Global disarray with floods, earthquakes, tsunami’s and nuclear plant meltdowns, while I share all the sorrow, concerns and sympathy for those countries and people caught up in these events, it brought home to me how lucky we are in S.A. and again reminded me that we should get out and enjoy our wonderful state and all it has to offer.

I would like to bring to your attention upcoming club events even though the specific details will be shown in following pages.I am not sure if this magazine will get to you in time for the next “Technical meeting” but on Saturday the 2nd of April there is a practical workshop on “Automotive spray painting” starting at 9.00am for approximately 3 hours. I understand we have just over 20 members interested in this event and there are still a couple of positions left, so if you have delayed your decision to attend to the last minute then ring John Tuohy on 8443 5493 or 0418 838 074 and I am sure he can get you in.

Over Easter the Sporting Car Club of SA will be holding the 30th Easter National Historic race meeting and Classic Display / Lunchtime Parade on Saturday 23rd at Mallala Motorsport Park If you have nothing planned for that day there is a Golden opportunity to promote the club and our marque, by attending this event and displaying your vehicle either as an individual or with the club at the Saturday display day.

There is a cost to enter but if you have more than one person in your car then it is cheaper than attending the day just to watch the event, and if you are interested then you can also do a lap or maybe two of the Mallala circuit under controlled conditions. For further details again see inside this copy of Track, but remember you must register and have your entry in by the 8th of April.  Contact Trevor Lindsay for details, again his contact details are in the inside front cover of Track, or visit the Sporting Car Club of SA’s website sportingcarclubsa.org.au for more details of this day and the full long weekend’s activities.

The Triumph Weekender in late May is filling up quickly and if you intend joining this special club weekend then ring Margie and Bill on 0409 849 314 / 0438 836 837 to confirm your booking, thanks goes to Margie and Bill for all the work put in  to this event over the last weeks.

Do not forget the TSOA National rally to Mt Gambier, Victor Harbor with the side trip to K.I if you so desire, bookings are being finalised now but there may still be a chance to join in for last minute booking contact Bob and Natalie on 8370 7210.

Of course all the planned Sunday and mid week runs are as normal so there are many opportunities for the balance of the year to take your pride and joy out on the road and mix with fellow club members and enjoy our state.

Till we meet again

John Sampson

Last week I read an interesting article in the January 2011 edition of OCTANE magazine, so I have paraphrased some of the detail (and hopefully not infringed any copy write)The regular column was written by Jay Leno the American Talk show host who is also well known as a true petrol head with a “massive” collection of classic and prestige vehicles. That’s the magazine’s description of Jay not mine.

The Article starts off “My McLaren F1 went back into the McLaren service centre near LA recently” and he goes on to describe how depressing it is for him that he cannot do the work in his own workshop as there is no workshop manual. While he loves the car his passion for it has not grown because he doesn’t feel involved with the car.

Jay goes on to say he enjoys cars like his Lotus Elan, XK120 and others in his collection because he is “involved in their inner workings” and finds them much more exciting to drive, because he is intimately involved with them, and therefore wants to use them more.

He wonders if today’s “enthusiasts” (I guess meaning the next generation) feel and care for their vehicles as much, as they do not understand how they work, he refers to a website called wrecked Exotics, which is about people who have wrecked the newly purchased exotic cars, sometimes in the first few weeks of owning them and then go out and buy another one, the throwaway society. He obviously mixes in different circles than we do. He goes on saying that you rarely see a classic vehicles on this website as their owners have worked on, polished, changed the oil on their special vehicles, and drive them with respect.

The article continues on and makes other similar points, and I feel no need to continue, but in made me ponder, our club and our members who obviously fall under the same heading as Jay’s Classic vehicle owners, are passionate about their vehicles, but what about the next generation ?I think it is important for us as a club and club members to get out there and display our vehicles, learn more about how they work and pass this on to the “next generation”

To this end I am pleased we as a club are trying to promote and revive our Technical meetings and I would encourage as many members as possible to attend these special events as they evolve.

