a confession.....

[paul w]

Last night i crossed the great divide.I was fearful of what was on the
far side of the abyss,but i was pleasantly surprised when i got there.
Ian F dragged me out last night to see that accursed group of Triumph
owners - you know - the enemy,the ones who jeer and scorn at the plebs
in the ugly wedged shaped cars...THE TR REGISTER!
I must admit to some TRepidation,fearing the worst,but as the meet was
just 3 miles from my abode,i thought "what the hell,i'll frighten them
with the 'green monster'" should things get outta'hand,if the sniping
and insults started.
Turns out that the Essex chapter of the Register are themselves some-
what removed from the main clan,and are thoroughly decent people who
have a great love of all things Triumph based ....including the sacred
wedge!O.K.there were some sixes and a Stag in the car park,but also
sevens too.Ian introduced me to every one and bought me a pint of
Strongbow as i got chatting to every one.The 'East saxons',as they
are known meet weekly at different venues in the month.There were about
a dozen men and women of the group there last night and Ian tells me
that the meets are always well attended.
I had a great evening talking cars and learning that there are a number
of TR owners very close to me that i did'nt know of.
Thanks,Ian.I'll look forward to the next time and try dragging Rob
along too.Dunno' if i'll defect from the TRDC,maybe i could become a
'double agent'and infiltrate their ranks!

See ya. Paul

[Ianftr8]

Glad you enjoyed the evening Paul.

Cheers

Ian

Ian Freeman
1979 TR8 DHC California car that never crossed the pond
1962 Triumph Courier

[john 215]

Hi Paul,
You will have to get rid of that base ball cap
[:0] to make way for a flat cap [;)] and cider will have to go [:0][:0] as well making way for the real ale stuff with 'bits of vegitation' in it [;)]
Only joking [:D] anyone who is into there Triumph cant be a bad person, besides dont tell anyone, while we are getting things out in the open, but been a Registar member for years [:0][:0][:0] but TRDC member for a lot longer [:D] I am sure i am not the only one belonging to 2 fine clubs, have considered joining Beans and a few others on here at Club Triumph as well !!!
Cheers john
P.S weather looks like 5h1t3 for Saffron Walden on Sunday [:(]

LIVE LIFE A QUARTER OF A MILE AT A TIME!
1979 3.5 FHC(STATUS PENDING!!)

1982 2.0 DHC NOW A 4.6 WILL BE ON THE ROAD VERY SOON!
Read My Blog http://www.waringstowntr7s.co.uk/blogs/ ... hp/John215

[tr7inc]

Great Story Paul, let us know how the next meet goes.



Steve

[John Clancy]

I hope you educated the Stag owner that what he was driving there was once known at the TR6. And that a fabulous double disc DVD is about to be released!!!

The Register now have a pretty good TR7 membership but it's sad they're not really interested in the cars. They showed no interest in my epic 'Bullet' production despite the complimentary copies that went their way. A terrible shame.

<center><b>[url="http://www.triumphtr7.com/documents/sales/codenamebullet.asp"]Buy the story of the Triumph TR7/8 on DVD here[/url]</b></center>

[Rust Restorer]

I will tell you a story about the local chapter of TR register, one member who owns a TR6 and a TR7 V8 went along with the TR7 V8 when the TR Register did a run with the TS2. At every photo oppurtunity they lined the cars up, TS2, TR2, TR3, TR4, TR4A, TR5, TR6, etc, when the TR7 V8 chap tried to park next to the TR6 to complete the photo line up he was asked to remove it, thats how much they like the 7!

Andy
1980 DHC Cashmere Gold
1981 FHC Persian Aqua Blue
www.andys-tr7.co.uk

[Gareth]

People like that make me sick, I hate badge snobery I own a TR7 becuase I like them and I fit in it (cannot drive a tr6 comfortably at 6ft 4 but a superb car). I have no problems with MG's,, Fiat's etc or any make. If someone likes their cars then good on them.

Gareth

p.s. I own 5 different makes of car and love them all Triumph, Saab, Rover, Daewoo & Ssangyong.

Also I am a member of the tr register (saved me £120 on my insurance)

[Ianftr8]

As follow up to Andy's comments about the V8 driver who had the chance to drive TS2 (the first recorded right hand drive TR)I had the privilage of looking after and driving the car for 24 hours whilst it was in our area on its round the country jaunt last year.

We took every oppertunity to take pictures of the car with every other available TR we could get - but because I could, the most pictures were taken next to my "8" and another very special TR7 we had with us for the day. Indeed my signature picture on the register forum shows my car and TS2 parked outside my house.

