Triumph TR3
When I was a little boy, before I could come anywhere close to seeing the big picture, my Dad had a Triumph TR-3. A little red one, much like the one pictured to the right except his had a roll bar and a lot more rust.
We all loved that car, but not nearly as much as my sister. When my Dad sold it to buy a very cool, but not working at all, Jaguar (pictured at left), she cried. I don't think it's going too far to say that that experience ruined cars for her forever. Somewhere there's a really great photography of her as the car is being taken away (I must admit that I could be making this part up).
I don't remember much, the rust holes, standing in the back holding onto the roll bar, and most of all, the smell. A mixture of gas and, well I guess, age. It was a beautiful thing.
I mention it because I'm seriously looking for a new car, though I haven't even begun to think about paying for it. A TR-3 is in the running along with a mid 60s Porsche 912, and another Bug. Surprisingly, they're all in the same cost range.
I'm sorta partial to this one. He's cute with the racing stripes. and so far not too badly priced. I could get it shipped from Texas right :-)
Yeah right, just like I'm going to have my Bug shipped from Chicago. Any day now, I promise.
It's true, the photograph exists, only it's of me taken right after I found out Dad was going to sell the TR3. I'm stretched across the hood, prostrated by grief. I loved that car. What I remember is sitting on large, damp blue towels on the back seat coming home from the pool, and stopping at Dairy Queen on the way. Maybe we only did that once, but it's what I remember. I remember you standing and holding on the roll bar. Can you imagine someone letting their kid do that now? I also remember the only hole in the upholstery, a small hole in the passenger seat. No car since has replaced that car in my heart, except maybe the Saab I bought from Mom because I associate it with the commute to my first 'real' job, living on my own, and feeling really, really cool. Now that I don't have a car, and haven't had one in four years, I don't really miss driving, but if you put me behind the wheel of a TR3 on a nice country road, I would be very very happy.
Posted by: Peg at August 19, 2004 12:54 AM
i love that picture of you. your so small yet so determined; )
Posted by: erica at August 19, 2004 01:00 AM
We rode home from the pool on wet, chlorinated towels quite often in the summers, stopping for dilly bars at the Dairy Queen, highlight of the week. I think that car spoiled me for cars forever after, to me; all cars must be red. There's just no other color. Not when it comes to love.
Posted by: Kate at August 19, 2004 08:30 AM
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It's true, the photograph exists, only it's of me taken right after I found out Dad was going to sell the TR3. I'm stretched across the hood, prostrated by grief. I loved that car. What I remember is sitting on large, damp blue towels on the back seat coming home from the pool, and stopping at Dairy Queen on the way. Maybe we only did that once, but it's what I remember. I remember you standing and holding on the roll bar. Can you imagine someone letting their kid do that now? I also remember the only hole in the upholstery, a small hole in the passenger seat. No car since has replaced that car in my heart, except maybe the Saab I bought from Mom because I associate it with the commute to my first 'real' job, living on my own, and feeling really, really cool. Now that I don't have a car, and haven't had one in four years, I don't really miss driving, but if you put me behind the wheel of a TR3 on a nice country road, I would be very very happy.
Posted by: Peg at August 19, 2004 12:54 AM
i love that picture of you. your so small yet so determined; )
Posted by: erica at August 19, 2004 01:00 AM
We rode home from the pool on wet, chlorinated towels quite often in the summers, stopping for dilly bars at the Dairy Queen, highlight of the week. I think that car spoiled me for cars forever after, to me; all cars must be red. There's just no other color. Not when it comes to love.
Posted by: Kate at August 19, 2004 08:30 AM