Bob Evans's Journal

I joined 3 yrs ago & didn't make a post or create a journal but friend & quasi bro-in-law Geoff K's purchase of his new 1980 TR7 prompted me to revisit the site, create a profile and now to create my journal to share some of my Triumph Experience with fellow members. For 20 yrs I lusted after a TR4A to recapture my youth and replace the one I had so reluctantly parted with in 1984 due to being married with a mortgage, new kid no garage, no money. Sound familiar. So I sold both my cherished '67 TR4A IRS and my complete parts car along with a whole van load of spare parts, including a couple of gearboxes, doors, fenders, trim, seats, etc. for the tidy sum of $400. Go figure! Fast forward 20 years, kids older, debt under control, still no garage but.... Anyway I contact Len Drake at Drake's British Motors in Kelowna BC after a lot of other web surfing and we discuss buying a TR4A but I see some nice TR6's and the prices are good. Len's a good guy and my TR6 buddy Steve had bought a TR6 from him 2 yrs prior and was very pleased. Initially I boughta a rough but solid California TR6 that ran but could not be driven and the interior was toast. That was $5800 and I notice another for a couple grand more and my wife, God bless her says why not spend the 2 grand extra and get a driver - so I did! We did the deal and Len was as good as his word. SeaRail shipped the TR6 to Newfoundland for about $2100 and I drove it the day I got it. I put almost 10,000 miles on it that first summer and had no trouble. I kept buying and adding restoration parts, focusing on brakes and hydraulics as a precaution. The car had 5 brand new redlines, a good interior with new floor pans and carpet set and perfect dash pads and so-so paint and convertible top. More in next entries. See original pic of car still at Drake's in BC.