day once in a blue moon!
posted by David Pearson at
7:54 am
6 Comments:
Every day use is great fun I agree: http://vitessesteve.blogspot.com/2006/04/back-from-wood-yard.html
Well we did about 200 miles in the 2500 ... this included having to re-torque the head after it's recent refreshment and change a rocker that appear to be in trouble...
Then on Sunday night I had a rear hub bearing give up the ghost ... I knew it was dying so my own fault for letting it soldier on too long.. changed it while Del fed the kiddy.
Drove to the airport 4 am this morning in the Stag.. had to scrape the ice off first... bloody heater is a bit hopeless too.. ironic really considering their reputation as pot boilers...
Is that triumphing enough... (we too only have triumphs so it's easier) :-)
For a few years now I've played "spit the interesting car" on journeys longer than a few local miles. By interesting we could be talking a Jensen Interceptor, but just as likely a 1981 Talbot Alpine! No prizes for guessing that the count is often pitiful. Occasionally I do a 700 mile round trip to Scotland - and for a few times now I've not counted one "interesting" car. Of course, this is all subjective but there is a trend. I doubt my 2 year old will be driving by our understanding of the term by the time he's 20. We're on borrowed time my friend >:(
Damned useless fingers! Please replace "spit the interesting car" in the last comment with "spot the interesting car". I do hope anyone whe read that guessed my real intention, and didn't think I was advocating gobbing on passing classics ;)
I use my Triumph Herald everywhere I go. It doesn't like long journeys at all, over 25 miles and the 3rd cylinder saps all power (1500TC and O/D going in soon though).
My Herald does well over 6000 miles a year. And I completely agree. If you have a Triumph and don't use it, what's the point in having the car?
If I'm lucky I will ocasionly see the odd Triumph around, usually a 1300FWD or a Dolly Spring that's around Coventry at the moment.
I do get attention from others on the road, although unfortunately it only seems to be old men. Ah well, one day I'll get a Vitesse or a GT6...
Hilary is clocking up 12,000+ miles year in her Mk II 2000 estate, Alison 17 & Jessica 18 only have Heralds and are continually being told "I learnt to drive in one of those or my dad had one of those". My PI Spitfire does not do that many miles now because I commute by train. We only have Triumphs and a couple of old Land-Rovers.
No modern cars on our drive!
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