GTA Trumpet APRIL 2020 - gatriumph.com

Volume 36, Issue 04 April 2020

TIME TO WASH THE POLLEN OFF YOUR CAR

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THE TRUMPET

The Official Publication of the Georgia Triumph Association

Upcoming GTA Events

All GTA activities and monthly meetings including Southside and Mountain Division are canceled for the month of April. Hopefully we will be able to resume in May.

For other non GTA activities check with the activity organizer.

Other events Other events of interest are listed starting on pages 7 & 36.

Membership March Renewals 10 Welcome New members 2 Tom Hidell Jeff Goldston

Total Active Membership 148


Driver’s Seat by Ashford Little

Well, suddenly things got interesting didn’t they? The season was about to kick off, but someone called an audible on us. The storyline started with curiosity and incredibility, but zoomed right past normal levels to something that none of us have ever experienced before. As a parent of three, two of which are at home doing the online school thing, I wondered how & why this was happening, but also watched as everything somewhat quietly unfolded. My first slap in the face of the new reality was a visit to Costco. I got there late… a half hour prior to opening. Things were surreal, but the management handled things very well. The public was orderly and respectful. That was about ten days ago.

I have an elderly father and had been meaning to go visit so I thought I’d take an opportunity before the world shut down. My visit to the Mississippi Gulf Coast was a quick one with less than a 24 hour turnaround. It was good that my #2 son, Davis, and I got to see him as he’s pushing 90. He shared some funny stories from decades ago, but his grasp on the present is a bit looser. We spoke about spring allergies and I mentioned that people will be hesitant to cough for fear of being looked at like a leper. He mentioned that he too had childhood allergies, and that the antihistamines of the day tended to make you a bit drunk. The morning of his ping pong match he was given some antihistamine - he said he was seeing three ping pong balls. I’m guessing he didn’t do too well that day. The next morning Davis & I were headed back to Atlanta enjoying little-to-no-traffic.

Everyone in my household is working out of 4240 Wickersham except my oldest who is still in Davidson, NC. I hope everyone in your home is healthy and tolerating a respite from the ordinary hustle & bustle world that is Atlanta. To our members who are lucky enough to live outside Hotlanta; we are jealous, but don’t brag too much or we’ll descend upon your house quickly.

Everyone wants to know when things will return to normal. None of us know. I can tell you that all of our organized outings are on temporary hold. I found out officially this morning that the Gore Tour is off. The tech session this Saturday, March 28th at my house is off. Basically we are all in a holding pattern.

However, yesterday, March 25th was a gorgeous day, and today was the same. It was so gorgeous that I had to take a spin the Triumph. Much carbon was blown out the exhaust pipe, but there may be a little more to go so I will probably be taking more medicinal drives. There was an article a few days ago showing soldiers suffering from the flu

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epidemic of 1917 and they were laid out in cots in the sun. Doctors had noticed that patients tended to improve with fresh air and sunshine vs. those cooped up inside. Starting to figure this train-of-thought out? Yep, get out and drive your car if you can; it’s healthy for you.

A lot of folks are hurting right now both physically & financially so show your good side. Support your local small businesses & restaurants. I grabbed a bite today at a BBQ place that is outstanding, and I bet you have a nearby favorite. Check on your friends, finish prepping or fixing your car, and read a good book. It won’t be long till we are back in the saddle again, and I hope it’s really, really soon because the weather is perfect!

Oh, yeah, I got a few sheep in my back yard. There is something so tranquil about walking out of the garage and hearing baaa-baaaa. Take care, and to paraphrase Willie Nelson, I hope to see us back on the road again soon.

Cheers, Ashford

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Southside Report

The next Southside Monthly Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 7th, 17:00pm – 8:30pm at Partners II Pizza, 834 Glynn St S #228, Fayetteville, GA 30214.

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Mountain division Report

We are fine staying at home of course aside from the occasional drive to get a milkshake at Chick fil a drive thru. Have not heard from anyone in the Mountain Division so hopefully no news is good news. We had to cancel our March gathering, judging at the Butler’s house. We will reschedule it based on social distancing rules.

The Mountain Division GTA Next Monthly Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, 11:30am – 1:30pm at Shenanigans Irish Pub, 87 N Chestatee St, Dahlonega, GA 30533. !

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GTA March Monthly Meeting GTA Monthly Meeting on March 17th was canceled as is the April 21st meeting.

The next GTA Monthly Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, 7:00pm – 8:30pm at The Crossing Steakhouse, 40 S Peachtree St, Norcross, GA 30071.

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Activities Report Be sure to check the GTA Calendar of events for the latest updates

https://gatriumph.com/calendar/

Southside Monthly GTA Meeting When Thursday, April 2, CANCELED Where Partners II Pizza, 834 Glynn St S #228, Fayetteville, GA 30214, United States (map)

Annual Chris Gore Mountain Tour CANCELLED When Saturday, April 4, CANCELED Where 1167 Mill Creek Trail, Cleveland, GA 30528, USA (map)

Caffeine and Octane Cruise In When Sunday, April 5, 7:00am – 11:00am Where Perimeter Mall, 4400 Ashford Dunwoody Rd, Atlanta, GA 30346, USA (map) Description Modeled after a well-known California show, the event would be appropriately informal, with an automotively non-denominational approach. What was desired was a show that would display cars that were both new and old, foreign and domestic, bone stock and wildly modified all together in the same lot.

Sunday Car Worship When Sunday, April 5, 8:00am – 11:00am Where Target Shopping Center, at Panera Bread, 1135 Woodstock Rd, Roswell, GA 30075 Description Tired of the flashy, overpopulated C&C events? This is a quiet event with great folks who aren't afraid to drive their cars... even in the rain. Can you believe it? See you there. A reminder about this 1st Sunday gathering.

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https://gatriumph.com/calendar/

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Partners%20II%20Pizza%2C%20834%20Glynn%20St%20S%20%23228%2C%20Fayetteville%2C%20GA%2030214%2C%20United%20States

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=1167%20Mill%20Creek%20Trail%2C%20Cleveland%2C%20GA%2030528%2C%20USA

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Perimeter%20Mall%2C%204400%20Ashford%20Dunwoody%20Rd%2C%20Atlanta%2C%20GA%2030346%2C%20USA


Join us and bring a friend to 'Worship' for some quiet fellowship. Worship!

Brits on the Bay When April 17 – 18, 2020 Where Seville Square, 311 E Government St, Pensacola, FL 32502, USA (map) Description

Atlanta Garage Party When Friday, April 17, 8:00pm – 11:00pm Where TBD Description http://atlgarageparty.com/attend.htm

The Atlanta Garage Party is a monthly social event for people who own collectable or modified cars of any condition, and work on them themselves. It takes place somewhere in the larger metro-Atlanta area on every third Friday of the month, at ~8pm. Usually it lasts to between 11pm and midnight. It is not for people who only read car magazines and watch Top Gear, or collect cars that others work on. If you are one of those, please keep that a secret. If you would like to host one of these parties, then you need to be a person who attends them, and has gotten to know others in the group. Although exceptions are sometimes made, the intent is to have these parties in people's home garages, not at their businesses. If you, your spouse, children, and family pets spend more

Brits on the Bay

THE PANHANDLE BRITISH CAR ASSOCIATION will present our 28th Pensacola British Car Show on April 17th-18th, 2020, scheduled to be held at Seville Square Park (bordered by E.Government St, S.Alcaniz St, E.Zarragossa St. and S.Adams St), just two city blocks off E.Main St, and a short distance south-west of our previous location off 9th Ave. Seville Square is a shaded park only a few feet from the

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https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Seville%20Square%2C%20311%20E%20Government%20St%2C%20Pensacola%2C%20FL%2032502%2C%20USA

https://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pbca1.com%2Fshow.htm&sa=D&ust=1585951735675000&usg=AFQjCNEWgE8JkgcOdsNeXUY9YiE04fFZcg

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Seville+Square/@30.4095083,-87.2119142,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x8890c0b2549129d1:0x9a5cc557d814716d!8m2!3d30.4095037!4d-87.2097255


time at your place of business than at your house, or if the two have kinda merged, or if your business is just cool beyond words (Bryan Fuller), then you have a good chance of hosting there. We would like to meet your spouse and children and let them know that you have an enabling support group around you that you can fall back on when you are disowned by them.

