Earlier this year a group I am a member of-The Clan Ross Association of the
US-announced a 14 day trip through the Highlands of Scotland. It only took me
a few days to remember that Scotland is connected to England, albeit somewhat
tenuously, And England is where our super little cars were made. Not only
that but Paul Richardson,
son of the late Triumph Competition Director, Ken Richardson and a cyber
friend of mine, is located. You will remember Paul as he published an
excellent magazine called Triumph over Triumph and writes for most of the
major Triumph publications.
After a couple of quick E-mails we had made arrangements to meet at Gaydon
museum where examples of almost all LBC's are displayed. Originally we were
to get a tour from the man himself, John McArtney however, John's son is
quite ill and he was unable to make it. In addition Paul was kind enough to
set up a meeting for me with Daryl Uprichards, the owner of one of the UK's
premier restoration and modification shops, Racetorations in Gainesboro
England.
Well, the trip started out in typical Ross fashion, no sooner had we arrived
in London than I was visited by an old friend, kidney stones! For those of
you lucky enough to have never experienced the exquisite pain that goes with
these varmints, sufficeth to say IT HURTS LIKE HE-well you know. Two days, a
bottle of pain pills and a LB 300 hotel bill (that's about $480.00) later we
finally rented a Vauxhall Vectra and headed up the M 1 toward Stratford on
Avon which is just south of Gaydon. Now if you have
never driven on the wrong side of the road in a right hand drive car you
haven't lived.
what's real fun is going into a "round a bout'' with an already nervous wife
sitting on the wrong side of the car, navigating. ( A round a bout is a kind
of traffic circle where the only rule is The guy in the round a bout has the
right of way)
Well we got to Gaydon and met Paul there. Gaydon is a beautiful, modern auto
museum with just about any British car you can imagine. It is a multi story
affair, with a cafeteria, gift shop and all the amenities. In addition Land
Rover has an off road course that surrounds the museum and you can take a
test drive if you are brave enough. Paul gave us the grand tour and he and I
ended up sitting in the cafe, bench racing until it was time to go.
>From Gaydon we drove north to Doncaster where we found a small country hotel
with its own pub. Had a terrific meal, a wee dram and went to bed early.
The next morning (Sat.) we drove on to Gainesboro and found Racetorations. If
you are a Triumph nut, an old hot rodder and/or a small time racer, this
place is heaven!
Daryl Uprichards has the damnedest candy store you ever saw! The main
business appears to be the building of "fast road cars" out of old Triumphs.
And I mean fast!
There is a complete engine/transmission/axle shop. A body shop where you can
have a complete aluminum body built for your Tr. A fabrication shop where
they can build about anything you can ask for from roll cages to a complete
suspension. The parts department would make a grown man cry. Custom, steel
billet crankshafts built by a Formula1 machine shop. Magnesium oil pans,diff
covers, valve covers, etc., etc., cams,
mag wheels, pistons (forged) custom built connecting rods and on and on. .Was
I impressed? YOU BET!
Of course I was in Valhalla but momma got kind of tired of all the racing
talk so we eventually said good-bye to Gainesboro and Daryl. But not before
we agreed that we would all get together next year when the Uprichards are
planning a trip to the US.
We had a wonderful time in Scotland, including a classic car show in the
parking lot of Dunrobbin Castle which included (oddly enough) two American
Police cars?
At the end of our tour we flew to meet our youngest daughter and her fiance
on the island of Santorini Greece and attended their wedding. A great way to
cap off a fabulous trip!
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