Hopefully you will pick up and learn techniques therefore gaining confidence to attempt the work yourself.

The next “Technical meeting” is a learn how to “spray paint session” with a practical workshop. Details can be found in this edition of Track. Come along and learn, but be quick as there are only about 30 places. New members and those currently restoring their cars who normally do not attend our functions are welcome to come along too.

If any member has ideas or suggestions that could evolve into further Technical meetings then I am sure John Tuohy (contact details inside font cover of Track.) would help develop them.

There is also a Golden opportunity to promote the club and the marque, by attending the Easter Historic race meeting at Mallala on Easter Saturday the 23rd of April, and displaying your vehicle either as an individual or as a club at the Saturday display day. There is a cost to enter but if you have more than one person in your car then it is cheaper than attending the day just to watch the event, and if you are interested then you can also do a lap or maybe two of the Mallala circuit under controlled conditions. For further details again see inside this copy of Track, but remember you must register and have your entry in by early April.  Contact Trevor Lindsay for details, again his contact details are in the inside front cover of Track, or visit the Sporting Car Club of SA’s website.

Last Sunday the All British Day was held at the Uraidla oval, and it was a roaring success, the weather was perfect and there was a record attendance. I would like to thank Arrand Ellery, Kevin McEnroe and Kevin Foster for helping with the marshalling on the day.

A special thanks also goes out to all the club members who helped make up the TRIUMPH Display on the day, it was a great turn out.  Again the 47 vehicles from a single marque club was up there as one of the largest club displays. If you missed out this year then mark the second Sunday in February each year for this special picnic day and keep your eyes open for the entry forms in September each year.

That’s all for now.

Till we meet again

John Sampson

Welcome to an exciting New year of TSOA events for 2011, once again the committee believe we have planned a great year of events and activities to satisfy and expand our active membership.

Furthermore this year again it is our privilege to host the Triumph National Rally, and some of our organising sub-committee have recently been away fine tuning the program. The event is planned over 7 nights commencing in Mt Gambier, and concluding in Victor Harbor with an option to tack a 1 or 2 day post rally tour to Kangaroo Island. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our great state, renew past friendships, and make new friends with likeminded enthusiasts from interstate. I encourage you to consider participating in the whole Rally or take advantage of attending part of the event. Details on our website or for part Rally participation please contact Bob Farrell 8370 7210, but be quick.

The annual ICECREAM run is to be held on Sat 29th January commencing just off Greenhill road and cruising along the beaches from Glenelg to Semaphore, a great night run for all.

The annual ALL BRITISH DAY will be held on Sunday 13th February at the Uraidla Oval. If you have not booked your car into this fantastic day as a display vehicle, then make your way to the oval and enjoy the 875 British vehicles on display. This year we are located under the  shade of the trees so an enjoyable picnic day is assured. A great lunch is available from the local CFS at a very reasonable cost, so just hop in your car and come on up.

The following week on Sunday 20th February we have another picnic day programmed to the Peter Lehmann winery Tanunda for the MSCA PRESENTATION DAY, we are meeting at the TTP car park for a leisurely run to the event, we look forward to seeing you there enjoying another fantastic day.

More details of the above events are available in the magazine on the promotion pages and the Event Calendar in the back.

Our informal general meeting held on January 18th at the Sporting Car Club rooms was well attended, and from the questions raised hopefully our technical presentation on brake lines and fittings was well received. Should you have any further questions or require a clearer explanation on any associated subject then feel free to contact me or catch up at a future event, and I will try answer them.

Watch the magazine promotions for future technical meetings and practical demonstrations we are planning for this year.

‘Til we meet again

John Sampson

Two recent events are worthy of reporting in this column, the first was a tour of the manufacturing plant of Performance Alloy Wheels at North Plympton, where approximately 25 club members took the opportunity to learn more about the process of making Alloy wheels.

