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The RAGTOP 1 October 2006
The RAGTOPVolume 19, Issue 10, October
2006www.hillcountrytriumphclub.org
A Girl, a Guy, and a TRby Nel McPhail, President
A Day at the Races
The HCTC event for September was Bob Kramer’s TR4A coming out
party at Texas World Speedway (TWS) in College Station. Bob and
Barbara were there on Friday for practice and the rest of us
wandered in at various times over the weekend. Fil Valderrama got
to see Bob’s awesome car first. Mike and I didn’t get there until
Saturday morning. But, what a show! At TWS you can wander around
the paddocks and check out all of the cool rides. Just about
everything you ever lusted for is there in racing form: Alfa, BMW,
Caterham, Corvette, Formula V, Healey, MG, Mini Cooper, Lotus,
Mustang, Porsche, Triumph, and all kinds of other cool racers.
Bob’s newly restored vintage racer certainly looked the
business. This TR4A is a restoration of a 60s Daytona winner and
everybody was quite impressed with its appearance. Bob wasn’t out
to win any races that weekend since the car still needed to be
broken in.
Moral support was abundant as the whole Kramer family turned
out. Barbara, Sarah, Andrew, Jennifer, and son-n-law Casey were all
there to cheer Bob on. In addition, Charlie Stewart and
girlfriend/business partner Laurie, Richard Ceraldi, Tom and Nancy
Harrison, and Don Burkley all came by to show their support.
The rest of you missed out on some truly exciting motor sport.
Come on, isn’t this what you really dream about doing? I love going
to the races because you can see it, feel it, smell it, taste it,
and hear it! There is nothing quite like the sound of those vintage
cars!
Bob’s next competition is at Hallett Raceway in Oklahoma October
6- 8. Go Fireball Bob!
The October Hill Country driving event is the 17th annual All
British Motor Vehicle Expo at Traders Village in Houston on
Saturday the 21st. This show is hosted by the Houston MG Club and
is always fun. Traders Village is on the west side of Houston off
of 290 (about 2 hours from Round Rock) and is completely under
cover. Come rain or shine!
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The RAGTOP 2 October 2006
OfficersPresident, MembershipNel
[email protected]
Vice-PresidentBob [email protected]
TreasurerEarl [email protected]
SecretaryBarbara [email protected]
Ragtop EditorCarol [email protected]
WebmasterDan [email protected]
The Hill Country Triumph Club, the 50th Chapter of the Vintage
Triumph Register (VTR), was founded in 1990 to bring together the
owners of Triumph automobiles in the Central Texas area surrounding
Austin. In 1991, the membership decided to include other British
car fans as associates due to lack of other clubs in our area that
represent some of the other marques. As owners and lovers of our
unique types of cars, we have a special kinship, which draws us
together. Membership is open to anyone who is a British car
enthusiast, with or without a car.
Annual dues are just $15.00 per family group or address per
year. We have dinner meetings on the 2nd Tuesday of each month and
at least one other event each month. We encourage you to join and
support us, even if you don’t drive your car regularly. We also
offer technical assistance if needed. One goal of the club is to
help its members keep their cars on the road. Please call one of
the club officers listed in the newsletter for more information
about club benefits and spread the word about our club to
others.
The Hill Country Club is a local chapter of the Vintage Triumph
Register (VTR)/Triumph Sports Owners Association, which is open to
all drivers of Triumph motorcars; a chapter of the Triumph Register
of America, exclusively for TR2 through TR4A sports cars; and a
chapter of the 6-PACK, dedicated to the enjoyment, preservation,
and restoration of the Triumph TR250 and TR6 sports cars.
Membership in these national organizations is encouraged. Visit
their websites at www.vtr.org, www.triumphregister.com, and
www.6-pack.org.
The RAGTOP is published monthly by the Hill Country Triumph
Club. Material within may be freely reproduced providing Ragtop and
the authors are credited. Any and all newsletter contributions are
welcome. Deadline for submissions is the end of each month.
Submissions may be sent to: Carol Pennington; 105 Etta Place;
Austin, TX 78753 or E-mailed to [email protected]. Photos in jpeg
format are always welcome. Car related classified ads are free to
members and will run for three months unless otherwise instructed.
Contact editor for other ads.
Name:
Address:
City/State: Zip:
Home Phone:
Work Phone:
E-mail address:
Car Make: Model: Year: Color:
Car Make: Model: Year: Color:
Please circle which method you would like the newsletter
delivered: E-mail Snail Mail
How did you hear about the Hill Country Triumph Club?
Please mail application and check to: Nel McPhail, 1105 N.
Canyonwood Dr., Dripping Springs, TX, 78260
Membership Application
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The RAGTOP 3 October 2006
Bits from Barbby Barbara KramerSeptember 12, 2006
Logans Roadhouse in Round Rock was the site of our September
Hill Country Triumph Club meeting. A few thunderstorms couldn’t
keep away some of the Triumph faithful. Don Couch’s newly restored
1979 Spitfire “Ruby” made her debut. And what a beauty she is! The
parking lot was dotted with a few other TR’s, Dan Julien in his
Jasmine TR6, Bob Kramer’s Tahiti Blue TR6, and the McPhail’s Red
TR250. If you weren’t able to make this years Texas All British Car
day you missed seeing 127 outstanding British cars, so put the show
on your calendar NOW for next year. The 2007 TXABCD will be held
the weekend of September 29th & 30, 2007. With the cooler
weather just around the corner, really it is, it’s time to think
about driving your TR. There will be a Houston All British Car Day
in Trader’s Village on October 21st and a Boerne All British Car
day on November 5th. Both have been worth the trip in the past.