Please feel free to invite any males that fit this description, and any females whatsoever. Very closely-supervised children can come also. Please do bring pictures of your current projects, or pieces of the project, or videos of your last track day, or business cards, party favors, or whatever to show off. If you have a 1929 Miller Indy car supercharger housing with a hairline crack in it that you are wondering how to repair, then just throw it in your trunk and bring it along. Unsolicited advice will be plentiful. But, dress to please the wenches, not to handle the wrenches.

If you have friends that would like to receive these messages, please have them come to some parties. They can also send the site an email with pictures of their current car projects for qualification analysis.

GTA Drive to Aristo Craft Boat Works When Saturday, April 18, CANCELED Where Aristo Craft Boats, 78 Howard Ave east, Dawsonville, GA 30534, USA (map)

GTA Mountain Division December Luncheon When Tuesday, April 21, CANCELED Where Shenanigans Irish Pub, 87 N Chestatee St, Dahlonega, GA 30533 Description We will continue to have the luncheon meeting on the third Tuesday of each month at 11:30 am, Shenanigans Irish Pub.

GTA Monthly Meeting When Tuesday April 21, CANCELED Where

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https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Aristo%20Craft%20Boats%2C%2078%20Howard%20Ave%20east%2C%20Dawsonville%2C%20GA%2030534%2C%20USA


The Crossing Steakhouse, 40 S Peachtree St, Norcross, GA 30071, USA (map) Description The GTA will meet at Mazzy's on the even months of the year and at The Crossing Steakhouse on the odd months.

HSR Mitty at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta When April 23 – 26, 2020 Where Road Atlanta Ticket Office, Braselton, GA 30517, USA (map) Description GTA and Friends will meet up at the usual spot on the hill side of Turn Five at the bottom of "The Esses". Bring a lawn chair and a cooler with your favorite munchies and beverages and see you at The Mitty!

Tickets are available for all four days, but the GTA and Friends generally meet up on Saturday for a full days of the races.

Southside Monthly GTA Meeting When Thursday, May 7, TO BE CONFIRMED Where Partners II Pizza, 834 Glynn St S #228, Fayetteville, GA 30214, United States (map)

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https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=The%20Crossing%20Steakhouse%2C%2040%20S%20Peachtree%20St%2C%20Norcross%2C%20GA%2030071%2C%20USA

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Road%20Atlanta%20Ticket%20Office%2C%20Braselton%2C%20GA%2030517%2C%20USA

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Partners%20II%20Pizza%2C%20834%20Glynn%20St%20S%20%23228%2C%20Fayetteville%2C%20GA%2030214%2C%20United%20States


Atlanta International Auto Show 2020 February 26 - March 1

By Joe Garcia

GTA'ers Raymond Cornelius and Joe Garcia presented their Triumphs at the Atlanta International Auto Show. The GTA rides were inspected and loved by many.

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TR6 TOP INSTALLATION TECH SESSION

by Mike Hurst

Bill Williams has a 1974 TR6 in Mallard that has been topless for a while. Some time ago Bill bought a new top with the reflective stripe and removed the old top and all the hardware. Sunday March 7th looked like it would be a nice day so we arranged to meet at my home with Ashford in attendance as he also needs to install a new top on his TR6. After the obligatory “let’s leave the top out in the sun while we have a coffee” routine we began our job.

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Fortunately, this top had very small holes pierced through the fabric at the rear which folds over the rear capture plate and secures with, as I recall 7 rivets. Nice of the manufacturer to provide those pinholes for reference as we had broken out the tape measure and sidewalk chalk. We got the 7 rear snaps installed and the two outermost capture plate 5/16” bolts installed. Now came the interesting part.

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Folks, if you buy one of these new tops plan on installing it in short order as they shrink, a lot. We pulled the top up over its frame, built a small fire inside the car with a space heater and went inside for a GTA mechanic’s lunch of grilled sweet Italian sausages, coleslaw salad, chips and brewed hops.

Lunch done we adjourned outside to find the top had a nice warm feel to it, surely the job would go easily now, Hah. We had three snaps on each side to deal with and the tab on the top that the rear of the door closes on had to come forward a good deal to have the rear of the door glass seal on the top. Hair dryer to the rescue. Heat it and heat it some more, all the while pulling the edge of the top forward, in this case with a pair of channel lock pliers protecting the top fabric with a soft cloth. We got all three snaps down and then glued the Velcro strips down to the pieces of the top frame that go above the door glass when the top is erected and

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secured those strips with a handful of bulldog clips.

The last part of the job and probably the most difficult entailed pulling the fabric over and around the forward header rail where the pull down handles belong. One is to cement the fabric down and then there is a rail to be riveted down over the fabric but unfortunately said rail was AWOL. The rail is now on order along with the pieces to make the pull-down handle complete and weather permitting we’’ finish the job soon.

My as yet untried idea involves loosening the 5 rear capture plate bolts, attaching the forward end of the top using the provided chalk line minus just a wee bit. Anchor the forward header rail and then progressively tighten down the 5 rear bolts. I will pass along just how that works.

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2020 GTA Dart Champion’s Pint Changes Hands!

By Jim Orr

The GTA Battle for the 2020 Champion’s Pint is over with the coveted antique Pewter Pint mug, (in its velvet lined carrying case,) passes from 2019 Champ Joe Earnest, to 2020 Champ Glenn Stephens.

The GTA Dart Championship is a welcomed chance to get out and drive your vintage cars over the winter months, as doing so counts toward your weekly score. This year’s 5 match tournament started much as it ended with Glenn Stephens taking first at Joe Earnest’s Torque City Garage. With the winner of each match getting the luxury of choosing where the next match will be played, Glenn chose his living room out in the hinter lands far north of town where his wife actually allowed him to mount a sheet of plywood to their mantle and hearth in their den. The plywood served to protect most of Glenn’s mantle from errant darts thrown at the dart board mounted to it. Much to her dismay, he won again meaning that his plywood contraption would remain for Match two, some 14 days later.

Match # 2 brought the wrath of the ITP dwellers (inside the perimeter), because the drive north at rush hour was getting quite old! Bodine was unable to attend due to a family illness, so it was up to the rest of the ITP crowd to bring match 4 back closer to civilization. Fortunately Mike Hopkins came through, narrowly defeating Glenn and bringing match # 4 to his house in Atlanta . Frank Pollack stepped up for the ITP crowd to take 1st place – choosing to host the final match at Joe’s Torque City garage. The finally was great with Mike Hopkins closing out to take first in the match, but he would need help from others to put some distance between he and Glenn if he were to win the Champion’s Pint! But

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Glenn woke up having found himself far behind the pack, and closed out quickly to t a k e 2 n d p l a c e p r e s e r v i n g h i s championship.

The 2020 Dart series was the well attended with the largest number of participants since the series began in 2015.

Note: Explanation of the score board. Participants get a one pint reduction for each match if they drive a classic car to the match. Each participant gets to drop his or her highest score which allows for a missed match due to illness or travel. With this knowledge, the scoreboard should make a little more sense!