During the visit we witnessed the manufacturing process from the melting of the alloy in the furnace, the pouring of the molten metal into the forming moulds the subsequent heat treatment and quenching process that prepared the cast wheels ready for the machining and pressure testing after this the wheels were moved to the painting / clear lacquering process in the spray booths, all processes were working during our visit and members found them most interesting. Our tour was guided by Ed Sanders the owner of the business who was willing to discuss and answer all questions put forward.  I believe we all left with a better understanding of manufacturing process and how the wheels are made ready for the showroom.

We are most grateful to Ed who has kindly donated a set of Performance Alloy Wheels and these  will be our major prize for the raffle at the TSOA nationals next year.  My thanks to Bob Farrell and John Tuohy for organising the visit.

The other event held during November was a combined run with the Healey Sprite club to the Greenock Aviation Museum, the event was very well attended with a total of 60 people meeting at Civic part opposite TTP for a pleasant Sunday run through Gumeracha, Williamstown, Springton and then to Angaston for a coffee break. We then travelled on through Nuriootpa to the Greenock museum where we set up a display of our cars prior to enjoying a BBQ lunch and visiting the aviation display.

The museum was a unanimous success with the display of many planes, aero engines and memorabilia along with a collection of Commer trucks, farm equipment and other miscellaneous items. Some of us stopped for more coffee and shopping on the way home at the Virginia Nursery.   All in all a very full and successful day, and I thank all who attended from both clubs.

The last event for the year will be our traditional mid week run between Christmas and New Year, so give some thought to attending, for details please refer later in this Mag.

Our January meeting is normally an informal get together at the club rooms with the ladies leaving us for a period to partake in gelato and or coffee, with the men discussing cars and old times.  This year we are trying something different and I will be presenting a talk on brake line material and hopefully a simple flaring and tube bending demonstration if I can acquire the tooling. So if you have heard of BUNDY TUBE and know it is the material to use for brake lines, but do not know why, I will try and explain the difference between BUNDY and other tube types.

Other topics to be covered on the night will be a brief history and description of the manufacturing processes, tube coatings, types of flares and tube nuts. Come along bring your questions and I will try and answer them.

Your committee has recently reviewed the point structure for the Clubman Trophy and has made revisions to points awarded for attending, planning and reporting on club events. New points as follows –

3 points for organising a club run
3 points for attending a TSOA event
3 points for attending a run in a Triumph
1 point for attending a run in other vehicle
3 points for an original article of substance in TRak
1 point for a monthly article of information
3 points for a letter of substance published in TRak
10 points for attending the National Rally

We have introduced this revision to encourage the promotion and use of our special vehicles, and in an effort to encourage a closer more even competition for the Clubman trophy.

I look forward to seeing you all at the Presentation Dinner on the 4th December at the Royal Adelaide Golf Club.

On behalf of Barb and myself I would like to wish everyone a very happy Christmas and New Year.

Drive safely over the festive season and hope to see you soon . . . . .

John Sampson

My thanks go out to Ian and Raelene Rigby for setting this year’s All Triumph Rally for the Tony Esau Memorial Trophy. The wet weather held off and we had a pleasant run through the Adelaide hills to Strathalbyn with a club sponsored BBQ for lunch. The lucky winners this year were Bill and Margie Berlemon who will set the challenge next year.

Ian and Raelene set a new standard in the presentation of the run sheet with colour photo’s and other helpful information to help us get through the event – well done.

The club Christmas Dinner and trophy presentation night will be held at the Royal Adelaide Golf Club, Tapleys Hill Road, Seaton on the 4th of December.  Please contact Sue Gibson on 8449 7814 if you intend coming but have yet to book.  Your reservation and full payment is required no later than our November 16th meeting or you will miss out on our final event for the year. The venue and the meal are tops and I encourage any member who has yet to book their place for this year’s dinner to do so soon.

Your committee is currently working on the event programme for year 2011 and this will include the normal once a month Sunday run and the occasional mid week run as we have traditionally done. Further to this we are proposing to put a plan in place to reintroduce a minimum of 3 Technical meetings during next year. These could include practical demonstrations of panel work, spray painting and other restoration type work that would be of interest to members working on their own restoration projects.

