In a message dated 9/17/2003 10:06:58 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
anabil@caltel.com writes:
> Fellow Listers,> I have to tell you what happened to Casper, while
>> replacing the throwout bearing (hydraulic) I made the measurements > but it
> still did not seem right so I called Herman van den Akker > for consulting
>advice...> Folks this wonderful gentleman, who had just returned from >
>a weekend trip loaded up Himself and Helen and drove the 300 > miles to
>Wallace on Tuesday morning!!!> I managed to repay him (a little) by
>taking Herman and > Helen to our favorite restaurant in Jackson...> Now
> I ask you is there ANY other vendor/supplier of > parts/whatever, that
> would even consider such a thing??? I think > not...Hats off gentlemen
>to one of the true gentle artists of > our hobby...Herman van den Akker...
Not to embarrass him (should he be reading this list), but John Kipping's name
comes immediately to mind! Back in 1985, while he was
then-owner/proprietor/head guru of John Kipping's Triumph Spares in Coventry,
England, John visited the VTR Convention in IL and spent no small amount of
time keeping a dear friend's Herald 948 sedan running.
John has since "retired" and emigrated to New Zealand, but this past August he
came back to the US to attend the VTR Convention & TRF Summer Party...where, as
I understand, he was again "in action" on several occasions to help several
Triumph owners in varying degrees of need. Examples: a. In the absence of
replacement shoes for a front drum-braked Herald, he actually "replumbed" the
one side so that the owner could still drive the car without harming the drum
as a result of one shoe having thrown its lining. b. I was told he also dove
into the engine bay of another badly running Herald -- much to the surprise and
short-lived worry of the owners, and quickly had the car running pretty much as
new! c. He also gave a seminar on the "small car" (Spit/Herald) gearboxes and
overdrives. d. After the Summer Party, he drove up to the Albany, NY, area to
visit me for the day. I could have kept him busy for days with niggling
problems on some of my cars, but I decided NOT to impose on him. ;-)
I know there are others like John and Herman...and thank goodness for that!
Keeps the "hobby" fun and enjoyable and even bearable for all of us!
--Andy Mace
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