In a message dated 19-Nov-99 17:51:23 Eastern Standard Time,
amace@unix2.nysed.gov writes:
> On Fri, 19 Nov 1999 ArthurK101@aol.com wrote:
>
> > Don't forget that TR's were also available in European countries for
their
> > citizens. Those cars would also have had LHD and their specs, although
> > somewhat different were not really that different from US specs at that
> > time.
>
> And that, Art, is one point that apparently I didn't make clearly enough
> for some folks! :-(
No, I think you were fairly clear.
> > (e.g. Lights and a few other things -- BTW my headlamps, for some
strange
> > reason, were European. I found that out the first time I went to a US
> > dealer for warranty work.) Those European cars could have been shipped
by
> > their original owners or could have been sold used to an American who
then
> > shipped it.
>
> That's not surprising at all, considering that you remained "over there"
> for some time after picking up your car.
Actually, my buddy and I shipped the car back a month later. That was after
a trip to France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. What a blast that
was. Two bachelors in a brand new TR4. Ah. Memories. Almost drove off the
"white cliffs of Dover" on the way to the Dover -Calais ferry. And tried to
book a room at 6am in a "hotel" in Brussels only to find out that the rooms
were for other purposes. Enough.
>I suspect that this was normally
> the case (as you've seen from my post about my Herald, it was the case).
> What I assume might have happened with a delivery such as the TSOA
> European rallies of the 1950s and early 1960s was that Standard-Triumph,
> having made all the other arrangements, also arranged for cars to be
> "retrofitted" with correct lighting when those cars were shipped to the
> States. But this wouldn't have been the case with a private party such as
> you.
I think you are right about the headlights. I had not arranged for Triumph
to ship the car so they might have put European lights (non-sealed beam) in
my car thinking I was staying or stationed in Europe. We had to get back in
time for paratroop school at Ft. Bragg which is why we shipped the car in
July and then took trains to Denmark and Sweden before flying back. That way
I could get home, pick up the car and drive to Ft. Bragg. Denmark and Sweden
were another story. :-).
>
> Speculation, I grant you, but it would explain why my Herald also
> still had some "English" lighting when I bought it in 1970, and why it
> will be restored that way as well.
> If anyone really cares about this last point, I know some folks I could
> ask.
That would be a help. I replaced the originals with sealed beams in the
early ''70's. Hey, it was the "car" and I never thought about "originality"
in those days. I think now it would be a kick to put the original
headlights, with the bulbs, back in it. Please let us know if you do find
out where those could be obtained. Regards.
Art Kelly
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