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Triumph TR3 - TRA 2003

All,

Mary Beth and I just returned from TRA in Auburn, Indiana, Sunday, and we are still flying high on the terrific time and impossibly beautiful weather that graced this event. As this was our very first TR outing, we could not have guessed how much we would enjoy meeting people and seeing these magnificent cars.

It was also the first chance I'd had to inspect any other TRs since acquiring our TR3A in October. What a help that was! And the access to the "knowledge base" of owners was of great benefit.

I have to express my deep appreciation to Don Elliott (what a treat to meet you in person, Don!) for convincing me to throw our car into the concours competition so that we could gather feedback from the judges. We were delighted to have our car in the midst of so many excellent examples of the marque, but we felt a bit like Tiny Tim in a lineup of Chippendale dancers. But you were right, Don--we learned a ton from the judges' scoring.

Joe Richards' restoration of TS1LO was fascinating to behold, and he presented a talk about the many challenges he had to overcome. The results were very impressive, and we enjoyed seeing history brought to life.

Saturday's fun rally was a trip, in every respect. Brett Johnson of our own Indiana Triumph Cars club put together a list of photographs of "bad lawn art" taken along the rally route. Our job was to locate the art and obtain key information related to it. In the process, we looked at every single gazing ball and propane tank along the 70+ miles of the route. But the drive and the weather were both sublime. And our placement entitled us to a tire gauge with the TR logo!

The auction Saturday night was a blast. I had my eye on a very fine example of a TR radio and mounting bracket. I was right in there for the early bidding, but I dropped out well before it was taken at an incredible $800. Whew! I did score a very functional folding stool with a Triumph logo that also doubles as a beer cooler underneath. Gotta love multiple functionality.

Saturday's drive to the country for breakfast assembled a magnificent line of TR2s, 3s, 3As, 3Bs, 4s, and 4As. I didn't count the cars, but if there weren't 50 I'd be surprised.

I did my best to support The Roadster Factory for making the trip from Armagh. It was great to meet Charles Runyon and some of his crew.

The best part was meeting people and making friends within the Triumph community. Everyone was so open and helpful, and we had a blast. This will be a great way to spend the coming years.

It was also impressive to see how closely competitive the "drivers" were with those cars trailered to Auburn. Don Elliot's original TR3A, driven over 900 miles to the event and placing in the concours competition, was every bit as compelling as the newly-restored TR3A that was trailered (shrink-wrapped, no less) from New England that won its class.

But the icing on the cake was spending four days with the love of my life (Mary Beth) touring through the countryside and back roads of Indiana, swimming through the finest weather that anyone could hope for, and doing it in an open roaster that proved as reliable as it was a joy to drive.

This car, that drive and the time at TRA this year would not have been possible without the help received from each of you on this BBS. You have my thanks and my deepest respect. I hope to meet each of at another event.

Now...how far is it from Indy to Armagh, Pennsylvania for VTR?

If anyone would like a smattering of pix from TRA, let me know and I'll e-mail you a few.

Best regards to all, and happy trails!

Bill Stagg
1961 TR3A
Bill Stagg

Bill - Thank you for your kind words. Thanks also go to Lou Metelko for organising a great event.

Bill - I'd love to get some of your digital shots.

You mentioned "doing it in a TR" - what was it specifically that you were thinking about ?

Even with that mysterious noise in my engine, I made it to Kokomo to meet Janet and Steve Hedke from So. Calif. in Scrappy their 1957 BRG TR3 in the Great Race. I also had no problem getting from Auburn to Toronto (459 miles) in an easy days ride. Over 2,000 miles now in 8 days.

Tomorrow, I head off for Mosport to watch 25 Triumph racers practice and race in the Triumph Challenge Races on Sunday next.

About the TRA and Joe's talk about TS 1 LO, I'll be making a video of all that available on a commercial basis.

Don Elliott, 1958 TR3A

(87.05 points - 3rd place - at TRA with over 71,000 miles on "TRusty" since I finished my restoration in 1990)
Don Elliott

This thread was discussed between 24/06/2003 and 25/06/2003

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