"I remember when Dad got the Triumph. DD-Ki, DS, and I pushed it up and down the driveway at the lady's house trying to get it started. Although Dad was worried it wouldn't start, it did, and led to many adventures for the two of you."
Actually, I believe you might be remembering when we got the Triumph for DS. We have had several Triumphs and each has its own story. This one was made the same year DS was born and it seemed fitting for him to drive it off to college.
Dad's theory was that it was simple enough for DS to learn about car mechanics and keep it running. It would give him some means of transportation but not allow any extravagant trips or carrying a lot of people. I really think Dad was bestowing his own dream on his son.
The Triumph ran well enough to get him home occasionally.
"It doesn't go very fast," he said. We just smiled
One day he announced with great pride that he had the best parking space on campus. It seems he did not take it out very often, so he just kept moving it to a better parking place at each opportunity. Now, he had the best one and he kept it all semester.
Dad's theory was that it was simple enough for DS to learn about car mechanics and keep it running. It would give him some means of transportation but not allow any extravagant trips or carrying a lot of people. I really think Dad was bestowing his own dream on his son.
The Triumph ran well enough to get him home occasionally.
"It doesn't go very fast," he said. We just smiled
One day he announced with great pride that he had the best parking space on campus. It seems he did not take it out very often, so he just kept moving it to a better parking place at each opportunity. Now, he had the best one and he kept it all semester.
We stored DS' TR4 for many years after college as he moved around the country and needed more reliable transportation. It is in the process of being restored and should be available for driving before too many more months. Hopefully, now he'll have time to get my TR3 up and running.
I have many tales of our Triumph days that I can relate in future posts. For details of some of our trips, see here.
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I can remember running the hills near Bakersfield with y'all in your white TR and us in our white 386C, although I was sold to back off when I could take the curves faster.
ReplyDeleteNope -- the girls are right --that was Dad's 1959 TR3A - we pushed that thing up and down the lady's driveway several times without success before we were all winded.
ReplyDeleteThe reason I got the best parking space was that our trusty mechanic sealed the fuel tank sending unit to the gas tank with silicon -- which everyone knows dissolves in gasoline. Each of the 6 screws made a silicon ball pop into the tank which would roll around the tank and eventually plug the fuel line. Ten minutes later, they would roll to the side and allow gas to flow again. That took a while to figure out (1 semester). Then I got to the point where I could jack up the car on the roadside, disconnect the fuel line, shove a piece of wire up to move the silicon ball, and be driving in about 10 minutes....until I got time and tools to remove the tank and get them all out.
Yes it was nice that I had to keep the speed low to help my parents concerns of my safety -- yet there I was on the shoulder of the highway underneath a car held up only by a scissor jack dousing my hands and arms in gasoline and lead additives every 30 minutes or so. My middle name never was "Safety First"...