We are hoping that this type of activity would be held on week nights or on Saturdays, and we will advise in the club Magazine from time to time. We would hope this may encourage members who would not normally attend club functions to come along and learn from these sessions but more importantly meet club members who could also pass on some experiences from their restoration projects.

Hope to see you soon

John Sampson

The NSW national rally is over and 18 weary South Aussies who attended, are now adjusting back into normal life patterns again. This year’s event was held in Kangaroo Valley just inland from Nowra on the picturesque NSW coast. This was a tremendous event and the NSW committee should be proud of their efforts, as there were activities to suit every taste from motor sport to a guided tour of a Buddhist temple, or a visit to the Bradman Museum in Bowral, but I am sure full reports will be published, if not in this month’s magazine then in next months.

While on the subject, next years national rally is to be held in S.A. in October, with 4 nights in Mt Gambier and 3 nights in Victor Harbor, with an after rally option on Kangaroo Island at an additional cost. We invite you to attend and meet new like minded friends and renew old friendships.Our rally committee is currently working hard fine tuning our event in an endeavour  to satisfy every Triumph enthusiast. The registration forms are now available on this web site.

I would like to remind you of the combined run with the Austin Healy Sprite club to the Greenock Aviation Museum on the 14th November.  For catering purposes I will need to confirm our booking numbers with the venue by 5/11/10. There will be a $10 cost to cover the BBQ lunch and entry to the museum, details of the run are shown later in this mag.

I believe a lot of members have heard of Bundy tube, but how many people know what Bundy tube is, what makes it unique, why it is specified for automotive brake lines and what safety issues should you be aware of when using it. Since I retired from TI Automotive (formally Bundy Tubing Aust.) a couple of years ago, I had heard some worrying stories from individuals and even Brake industry outlets that they were advising and or supplying unsuitable product to the public, to my knowledge this has now been rectified.

While it is not specifically a Triumph issue, I am proposing to make a technical presentation and answer any questions that members may have during our informal January 2011 meeting while the ladies are away enjoying a cup of coffee or ice cream. Don’t get me wrong if any ladies are interested they will be more than welcome to stay for the presentation, if it all comes together in time for the meeting. I will keep you informed over the next few meetings.

I hope to see you soon
John Sampson

The AGM has been conducted and the new committee formed, some new faces along with several carry over members make up the new committee.  The names and positions are shown in the minutes of the AGM which you will find included in this magazine.  My thanks to both the new and continuing committee members for making this commitment for another year.

After a lot of thought, and discussion with others, I finally decided to stand for the position of president.  For those members who do not know me, and with a membership of approx 300, there will be many, here are some brief details.

I am 64 years of age and along with my wife Barb have retired from the workforce. I have always had an interest in cars and for most of my working life I was involved with the automotive industry.  From the mid sixties I had a soft spot for the Triumph TR’s and it was only nearing retirement that I took the plunge and bought my pride and joy, a white 1972 TR6.

Barb and I have both been members of the TSOA for approx 9 years and participate in many of the club runs and events, including National Rallies in both South Australia and Queensland.  In my new role we look forward to attending more regularly than in the past.

Most of our participation has been in the social events, which are successfully run by a group of dedicated people.  I would propose that this feature of our club continue to develop and grow as it has over the past few years.  As well as satisfying the social need of club members, these runs allow participants to enjoy driving their vehicles and also in its own way promotes the club and exposes the general public to our vehicles.  From my point of view there is nothing better than seeing a procession of Triumph TR’s, saloons and Stags winding their way through the Adelaide hills on a sunny Sunday or Wednesday morning, although I acknowledge that this may not necessarily be what everybody enjoys.

In recent months there has been some healthy discussion that should not be ignored as it is important that we try to provide for members what they are looking for in our club.  Quite rightly some members feel we should put more emphasis on our marque and revive other activities associated with the promotion of our vehicles.  I would encourage members to put forward ideas to achieve this end.