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Standing TR Bonus Standing TR Bonus Standing TR Bonus Standing TR Bonus Standing TR Bonus

Bodine 4 -1 3 -1 9 0 8 -1 4 -1 15 3Glenn S 1 -1 1 -1 2 -1 7 -1 2 -1 2 1Tony 7 0 4 -1 8 -1 2 0 10 0 19 6Joe 2 -1 8 0 9 0 4 -1 5 -1 16 4Jeff 5 0 2 0 9 0 9 0 10 0 25 8Hopkins 3 0 8 0 1 0 3 -1 1 -1 6 2Stella 8 0 7 0 7 0 5 0 6 0 25 8Jack 9 0 5 0 5 0 6 0 8 0 24 7Frank 6 0 8 0 3 0 1 0 10 0 18 5Ashford 10 0 6 0 9 0 11 0 9 -1 33 12Lori 10 0 8 0 4 0 11 0 10 0 32 11Allison 10 0 8 0 6 0 10 0 7 0 31 10

Match 5 Point Total

Place

2020 Dart Tournament Scorecard

Match 1 Match 2Competitor Match 3 Match 4

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Annual St. Patrick’s Day Athens Drive

By Mark Post

March 14th brought us our Annual First Spring / St. Patrick’s Day drive. We had to bend the rules a bit since March 14th is neither St. Patrick’s Day nor in the Spring, but I won’t tell if you don’t. This was the drive that was never meant to happen. One of the wettest Springs in Georgia history, and then a worldwide pandemic struck. A couple of days before the drive, Ashford and I had a few minutes of conversation about the drive taking place or being postponed. We quickly agreed that it may be our last opportunity for a club drive for quite some time so we decided to go for it. A last minute call to the brewery to make sure that they had not made a decision to shut down the tasting room confirmed that we were a go for launch.

Several familiar faces and some new ones as well, gathered at our parking lot in Historic Downtown Norcross for some coffee and social distance conversations. About a dozen cars with 16 drivers and navigators in all.

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As is usually the case, we started our drive about 20 minutes after our scheduled departure time. After dodging a few rain drops and an oncoming St. Patrick’s Day Parade, we wound our way out of Norcross in route to Athens. With a few left turns and red lights, we quickly were spread out a bit, but caught up to each other a shot time later.

As with last year’s Athens drive, we had a pit stop at the Marathon station in Monroe GA. We had one driver drop off at that time but gained two more at the station. As we were on our final approach into Athens, we were joined by three more cars. Perfect timing to hook up on the road like we did. It is a good thing that we were all running a bit behind.

We each had different ideas for lunch so as we approached Athens, the caravan took three different exits. Scattering about the downtown Athens Area, everyone found their own lunch spots. Athens was a veritable ghost town. Partly because, like last year, our drive coincided with the last Saturday of Spring Break and not many students were expected to return to school early. But also because the student body was told not to return for at least a couple of weeks do to the COVID-19 pandemic. This worked out well for us with no crowds at our lunch spots as well as a very light public turnout at the brewery.

After lunch, most of us made our way over to Terrapin Brewing for some really tasty non-corona beers. While the brewery has suspended tours during the virus outbreak, they have kept the tasting room open.

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Terrapin was founded in 2002 in Athens GA by John Cochran, a UGA grad and Brian “Spike” Buchowski, a graduate of the American Brewers Guild in California. Both were avid home brewers and decided to enter the emerging Craft Brewing world. Terrapin is named after Buchowski’s favorite Grateful Dead album “Terrapin Station”. After attaining several national awards for their beers, Cochran and Buchowski were able to begin contract brewing with several regional breweries. In 2006, they obtained funding from several Athens investors who had become fans of the beers and they were able to obtain their own space and brewing equipment. In 2008 they moved to their current location, a 45,000 square foot space where they could ramp up production to 18,500 barrels per

year. The tasting room now hosts over 30,000 visitors per year and Terrapin has

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become a major sponsor of events and music festivals. By 2011, the Big Beer industry had taken notice of Terrapin and Miller Coors purchased a minority stake in the company. By 2016, Miller Coors had acquired a majority stake in the brewery which has helped them to become available across the country by capitalizing on Miller Coors distribution channels.

They did not have as many beers on tap as some other tasting rooms offer, but they did have a selection that was able to suit most everybody’s taste. My personal favorite is Moo Hoo Milk Chocolate Stout. As a seasonal brew, it is only found in stores for a short time and sells out quickly, but Terrapin keeps a reserve supply on hand at the tasting room in Athens.

I would like to thank everyone that came out for the drive. Whether you met us in the morning in Norcross or joined us along the way, I appreciate those that took a chance on the weather and didn’t let the COVID-19 virus keep you away. It turned out to be a great time. Hopefully we can return to our regular drives, in the near future.

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Don’t make these 4 mistakes when flushing

your brakes by Kyle Smith // February 04, 2020

Copied from the Hagerty website and reformatted for this newsletter.

� Video link: https://youtu.be/kDpsGLFPPc4

There is nothing like going for a drive in a classic car, but without brakes that drive would never end—or it would end badly. The best way to keep your car safe and on the road is to engage in some preventative maintenance. It’s not rocket science, and no special tools are required, so set aside a couple hours to check over your brake system and flush the old fluid. Just be sure not to commit these common mistakes.

Mixing brake fluid types There was a time in the history of automotive production where all brake fluid was created equal, but that is not the case these days. The three most popular brake fluids are DOT 3, DOT 4, and DOT 5. Each has specific applications and should be carefully selected for your application. Consult your service or owner’s manual for the proper brake fluid to add to your system.

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https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos/author/kyle-smith

https://youtu.be/kDpsGLFPPc4


Some brake fluids are advertised as being mixable, but if in doubt only add matching fluid. Remember, brakes are nothing to play with. The reasoning behind flushing the old brake fluid is to remove any water content that can lower the boiling point of the fluid, thus reducing the fluids capacity to do its job. Mixing fluids with good intentions might only leave you with more problems, such as failed seals due to using the incorrect type of fluid.

Introducing dirt into the system The brake system is not like an engine, where there are a multitude of pathways for dirt and grime and weasel their way in. There are only a handful of points where dirt can ingress, and the largest and most common is the brake master cylinder cover. Cars get dirty under the hood (or floor, or trunk, depending on where your master cylinder is located), and a quick wipe to remove any loose debris before removing that cover can save you the headache of fishing out dirt, gasket material, or other detritus that could fall into the system.

The same goes for opening any bleeder valves or if a brake line needs to be removed. Clean first, then disassemble. It only takes a second and will keep the components of your brake system functioning as long as possible.

Stripping the bleeder The old saying is if you play with fire, you’ll get burned. When applied to vintage cars, it becomes if you do your own work, you will strip a fastener. Brake work is an area where stripping hardware gets extremely frustrating very quickly.

My tip: Use a six-point socket to initially get the bleeder valve loose. An open-end wrench or even a line wrench just don’t have the maximum contact that a six-point socket does. If they are really putting up a fight, penetrating oil is nothing to be scared of. Also, leverage the time-honored trick of tightening the bleeder just a bit to break up the junk in and around the threads before attempting to back it out again.

Getting brake fluid everywhere Not all brake fluids will strip paint, but it is best practice to act like they do. This is not only when pouring fresh fluid into the master cylinder, but also when it is being pumped out of the bleeders. A tight-fitting hose on the bleeder screws will prevent any air from back-flowing into the system, and it will also prevent any fluid from spraying out and causing damage to surrounding parts.

I covered these tips and more in one of our Hagerty Drivers Club member livestreams. These live streams not only provide how-to tips and tricks, but also insight and discussion from Hagerty’s team of valuation experts, insight and interviews with industry leaders, and more.

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https://www.hagerty.com/drivers-club


GTA Website Update By Jim Doran, Webmaster

One of the things that struck me when I first talked to Ashford about the webmaster opening was the photo on the home page, Joe Earnest’s sharp Triumph Herald. It just grabbed me and sent the message that this was no ordinary car club. In keeping with that theme, I’ve gone through the 2,000 pictures in our media library and picked 20 to 30 that really POP like Joe’s shot with the plan to put them into a 30 day rotation, so yes Joe, your star will rise again. I also chose some Group 44 shots and other interesting Triumph related shots. So, if you see a great shot on-line or have a picture of your own send it to me. The only caveat is that I need a fairly high resolution picture so that when loaded in the banner module in WordPress the detail of the shot holds up. In addition, I’m looking for unusual shots that make your neck snap back when you see it. Since the banner photo is the first thing someone sees when they jump into our website, we want to set the hook right away.

