I'll be sure to take my letters from Anders providing all the details I
reference with me to the Triumphest gathering in San Diego and
show them to Mr. Robson. He is scheduled to be there along with Kas Kastner as
guests of the event. Perhaps we can compare notes.
In putting together the Spitfire database, I have had occasion to ask Herr
Clausager several questions regarding oddities that I have
found in the various Spitfire models and he has provided me with much data
regarding them. He does, however indicate that the data is
far from complete is certain areas.
While, I don't recall exactly what the issue was back then (getting a bit long
in the tooth), but as I recall, The name of the person
whose data was mentioned was not given, so my comments were not meant to cast
aspersions on anyone's character, just the source of his
data. If our sources are the same person, I wonder how accurate it really is.
However, it seems to me that whatever it was that was
in question was so far different from my own data that it could possible have
been someone's misinterpretation or a typographical error
that led to the difference.
At any rate, I'd love to have the opportunity to compare notes to see where the
differences are and perhaps even call Anders into the
fray as a "Referree"! :)
Regards,
Joe
P.S. The data that I have received from Anders was during February through
April 1998. And I did notice that in those exchanges, some
of the data was updated from one letter to the next. Therefore, it appears
that the data appears to be a "Work in Progress" and will
vary as more information is accumulated by Anders.
I might add that I have also found that you cannot fully trust everything that
ANders tells you. A case in point: He said that in the
later (VIN numbered) Spitfire models the digit before the last "T" will always
be "A" (meaning 1980) and a number 9 does not exist. On
the contrary, I have registered several cars in the Spitfire database that do
indeed have the number 9 in that position.
If you still have details of the original information that I questioned, I
would like you to pass it along so I can have it for
reference in case this thing continues!
Richard B Gosling wrote:
>
> Joe,
>
> Remember a couple of months back, 'Club Torque' (the magazine of Club Triumph
> in the UK) published Spitfire chassis numbers, and there was some discussion
> over their accuracy - you produced a different set of number for some models?
> Well, next issue, a couple of months down the line, and your e-mail has been
> published, along with a reply from the guy responsible for the original set
>of
> numbers in 'Club Torque'.
>
> You may well have already seen a copy of this, but just in case you haven't,
> here's the reply (be warned, you seem to have pushed his button!):
>
> Dear Derek (Pollock that is, Editor of Club Torque),
> Thank you for letting me se the obviously disbelieving rant about Triumph
> Spitfire production from someone in the USA. The implication about my
> quotation of Spitfire production figures is that I made up everything to suit
> myself. Well - I object to that. All production figures and all chassis
> number details, first, last, changeover, etc. always come from Anders
> Clausager at the BMIHT, at the time the book was originally written. I have
> always found it wise not to second-guess whatever Anders tells me, because he
> has all the statistics and records there at Gaydon. I don't know who Joe is,
> but if his source is the BMIHT and so is mine, how can the figures possibly
> 'differ greatly' from those I quote? And does 'greatly' mean 20 in 300,000
>or
> 10,000 in 300,000? If we're going to have a war, let's get down to
> specifics... "I'd question the source of the person who wrote that..."
> Bloody cheek. I'd be very chary about writing that about an American writing
> about American cars, so why does he do it in the other direction?
> The only thing I would say is that even Anders occasionally
>massages/marginally
> alters his figures from time to time. Accordingly, those I quote in my MRP
> Collectors Guide for Spitfires/GT6s are slightly different from those
> published in my Osprey book and from my MRP book, merely because one book
>came
> along years later. I rechecked (that's right, rechecked) everything and used
> Anders' latest 'sworn on a bible' facts and figures. As you can see, I don't
> like my integrity being rubbished - and you are welcome to use the whole of
> this to quote back at the obviously saintly 'Joe'. If he wants to contact me
> by e-mail, I am on: grahamrobson@compuserve.com.
>
> Graham Robson
>
> I guess you touched a few nerves there! In any case, if you haven't seen it I
> believe you have a right to. I guess the rest of the list would be
>fascinated
> to see what transpires - for some reason I seem unable to send e-mails to the
> list, although I can e-mail individuals, so if you are happy to share this
> around please forward it to the list.
>
> I am taking no sides here, I'm just copying out a letter from a magazine, so
> please no-one have a go at me over this! Don't shoot the messenger!!
>
> Richard Gosling and Daffy
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