I have been a member of the register for about sixteen or seventeen years and a member of most of the other Triumph clubs going back over nearly thirty years of ownership, there has always been comments about the "7" not being a proper TR but then this handle has run all the way through from the TR4 because it had wind up windows and through to the "6" being a hairdressers car.
There are always misguided people who make stupid comments but generally they have never had the oppertunity to experience the pleasure we get from our cars.

I enjoy driving and being driven in all of the TR models and I will be taking part in next weekends Norwich Union run starting in Norwich at 9.15am and ending up at Silverstone as navigator for a mate with his TR6 - a lovely car but I wouldn't want to own one because its too bloody small!!!!

Cheers

Ian

Ian Freeman
1979 TR8 DHC California car that never crossed the pond
1962 Triumph Courier

[Hasbeen]

Paul, I hope you continue to enjoy the TR register. I have never
experienced any snobbery in TR ranks, here in Oz, but then may be
i'm just too thick to notice.

I don't know what the fuss is about the early TRs. When I ordered my
new Morgan +4, in 1961 I did not think it was the best looking car
around, I believe both the MGs I'd owned, a TB & TF were both better
looking cars. However, I never even tried the TR3, or the frog eye
Sprite, as their I found their looks less than attractive.

The British designers, to my mind, were having a real problem
deciding how to end their cars, [Jag excepted] both at the front, &
the back, at this time, when exposed headlights were no longer
fashionable. The route Triumph took from the gorgeous Roadster, to
the handsome 5s & 6s, was not to my taste at all.

Any photo of a group of the things, would have to be improved by the
addition of a few 7s.

Hasbeen

[FI Spyder]

At our club the TR7 was always looked down on but that is changing as more TR7's appear and they are one of the few cars that can keep up with the Jags when they (Jags) break convoy protocol and start to get a bit frisky.

I firstly was a Triumph Daytona 650cc bike owner (from new) but I liked the TR3 (quintessential sports car according to Jay Leno), The TR4, 5 (250), and 6 where too brick like (in looks) for me but I liked the Spitfire (wedgey like) with neat flip up front end.

The MGB was too bland compared to the classic TC's and MGA's.

TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra

[Wayne S]

This is a great thread. [8D]

I have been involved with the TR Register all my life. My Dad was local group leader when I was born and my first ever contact with a car was his then 4 year old TR6. The TR6 went and he rebuilt a GTR4 Dove in 1985 which he still has to this day. I was aware of the TRDC growing up and the TSSC but they didnt really figure highly to me - my point being despite the Register I still managed to grow up loving the wedges and always hoped I'd own a big V8 one day.[:D]

There still is a form of snobbery amongst just a few of the old guard in the register, but more an more the 7's are featuring more highly within the club, thanks in part to the magazine editor Steve Redway who is a confirmed wedge fan. Also did you know the General Manager of the regsiter drives a TR7 as his everday car???? [;)]

The sort of stereotype of the TR Register being the cloth cap and cream tea brigade is well founded I'll admit. It was for this reason that I started the TR Yoof group within the Register. There are lots of younger lads and lasses aged around 18 - 30 ish that were turning up to the local group meets and the International weekend at Malvern but feeling kind of alienated because of their age, their TR7 perhaps?? and maybe the pre-conception of cloth caps. But slowly and surely you meet people you have things in common with and after a while there was quite a group of people formed.

Credit must go to the TR Register because they noticed the fact that there were a lot of young people turning up that liked doing different things with their TRs and liked the partying into the night at meets etc and so they offered to support us with proper group status, 2 pages in the magazine, club budgets etc. I've always thought that you cant complain and then not do something positive to change things when the chance is given so thats how the TR Yoof came about. Its also great for promoting TRs to another generation, ensurting healthy club turnouts and lobbying insurance companies for better classic car policies for young drivers. We have a huge turnout now and its still growing with many joining the register because of us for the first time.

SO! I took up helping to encourage young people into TRs but one of you guys needs to help push the TR7 and TR8 within the club. Malcolm Paris as recently retired as TR7/8 Registrar so we need one of you to take the place and really push it. Paul, John you guys would be ideal [:D] It definately needs a real wedge geek with lots of enthusiasm and energy to push all things wedge shaped in the TR Register - so why not put yourself forward and change things for the better???

Dont give up your TRDC membership becuase there are rarely events that clash between the two clubs and anyone who can help maintain a good relationship between them would be a positive thing. All triumph clubs are going to have to come together sooner or later as we are all under threat from government and tree huggers who want to see how cars and enjoyment of them taxed to death or come to an end.

TR 7/8 Regsistrar anyone???? www.tr-register.co.uk


<b>FOR SALE!!!!Purple 2.0 Litre DHC Grinnall</b>
Red 4.0 Litre V8 DHC Grinnall (with huuuuuge arches...!)