Remember the last time you purchased a new PC/MAC and had to transfer all your data and settings to the new machine? Maybe a new phone? Well, our website went through a significant transition in December 2018. After Ashford offered me a-can’t-turn-down signing bonus in April 2019, I took on the webmaster duties with zero experience. In June I heard from Tony Graham concerned about missing back issues of the Trumpet newsletter in the Bob Ragan library on the website.

Tony had a vested interest as he had worn out a scanner scanning old Trumpet newsletters and loading them on our previous website. I was aware of some issues but was not sure how to proceed. I counted 135 newsletters on the website and figured over 200 additional issues were not displaying. Tony felt they were still on the server but not connected to the website. After some yeoman efforts on Tony’s part, he found most of the back issues and restored the links.

So, in effort to plug some holes, I have listed below the MIA issues. If you have any of these, please let me know at [email protected].

• 1987, - missing • Jan-Jul 1991 - missing but I believe there

was no newsletter editor during that period as it appears to have been produced by the president at that time.

• 1995 - missing • 1997 - Missing

• 1999 1 issue • 2000 - Missing • 2001 - Missing • 2002 - 1 issue • 2003 - 1 issue • 2007 – missing

Lastly, let me know if you have any ideas to help improve our website. This is your club’s website and your voice counts.

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CHEAP TRICK by Jim Orr

“Hello there ladies and gentlemen, hello there ladies and gentlemen”, are you ready for some Cheap Trick?

Well today’s cheap trick is about exhaust mounts and a cheap way to try to get rid of that aggravating rattle. I have a 1960 948 Herald Coupe’ that I restored a few years ago, and it has an area where the exhaust pipe passes through the frame. This makes for an almost certain exhaust RATTLE – SOME MAY SAY “POUNDING” if using the stock 1960 era exhaust mounts.

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On this car, there is a span of about 6 feet between the first mount and the rear muffler mount, which is just beneath the right rear bumper. Between those two

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mounts, the pipe passes through a channel in the frame. A moderate fist bump was enough to cause it to hit the frame with the stock muffler mount which was just a strap. Imagine what a pothole or just a rough road does to your peace of mind. In the photo above, you can see how close the frame is to the exhaust pipe on top and bottom of the exhaust channel.

My cheap trick was to use a standard rubber mount from an auto parts store and a large hose clamp.

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By tightening the hose clamp around the rubber mount, you can reduce the travel of the muffler while maintaining the noise, vibration and heat dampening properties of the rubber donut. Your strap needs to be very tight in order to stay put, I used a small wrench to tighten mine.

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In my case, I had what I needed in my garage, like most of you, I have all kinds of things sitting around. It cost me nothing more than a quick rummage, and ten minutes of time. It seems that I have had exhaust rattle of some sort on every Triumph I have owned – this one was sort of an extreme case. If you have an exhaust rattle – even if occasional, try a reinforced muffler support like this. You’ll be amazed how much quieter your ride can be!

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Editor’s note: if you would like to see this become a recurring feature of the Trumpet I encourage you to share your own Cheap Tricks even if it is one that was learned from someone else.

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Mo-Ma Manufacturing by Joe Garcia and Lynn Hill

Some of our GTA members have used Mo-Ma to rebuild and clean our gauges. Beautiful work and great service. Very happy with their return time. Owner Joey Lobo is fantastic to discuss your issues and repair them.

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Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

By El Mono

This was taken on a recent trip to China. By the way, when I got back no one wanted to talk to me.”

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Videos (Click on the link not the image)

Triumph GT6 Commercial https://youtu.be/UwdTC3srgro

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https://youtu.be/UwdTC3srgro


Georgia Triumph Association Newsletter:

The Trumpet is published monthly for the members of the Georgia Triumph Association.

Members are encouraged to submit articles, photographs or other materials of interest by mailing them to [email protected] or the club mailbox address. The newsletter editors reserve the right to change any material to suit the needs of the

space allowed for the newsletter. For non electronic submissions, please enclose a self addressed stamped envelope for any items you would like returned. The GTA newsletter

its representatives, affiliates and editors cannot be held responsible for any items that may be lost, damaged, destroyed or otherwise rendered unusable.

The Trumpet is a publication of Georgia Triumph Association, and the content herein is not officially endorsed by the officers or members of Georgia Triumph Association, their families or atorneys. If you decide to follow the advice of anything inside this newsletter, you do so at your own risk.

Advertising: Classified advertising is available free to members, $5.00 per ad for nonmembers.

Classified ads run for one month. Commercial advertising is available at the published rate. GTA neither endorses nor warrants any product, service or method of service

written or advertised in the newsletter.

One year commercial advertising rates (12 issues) are: Half page $100.00 Full page $ 150.00

Contact [email protected]. Georgia Triumph Association mailing address:

The Georgia Triumph Association Post Office Box 3198

Cumming, GA 30028-6516

The GTA Website is the best way to keep up with what’s going on for Triumphs in Georgia.

Mark it as a favorite and keep on coming back. http://www.gatriumph.com.

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http://www.gatriumph.com


2020 GTA Board MembersPresident: Ashford Little [email protected]

Vice President: Tom Freeman [email protected]

Treasurer: Sue Hurst [email protected]

Secretary: Jim Orr [email protected]

Activities Director: Mark Post [email protected]

Membership Director: Mike Hurst [email protected]

Webmaster: Jim Doran [email protected]

Newsletter Editor: Howard Orr [email protected]

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL Dear valued Georgia Triumph Association member. Is there a chance that your membership has lapsed? Please visit www.gatriumph.com where under Membership and Member Login, enter your email address and password and it will take you directly to the main page where you may see when your membership is due. Add/Renew subscription is your next tab where you may pay with PayPal or if you would rather simply mail your check to GTA P.O. Box 3198 Cumming GA 30028-6516

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mailto:[email protected]








http://www.gatriumph.com


Member Monthly Meetings The monthly meetings are the THIRD Tuesday of every month. All welcome. Triumph Owners, prospective owners, former owners and all supporters. We meet at 6:30.

On odd numbered months we meet at: The Crossing Steakhouse.

40 S Peachtree St Norcross, GA 30062, (map)

On even numbered months we meet at: Mazzy’s Sports Bar and Grill

2217 Roswell Road Marietta, GA 30062, (map)

Members on the Southside have a regular meeting the FIRST Thursday of every month at:

Partners Pizza II. 834 Glynn St S

Fayetteville, GA 30214 (Directions)

Call Tom Freeman; 678-725-4937 with questions on Southside Meetings

Members Mountain Division holds meetings on the THIRD Tuesday of each month, during the lunch hour at:

Shenanigans Irish Pub 87 N Chestatee Street Dahlonega, GA 30533.

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https://goo.gl/maps/LbYKdkxd17UZr9dT8

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=2217%20Roswell%20Rd%2C%20Marietta%2C%20GA%2030062%2C%20USA

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Partners+II+Pizza/@33.4321935,-84.4578117,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x88f4ee3f1406adb9:0xf06ba97359f6ccff?hl=en


National Triumph Clubs and Organizations

Members Mountain Division holds meetings on the THIRD Tuesday of each month, during the lunch hour at:

THE VINTAGE TRIUMPH REGISTERWebsite: https://vintagetriumphregister.org FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/109119715780413/ Contact: https://vintagetriumphregister.org/vtr-contact/ Join: https://www.vintagetriumphregister.org/secure/signup

6-Pack Car Club Website: https://6-pack.org/ FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/138914579533033/ Contact: [email protected] Join: [email protected]

Triumph Register of America Website: http://triumphregister.com/ FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/293124650824834/ Contact: http://triumphregister.com/national-officers/ Join: http://triumphregister.com/membership/

�35

https://vintagetriumphregister.org

https://www.facebook.com/groups/109119715780413/

https://6-pack.org/


�36

From: Ashford Little [email protected]: Fwd: 2020 Racing Season at Michelin Raceway Has Begun!

Date: February 19, 2020 at 4:10 PMTo: Jim Doran [email protected], GTA Newsletter [email protected]

Can you guys add the Mitty to your respective domains!

