TSSC Stafford 2009

Instead of my usual ramblings about lack of progress on Project Vitesse - here are some photos from this year's TSSC Stafford Weekend...

Jenny the Herald was there on the Saturday:-


The Main Hall:-

(Above is the unveiling of the Herald Hatchback prototype)

(Above: 2nd row, 4th from left is Lincs TSSC members Phil & Will's herald as official representative of the 13/60 saloon. Jenny may not be the prettiest herald but she was able to give the 13/60 a jump start following a flat battery!!!)

Outside parking:-


Funky Modifications:-

(Handle for blinds in Herald above!)

My Faves:-

(Above Herald 1200 was my favourite car at the show - not sure why!)

There were many wonderful cars there, and I wish I had taken more photos. Craig's shorrock conversion herald was stunning and there were a couple of stunning GT6s - including a very nice red one with racing stripes. I went home very, very, jealous!!!

Also well done Lincs TSSC man Keith Nock who managed a second in the Concours Masterclass! We were especially proud as he uses the car and isn't just a turn up and polish type of chap.

Let's hope next year is as well attended.

Hopefully next weekend the engine and gearbox is coming out of the Vitesse - who said there's no progress.....?

Camp? Me?

Just got back from our jolly jaunt which consisted of:-

Driving down to the Isle of Wight Thursday 30th April. Attending the TSSC Isle of Wight Camping weekend Friday 1st - Monday 3rd. Staying on the island for some sun before heading to the TSSC SEM meet on Friday 8th May and coming back to sunny Lincoln on Sunday 10th May.

That'll be 11 days of camping and Triumphing!

The Isle of Wight camping weekend was superb. Especially on the Sunday convoy when 64 various Triumphs met up with another 20-30 cars from the TR register for an ice cream at the top of a hill!

First thing on the Thursday was to get ourselves to the Spyglass Inn in Ventnor for some fishy-food...


I can say that the local forty-niner beer was great. Not so great was the fact that the Herald laden with three beer filled adults (and one sober one) couldn't make it up the extremely steep, narrow and bendy Ventnor Hill road - think San Fransisco and Bullit!!! Luckily, Garth held on to the handbrake whilst I, very unusually, became suddenly athletic, leaped over the back of the car and managed to push it up with the little herald struggling. I also managed to jump back in before being left behind!!!

Below are some pics before the Sunday convoy which show some of the cars there...


"Jenny" the Herald next to fellow Lincs TSSC members Phil and Will's (now known as Phylis and Willis) extremely smart 13/60 Herald. Apparently the line-up photos are going to be published in Triumph World - we're the two on the far right of the bottom row!!!






Saturday saw 60-odd cars head for Blackgang Chine on the island and we even managed to blag a parking zone of our own!


Whilst on the island, Sarah (my long-suffering other half) managed to get away from Triumphs long enough to visit a local vineyard. She made short work of the samples!


Sunday night was barbeque night. "Jenny" decided to step up to the mark and become our local ale house for the evening! 10 litres of 'Wobbly Bob' didn't last long (I reckon Will drank most of it as Garth, Phil and myself hardly touched a drop - maybe!). We reckon by the time Stafford comes, we'll be able to adapt the boot rack for optics and crisps...




And me on a leafy lane with 'Jenny' the herald...


At SEM, "Jenny" was treated to a tune-up. These guys were very thorough and despite a diagnosed b*****ed dizzy, we got a 40% better fuel economy on our journey home!!!!


I'm now more eager than ever to get my Vitesse sorted. And guess what? I've even decided on Sapphire as the colour - it's only taken a year for that decision to be made!!!

We're all going on a summer holiday...

Thursday will see us travel to the TSSC Isle of Wight camping weekend.

As Garth and Ellie (Lincs Area Organisers) take the comforts of a caravan these days - and their 2.5PI drinks worse than Oliver Reed - they'll be taking their nice reliable modern. Which means that I have been entrusted to take their Herald 1200 - which we plan to all use whilst on the island.


Before departing, I thought it best to do some 'practice runs', so today we visited the TSSC Open Weekend - about 70 miles each way - to get a feel for the car. I think the car now forgives me!


It was nice to go to a Triumph-type thing in a Triumph-type car for a change (and we even had the hood down for the last 10 miles home although it was bl**dy cold and windy out of the sun).

We'll be staying on the Isle of Wight for a few days before we head off for the TSSC SEM meet (with my Herald driving duties needed again).

I've had so much fun in the Herald, I'm starting to remember a Vitesse shaped project in the garage that needs some attention...

Yey! I'm back.....!

A huge thanks to Keith and Ferny for helping me get the blog back onto the Club Triumph website. It needed an amendment to the .htaccess file in my webspace.

Naff all progress with the car, but at least people will now be able to read about that lack of progress!!! I still don't even know what colour it is.

Next Sunday the Lincs TSSC are off to Donna Nook (nr Louth) to see the seals birthing etc - it's a day out - and if anyone else fancied joining us on the run please feel free to come along! I'll be in the Triumph Suzuki Swift (see below)!

Also, I have been asked to provide some piccies of BLU for the Lincs TSSC calendar. My Vitesse will soon be the envy of all (well, those with a Lincs TSSC calendar and an even worse car). I want to be "Miss February" - watch this space!!!

Never go to a Triumph Show...

...without infinitely deep pockets!

Just come back from a great 3 days at the TSSC Stafford Weekend. Lots of cars, food and tents. We went for the day last year and it was a bit poor. This year everything was loads better and our new found friends of the Lincolnshire TSSC kept us amused (and full of breakfast!).

The good news is that I managed to go three days of autojumble and shiney bits without spending too much money (£10 on cloths and gloves, £100+ on beer, £0 on car parts).

The bad news - Sarah, (the other half that puts up with my Triumph obession and knack of buying 'bargains' that seem to cost loads, and placing rotting rear tubs in the back gardenand leaving them) finally got to sit in a TR7. It seems that the 'slipper fitted' and she now wants one for herself. Its got to be a funky colour and be a soft top. Not wanting to hang around we'e seen this little beauty on eBay...

I've emailed the seller to see if the already low asking price of £895 has any movement. Looks good, just some 'minor reconditioning'. Will a trip to Doncaster to view be on the cards?

So what will we do if he makes me an offer I'll be forced to accept???

Looks like the TR7 will need to be put into a council lock-up, and then we could drive a decent modern car to the garage and swap them over as needed. The Vitesse can stay in the garage at the house (parts in the garden) so the other half can keep an eye on me. The two modern cars can claim the drive and the pavement outside the house.

God help me if the complete rear tub on eBay for £500, comes good and my pleading email to the sellar convinces him to lower his price expectations!!!!




Oh, and Sarah has a new job so needs to swap her little Kia Picanto for something a little bigger and diesel. And my little Suzuki Swift diesel is getting battered by my 30k a year mileage and so I could do with something with a bigger boot and longer legs.

Who needs to be able to pay the bills when two dodgy Triumphs and two new modern cars are on the horizon???