I understand that one technical meeting has been arranged in late October to learn about the manufacture of Alloy wheels, and we have also organised a joint run with the Healy Sprite club which has been scheduled for November.  Both events are planned with the intention of developing, learning about and promoting the use of our vehicles.  This is a first small step but hopefully one in the right direction.  I know that these events only scratch the surface of the discussion points that have been raised but we need to start somewhere.
I look forward to being inundated with ideas and the members willing to develop them.You can forward your thoughts to bjyale@bigpond.com

See you soon John Sampson.

With our President Roger gallivanting around the world at this time, the task of the normal Presidents report falls to me as Vice-President.  So here goes!!

There was a TRremendous roll up at the July meeting and I wanted to think that it was because word had got around that I was running the meeting, but unfortunately for me the great roll up was actually due to membership renewal and Logbook update.

Just as a reminder…. for those of you with historic registration please be aware that your Logbook requires updating by 15th August or your rego becomes invalid / illegal after that date, for more details refer to the reports from Tom Long in the last few magazines.

As you are all probably aware, the August meeting is our AGM, which means that another year is over, and I think you will all agree it has been another very successful year.  We have had many great Sunday and midweek runs, some very special premium events like the Tony Esau Memorial Run, the Weekender and Day of Triumph, and we have also had our loyal contingent representing the club on the track.

Thanks must go to all of the office bearers and other members who have in any way contributed to the running of the club and its events for the last year.  Without this loyal band of very capable people the club would not be as successful as it is.

Our membership is growing and participation at events is strong, and there is healthy discussion by members of the club as they endeavour to enhance, improve and support the TSOA with its current and upcoming activities.

The challenge for the incoming and ongoing committees is to continue to grow, improve, develop and support the membership and activities for all sections of our membership.

Again, I reiterate that it is not too late to help mould the future of your club by nominating for a position on the committee, or to offer help with other supporting activities. Constant rotation of committee and other ancillary positions has the potential to introduce new and different ideas to add to the already successful and established formula to which we have become accustomed. Let me assure you that it is not a daunting task and it can be very rewarding.

On  a more personal note and although this is not normally a forum for recommending other organisations, I would like to suggest that members give consideration to RAA Premium membership if they are travelling long distances, particularly when driving Classic vehicles.  A short version of a recent personal experience which leads me to make this suggestion is as follows:

Travelling with my caravan to Queensland in the past few weeks, I stopped my car (not my TR) whilst we had a short break, when I went to re-commence my journey I found that the vehicle would not start again.  We were approximately half way between Wilcannia and Cobar, in other words, in the middle of nowhere!  I contacted the NRMA/RAA who sent the Cobar representative out with a Tray top truck and a Nissan 4WD to rescue us.  With approx. 12 man hours and a total of 680Km to get my vehicle and van back to Cobar I was a little worried about the cost, but as it turned out , the cost was nil out of my pocket. The local NRMA/RAA representatives were great and I was very grateful that we had upgraded our RAA membership.

From my experience, if you are travelling long distances, I think it is worth giving serious consideration to what the RAA has to offer.  By the way…….we now have a new starter motor.

The TSOA Nationals are in about 6 weeks and those going should be starting to work on their car to ensure a smooth and safe run to Kangaroo Valley in NSW and back.

On a sadder note, we pass on our condolences to Kevin and Sue Foster for the lost of Kevin’s father who passed away in recent weeks, our thoughts are with you both at this time.
That all for now…………. John Sampson

As I cobble together these thoughts, it is just a matter of days before we depart on our overseas jaunt. The excitement builds as we look forward to our adventure . . . visiting with our American friends, taking our first look at Europe, enjoying a wonderful scenic river cruise for a couple of weeks and then back home, all the while playing “spot the Triumph” as one does when on foreign soil.

There has been a lot of turmoil around the globe over recent times, what with the GFC, volcanoes erupting, massive human disasters, various wars underway etc., and no matter how you look at it, there is much to worry about. Mostly, there is just nothing we can do about things . . . they just happen. We sit back in front of our plasma screen and get fed all the daily news as seen by the media – not always correct, but let’s not let the facts get in the way of a good story.