Thx,

Ashford Little

Begin forwarded message:

From: Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta <[email protected]>Date: February 12, 2020 at 12:16:11 PM ESTTo: [email protected]: 2020 Racing Season at Michelin Raceway Has Begun!Reply-To: [email protected]

February 12, 2020

2020 Racing Season at Michelin Raceway Has Begun!

The 2020 season at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta islined up to be another spectacular year, full of the highlyanticipated regular calendar of events and some newones that you won’t want to miss! As we dive into our50th anniversary year, we want to invite you out toexperience all of it and see what the buzz is all about!

The five classes of MotoAmerica, including the top-leveldaring Superbikes, make their return to Michelin RacewayApril 17th through 19th. The 43rd annual running of theHSR Mitty, April 24th through 26th, boasts Corvette as thefeatured marque. Drift Atlanta takes center stage atMichelin Raceway May 8th and 9th and will once againbe joined by Global Time Attack for an epic day-into-nightshow. The 23rd Annual Motul Petit Le Mans, October 7ththrough 10th, brings all the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCarChampionship action back to the rolling hills at MichelinRaceway for the championship battle.

A full slate of additional thrilling events is also in store for youthis year, as well as plenty of track days and car clubs forevery enthusiast.

Tickets are on sale now for Motul Petit Le Mans, including theall-inclusive Podium Club, MotoAmerica, the HSR Mitty, DriftAtlanta and more. Be on the lookout for more updates comingsoon!

T ICKETS

Ferrari Racing Days Heads to Michelin


BRITISH CAR DAY COLUMBUSSaturday & SundayMay 16-17, 2020

�37


Quaker Steak & LubeLyra Drive & Polaris Pkwy, Columbus, OH

2020 FEATURE MARQUES:LOTUSMcLAREN ROOTES (Hillman, Sunbeam, etc)

Secure Online Event Registration

Welcome to Central Ohio's Annual British Car DayBRITISH CAR DAY XXXVI at Quaker Steak & Lube, Columbus, OH

SUNDAY * MAY 17, 2020 * 9:00 am to 3:00 pmREGISTRATION 9:00 AM – NOON

(Only pre-registered cars admitted on the field after noon)A portion of your registration fee will be donated to The British Transportation Museum in Dayton

The first 150 registrants will receive an event dash plaque and registration packRocker Cover Races / Popular-vote car show / Parts & Regalia Vendors

SATURDAYCentral Ohio Driving Tour (Free) Departing from the Cambria Suites at 11:00am

Hospitality Suite (including food and drink) $8.00/person from 7:00pm at Cambria SuitesSUNDAY

British Car Day at Quaker Steak & Lube from 9:00am to 3:00pm

Our Host Hotel is Cambria Suites Polaris - Columbus, OH - Phone: 614/841-9100Rooms have been blocked for Friday and Saturday night (5/15-16) under “BRITISH CAR SHOW” (Code GC96g0) at $139/nt, plus tax.Unassigned rooms will be released on April 1st.

DON'T FORGET TO BRING YOUR ROCKER COVER RACE CAR. CLASSES FOR KIDS AND ADULTS.

Need Rules? Please send an e-mail to [email protected]

Questions - [email protected] or 614-899-2394PRE-REGISTRATION ENDS MAY 13, 2019 - LAST DATE TO PRE-ORDER T-SHIRTS IS

MAY 6

Registeration: https://britcar1.regfox.com/british-car-day-columbus-2020

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https://britcar1.regfox.com/british-car-day-columbus-2020


TRA 2020Bourbon, Bluegrass, Thoroughbreds, and Triumphs

15-19 June 2020 - Lexington, Kentucky

Key Events - TRA 2020 The following is a short description of the key events at TRA 2020. Please note that this is subject to possible change as we get nearer to the event.

RegistrationRegistration will be open on the 15th from 3-6PM, 16th from 9AM-5PM, 17th from 8-10AM.

Monday 15 June 2020EveWelcome Mixer – reconnect with your TRA friends, and make new friends, in the TRA 2020 hospitality suite with complimentary drinks and munchies.

Tuesday 16 June 2020AMEarly morning breakfast run to Windy Corners Market – from their Facebook site: “Amid northern Lexington's legendary horse farms sits Windy Corner Market, a destination for delicious homemade Po-Boy sandwiches, plate breakfasts and dinners, bakery treats and sundries. We are Kentucky Proud!” Yummy food and farm vistas you do not want to miss! Want more details or to check out the menu - www.windycornermarket.com

Horse Farm Tour to Old Friends Equine – After breakfast continue to Old Friends Farm – a retirement farm for thoroughbred race horses such as Belmont Stakes winners Sarava and Touch Gold– join us on a private tour and introduction to their most famous retirees. For more background you can check out their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org . Note: Due to the fact that we have to make reservations for a group tour ahead of time, registration for this event closes May 15th.

Silent Auction – the silent auction opens in the registration area – bid high, bid often, and get the goodies. The Silent Auction closes 5PM on Wednesday. Note: Auction Rules have changed for 2020! This includes the Live Auction, Silent Auction, and Flea Market. Click here to go to the Auction web page for details. A must read if you are bringing Auction items!

TRA 2020 Arts & Crafts Competition - Share your creative talents with your fellow TRA members! Opened to all Registered TRA 2020 Participants – Adults and Youths..

• Entries are to be Triumph or British themed and must be originals.• NO commercially produced items will be accepted for competition.

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https://www.windycornermarket.com/

http://www.oldfriendsequine.org/

https://www.miamivalleytriumphs.org/tra2020-auction


• Entries are limited to 2 per Registered Participant. Awards will be presented to the “Most Popular” Adult and Youth entry. This will be determined by the cast ballots of your fellow TRA members. More information will be in your Registration Packet.

PMTech Sessions - Three tech session (Fuel Pump Karma, Electrical Hacks for Dummies, What do I need to carry with me even though I am not paranoid?) are being put together – three tech sessions inspired by actual experiences of Miami Valley Triumph members designed to help you keep them on the road longer and more reliable.

BBQ Picnic – The folks at Red State BBQ are arranging a delectable feast for us after a short drive - bring a good appetite and empty stomach!

EveTRA National Meeting – time to get the membership together in one room and interact with the National officers as they outline what happened this last year and what is in store for the next as well as TRA Club functions, such as officer nominations etc.

Hospitality Room open – for more conversations into the night.

Wednesday 17 June 2020AMCar Shows – two shows at the same time – Concours d’Elegance for TR2-4A cars, judged by sanctioned TRA judges as well as a Participant’s Choice show with classes for ALL Triumph cars. You really have no excuse not to be in the show. We have arranged with the hotel to have food available for your purchase at the show grounds so you won’t waste away to nothing while admiring the cars.Note: Did we mention that we have registration just for the day of show that just gets you in the Participant's Choice car show???

PMPoker Rally – try your luck at our wandering card game stopping at some of the most interesting places around Lexington – shoot for the Royal Flush and avoid a pair of deuces!

Auction Part Registration – the TRA 2020 Live Auction will be limited to 100 juried parts, this is the chance for you to register your parts. Note: Auction Rules have changed for 2020! This includes the Live Auction, Silent Auction, and Flea Market. Click here to go to the Auction web page for details. A must read if you are bringing Auction items!

EveTRA 2020 Live Auction – your chance to bid and win on no more than 100 unique and interesting parts, Triumph memorabilia, and very unique items. Our auctioneers keep this

�40



moving and keep it entertaining. Did we mention we have free beer? (obviously only to TRA 2020 attendees 21 years old and older…)Note: Auction Rules have changed for 2020! This includes the Live Auction, Silent Auction, and Flea Market. Click here to go to the Auction web page for details. A must read if you are bringing Auction items!

Hospitality Room open – for more conversations into the night.

Thursday 18 June 2020AMEarly morning breakfast run to Keenland Racepark – home of the Breeder’s Cup, we will have breakfast at the track kitchen where you will eat with owners, jockeys, and hired hands. Afterwards we will have a guided tour of Keeneland (www.keeneland.com) and then take a short drive to the Kentucky Aviation Museum (www.aviationky.org).