[gordon kerr]

<font color="green">This is interesting stuff. I have been a member of both Club Triumph and the TR Register ever since I bought GRD which must be about 5 years ago now and I well remember that back in the 70's when I had OMJ the TR Register would not even allow 7 owners to join!

I regularly attend the Leics & Northants CT meetings and go on events which they organise or take part in. Why? Because they are a great bunch of people and get out and do things. They don't care what car you have or what condition it's in. There are most models of Triumph represented and there is even a Rover 3.5 litre which comes along from time to time.

On the other hand I have only ever visited one of the local TR Register meetings (not saying which group it was - there are several near to here [;)] They were initially quite freindly until we got to the "what have you got?" question. Having admitted it was a 7 I was then pretty much ignored for the rest of the evening. Needless to say I never went back, although I did visit the International once and, apart from the fact that it poured with rain all day, enjoyed that (no it wasn't the year of the floods).

What I think it all comes down to is that it really depends on the locality and the people rather than the club. It's perfectly possible that some CT areas are not as good as the local one here and the same I guess for the TR Register, the TSSC and the TR Drivers. All you can do is find a group of people you can get on with and who share the same car interests as you (whether that be touring or track days or sitting in fields all day). Each to their own [:)]</font id="green">

<font color="green">Gordon
GRD 1980 Brooklands Green 2l FHC
OVC 1980 Platinum Silver 3.9l V8 FHC
Bedford, UK.
</font id="green">

[john 215]

Hi,
In defence of the TR Registar, there magazine features lots more 7 and 8 stuff over the last few years [:D] and its a shame the attitude of a few gives the incorrect impression to others, Wayne's idea of the 'TR Yoof' is probaly the single best idea i have seen from a club in years, that age group is the future of our hobby and needs encouraging and helping.
I have always found the TR Drivers club very friendly, for instance went to Bishop Storford show a couple of weeks ago and was made very welcome by all the lads and lasses from Essex and had a brilliant day. The TRDC also has a group for younger menbers (very young!) but gives them a chance to become involved with competition (one of mine won a colouring competition a few years ago) and writing articles.
Social scene is a bit dead around here (Bedfordshire), there is a Registar group, but got talking to them a show a while ago but things changed when i mentioned a have a TR7 V8, i may as well said i had an MG !!!!
May join the CT yet as i know they have meetings around here, may even go along with you sometime Gordon, if you dont mind? Failing that there is always Robsport!! some days over there its like a club meet [;)]
Cheers John

LIVE LIFE A QUARTER OF A MILE AT A TIME!
1979 3.5 FHC(STATUS PENDING!!)

1982 2.0 DHC NOW A 4.6 WILL BE ON THE ROAD VERY SOON!
Read My Blog http://www.waringstowntr7s.co.uk/blogs/ ... hp/John215

[Rust Restorer]

I agree with most of what has been said here about the TR Reg, I do think they try, especially with magazine content, and their commitment at the top in Steve Redgrave who I have met is great, there was some good TR7/8 stuff in the mag when I joined them for a year, but at local level they where just not interested. I think the key fact here is that a lot of the Reg membership consider their TR2 to 6 as a financial investment, something that cannot be said of a 7/7V8 (UK RH TR8 is the only marque that can be considered an investment in the TR7 area)TR reg people generally pay vast amounts of money for a car, and do not maintain the cars themselves, relying on expensive specialists, thus seeing themselves as a cut above the other. I hasten to add that not all TR Reg are like this, individually there are some nice folks there.
I imagine things go on like this in other marques:- Do Healey 3000 owners look down on Frogeye Sprites? what do Mk1 and MK11 Jag owners realy think of the XJS? then their is the MG Chrome V Rubber Bumper Brigades.
I will always be proud of my liking for the 7, as I grew up in the Tony Pond era.

Andy
1980 DHC Cashmere Gold
1981 FHC Persian Aqua Blue
www.andys-tr7.co.uk

[john]

Steve

i've always been an owner of both clubs and at local level there are many that as you say love all things TRIUMPH, there are but a few now that have the snobbery once associated with this club. but they'll grow up one day and get over it,

many of the earlier TR owners now own 7's as well Chris Cunnington actually owns a grinnalled fhc and he's the Registers Chairman.

i find the rivarly good between the clubs but even that has subsided with some of our local events having both sets of clubs on each others stands

Inevitably in the future i'm sure these clubs will be forced to amalgamate, but for now i'm glad to see the 7's slowly infiltrating the "other" group, and showing them just what they are missing.

Having said that the drivers club was there when the 7 had no freinds so long live the Drivers club,

Owning a seven in the Register is like being a rebel lol

[8 whole cylinders worth of punch to ram the world through the windshield and out the rear view mirror. Car & Driver]
1981 Grinnall TR7 v8
1981 Black FHC
1979 & 1980 Black Premium FHC(laid to rest) Sorry


John