Bill Waller is researching a possible HCTC trip to Shiner to visit
the Brewery, another worthwhile drive. If you haven’t driven your
car other than on the weekend HCTC outings and to club meetings you
may consider giving it a whirl. Since I wrecked my daughter’s car
and she took mine to A&M, I am once again driving a Triumph as
a daily driver. Unfortunately, Godiva’s engine needs to be rebuilt,
but fortunately Bob’s blue 6 is road worthy. (If I could take the
best parts from both these TR6’s I’d have my dream TR6.) Driving a
Triumph every day may be a bit much for most but the weather is
getting cooler and it’s getting to be the perfect time to take your
Triumph for an extra spin. Try driving it to work one day, you will
be pleasantly surprised at the attention it draws and how enjoyable
it can be. As always, join us whenever and wherever you can.
The Houston MG Car Club is hosting their 17th Annual Houston
All-British Motor Vehicle Expo, at Traders Village, Saturday,
October 21st.
The event takes place under the Red Expo roof. It brings
together British automobiles and mo-torcycles from Houston and
across the country for display and competition. There will be per
Show Class and Premier Class judging in 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in
the following categories:
CARS: MG • Triumph • Austin-Healey • Jaguar • Rolls Royce •
Morgan • Sunbeam
MOTORCYCLES: BSA • Norton • Triumph • Vincent and more
If you are a car or motorcycle enthusiast, the Houston
All-British Motor Vehicle Expo and Swap Meet is the place for
you.
The covered market is just minutes northwest of downtown Houston
on N. Eldridge Road off of Highway 290. Free to the public, parking
$2.
Charlie Stewart Red 1953 Austin Healey BN1Plano, TX
NEW MEMBERS
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The RAGTOP 4 October 2006
Hill Country Triumph Club ShirtsI have one Large men’s shirt in
royal blue, one Large women’s shirt in royal blue, and one Me-dium
women’s shirt in royal blue available. The cost is $27.06 each.
Please contact Carol Pen-nington at 834-0579 or
[email protected] if you are interested.
If you prefer to order your own shirt, you may do so at
Monograms Today.
Carol Pennington and Pearl in the Austin ISD parade. Passengers
are the Anderson HS principal and two drill team members who were
injured and could not walk the parade.
Bob Kramer’s debut in his newly restored TR4 at Texas World
Speed-way in College Station. Photos by Richard Ceraldi.
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The RAGTOP 5 October 2006
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The RAGTOP 6 October 2006
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The RAGTOP 7 October 2006
FOR SALE:1980 Triumph TR8 Roadster, Gold exterior, black
interior, 3.5 Liter V-8, 5-Speed, 59K miles. Includes removable
hardtop. Never any rust or body dam-age. Complete mechanical
rebuild within past 5 years. Engine rebuilt to original
specifications. Original color repaint. Interior redone in black.
Garage kept.
Purchased June 2005. Selling to make room in the garage for a
new Corvette. Previous owner kept car for ten years. $7895Mark
Rogers Daytime: 414-2192Evening: 506-9070 10/06
FOR SALE:1960 Triumph TR-3aFor those of you who haven’t seen it,
it’s the TR in “arrest me” red with an 18” white racing stripe from
front to rear. Complete with driving lights, badge bar, anti sway
bar, electronic ig-nition, twin Brickland windscreens, pe-riod wide
white wall tires, beauty rims and half caps. The interesting part
is that she only has 47,000 ORIGINAL miles. This car sat at the
bottom of a Wisconsin lake for 16 years. She’s completely restored,
but she is not a show car. She is a driver and runs like a dream.
You can be the lucky owner at $17,500 if you call Mark Atkinson at
1 (715) 924-3472 or e-mail him at [email protected] 10/06
WANTED:I am looking for an OD transmission w/OD for my TR3
project. Preferably a thick flange box in rebuilt condition. Please
reply to [email protected]. 10/06
FOR SALE:1974 TR6. 50k original miles. Engine rebuilt at 38k
miles. (also new brake calipers & slave cylinders, pads,
rebuilt clutch hydraulics, and new original soft top with
reflective strip.) Red with wire wheels. No rust. Never Rebuilt.
Never needed it. Asking $12K. Contact Jay Watts @ 481-0662, or
[email protected] 10/06
Classy Classifieds
South Texas All British Car DaySunday, November 05, 20061 Main
PlazaBoerne, TX
Registration 8:30 - 10:00 AM, Judging 10 - 11:30, awards 12
noon, entry price to be announced later.
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The RAGTOP 8 October 2006
Hill Country Triumph Club Events
OCTOBER 20067 Brits in the Ozarks;
http://www.britishironnwa.org/show06.html10 Hill Country Triumph
Club Meeting, 7PM.21 17th Annual Houston All-British Motor Vehicle
Expo, Traders Village, see page 3, http://
www.tradersvillage.com/events/hn/06-britexpo.html
NOVEMBER 20065 South Texas All British Car Day, Boerne; see page
7, http://www.sajaguarclub.org10 Bastrop Car Show; see page 6 for
details.14 Hill Country Triumph Club Meeting, 7PM.
DECEMBER 20062 Christmas Party, Carol Pennington and Mars
Bucek’s house16 Tour of Lights
The meeting will be held October 10th at Mangia Pizza, 12001
Burnet Road, where Burnet Road/1325 meets Mo-Pac. It is located in
the Gracy Farms strip center at the northeast corner of Gracy Farms
and Burnet Road. (Don’t use
Mapquest.) Call 832-5500 for more info..
1105 N. Canyonwood Dr.Dripping Springs, TX 78620address change
requested
