The good old days!

This week amongst other things I have been building a chassis for a MK11 Vitesse, we brought the bare centre section back from the blasters yesterday ready to go on the assembly jig. Nothing unusual in that I hear you say? Well 6/7 years ago or more, in the last days of the JK empire, no it wasn't. Back in those days it wasn't unusual for me to do at least 2 or 3 chassis a month for John, indeed we were doing that many back then that we used to mark them with our own unique system and maintain a log of what was what. This output went on throughout the 90's seemingly unabated, our production log is not to hand but I remember passing the 200 mark. As the new Millenium has progressed this output has dropped to a trickle, symtomatic I fear of the tail off in the restoration of 'our' cars. This is confirmed in an alarming decrease in the sale of panelwork for all models over the same period, noticed not only by us but by others we speak to in the trade. Can it be that all the cars that are going to be restored are done? Or is it a reluctance of a new generation of classic car enthusiasts to get their hands dirty? Some say its because far to many restorable cars have been broken for spares. What do you think?

Club Triumph RBRR dinner/presentation night

Thanks to everyone involved in Saturday nights Club Triumph Round Britain Reliability Run dinner and finishers award presentation do! Although I have been participating in the Round Britain for over 10 years (not the same Round Britain you understand, but a few of them!), this is the first time I had dragged my arse down to the smoke for the presentation evening. It was well worth the trip, the wife and I had a great evening amongst like minded genuine Triumph driving enthusiasts. You (RBBR participants) should all be very proud of yourselves, not only for the wonderful total raised for the nominated charity (over £47,000 for Children With Leukemia), but also for the great way in which you did it, with good humour, enthusiasm in abundance, and the comarardere that can only come from within Club Triumph. Well done to Tim Bancroft and his small dedicated army of helpers for organising another 'Triumph' in the Triumph calender, yet another can't miss CT event. What with the 10 Countries Run and the new 20 Counties Run (OK not new but resurected from a CT event last run in the 1960's) its all becoming a bit of a blur! Top marks guys, this is what it's all about, fantastic Triumph driving events that fly in the face of the usual staid Club Internationals/Nationals/Concours events that long ago turned into much of a muchness. Perhaps 30 odd years of visiting various Triumph shows has finally done it for me, one line up of infrequently used, pampered garage queens, is starting to to look very much like the last lot I saw (perhaps they are the same car's over and over again?). I would much rather see a well used (but still loved) Triumph being hammered over the Cromarty Firth bridge as the sun comes up on day two of the RBRR, I think I just detected a shiver run up my back! Or better still getting into Gordano services early on the second morning of the RBRR and listening for the charaismatic wail of the PI's breaking the rare pre dawn silence of the M5 as they approach at speed.
Excuse me now I must go off and find that 20 Counties Run entry form, see you there?

Picture Courtesy of Club Triumph