<![CDATA[Comments from TR3-A]]> <![CDATA[Comments from TR3-A]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on Miraculously Unhooned 1973 Datsun 510 Holds Still For Alameda Photo Session]]> I worked as a mechanic for a Datsun (aka Nissan) dealership when these cars came out. After working on mostly British, I was astounded by this car (and the 1200 and B-210). Light, agile, good power, all around good car and easy to work on as well. I still think this is one of the best people's cars of all time.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on 2009 Mitsubishi Colt Finds Family Resemblance On Paris Show Floor]]> Whatever else this car is or isn't, it is a decent looking s**tbox. Other designers should take notice.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on Warehouse Full Of Vintage Race Cars... And All But The XK140 Are For Sale!]]> He's selling everything except an old Jaguar? Sounds like my kind of guy.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on Helio Castroneves Indicted On Tax Evasion; Charges Against More Drivers To Come?]]> He's a foreigner. He's too big. Bring him down.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on Nissan NuVu Concept, Live And In The Bubbly, Micra-Like Metallic Skin]]> Why is it impossible to design an economy car that doesn't look like it was designed by Tex Avery? Why can't an economy car whether electric or hybrid or gas, be dignified looking so one does not need to feel embarrassed every time one drives down the road? "So, Bob, had to drive the kid's car to work today?" I mean, Harleys are reletively small but they look cool.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on DOTS Triumph TR3A Makes Epic Cross-Country Road Trip, We Experience Envy]]> Oh ya, one other thing: REAR WHEEL DRIVE FOREVER!!

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on DOTS Triumph TR3A Makes Epic Cross-Country Road Trip, We Experience Envy]]> Wow. I mean, WOW! I did that (or something close to that) back in September of 1971. Drove from Ames, Iowa to Eugene, Oregon in my TR3-A with the 2.2 TR4 racing engine. Except for the oil slick that I left from Iowa to Oregon, I have no problems whatever. I didn't have a gun, however, but I did have a girlfriend. Emilie, wherever you are, I hope you are happy, healthy and prosperous!

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on Nice Price Or Crack Pipe: Restored 1973 Pinto Squire Wagon For Nearly 20 Grand?]]> Hey, at least it is RWD.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on 1960 Triumph TR3A]]> And another thing... when making left-hand turns, one could lean over to the left enough to watch the performance of the left front tire. The fact that this car had doors and windows (actually, removable "side curtains") was an afterthought.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on 1960 Triumph TR3A]]> Oh... sweet! What wonderful/awful memories! As to the model identification, I always thought that the original TR3 had the narrow, more oval shaped grill and the "A" had the "big smile." But that is just my guess.

Mine was innundated with rust-throughs. The rust could have been worse except I think they used 10-gauge steel in the body and rust takes a while to get through that thickness. I bought a totaled TR-4 race car from which I salvaged the engine (with a 2.2 liter racing kit) and trans (aluminum case with overdrive) and a few other parts. I drove the car from Ames, IA to Eugene, OR when I moved and never had a bit of trouble with it beyond the manditory British oil leak (Of course, I was a mechanic then and spent a lot of time in repair and maintenance but I didn't mind a bit.). Mine also had had the stock wheels widened, this car above looks like it had the same proceedure performed (I never cared for wires.). Surprisingly, the top on mine not only worked but was in good shape. Buster (my TR's name) and I had many wonderful driving hours and it broke my heart to let him go. Plenty of fun torque and power, a great "snick-snick" shifter which was always in just the right spot for my hand, great brakes (the first production car with front disc/rear drum brakes), and though the handling might best be described as "rough," the car was so controlable, well mannered and perfectly balanced (front/mid-engine after all) that driving at The Edge was always a joy with easy control and no surprises. Oh my, how I loved that car and how I miss him! (Yes, my TR was a "he." Yet, I assure you, I am strictly heterosexual, non-practicing.)

Thanks for this drive down memory lane!

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on Chevy Volt Engine Won't Recharge Batteries While Driving; Just A Regular Plug-In Hybrid?]]> Whether this is a good idea or not, I think there will be a lot of surprised and maybe pissed off customers.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on CNG-Powered Toyota Camry Hybrid Coming To LA Auto Show]]> There is no technical reason that would prevent a car from being designed to be powered by LNG, propane, gasoline AND alcohol. Just flip a switch.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on Man Builds Ariel Atom From Scrap Parts, Sets New Bar For Home-Built Cars]]> My hat's off to you, sir, as a tear of joy trickles down from the corner of my eye.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on PCH, Rebadged Japanese Turbo Edition: Chevrolet Sprint Turbo or Dodge Colt Turbo?]]> Neither. If I am to go to hell, it will be in a RWD car.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on Why Run A Flathead Or Small-Block When You Could Run A Maserati Quattroporte V8?]]> Pretty cool but I think someone could get arrested for this.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on 2008 Peugeot Design Contest Picks Top Ten Future Cars We'll Never See]]> Lately, I am not so concerned with the cars I might see in the future but whether or not I will see the future.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on Would You Have Sex With A Hybrid Driver?]]> At the age of 60 the question is not who I would have sex with but who would have sex with me.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on VW Rabbit TDI To Reach US Shores Fall 2009]]> So with the big VW, the driver has to piss in the engine to get it to work? Leave it to the Germans!

