Bit of a run out on Wed. 1st - updated, with pics

[driveroneuk]

As some of you know I haven’t been down the road much of late since the sad demise of the P & O Ferrymaster fleet.

All this stopping at home must have affected my brain. Gone & bought a classic car off FleaBay …
and its in Redruth, Cornwall! Couldn’t get much further away.

I put the job up on Shiply & got a few quotes in, mostly £300 - £400. Around the quid a mile mark, fair enough I suppose.

Anyway have decided to go for it myself with car & transporter trailer.

I reckon I can do it for around £200 inc. a night at a decent private hotel near Falmouth.
I phoned the owner to book it. I knew he’s been there 37 years. He gave me a price of £60 B&B (about what I expected having researched it on the 'net). I then asked him if he could give me some discount for being a regular guest.
Him: “When did you last stay with us”? Me: “1961”
I was 2 at the time & obviously wouldn’t have remembered but came accross it a while back in my late Aunt’s diary. Stopped there a fortnight we did in April '61.

So I’ll trundle down on Wed. 1st June. Collect the car (1975 Triumph Dolomite Sprint in Inca yellow) that evening, then run down to the hotel.
Thurs morning I will run up to Wadebridge and call to see my only cousin & Aunt, neither of whom I have seen for over 20 years, although sadly my Aunt, now in her 90’s will not know me.
Hopefully home before dark and closing time.

Route will be M55 - M6 - M5 - A30

Tug will be a V6 diesel dark blue Audi A4 Avant (estate) which is just out of the auto transmission shop.
I just drove it straight home from there on their trade plates last week and I’m not taxing it till the 1st, so, no time for a test run. I’m either brave or stupid. No horn blowing & laughing if you pass me on the HS!

Could have done with something down really to pay diesel. - talking of which if anybody enroute has any (legitimately!) at a good price PM me.

If you see me - keep your elbows in.

[beetie]

I keep looking at the dolly sprints, something to restore, but its hard finding one in a condition to restore, they’re either in a rust pile, or already mint!

[bigvern1]

Jealous of the Dolly! Keep her cool, look after the head! Might see you around the Exeter mark.

[robk]

Driveroneuk:
Could have done with something down really to pay diesel. - talking of which if anybody enroute has any (legitimately!) at a good price PM me.

If you see me - keep your elbows in.

So you want diesel “at a good price” but it must be legit?! I can see that you don’t have much experience with this kind of thing. Insert your favourite “you’ve more chance of” line here.

[denis_f]

RobK:

Driveroneuk:
Could have done with something down really to pay diesel. - talking of which if anybody enroute has any (legitimately!) at a good price PM me.

If you see me - keep your elbows in.

So you want diesel “at a good price” but it must be legit?! I can see that you don’t have much experience with this kind of thing. Insert your favourite “you’ve more chance of” line here.

ASDA @ Cribbs Causeway would be a good place just off M5 J17

134.7 according to Petrolprices.com

[driveroneuk]

RobK said:

So you want diesel “at a good price” but it must be legit?! I can see that you don’t have much experience with this kind of thing. Insert your favourite “you’ve more chance of” line here.

Just thought someone (maybe an O/D) might have been kind enough to let me have a drop at bunkered/bought in bulk price or even, heaven forbid, ex. vat.

Thanks for the tip Denis.

[denis_f]

Driveroneuk:
Just thought someone (maybe an O/D) might have been kind enough to let me have a drop at bunkered/bought in bulk price or even, heaven forbid, ex. vat.

Thanks for the tip Denis.

the ASDA price is cheaper than my card prices ( slightly )

[wheel_nut]

Driveroneuk:
RobK said:

So you want diesel “at a good price” but it must be legit?! I can see that you don’t have much experience with this kind of thing. Insert your favourite “you’ve more chance of” line here.

Just thought someone (maybe an O/D) might have been kind enough to let me have a drop at bunkered/bought in bulk price or even, heaven forbid, ex. vat.

Thanks for the tip Denis.

Could ya let me have a drop of diesel sir? just enough to clean my tools, do ya want any tarmac doing?

[wheel_nut]

Take a bit of your own advice, have a look on Shiply again, there are several cars that want moving from Preston area to the west country, even ride on mowers.

[driveroneuk]

Already thought about that Malcolm. I’m not already registered with Shiply and it takes some days to get so as you have to wait for a pin no. to arrive by snail mail. So I can’t do it in time, more’s the pity.
There was a 960ltr fuel bowser in Colne which would have been ideal. I managed to short circuit Shiply & contact the seller, but unfortunately the buyer, from Redruth, had already been for it.

[bullitt]

Not a Triumph Dolly but the classic…Triumph Stag
If I won the lottery then one of these, with a recon lump, would be on the shopping list and the only colour to get was this yellow.

Used to love the sound of the V8 burble, yes I know about the ally heads warping etc but even still, what a beautiful looking car.

[wheel_nut]

bullitt:
Not a Triumph Dolly but the classic…Triumph Stag
If I won the lottery then one of these, with a recon lump, would be on the shopping list and the only colour to get was this yellow.

Used to love the sound of the V8 burble, yes I know about the ally heads warping etc but even still, what a beautiful looking car.

The Triumphs got a bit of bad press and were nicknamed quite correctly I believe.

Triumph Snag

Trying Dollop of S[zb]e

The Herald was destined to sink

And that bloke who gave the go ahead for the TR7 should still be on a Gibbet.

I cannot fault the TR3A and TR4A though.