PMDistillery District Tour – we will head to the Lexington Distillery District to shop, eat ice cream at one interesting ice cream parlor, as well as have the chance to visit several distilleries and breweries. We will get back in time for you to pack and relax before the Awards Banquet

EveAwards Banquet – come early for the cocktail reception with the cash bar and then experience the banquet where we feast then congratulate the events and car show winners culminating with the TRA 2020 Concours Best of Show.

Hospitality Room open – relive TRA 2020 memories with friends and start plotting your trip to TRA 2021, or just hang around for more conversations into the night

Friday 19 June 2020AMFarewells – Join the TRA 2020 team to say “until we meet again” to your fellow TRA 2020 attendees as they leave on their way home. If you want, you could stay to help the TRA 2020 Committee members clean up (hint, hint, nudge, nudge), but it is not mandatory :-)

Lodging

Clarion Hotel Conference Center - North1950 Newtown Pike,

Lexington, Kentucky, 40511

Our host hotel is conveniently located on the north side of Lexington close to I-75/I-64. The location allows easy access to the City of Lexington attractions on one hand and access to the beautiful back roads of Kentucky on the other.

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https://www.miamivalleytriumphs.org/

https://www.aviationky.org/

https://www.visitlex.com/idea-guide/bourbon-distilleries/


Hotel cost is $115 per night before taxes which includes breakfast. Individual guests must make reservation by calling 888-390-4918. When the guest calls, they must identify themselves as being with Triumph Register of America.

For more detailed information about the hotel, please click here for the hotel website.

Registration

Registration for TRA 2020 can be done either on-line with electronic payment by credit card or by filling out a registration form online and printing (or printing and filling out manually) and then sending in via mail with a check.

While we have tried to make the registration process easy, if you have any questions about registration, please click here to contact us or contact the TRA Registrar, Harry Mague, directly via email ([email protected], or phone (937) 232-9310)

If you are a vendor please contact Chris Yanity directly at [email protected] or call (937) 776-3236 for vendor specific details.

On-Line RegistrationClick on the button below to be taken to the on-line registration page. Be sure to read the instructions before starting to fill out the online form.On-Line Registration

Mail-In RegistrationClick on the button below to be taken to the mail-in registration page. Be sure to read the instructions before printing or starting to fill out the online form.Mail-In Registration

Payment by PayPalIf you are using the on-line registration and have filled out the on-line form and submitted it the PayPal button should appear after confirmation. If for some reason you still need to submit the payment using your credit card and PayPal, the button below will take you directly back to the PayPal payment submission.

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http://www.choicehotels.com/kentucky/lexington/clarion-hotels/ky231

https://www.miamivalleytriumphs.org/tra-2020



https://www.miamivalleytriumphs.org/on-line-tra2020-registration

https://www.miamivalleytriumphs.org/mail-in-tra2020-registration-form


The Convention

Multiple Days of Triumphant Bliss 08.31.2020 - 09.04.2020

The Vintage Triumph Register (VTR) is a North American Triumph car club of over 2,800 Triumph owners and enthusiasts supporting and showcasing all models of Triumphs. VTR has supported a national convention hosted by one of its chapter clubs every year since 1976, and 2020's event promises to be the best yet--carrying the tradition into a new decade. This year's convention will be hosted by the Illinois Sports Owner Association (ISOA), one of the largest and most active Triumph clubs in the country. Compete in an autocross challenge, participate in a funkhana event, drive in a road rallye on our carefully selected back roads, and even learn about your car in our expert-led technical sessions. However you choose to spend your week, you'll get to enjoy it in the company of great people who are just as Triumph-crazy as you are. See you in Galena!

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The Accommodations

Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa

Welcome to Eagle Ridge For reservations: 800.892.2269 Room block code: 6937N5

Tucked among The Galena Territory's 6,800 rolling acres of pristine woodlands and open countryside, Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa offers “country elegant” hotel accommodations and rental homes and villas only minutes from the quaint shopping and dining of Galena, Illinois. Rated among Midwest Living's "45 Midwest Resorts We Love" and surrounded by miles of hiking and biking trails, Eagle Ridge Resort is a gateway to boundless adventures and activities, from four award-winning championship golf courses and the luxurious Stonedrift Spa to tennis, boating, fishing, riding, and even hot air ballooning.

VTR 2020 Schedule Dates and times are subject to change before the event.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 30

Registration VTR Board Meeting Dinner On Your Own

MONDAY, AUGUST 31

Registration Funkhana Vendors Crafts / Model / Photo Contest TSD Rallye Autocross Tech Inspection Poker Run VTR Membership Meeting Welcome Reception Dinner On Your Own

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

Registration Crafts / Model / Photo Contest

Vendors Breakfast Run Autocross Tech Inspection Tech Session I Tech Session II Destination Driving Tour (Chestnut Mtn) Ice Cream Run Dinner On Your Own

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

Crafts / Model / Photo Contest Vendors Autocross Mandatory Meeting Autocross Shopping Shuttle to Galena Destination Driving Tour (Winery) Destination Driving Tour (Brewery) Judges' School Dinner On Your Own Silent Auction Moving Events/Craft Awards Reception

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https://www.vtr2020.org/coming-soon

https://www.thegalenaterritory.com/


THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

Judges' Breakfast Concours d' Elegance People's Choice Car Show Tech Session III Vendors

Cocktail Reception VTR Banquet & Awards

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

Enjoy the Galena Territory

Register Now!

BUT FIRST... To make registration easier make sure you have the following:

• Information on your VTR membership -- If you don't know your VTR number, please see your Vintage Triumph Register mailer insert at the top of your address or go to the VTR website. Sign in, and under "Your Subscription," click on "Edit Profile." Your membership number will be under your name. If you click the far left box of the menu bar you can find your membership expiration date.

• You'll need a credit card to register online, so have the one you wish to use handy.

• Finally, if you're registering a car you'll need your insurance information and VIN. Have what you need? Click the link below to get started! Registration Page

Book your room at Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa! Room Reservations

Looking for fine print stuff? Here's pricing and cancellation info! Info and Cancellation

�45

https://vtr2020.regfox.com/vintage-triumph-register-convention-2020

https://www.vtr2020.org/coming-soon

https://www.vtr2020.org/pricing-and-cancellation


�46

September 17-20, 2020

The Peachtree MG Registry presents a Southern British Car Weekend

together with theNorth American MGA Register

featuring the MG Magnette*

in the mountains of North Georgia atThe Dillard House Inn

Dillard, GA.* MG Magnette ZA and ZB built between 1953 and 1958

All makes and models of British cars and motorcycles are welcome!Details and registration soon at: www.peachtreemg.com (click on the “Dillard 2020” tab)


�47

6-PACK TRIALS 2020 - RICHMOND VIRGINIA

OCTOBER 1-2-3, 2020

Founded on the Falls of the James in the mid-18th century, Richmond and its

surrounding environs are rich in history, dating from the early exploits of John

Smith in the 1600’s to the Revolutionary and Civil wars in succeeding centuries.

TRials 2020 will be headquartered in Colonial Heights, a suburb located

approximately 20 miles south of Richmond and close to Moss Motors eastern

headquarters in Petersburg.

TRials 2020 will have a number of driving tours, tech sessions at the Moss facility,

and suggested tours to keep everyone busy. Among the options:

The Keystone Tractor Museum

6-PACK TRIALS 2020 - RICHMOND VIRGINIA

OCTOBER 1-2-3, 2020

Founded on the Falls of the James in the mid-18th century, Richmond and its

surrounding environs are rich in history, dating from the early exploits of John

Smith in the 1600’s to the Revolutionary and Civil wars in succeeding centuries.

TRials 2020 will be headquartered in Colonial Heights, a suburb located

approximately 20 miles south of Richmond and close to Moss Motors eastern

headquarters in Petersburg.

