Triumph A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Biloxi

Submitted by Al Bradley ( @bradal )​

Behind the Smile ANOTHER TRUE SPORTS CAR STORY


By now some of you will have heard this, so please bear with me. It’s a good story.

This story happened when the USAF sent me to Biloxi, Mississippi for further training to be akiller. First of all, I had the responsibility of finding my way from Abingdon, Virginia to Biloxi. Thatwas no mean feat in those days of the late 1960’s.

I certainly intended to drive my (t)rusty TR-4. It was the route that posed the problem.Obviously, I had to take I-81 from here and then whatever substituted for I- 40/75 at the time fromKnoxville to Chattanooga. Then it was I-59 to Birmingham, Alabama. But, after Birmingham, all of theInterstate Routes turned in the opposite direction. I did notice that the map showed a long, straightroute from Tuscaloosa to Mobile, near Biloxi, that was just the ticket. So I took it. Once throughTuscaloosa, that two-lane route 43 proved to be an absolute blast to drive. There was almost no trafficsave a few logging trucks that were easy to overtake. I drove at 90 mph most of the way with the topdown and had a ball.

I stopped near the little Town of Jackson, Alabama to “fill one tank and empty another”, as myDad used to say. I paid for the gas and a few sundries I had bought and through the front storewindow I noticed an older couple admiring the TR. They apparently had not seen one before.

By the time I returned to the car, the man had bent over to look at the “hubcap” on my wirewheels, and I heard him tell his mate; “****, Mildred, it’s one of them Undo’s”.

I didn’t have the heart to correct them and I couldn’t have kept a straight face, anyway!

Well, I chuckled at this story all the way on to Mississippi. And I swear to you that it reallyhappened.

 

[Stewartp]

Hi, I am English, moved to Australia in 1968. I spent 3 months at Biloxi in 1971 learning about IBM mainframe computers to work indirectly for the USAF at Woomera in Australia. I love your story.

 

[Gliderman8]

Thanks for posting your story. I’m sure every Brit car owner has one.
A couple of years ago I drove my TR6 down to the local coffee shop. While I was sitting outside enjoying my cup of Joe, I noticed a lady looking at my car. When she walked by she asked “is that your car?”.
When I said “yes”, she said “that’s a nice Mercedes”.
Like you I just smiled and said “Thanks”.

 

[Basil]

Hi, I am English, moved to Australia in 1968. I spent 3 months at Biloxi in 1971 learning about IBM mainframe computers to work indirectly for the USAF at Woomera in Australia. I love your story.

I went through Biloxi in 72 to learn maintenance on the IBM Q7 - which was the NORAD SAGE computer (Air Defense). My Brother in law (USAF) was stationed at Woomera in the 70's.

 

[DrEntropy]

Good story, Brad!

In a similar vein, a few years back I had driven the Elan +2 to the local "Quick-Rip" on a Sunday morning, to fetch some milk and the Sunday paper. As I exited the store an older man in bib overalls was pointing to one wheel of the Elan, explaining to a kid that looked to be his grandson how those "undo" center hub nuts will come undone and a wheel would fall off... I just stood back on the sidewalk and lit a cigarette, waited for 'em to go into the store. Didn't want to contradict grandad in front of the kid.

 

[LarryK]

Lots of memories here on the LBCs. People just did not know. I was filling up my 2003 Cooper S to head to the track.They had only been out in the US for the second year. As i had the fuel hose in the csr, s gentleman come up and asked, "Is that one of those new electric cars?"