Jason's Blog

This cropped up on the Club Triumph messageboard a few days ago and I just thought it was so good that I had to propogate it - especially as I get a name check :-) 10CR Day Speechfrom Henry V by William Shakespeare (well actually by Don Cook) This weekend is called the 10CR Weekend: He that outlives this weekend, and comes safe home, Will stand a tip-toe when the weekend is named, And rouse him at the name of 10CR. He that shall live this weekend, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, And say 'In September is 10CR weekend: 'Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars. And say 'These wounds I had on the 10CR Weekend. 'Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot, But he'll remember with advantages What feats he did that weekend: then shall our names. Familiar in his mouth as household words Raider the king, Bancroft and Martin, Carruthers, Gingell, Foreman, Tornado, Chinn, Hoogmans and Tomboy, Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'...

I'm sat in Norwich in a hotel bar, specially selected because there's free wireless internet here! I've had a few beers and decided- I will do the 2006 RBRR in my Vitesse. Now, having made that decision I need to find a co-driver. I now need to get some time together to sort out the fuel injection idea - I've sort of got the money (need to sell a few things on ebay - some parts, some computer kit, a kidney, you know the score) I just need some time to get the parts I have up to Canley Classics for the once over, a fettle and sort out. I also need to get over to Bill Davies's barn for a couple of Herald fuel tanks - I've decided that's the way to go. So, it'll be pretty hefty on petrol, fun and noisey but the car needs it - it did the 2004 RBRR so it can do it again!

In using the Sixfire every day there were going to be the inevitable maintenance jobs - I was expecting those. I wasn't expecting that bits would drop off! Well if I'm honest I did - those damn clip on quarterlight mirrors always fall off. It's done it before when I was driving but I manaked to stick my hand out of the open window and catch it all! I still can't believe I did that but I did. Claudia wasn't so lucky and lost the driver's side mirror, of course there was a big truck following and that was the end of that! So today's jobs include taking the useless passenger side one off and putting it on the driver's side. I also bought some nice Union jack dust caps for her as she covets mine - well it is her birthday :-) I also get to wash and wax ot - oh the joys of having a nice car that has to be kept nice. Right, off to work.....

It's troubling me this Vitesse fault - it hasn't popped up again but likewise I haven't actually found out what went wrong. As I am now spending more and more time away from home Claudia has to rely on the Triumphs. The Sixfire is fine but with 2 kids to ferry around it's not that practical, the Vitesse has to be reliable as well. The hardtop is on, against my wishes but it does make it a lot more cozy in the winter and well, if you've got one you may as well use it! So, anyone got any ideas? What would cause a car to stop and prevent it from turning over?

I returned home last night to see both Triumphs on the drive - Claudia had been out in her car and hadn't been able to push the Vitesse back into the garage. So before I did anything else I thought I'd get my car into the garage and see what the trouble was. Although I didn't expect it to start I jumped in, turned teh key and it fired first time! It wasn't running great but then it was a little cold and damp - I drive into the garage and put the bonnet up. I suspected a loose battery connection but couldn't see anything amiss there - in fact it all looked fine, just as it should be. Anyway, it was late and I was tired having just done the M25 on a Friday so I'll take a look at it later today, after the inevitable kid taxi duty and some shopping. Talking of the M25 by journey was bouyed by what looked like a Mk3 Spit in red white and rust on a trailer towed by two chaps in a Discovery. We swapped places in the queue on the Motorway - I'm sure I saw him on the...

So, I'm sat in a hotel in Norwich bored out of my skull and the phone rings, it's the wife. She says it's raining in Reading so when she needed to go collect one of the kids she decided to take my car, the Vitesse. OK, I took her car, the Sixfire out last night so no problem. That's not why she's phoning, it's becuase the car just died on her at a junction and won't start, she's sat on the threshold of the junction and it's dead, click click goes the solenoid in the back ground - can you fix it she asks :-) Well I ask if she's opened the bonnet - don't be daft she says. So, I will it to start with ever ounce of my psychic power but no, it won't. Sounds to me like the batter connection is loose or there''s an earth issue - but would that cause t to stop dead? This all waits me for my return on Friday. Suffice to say that her father came out (nice bloke but about as mechanically minded as chewing gum) and towed her back to our house...