TRials 2020 will have a number of driving tours, tech sessions at the Moss facility,

and suggested tours to keep everyone busy. Among the options:

The Keystone Tractor Museum

2020 TRials Richmond, VA


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6-PACK TRIALS 2020 - RICHMOND VIRGINIA OCTOBER 1-2-3, 2020

The Siege of Petersburg Driving Tour

Maymont Mansion and Grounds

Moss Motors


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6-PACK TRIALS 2020 - RICHMOND VIRGINIA OCTOBER 1-2-3, 2020

Historic Tredegar Civil War Museum

Lee’s Retreat Driving Tour

Tour of Richmond

There will be scheduled driving events and tech sessions both Friday and Saturday, the car show on the Moss Motors grounds on Saturday, and the awards banquet at the Moss facility Saturday night. Registration details, host hotel, and other planning particulars will be coming in early 2020. Hope to see you and your Triumph in RVA in 2020!


In the Pits with Barry Rosenberg

It is still raining pretty hard up here in the mountains; as it has been most of the year so far. I sit at home writing my article because the plumbers are here for the fourth time trying to fix one toilet flushing problem. They installed a new toilet several weeks ago and it has not worked right since. Now, they think it is a pipe problem under the house, in the crawl space, so they are cutting out and replacing sections of the pipe. I am not saying they do not know what they are doing but odd problems can be hard to diagnose.

Take for example my customer who has the MGB GT with the new motor and transmission, now. His differential has howled since the first mechanic rebuilt it. At a Peachtree MG Registry tech session, we took it apart after the owner removed it from the car. The tech session was showing how to replace the spider gear thrust washers and disassemble the entire diff. It was going well until we tried to remove one of the axles that really wanted to stay attached to the diff.

I have a slide hammer, a real big slide hammer, that we attached to the axle and several hard slams later, the axle came flying out of the housing. This could have been a real nut buster to the owner as he was slamming the hammer when the axle freed itself. Once the axle was out, we began removing the ring and pinion and carrier assembly.

As we wanted to show that the spider gear thrust washers can be replaced with the diff still under the car by removing only one axle (and draining the fluid first) those gears were already on the bench. The carrier is held in with four bolts and two bearing caps or retainers. The retainers must be put back on in the orientation they were removed.

A word of caution and warning before we go any further; unless you have some very special tools and micrometers, do not try to rebuild your own rear end. Let a specialist do it. I mark each bearing cap before removing them. I like a sharp chisel and place one small nick in a cap and the housing. The other cap gets two nicks and the housing next to the cap gets two as well. This way, no matter how you clean the parts, the caps are easy to install correctly.

Before you remove the caps, use a dial gauge to measure the backlash. On MGBs, each differential can have a slightly different backlash. Your set has the backlash etched onto the back of the ring gear. Ours measured .010” but the gear called for .005”. Ours was off by .005” which does not sound like a lot but in differential speak, it is huge. Once this measurement is written down, the carrier bolts and caps can be removed. Now, here is one place I differ from the factory; I do not own a case spreader.

A case spreader can actually spread the case a few thousandths so the bearing preload is released on the carrier bearings and the carrier slips right out. I did not need one for this diff as there was

�50


insufficient preload to start with. The carrier slipped out with just a gentle lift with a pry bar. It should be tight and take a little grunting to get out. As everything the first mechanic had done on this car, we assumed he did not know how to build the diff either.

Once the carrier lifts out, the bearing races and adjusting shims will fall into the housing. Do not let this happen. The bearing races need to stay with the bearing they have been running with and should never be mixed up. It can shorten the life of the bearing if you are planning to reuse them. The spacer behind the races are what set the bearing preload and the location of the ring gear from side to side. Once the carrier and bearings are out, I measure the depth of the pinion gear relative to the case (another place I differ from the factory).

If you are replacing the pinion bearings, this is critical. New bearing should be the exact, and I mean the exact, same as the originals but you just never know. Once the new bearing is installed, I temporarily assemble the pinion gear with both inner and outer bearing and torque to the factory spec and check to see that the pinion depth is the same. If it is, that is great. If not, you get to remove the inner pinion bearing and change the thickness of the shim between the bearing and the gear. And this showed up one of our problems.

The previous builder had put the shim on upside down. What difference does that make, you ask. About .012” in raising the gear in the housing. How, you ask. When a shaft and gear or flange is machined from one piece of material, the area where the flange or gear gets bigger in diameter than the shaft has a small fillet or curved junction machined into it. This is for two reasons. One, it is very difficult to cut an exact square junction. The other is strength; a round or curved fillet is much stronger than a perfect square cut. The square cut will become a perfect spot for a fracture to occur.

Since there is this fillet, the washer or spacer has one side with a slight angle cut in the inner hole to allow the spacer to sit flat with the gear or flange. The other side is cut square. He put the square cut side of the spacer against the fillet and this left a .012” gap. I installed the spacer correctly and installed the new bearing. I also used a new crushable spacer between the inner and outer bearings. I mentioned torquing the pinion nut earlier in the article.

This isn’t quite correct. There is not a specific torque. The bearings need some preload the keep them running perfectly true and centered and to make sure the rollers will rotate and not slip along the race as the shaft spins. There is a specific amount of preload listed in the book, it is about 12 lb. inch. There is a special tool to measure this but having done a lot of these over the past 46 years, I have a pretty good feel for it by hand. Tightening the pinion flange nut, collapses the collapsesable spacer you should have installed between the two bearings.

Once you get the correct preload, you will need to remove the nut and flange to install a new seal. I also go ahead and remove the pinion for now. Next. I put the carrier back into the housing with the races, shims and caps. Using a dial gauge, I measure the end play of the carrier assembly. It

�51


should be zero as the bearings should be under preload. I measured .0005” end play. Next, I removed the carrier assembly and measured the thickness of the shims. Having some end play meant I needed at least on thicker shim. I went with one about .005” and reinstalled the carrier to test again for end play.

When I finally got zero movement and was happy with the preload. I pulled the carrier out again. This time I measured the two shims, added them together and divided by two. This gave me the thickness of my starting point to set the backlash. Finding the correct shims is getting difficult as a lot of them are no longer available. I had the two I needed. Next, and this is interesting, the factory has stamped the additional thickness you need to ad to get the preload they want. Each side of the diff has either the letter A or B stamped. Next is a + or a - sign and finally a number. The unit I was working on called for A+2 and B+3. This meant I needed to add .002” to one side and .003” to the other shim.

I installed the ring gear back onto the carrier and corrected my shim requirements. If I do not have nor can I get the thickness I need, I can make my shims. In this case, I was able to fabricate the shim I needed on one side and I had the correct shim for the other side. After I assembled the complete carrier in the housing, with no oil or grease on the bearings or gears, I measured my backlash. It came in at .0055”, just .0005” too much. Close enough! Lastly, I sprayed some flat black paint on just a few teeth of the ring gear and rotated the unit several times. This will show you exactly where the ring and pinion touch. It should be pretty centered in the teeth and mine were very nice. I might say perfect if I were to brag.

Now, I took every thing back apart, recleaned all, used Vaseline to lubricate all the bearings and seal and did a final assembly. Checking the backlash one last time, it showed I still had .0055” and I was happy. I did not dance a jig but would have if my knees did not hurt so bad. The final stuff to do was fit new bearings and seals the the axles and install them. I like a nice thick fluid in a street differential so I use a combination of STP, yes the very slippery stuff, and GL4 140 weight gear oil.

We Installed the chromed rear cover with a new gasket and loaded it in the back of the customers car. He gets the fun of installing it in the MGB GT. I hope it is quite now. But, whenever gears are not properly set up and are run for several thousand miles, they can get a bad wear pattern on them and still make a little noise. This is something you can never predict. You can only set it up correctly and pray or hope if you aren’t religious. But building differentials can make one become religious very quickly.

Writing about this does not confer how much work and time goes into rebuilding differentials. I did not mentioned the effort to clean the housing, all the different times I measured,; took apart; reassembled and measured again and again. Don’t build a differential, buy a used one. Preferably one under a Miata as you sell the MGB and buy a Miata. Let me admit, not every differential I build comes out perfect.

