PHILIP SMITH wrote:
> Thanks for all your comments,thoughts,suggestions,with my hunt for the
> perfectly used TR6. However, I'm kinda curious, what color TR did you
> buy,was it the color you wanted.
Anyway, to answer your original question, here goes... (You can find more
about my car-buying story and adventures to date at
http://www.vtr.org/people/streeter/index.html)
My search for a Triumph proceeded on and off for quite a few years. ...
It all started back in high school, when a neighbor (for whom I cut his lawn)
was selling his Spitfire. It was gorgeous -- perfect white paint, graceful
curves, a purposeful burble from the exhauast, and that polished wood dash...
But, my parent's wisdom prevailed, and I went carless through high school.
However, the yearning wasn't quenched, and never forgotten.
After getting to college in Boston, I saw an MG or Triumph once in a while --
just often enough to keep the dream alive. Eventually, I started looking
half-seriously the summer of '89, while in NY state's "capital district,"
after finding out about the british-cars mailing list. (Yes, I've been on
this mailing list for seven years now...) I went to the VTR National
Convention that year, as it was in Albany, NY, just as it will be this year.
("http://www.vtr.org/conventions/vtr-96.html";)
I saw scores and scores of fantastic cars at the convention, and even got to
take rides in many different ones there. But, the festivities soon ended, and
I kept perusing the ads...
<turning back the clock...>
Date: Thu, 24 Aug 89 09:55:21 EDT
From: streeter@disney (ken streeter)
To: british-cars@alliant.alliant.com
Subject: '66 Triumph Spitfire -- Stolen away from me by a few hours
First, I would like to especially thank the people who sent replies about
the '66 Spitfire that my heart still yearns for. I am somewhat embarassed to
have taken the time of you all on three of the cars I have seriously
considered buying this summer. I have pursued 26 advertisements (I have
ignored about half as many again that were at $4000+), seen 17 of those, and
driven 8. These cars have included a TR3A, MGA, MGBs, MG Midgets, TR6s, and
numerous Spitfires. The spitfires and MGBs seem to be the most common around
here. MGBs seem to cost about double that of spits in the same condition,
however. This simple economic fact is making me tend towards the Spitfire or
a Midget as a first LBC, although I have yet to drive an MGB, so I shouldn't
rule them out yet, I suppose. In my pursuits, I have gone from knowing
nothing about any of these to feeling that I could buy one without getting
burnt too badly.
Regarding the '66 Spitfire, my soul was yearning for this car. My
only hesitation was that it just seemed darn impractical to have
a second "summer" car while Nancy and I are both finishing up our
studies. I knew that I couldn't get hurt in the deal for only
$900. (The owner said he would take $900 for it after the
test drive.) But, I decided I would talk it over with Nancy and
wait for some feedback from "all the experts here." Anyway,
yesterday evening I decided to buy the car. So, I called the
owner, only to be told that the car was sold last night to a guy
who called, came to see the car, and left his money in less than
one hour total. So, the car was sold, unbeknownst to me, even before
I posted my questions to the list. Oh well, God must have a plan for me
that doesn't include a '66 Spitfire just yet.
So, that summer ended with me realizing that the time wasn't yet right for me
and an LBC. But, I put together huge checklists of things to look for when
buying an LBC; I read everything I could find; I followed people who owned
LBCs so I could talk to them when they stopped at a light -- in short, I was
hooked.
But, with a new baby, and too much schoolwork, and little money, time went by.
Oh, I'd pick up a "Want Advertiser" magazine from time to time and scan ads.
I'd even call about a few from time to time, and go take a look at some for
sale even. But, I knew that I couldn't afford a second car in the Boston area
on a student's stipend.
Finally, however, after a move to New Hampshire, a real job, a lower cost of
living, and after a winter of getting settled in a new home, the time came to
find a Triumph. My search once again started, but this time with actually
some hope of success. I looked everywhere I could for ads, I subscribed to
"British Car" magazine, I joined the New England Triumphs
("http://isis.mit.edu/~triumph";), and looked at many cars for sale. Many of
the cars were utter disasters, many were fantastic, but beyond my price range,
few were decent and in my price range. Eventually, my desire for the "perfect
car", for a "minimal price" kept me from finding a car before the snows
returned to New Hampshire...
The next summer started out much the same -- I looked in earnest everywhere I
went; any trip out-of-state to visit relatives turned into a classified scan,
and possibly a look-see at a Triumph for sale; whenever driving down a country
road, I'd be craning my neck to peer into open barns, always hoping...
Finally, after nearly buying a Spitfire (on two separate occasions), I found
my current TR6 for sale. It hadn't been on the road in years; the current
owner had never had it on the road; he had just finished replacing the clutch
to make it drivable. The body was all dinged up, but the frame was
surprisingly rust-free. Where the paint wasn't dinged, or scratched, it
looked great. I had gotten far enough along in my search to recognize a
decent deal when I saw one, and returned the next day for a second look and to
leave a deposit on the car. As for color, it is painted signal red, although
ti should be a pimento red. I hadn't been looking for a red car, but like the
color. My personal preferences are BRG, wedgewood/imperial/French blue,
signal red, bright yellow, and maybe even magenta. Really, though, I could
see myself being satisfied with any TR6 color, except the browns. (I'm also
not particularly keen on white or pimento red.)
Was all my time looking well spent? Should I have simply bought the
first decent one I saw, rather then spending many hours browsing ads,
calling prospective sellers, and examining dozens of cars for sale? I
really don't know. What I do know is that I had fun in the search,
and now, for better or worse, a TR6 has me as its owner!
Is the car perfect? No, but it runs, and hasn't stranded me on the road yet!
Memories have been made with this TR6 in the year and a half since I bought
it. I think the choice was right, yet I'm still scanning ads, and still
looking for another...
--Ken Streeter
VTR WWW Maintainer
Oh, almost forgot...
> What is your favorite color. Most of the
> TR's ,I have looked at have been red. I'm seriously looking at a French
> Blue, not because of the color, but because of the car. Not to offend
> anyone, but a French Blue would not be my choice,but perhaps it will grow
> on me.
I have a '74 TR6 in Signal Red, and would rather have the French Blue.
I don't suppose we could work out a trade?
Kenneth B. Streeter | EMAIL: streeter@sanders.com
Sanders, PTP2-A001 |
PO Box 868 | Voice: (603) 885-9604
Nashua, NH 03061 | Fax: (603) 885-0631
|