Until the Acclaim happened

[bigvern1]

TR6 In red…Dogs ■■■■■■■■.

[driveroneuk]

Both lovely cars Bullit & BV1.

Malcolm I’ve been around Triumphs since I was 12 and I’ve never before heard any of those nick names.
The Herald was very successful selling some 300,000 + other derivatives such as the GT6 & Vitesse.
When the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster happened decades later, the majority of Heralds were already scrap. (remember in those days cars tended to only last 10 years before the chassis rotted out).

I’ve had several Heralds (1st on a farm at age 12), a Vitesse, several Dolomites and a 2500TC (excellent car).
I always hoped to build a collection of Triumphs including Herald 13/60, Vitesse Convertable, Dolomite Sprint, 2.5PI saloon and Stag but sadly its not been possible - mostly due to storage room constraints.

I have sitting down the bottom of my workshop for 15 years or more now a Dolomite 1300 in blue. (Tahiti?)
I have the original bill of sale from Loxhams Garages to the one owner & the mileage is guaranteed correct at 14,000.
It used to come to me for service & MOT every Xmas time and it had always done almost exactly the same mileage as the previous year - 900.

Here’s the Sprint:

[gunnerheskey]

That takes me back driveroneuk. That Triumph dolomite sprint is identical to the one i had at 18, overdrive in 3rd & 4th. Mine had the yellow alloys,. M** 766P. Best car i ever had. Gave the XR3i’s a run for their money. Jealous to ■■■■■ Enjoy it mate…!

[driveroneuk]

Thanks GH.

Yellow alloys? They were non original then as originals black are as above.

[driveroneuk]

Hi guys, sorry for the delay in following up - been rather busy of late.

June 1st - 2nd

I drove down to my cousin’s place at Wadebridge. (350 miles) Left my car & trailer there. He ran me 1/2 hr up the road to Redruth & the guy I bought the car off came out & met us in his 3yr old white Mazda RX8.

japanesesportcars.com/galler … hite_2.jpg

Took me to his house & we sorted out the paper work.
I then went in the Sprint to Falmouth where I got something to eat. Had a drive around “The heads.”
Lots of great photographic opportunities for the car overlooking the harbour etc. but gone and left my camera in the Audi.
Then headed for Mawnan Smith and found the Trelawne small private hotel I last stayed in FIFTY years ago when I was two!
The room & breakfast were lovely, although I did not sleep well.

I didn’t know it was for sale until just now looking for a link to it.
I’m including the for sale page link because the pictures are much better than they have on the hotel’s web site!
Poor marketing eh?
Guests were mostly well healed retired couples. One couple used to live 10 minutes away from me! (Elswick)

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-26137999.html

Next day I called to see a business acquaintance (who owes me money!) in the lovely little fishing village Mevagissey, although he wasn’t home.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=mevagissey&hl=en&biw=1003&bih=564&prmd=ivnsm&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=-47uTYHgCIi6hAf61pmhCQ&ved=0CIUBELAE

Definately did the right thing leaving the trailer at Wadebridge & driving about these narrow roads in the Sprint.

Back to my cousin’s & we loaded the car and strapped it down… Then coffee & a chat.
I saw my Aunt, 93 (she was walking around the garden) but he just told her I was a friend as apparently she gets very confused and panicky when the past comes up. She does not remember having a brother, my Father.

On the way back the weather was hot & sunny. (27* at one point) I did a detour 2.5 hours off the motorway in Somerset across country towards Minehead to collect 2 tractor cab doors for a local tractor dealer. The roads were very steep & narrow.

This was a bit scary with the loaded trailer on as I wasn’t 100% sure if I was going the right way!
(Had said I would phone for directions when I got nearer. I did & got the answer machine )
It was well worth it to me as he weighed me in with £90 towards the cost of the diesel for the trip.
I left the hotel at 09.15. Left my cousin’s at around 13.00 & got home at 22.15 (400 miles).

Audi, which is a 2.5 V6 diesel auto, averaged 40mpg pulling the empty trailer. 32 loaded. On the m/way I dropped in behind a truck when possible doing 55 - 58 mph hence getting a free tow. The x country trip of <50 miles pulled the average down a lot as she was only doing around 15 on town stop/start, steep hills, (5 mpg at one point!) narrow lanes, etc.

Total mileage in exactly 36 hours was 838.
750 with Audi & trailer + 88 in the Sprint.

When I passed Denis’ tip of J17 for fuel on the way down I had plenty. However at Launceston I knew I wouldn’t have enough to get back there inc. the detour. So seeing at 139.odd thought I’d stick £20 in to get me to J17. Then thought I may as well fill her up (£61) whilst I’m doing to save the time of another stop.

[denis_f]

Moorview !!! you must have been desperate !! There’s a Tesco in Lanson - much cheaper ( I know it’s too late now !)

Tractor Doors ? Graham Burden at Flaxpool ■■ that’s only 1/2 hour from here !

[driveroneuk]

Denis F:
Moorview !!! you must have been desperate !! There’s a Tesco in Lanson - much cheaper ( I know it’s too late now !)

Indeed it is. I spotted Moorview on the way in and at 139.■■ it was the cheapest I’d seen.
Wasn’t desperate, but couldn’t get back to J17 inc. the detour where, at times, was down to 5mpg.

Tractor Doors ? Graham Burden at Flaxpool ■■ that’s only 1/2 hour from here !

Not from a dealer. Woodadvent Farm, Roadwater.
Off at 25 back on at 23.