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I am trying to find some new gears for a Spitfire one I already built three times, I think. It had worn the original gears enough that I just cannot get the noise out no matter how I adjust the gears. I only charge for the first rebuild and the rest are on me for the labor. Now, we have agreed to find a good set of new gears that the owner will buy buy I will install. You have to watch out for what new gears you use as some are made so poorly, they would be worse than the originals that whine.

If you have any questions about differentials, please find someone else to ask. And when you start getting conflicting answers, give me a call and I will see if I can confuse you some more. Time to quit typing for now. The plumbers are just starting to reassemble my pipes so maybe I can go pee soon. I could go outside and pee with Bolt but it is daylight. My poor Bolt had another seizure last night. They last about 20 to 30 minutes and apparently have no lasting effects but it breaks my heart and scares the daylights out of us when he has them. Today, he is back to normal and very bored because we have not been out to play frisbee.

See yall somewhere soon I hope.

Barry Rosenberg British Car Service [email protected] [email protected] 770-689-7573

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GTA CLASSIFIEDS

FOR SALE - GTA REGALIA

Dilly Dilly Mug Bottle Zippered Coozie Classic Foam Coozie $3.00 each or 4/$10.00 $3.00 each or 4/$10.00 $1.00 each

Heavy Foam Coozie 6-pack Triumph Coolers GTA Tote $2.00 each $2.00 each $15.00 each

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Lady’s Tee Shirts Men’s Polo Shirt $12.00 each $25.00 each

� � Caps and Driving Hats Make Driving Great Again Tee $12.00 each or 2/$20.00 $12.00 each

Folks, anyone requiring name tags for yourself or your significant other please contact me, they are $ 10.00 each. Please also review GTA clothing available in this and other newsletters and let me know what you might like. Our offerings are not limited to what we indicate in the newsletter, tell us what you would like.

Interested party should contact Mike Hurst [email protected]

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FOR SALE: Triumph Spitfire Parts

I have several Triumph Spitfire cars and a lot of parts that I want to find a good home for, if any of your members are interested please contact me by email. I have parts from mk 1,2,3 and 1500 cars mostly dismantled, I have a ’70 mk3 with a good body but was a autocross car, motor is out, also have a ’69 mk3 complete car but is rusty and a lot of misc. parts accumulated from the last 40 years, they need a good home, most are out of the weather.

Porter Smith Comments / Questions [email protected]

FOR SALE: Triumph Treasures

TR 6 transmissions .. Non Overdrive … Both were working when pulled out. Trans numbers CD 5934 and CD 29128. $250 each or become the TR6 trans guru and get both for $400.

� � �

Triumph Sports Owners Association grill badge. Bought in 1994 for Kathys’ Stag. Sat in the glove box and was never exposed to rain, sunshine or a zombie attack. It has never been mounted. $50.

I still have the GTA Denim jacket and the TR6 garage art parts…. Make me an offer.

Call Hugh - 678-588-8141 Located in Zebulon.

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FOR SALE: TR6 BITS

Intake manifold with Stromberg carburetors: I don’t remember what year model they came from.

4- bright rings: 2 in good shape the other two need repair or tossing.

I got these items from another GTA member years ago thinking that I might have use for them . . . . apparently not. Both free for the taking.

Contact Howard Orr, [email protected].

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BRITPARTS

Mike Hurst has located a potential source for new and secondhand Triumph parts. Below are the detials.

For over 35 years we buy, sell and stock TRIUMPH TR2-8 Spitfire Stag Vitesse Herald GT6, Dolomite, MG, Austin Healey, Jaguar, Lotus, TVR Morgan cars and parts, WE HAVE OVER 35 YEARS EXPERIENCE WITH ALMOST EVERY BRITISH CLASSIC CAR.

Our stock is over 3000 square meters. We have new and secondhand parts in stock. We have a Worldwide Shipping Service. You can order / inquire the parts by E-mail. To avoid mistakes the following information makes it easy for us.

Car make and model: Car chassisnumber: Model year: Part(s): Part(s) number: Your name: Delivery adres: Tel number: With kind regards,

John van Herk BRITPARTS Sint Josephstraat 21A 5089NK Haghorst Noord Brabant The Netherlands www.britparts.com Tel: 0031-13-5043951

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http://www.britparts.com/


A CLEAN SLATE LLC This brochure advertising onsite media blasting was received in the GTA P.O. Box and provided here for your information only.

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�60


For What Its WorthBring a Trailer Auction Results form last month.

Listing EndedThe following BaT Auctions listing has ended: 1974 Triumph TR6Winning Bid: $15,750

�

Listing EndedThe following BaT Auctions listing has ended: No Reserve: 1968 Triumph TR250 Surrey TopWinning Bid: $26,500

�

Listing EndedThe following BaT Auctions listing has ended: 1964 Triumph TR4Winning Bid: $17,000�

Reserve Not MetThe following BaT Auctions listing has ended: 1976 Triumph TR6 5-SpeedHigh Bid: $10,300 (Reserve not met)

�

Listing EndedThe following BaT Auctions listing has ended: No Reserve: GT6-Powered 1971 Triumph Spitfire 5-SpeedWinning Bid: $9,600

�

Listing EndedThe following BaT Auctions listing has ended: 1976 Triumph TR6 w/Overdrive and HardtopWinning Bid: $24,000

�

Reserve Not MetThe following BaT Auctions listing has ended: 1968 Triumph TR250 Surrey TopHigh Bid: $33,000 (Reserve not met)

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Listing EndedThe following BaT Auctions listing has ended: 1958 Triumph TR3AWinning Bid: $21,450�

Reserve Not MetThe following BaT Auctions listing has ended: 1974 Triumph TR6 with OverdriveHigh Bid: $20,000 (Reserve not met)

�

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https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1974-triumph-tr6-83/?utm_source=transactionalemail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=bat_watched_listing_ended



https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1974-triumph-tr6-with-overdrive/?utm_source=transactionalemail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=bat_reserve_not_met_watchers_bidders

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1976-triumph-tr6-50/?utm_source=transactionalemail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=bat_reserve_not_met_watchers_bidders

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1968-triumph-tr250-24/?utm_source=transactionalemail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=bat_reserve_not_met_watchers_bidders

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1958-triumph-tr3a-7/?utm_source=transactionalemail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=bat_watched_listing_ended


https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1971-triumph-spitfire-4/?utm_source=transactionalemail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=bat_watched_listing_ended



Listing EndedThe following BaT Auctions listing has ended: Original-Owner 19k-Mile 1975 Triumph TR6Winning Bid: $35,250

�


Listing EndedThe following BaT Auctions listing has ended: 25-Years-Owned 1957 Triumph TR3Winning Bid: $26,000�

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Georgia Triumph Association (GTA) Membership ApplicationFill out this form or register online at http://www.gatriumph.com/amember/signup.php

New ❑ Renewal ❑ GTA Member Number: ______VTR Member ❑ VTR Number: ________

Last Name: ____________________ First Name, MI: ____________ Birthday: __/___/____

Spouse/Partner’s Name: ____________________________ His/Her Birthday: __/___/____

Cell Phone: ______________ Night Phone: _____________ Email: ___________________

British Cars (model/year): __________________________ Occupation: ________________

Interests: Tech Sessions Rally’s Volunteer Driving Tours Car Shows AutocrossSocial Events Other: _____________________________________________________________

I would like to help the GTA leadership with: _________________________________________

As a member of the Georgia Triumph Association (GTA), I agree to hold the GTA, its Board of Directors, officers and organizers of events free from all liability for any accident or injury which occurs in connection with club events.

Signature: ____________________________________________Date: _____________

Your name, address and phone number will be published in the GTA membership directory.This information would only be available to GTA members. Put a check mark here ❑ if youDO NOT wish to have your information listed in the GTA directory.

Mail this application and $30.00 to The Georgia Triumph Association, Post Office Box 3198, Cumming, GA 30028-6516

or get your application processed online using PayPal at the club website located at http://www.gatriumph.com/amember/signup.php

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http://www.gatriumph.com/amember/signup.php




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Documents

GTA Trumpet APRIL 2020 - gatriumph.com