Tom,
This idea is spot on. Plus, it keeps us from having to line Sally
Struthers up to serve as the spokesperson for the "Adopt a TR Part"
program. I can hear Sally now...."for as little as 14 cents a day you
can support an exhaust value for as long as 6 months." ;-)
Tom Long
> ----------
>
>
>
> Listers...
>
> Yesterday I commented that it might be nice idea to help Dan Master's
> out with the cost of repairing his TR6. A number of folks e-mailed
> their endorsement.
>
> Some background for those who missed it:
>
> Dan had apparently lent out his fully restored TR6 to Leon <sorry I
> don't know your last name Leon> to use on tour of the east coast
> during his stay here the U.S. I confess I don't know the details of
> how this was arranged....I only caught wind of it by reading Leon's
> posts as he charted his progress.
>
> At some time during the trip the bonnet release mechanism failed and
> Leon was unable to check vital fluids, in particular the coolant which
> was being lost in small amounts each time the car was shut down.
> During most of the trip <as far up as Canada if I read this right> the
> gauges indicated everything was OK until Leon got to within a few
> hundred miles of Dan's house. At that point the car finally
> overheated and Dan went to retrieve it. Hope I've got most of the
> story straight. :-)
>
> Anyway...reading Dan's initial report yesterday, the engine has
> virtually no compression on several cylinders. The beautiful paint on
> the bonnet and fender now has a 4 inch gouge where an over-helpfull
> gas station attendant tried to pry up the stuck bonnet. Dan also
> needed to cut a 3 inch hole in the bulkhead to release the stuck latch
> assembly. Well...*this* part is just a regular TR6 service procedure.
> :-)
>
> So after reading this a couple of thoughts popped into my head:
>
> "Hmmm....is Dan covered for this kinda damage? Would the engine be
> covered? Dunno but I'd tend to doubt it. Perhaps the paint work, but
> is he looking a serious deductible here and does it really pay in the
> long run to make a claim...? "
>
> Then I'm thinking...
>
> "Now Dan said he was retired, right? Well maybe he's rich! Yeah,
> that's it...he's a rich retiree! Hmmm, no....he *can't* be
> rich...he's a Triumph owner. :-) "
>
> So then it occurred to me that Dan might start wrenching on this thing
> himself just to get the car back in the condition it was in a few
> weeks back. And that would take a serious bite outta the time he's
> allocated for the V8 conversion.
>
> An THEN I realised the really *scarey* part. That he just might
> hafta' cut back of the time he spends on the Triumph and Spitfire
> lists!!
>
> You know...this is where you guys ask a question like "I just bought a
> brand new "NOFAILGOFAST ELIMINATOR" high output ignition coil but I
> don't know how to hook it up"....and within about 30 minutes you get
> complete, detailed, step-by-step instructions covering every possible
> make and model of Triumph since you never mentioned what kinda' car it
> was for. :-)
>
> BTW...I'm not trying to set some kind of precedent here where we all
> chip in to fix everybody's cars. <actually, I wouldn't mind if you
> folks would like to finance the restoration of my Spitfires...I'm
> easy! > What I think I'm seeing here though are some very unusual
> circumstances. I figure Dan's has given us, oh....$316,000.00 of
> free, personal, immediate, *expert*, technical advice over the last
> few years. I mean...these are not off-the-cuff one liners. Each
> response is a veritable treatise, throughly researched and accurate.
> Try getting *that* from Microsoft tech support. <g>
> And now he goes and offers up his fully restored TR6 for so a fellow
> lister from abroad can tour America in the proper Triumph tradition.
> A rather magnanimous gesture, I would think.
>
> Someone jump in here and stop me if I've got this all a$$ backwards.
> :-) :-) :-)
>
> So okay...here's my proposal: For anyone who thinks they've benefited
> from Dan's presence on these lists... We find an envelope. We find a
> stamp.
> We write Dan's address on the front and we put a dollar or two into
> the envelope. We mail it. Done.
>
> I realise you're not supposed to send cash in the mail. I recommend
> this method because if we make a big deal outta this <and you're like
> me, a MAJOR PROCRASTINATOR> it'll never get done.
>
> I remind the list once a week <for those who missed it> for four weeks
> and then it's over. No finally tallys.....No endless begathons.
>
> After a week or two Dan gets a flurry of mail from Listers he's helped
> in the past and he feel's a LOT better about being a Triumph
> enthusiast. Even if he only gets a few dollars to spend on a new
> headgasket.
>
> So lemme know what you guys think...perhaps I'm off base here and I'd
> like to hear from you if you think this is inappropriate for the list.
>
> Cheers!
> Tom O'Malley in Southbridge Massachusetts
> '74, '77 Spits
>
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