We have a lot to be thankful for, us Australians. Talk about the “Lucky Country”! So we don’t have a lot to grumble about . . .  but we do – it is natural. I am a good example of this . . . but please don’t get me started . . . politics, religion, news stories . . .  we all talk to the TV don’t we? Or is it just me?

Anyway, back on track – generally, there is a lot to look back on and worry. Our trip has focused us on looking forward, and it is a very refreshing position to be in. But it is not just the trip that we look forward to. Sure, seeing parts of the world not visited before and visiting old friends will be great, but looking beyond that, just the simple things are usually something to dwell on with anticipation.

When away from home, we enjoy the experience, but we also look forward to coming home. We look forward to giving the grand kids a hug and a present from our trip, and of course dusting off the Triumph and going for a drive. There are just so many things in our lives that we take for granted – everyday things that may not be that exciting, but when you take a step back and review, usually these are the things that keep us all going. The anticipation of what lies ahead.

Personally, I will be thinking about the race meeting at Mallala on August 21st/22nd and making a nuisance of myself in with the MG’s, and then the TSOA Nationals in September, and our local club events over the later months of the year. There is much to look forward to – even the tea and scone runs! Should we formalise an annual run to celebrate this trend?

Speaking of competition events, (getting back on track again) I know that several of you have talked to me recently about having an interest in doing club competition events, but wanting a less stressful introduction to see if you like it enough to go to the next level. Well, I hope that you have taken advantage of the MSCA day at Mallala coming up on the 8th August. This will be an ideal opportunity for you to see what Mallala is like, and to experience your Triumph (or any other car you may choose) at speed. It will also be an opportunity to learn a bit about car control and improving your driving skills. So give it a go!

With those thoughts, I look forward (there it goes again!) to seeing you on our return . . . . around the time of the AGM.

Roger

Our Day of Triumph was exactly that! A Triumph! Everyone in the know knew that the forecast “possible early shower” meant glorious sunshine! The display of Triumphs spanning around the Civic Park arena and the sight of TSOA members enjoying the day was fantastic. Well done to all involved.

TSOA now needs to build on this success towards “bigger and better” next year.

Looking forward, there are a couple of things that deserve attention. Our Annual General Meeting is approaching fast, and as you all know, this is your opportunity to get involved in the operations of your club. At the August AGM, all Executive Committee positions are declared vacant, and nominations are sought to fill these positions for the next year. Usually, 99.9% of the membership find excuses not to stand for office, and usually, those hard working committee people who have served your club (and you) for many years, continue on until their enthusiasm is exhausted.

New blood means new ideas, new directions, and a freshness that can reinvigorate and enthuse. It also spreads the burden as a larger number of club members get involved over a period of time. Standing for office doesn’t mean a life sentence. In fact, it would be nice to think that anyone standing for a particular position of office would only be required to do so for no longer than two years. Many clubs have this written in their constitutions and this then forces the issue. Ours does not, but I believe that it could be a goal worth adopting as an “unwritten” rule.

So, look within yourself and ask if perhaps it is time for you to give something back to your club. If you do, talk with a current committee person towards understanding what is involved – if not for this year, then perhaps in preparation for standing for office next year after learning the ropes as an understudy / assistant. This makes transition a little easier when the time comes and will give you a better understanding of how things work and maybe where you can make a difference.

The other thing to keep an eye out for is the 2011 National Rally being hosted by us. Your National Rally Committee has been working hard towards developing a rally program that offers fun times and enjoyment with your Triumph together with like minded enthusiasts from Interstate, all at a very reasonable cost for a week long event. Full details will be announced in the coming months in readiness for the official announcement and promotion at this year’s Nationals being held in NSW. The dates that have been decided upon are 15th to 21st October, 2011 so you have plenty of time to get your calendar organised.

Cherri and I are off overseas for 6 weeks from late June, but I will be back for the AGM meeting. During our absence, Vice President John Sampson will assume the helm . . . thank you John.

On a sad note, Member Bryan Young’s wife Vivienne has lost her battle with cancer, passing away on 20th May. Our thoughts are with Bryan and family as they deal with their sad loss.

Roger