TS1 LO HAS BEEN SOLD!

It's official everyone. TS1 LO has been sold to Dr. Phillip Hoops of Salt Lake City, Utah. It is scheduled to arrive from Hawaii this week. It will be nice to have this historic car back in the continental USA where, hopefully, more people will see it!

Wow...the poor car has gotten shuffled around a bit in recent years. I agree with you that it might be a bit more accessible now.

I greatly admire the amazing work and dedication of former owner/restorer Joe Richards. At the same time, I equally admire the folks in and beyond UK's TR Register for their equally amazing work and dedication in getting sister car TS2 back to its original glory. If only, somehow, Triumph clubs and enthusiasts in the US could have been behind TS1LO in the same way...and have it as accessible as the TR Register does with TS2!

Interesting. Is Dr. Hoops active in the Triumph community? I agree with your comments Andy, in the UK TS2 is really a big deal with the TR Register groups, it is a great showcase vehicle that is readily accessible for viewing at club events.

Andy and I rarly disagree, if ever, but having the beloved TS1 beat on by some ham fisted yahoo rolls my stomach. I have read on the British Triumph Register forum stories concerning TS2, like "performance is not what I expected", "feels clumsy compared to my TR_" etc. etc.

No again no, TS1LO belongs on a pedestal. I genuflected in front of it when Joe Richards reintroduced at TRA 2003 and hopefully I will again.

Lou Metelko
Auburn, Indiana

Lou, Lou, Lou - watch out they'll put us all in a museum some day! I'm one of those that just enjoys seeing these TR's on the road - it depresses me when I see them just shined up for static display. Kind of like a stuffed trophy.

Museum cars are nice when they're all original un-restored examples that were hardly driven, but if a car's been restored, i like to see it on the road, because... well it's only original once =)

My TR6 will be FAR from original when it goes back together, but there are a whole lot of sixes. If i ever get a TR2 like i really want, i'll probably try to keep it all original or at least as original as is reasonable without breaking the bank =) I love the original painted steel wheel with hubcap look on 2s and 3s =)

TR4nut said:

Lou, Lou, Lou - watch out they'll put us all in a museum some day! I'm one of those that just enjoys seeing these TR's on the road - it depresses me when I see them just shined up for static display. Kind of like a stuffed trophy.

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Randy, et al: Most of us know Don Elliott. He told me last year that he had hoped to bring his black 3A, "TRusty" to England this summer. Well, for some reason this didn't pan out. The guys from the Triumph Register became aware of Don's dashed dreams and came to the rescue.

What a perfect match - surely one of the world's most avid TR enthusiast and one of the world most famous TR's touring England together in style.


<span style="font-weight: bold">Don Elliott driving TS2 </span>

Lou Metelko said:

Andy and I rarly disagree, if ever, but having the beloved TS1 beat on by some ham fisted yahoo rolls my stomach. I have read on the British Triumph Register forum stories concerning TS2, like "performance is not what I expected", "feels clumsy compared to my TR_" etc. etc. ...

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Well, we really don't disagree, Lou! I should have qualified my "accessible" statement a bit more. I, too, have read some of those Forum and other stories about the car, and it bothers me a lot. To me, both TS1LO and TS2 are virtually priceless. While neither is a true original in one sense, both cars were very carefully and sympathetically brought back as close to their original build as possible, and I would greatly prefer to see them treated very gently and respectfully as the irreplaceable pieces of Triumph history that they are. (Kinda why I'm not a big fan of vintage racing; seeing Blower Bentleys, Cobra Daytona Coupes and original TRS Le Mans car thrashed as if replacement fenders and engines were behind the counter at Pep Boys doesn't thrill me, and I have witnessed a couple severe crashes of some very valuable old racecars... but that's another topic!)

For cars such as TS1LO and TS2, my idea of accessible is that they can be made available to see at appropriate venues, not necessarily to be driven hard, fast or for great distances by any number of people!

P.S. I should note that I feel particularly "close" to the twins TS1LO and TS2 since both were born two days before I was! (and both are arguably in better condition.... :wink: )

Anyone dare to suggest what the selling price was? I just would like to know ballpark, not anyone's personal business.

I got to see TS1 and meet both Joe and it's then new Hawaiian owner as she changed hands at Watkins Glen a few years back.
[img:left] TR2 (TS1) first production TR2 by banjoben42, on Flickr[/img]

Hmmmm....they are sports cars aren't they? I see 550 Spyders being raced all the time and with the 4 cam engines, pretty delicate.

It's only metal and can be fabricated should there be a shunt or something.

I also think there is a guy in Germany that vintage races one of the TRS's and even blew the Sabrina engine on its' first outing.

Museums are for paintings!

TS1LO wasn't raced at the Glen. Display only.

No safety equipment anyway.

Twosheds said:

TS1LO wasn't raced at the Glen. Display only.

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Are you sure? I was positive I saw it flying down the old course.. :laugh:

The new owner is a member of my local club -- nice guy with a nice little collection of cars. Hope to get a chance to see it one of these days.

Watkins Glen 2008. Watch at 0:46-49.
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Yeah, and I see my beer gut sneaking in on the edge of the screen in several of those frames!

Yup. I'm bettin the guy in the orange shirt in your picture is the one taking the video I found on youtube.
I diden't get a video from the sidelines that year as I was riding along with Dan Herrara in his TR3
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Banjo said:

Watkins Glen 2008. Watch at 0:46-49.

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Hmm...cool car, cool car, cool car, cool car, <span style="font-size: 26pt"><span style="color: #FF0000">TS1LO!</span></span>, cool car, cool car, cool car, cool car, <span style="font-size: 26pt"><span style="color: #3333FF">TR250K!</span></span>, cool car, cool car...

Wasn't that fun, Ben?

A day I remember well.... It'll only be topped when I thrash my own TR2 around the old course. But I'll probably never see a group of Triumphs like that again. That was an amazing assemblage. Everything from TS1, to an Italia, and lots of new friends to boot.
I hope to get another ride with ya someday John.