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The Int erview, continued from page 31 A. I have two 1964 MG Bs, and the TR4. I'd
started the restoration on one of the MGs when I
A. So, I dreamed of red Corvettes, sailboats, and
found the TR4. At first it looked like it could be
Harley Davidson motorcycles. I've been blessed
made driveable with a minimum amount of work,
in my life to have experienced all three.
so I set the MG aside and began on the Triumph.
Q. Then when did you first become aware of the
Then I discovered that after 40 years of sitting in
British car scene?
the garages of various other people, the clutch
A. In high school I had a '57 Chevy but my friend was welded to the flywheel. I had to remove the
drove an MG and I thought it was a really neat car. motor and the transmission and that led, little by
Fast forward to 1973, I was in the Navy and my little to a full frame -off restoration.
ship was returning to San Diego after five months
Q. So, where did you find this particular Triumph
at sea. I came down the gangplank with a pocket
and how long has it been , now, since you started
full of money and a plan to see the west while I
restoration work on it?
had a chance.
A. I found it first on the NBCC's website and then
My dream would have been to drive a red
again on Craig's List. I bought it last fall, just
Corvette just like in Route 66 but I settled for a
before Thanksgiving, and then spent the winter
1968 Triumph TR250. Somewhere during the
and spring restoring the chassis, drive train, and
third week of ownership I had a friend take me to
making necessary body repairs. After getting the
a Sears department store to buy a set of tools I
body primed, I took most of this summer off
needed to rebuild the transmission, which I did
working on other projects.
on my kitchen table.
Q. What advice would you offer to anyone that
After the transmission rebuild and with regular
makes the decision to do either a full restoration or
care the 250 took me all over southern
any sort of intensive reworking and rebuilding of a
California, Arizona, and northern Mexico. Back
classic car?
then, all you had to do was wave when you
crossed the border. A. If you're going to have a car restored by
someone else there are a couple of questions you
When I was discharged from the Navy, I loaded
should ask yourself, first: 1. Have you found a
up the 250 with all my stuff and my dog and
well vetted restorer familiar with the car you have
headed back to Tennessee to start at UT for the
to be restored 2. Depending on the estimate of
fall semester. I made it as far as Amarillo, Texas.
cost to restore the car, compare that restoration
While headed east on Route 66 a man ran a stop
cost to the estimated value of the car after the
sign and totaled my 250. I've had many sports
work has been done. Is it feasible?
cars since but none I remember enjoying more
than that first 250. Most of the time the cost of labor and parts
makes the numbers unfavorable. However, when
Q. So your journey with British cars began with a
you consider the fact that I have always wanted a
transmission that needed rebuilding shorlty after
restored TR4 , even with the costs involved, I
buying your first one and then the journey ended, on
could make an informed decision.
all places , on Route 66 when someone totaled your
car. That might have been enough to make some Q. That sounds to me like rationale thinking
people determine that British cars attract bad luck rather than rational thinking, quite common in
and yet you persisted. What British cars do you have the car community. Give us a reality check,
in your garage at present and how many of them are please. Most enthusiasts can convince ourselves
fully roadworthy? that they need to restore a car without any
outside encouragement.

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