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on Deadly Truck Accident Spills Millions Of Nickels On Florida's I95]]> That's ok, they aren't worth anything anyway.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on Commenter Of The Day: Lee Corso Edition]]> Can't we all just get along?

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on The Chevy Volt Won't Save GM, But The Chevy Cruze Might]]> Seems that neither pure electric nor hybrid is a practical answer for anything right now... except guilt. (If you want to save money, go buy a used car.) So if that day comes when there is a really practical, energy-saving electric and/or hybrid, those who bought these not-so-practical ones will say things like, "Sure I could have saved money and energy if I had bought something else. But I am one of the people who sacrificed so that these new electrics could be built. This is no joke, we are saving the planet, man! Therefore, no matter what it costs, I AM BETTER THAN YOU!"

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on 1963 Chevrolet Bel Air]]> I owned one of these back in the late 80s. I knew a guy who got some fantastic, high-paying job and he gave me his car, a 1963 Bel Air. I was the third owner. It had a 283 with a peanut butter drive. The car was worn but in basically good condition, I never had any serious problems with it (except body roll and understeer). Trouble with these early models is that they are so damned easy to steal which is what happened to mine. It wound up stripped and abandoned. The cops hauled ot to the junkyard. Terribly unfortunate, even for a four-door.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on 10 Ultimate Ghetto Gadget Creations]]> Think "duct tape"

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on Question Of The Day, Bonus Edition: Will GM Last Another Hundred Years?]]> Will Jalopnik last a hundred years?

If you didn't notice, that was a rhetorical question.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on Alfa Seller Makes Use Of Multiple-Choice Test To Weed Out Crybaby Buyers]]> This is the essential difference between those who love cars (us) and the rest of the world.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on Mechanical Carnage Abounds In Toledo, Sawzalled Supra Now Leads]]> Racing for the Last Days. I love it. Wish we'd had this back when I was a young man.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on Six Perish In Massive Bee Swarm Following Chinese Truck Accident]]> Don't worry, that'll buzz right out.

Sorry, that's all I got. It's Friday and I am old.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on Racing Towards Completion Of Toyota Celica GT-S For 2008 Detroit(ish) 24 Hours Of Lemons]]> This is REAL racing. Brings a tear to my eye. Don't ever get a TV deal, don't ever get sponsorship. Remember the Green Rule: Money ruins everything. You listening IRL? You listening NASCAR? You listening F1? Of course not.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on BMW City Car Confirmed, 0-Series Or Return Of The Isetta?]]> Nobody has said the magic word: "Hayabusa" so I will.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on BMW City Car Confirmed, 0-Series Or Return Of The Isetta?]]> What they don't tell you about the photo above is that later, the mom and her two kids were crushed to death when a garage door closed on top of the car.

The Chinese plan a knock-off next year but they won't even try to submit it for crash testing.

Last - If you want Isetta parts, come to Eugene, Oregon.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on Six Perish In Massive Bee Swarm Following Chinese Truck Accident]]> At least we now know where all the honey bees have gone off to. It figures.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on What's The Worst Weather You've Ever Driven Through?]]> I was living in Iowa with a bunch of British car hoons. One night, well after midnight, in a chemically altered state, the guy who owned the souped-up 1960 Jaguar Mk II with the 4.2 XKE engine suggested we go out for a ride on Interstate 80. There just happened to be a fierce blizzard outside. We went. What I remember of that night (other than we made it back safe and sound) was that big six purring along, overdrive engaged, as we cruised somewhere around 100 mph, the snow blowing horizontally across the highway. Another instance that gives evidence that the God of the universe had sent a legion of angels to look over this crazy hoon.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on RM Auctions To Sell Vintage-Style Pedal Cars Benefitting Antique Auto Club]]> Why not make these for adults [sic]? Make it lightweight with an efficient, multi-gear bicycle-type drivetrain, the Greenies will love it!

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on What's Your Fastest "Autobahn" Run?]]> Glad you asked. I lived for a while in Ames, Iowa. Worked at a sports car shop where we mostly kept British cars on the road. We had all moved from the Chicago area so we still had friends and family there. We got into a bit of a competition to see who could make the trip in the least time. I went back once with one of the guys who owned a VERY souped up TR4-A. The thing was practically impossible to drive on the street and had no interior carpeting nor soundproofing at all. We did the run from Ames to Chicago starting at about 1 am and took the state highways instead of the interstate. We cruised for hours at speeds well over 100 mph, not another car in sight. Our stops for gas looked like NASCAR pit stops. We did the run in less than 3 hours. Scared the living **** out of me. Good thing I was a young hoon at the time.

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on 2009 Ford Focus RS Nets 1,000 Preorders, 40% In Hulk Green]]> FWD. Who cares?

]]> <![CDATA[TR3-A commented on Commenter Of The Day: Drag Coefficient Edition]]> The Chinese will produce a knock-off next year but it won't pass the crash tests.

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