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Out with the old in with the new

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NickMorgan

NickMorgan

Jedi Knight
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A couple of months ago I went up to the farm where I rent a barn to drop off some logs. I had a look at my Triumphs all covered in dust and pigeon poo and realised that they hadn't run all year. I felt bad that they were just sitting there deteriorating. I mentioned on two British Triumph club forums that I was thinking of selling my 1300TC front-wheel-drive and my Herald Estate. I had immediate interest and then had to clean them up and start them. They both started as though they were last used the day before and cleaned up beautifully. I realised that they hadn't deteriorated at all, but it was too late as by then they were sold!
So, I had space in the barn and money in my pocket. What's a man to do. Buy another Triumph of course!!
Yesterday I flew down to Bristol and bought a 1974 Triumph Toledo. The interior is like new. The previous owner has spend over £3,500 on overhauling the mechanical components of the car and there is no serious rust. The only problem is that the paint has faded and there are a few areas of surface rust.
The drive home yesterday was 390 miles and when I worked out the mileage I discovered that the Toledo had returned 39mpg. It drove beautifully on the eight hour drive on our congested motorways. About a third of the way was limited to 50mph because of roadworks and I passed five separate accidents! Despite the radio not being connected up the journey went really well. I couldn't believe how nicely the Toledo drove. It's a great wee car!
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And the new ...
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v720/nickmorgan/Toledo/IMG_1833.jpg
 
Nice looking Toledo, Nick! But now you have to change your signature line too!
 
I like em all. Enjoy your new ride and keep on the move so the pidgeons don't have a shot at it.
 
A little compound and wax and that is a nice blue Triumph. Nicely done, Nick!!
 
Signature duly changed.
Sadly, I think that the paint is beyond a T-cut and polish. I will give it a try, though, but I think a respray is required.
A couple more pictures ...
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Sticking through the ragged hole in the carpet, with a weather flap, no less!

Knob just visible on the outside of the steering wheel rim at about the 7:30 position on the wheel.....
 
Those look like some great driving roads in the background. Looks like a fun car. The interior looks to be in great shape as does the body.
 
The gear lever has a conventional rubber boot attached to the gear box tunnel. This is covered by a cone shape bit of carpet, which unfortunately has not survived well. I have seen other Toledos where they have cut off the cone shaped bit of carpet and attached the rubber boot over the remaining section. Here's a view from the side you are used to!
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There are some great roads around here. Only problem is that a number of them are only single track, so you have to watch out for SUVs coming in the other direction. I was surprised to see a photo of the road about half a mile from my house in Martin Buckley's column in last months Classic and Sportscar magazine!
 
After my visit to the highlands in 96 for a clan reunion I must, sadly agree with Nick's statement on road width in Scotland, and add to it.

Single track means no wider than an alley way in the US..

Remember the old movies of the one horse cart. Those roads were paved over and became part of the UK "highway" system.

Major roadways over there are so narrow that if you need to turn your car around and go back the other way, find hard shoulders to do so on, as your wheels will be off the pavement in turning(and that's with a small rental Nissan).

Highways move up to two lanes or wider in each direction..
 
RonMacPherson said:
Highways move up to two lanes or wider in each direction..
Click to expand...

It is true that it is hard to understand the difference in "A" roads and "B" roads until you experience them in person. On a good number of "B" roads that I have seen, a wide car will brush the bushes on both sides of the road. Others are wide enough for two cars to get by each other by each dropping a wheel slightly into the rough. Others have strategically spaced wide spots. There is effectively no shoulder. When they get bigger than "A" roads, as far as I understand it anyway, are when names like "Dual Carriageways" (two lanes each direction) and "Divided Dual Carriageways" come into play. Then the final size jump is the "Motorway" which gets into three lanes each direction with lane restrictions for slower moving vehicles.
 
Took these on my trip back 'ome this year. My wife still reminds me of the speed that I used to take my Lotus down these roads back in the day; well North of the speed sign (MPH) shown below. It was like doing the Cresta run - sigh for those days.

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Yeah, right...

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Fuzzy pic as it was an over the shoulder out the window shot, but you get the idea. Note the passing area on the left.
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Just everyday driving
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